IELTS Academic Reading Passage:
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-12 which are based on Reading Passage 1 below:
Population Viability Analysis
Part A
To make political decisions about the extent and type of forestry in a region it is important to understand the consequences of those decisions. One tool for assessing the impact of forestry on the ecosystem is population viability analysis (PVA). This is a tool for predicting the probability that a species will become extinct in a particular region over a specific period. It has been successfully used in the United States to provide input into resource exploitation decisions and assist wildlife managers and there is now an enormous potential for using population viability to assist wildlife management in Australia’s forests. A species becomes extinct when the last individual dies. This observation is a useful starting point for any discussion of extinction as it highlights the role of luck and chance in the extinction process. To make a prediction about extinction we need to understand the processes that can contribute to it and these fall into four broad categories which are discussed below.
Part B
A) Early attempts to predict population viability were based on demographic uncertainty whether an individual survives from one year to the next will largely be a matter of chance. Some pairs may produce several young in a single year while others may produce none in that same year. Small populations will fluctuate enormously because of the random nature of birth and death and these chance fluctuations can cause species extinctions even if, on average, the population size should increase. Taking only this uncertainty of ability to reproduce into account, extinction is unlikely if the number of individuals in a population is above about 50 and the population is growing.
B) Small populations cannot avoid a certain amount of inbreeding. This is particularly true if there is a very small number of one sex. For example, if there are only 20 individuals of a species and only one is a male, all future individuals in the species must be descended from that one male. For most animal species such individuals are less likely to survive and reproduce. Inbreeding increases the chance of extinction.
C) Variation within a species is the raw material upon which natural selection acts. Without genetic variability, a species lacks the capacity to evolve and cannot adapt to changes in its environment or to new predators and new diseases. The loss of genetic diversity associated with reductions in population size will contribute to the likelihood of extinction.
D) Recent research has shown that other factors need to be considered. Australia’s environment fluctuates enormously from year to year. These fluctuations add yet another degree of uncertainty to the survival of many species. Catastrophes such as fire, flood, drought or epidemic may reduce population sizes to a small fraction of their average level. When allowance is made for these two additional elements of uncertainty the population size necessary to be confident of persistence for a few hundred years may increase to several thousand.
Part C
Besides these processes, we need to bear in mind the distribution of a population. A species that occurs in five isolated places each containing 20 individuals will not have the same probability of extinction as a species with a single population of 100 individuals in a single locality. Where logging occurs (that is, the cutting down of forests for timber) forest-dependent creatures in that area will be forced to leave. Ground-dwelling herbivores may return within a decade. However, arboreal marsupials (that is animals which live in trees) may not recover to pre-logging densities for over a century. As more forests are logged, animal population sizes will be reduced further. Regardless of the theory or model that we choose, a reduction in population size decreases the genetic diversity of a population and increases the probability of extinction because of any or all of the processes listed above. It is, therefore, a scientific fact that increasing the area that is loaded in any region will increase the probability that forest-dependent animals will become extinct.
Questions 1-4:
Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in Part A of Reading Passage 1?
In boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet write:
YES if the statement agrees with the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
Example: A link exists between the consequences of decisions and the decision-making process itself. Answer: YES.
1. Scientists are interested in the effect of forestry on native animals.
2. PVA has been used in Australia for many years.
3. A species is said to be extinct when only one individual exists.
4. Extinction is a naturally occurring phenomenon.
Questions 5-8:
These questions are based on Part B of Reading Passage 1.
In paragraphs A to D the author describes four processes which may contribute to the extinction of a species.
Match the list of processes (i-vi) to the paragraphs.
Write the appropriate number (i-vi) in boxes 5-8 on your answer sheet.
NB. There are more processes than paragraphs so you will not use all of them.
| Paragraphs | Processes |
|---|---|
|
5. Paragraph A 6. Paragraph B 7. Paragraph C 8. Paragraph D |
i. Loss of ability to adapt ii. Natural disasters iii. An imbalance of the sexes iv. Human disasters v. Evolution vi. The haphazard nature of reproduction |
Questions 9-11:
Based on your reading of Part C, complete the sentences below.
Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 9-11 on your answer sheet.
While the population of a species may be on the increase, there is always a chance that small isolated groups ………. (9) ………. Survival of a species depends on a balance between the size of a population and its ………. (10) ……… The likelihood that animals which live in forests will become extinct is increased when ………. (11) ………..
Question 12:
Choose the appropriate letter A-D and write it in box 12 on your answer sheet.
12. An alternative heading for the passage could be:
A. The protection of native flora and fauna
B. Influential factors in assessing survival probability
C. An economic rationale for the logging of forests
D. Preventive measures for the extinction of a species
Answer to the reading passage – Population Viability Analysis
Answer: Click the button to Show/ Hide Answers.
Need answer explanation? Visit – Answer Explanation – Population Viability Analysis
Thanks. This website is very useful.
Thank you all!
If you are searching for a partner, I am here. I live in Singapore and now I also want to prepare for the IELTS test.
Yeah, I also want a study-partners for IELTS reading part. So can you practice with me?
Hi, Varduhi, we can both practise IELTS reading because I am suffering very badly in reading.
Yes, I need somebody who can help me in IELTS exam preparation…
We can practise together as I am aiming for a minimum 8 band score in each module.
Hello Jais, I have my IELTS exam on 22nd April, right here in Winnipeg (Canada). I am aiming for at least 8 band score in each module and would definitely like few partners for practise. If you are comfortable with the same, kindly let me know so that we can schedule a timetable which can suit both of us as we are in different time zones. Thanks in advance. Regards – Manav.
I am also looking for someone. Can we do practise together?
Want to practise IELTS with me?
Can you please, help me improve my reading skills?
Hey, friends. I have created a WhatsApp group. If you want to join and do seriously practice, then send your number on my WhatsApp account. My number is +91 8866212700.
Can you please help me with my IELTS preparation especially in reading & writing sections? My exam is on the 20th of May. So I’m so nervous. I need 7 band score. Anyone, please help me. My email id is nidhi050189@gmail.com.
How can I get a good score in IELTS? Can you give me good materials, tips and practice tests for IELTS?
Hi, I am preparing for my IELTS exam. Can you please help me study properly?
Hi Sadaf, how was your IELTS exam? Hope you scored 7.5. Can you please help me with reading? My reading skill is poor and I need to improve. If you can help me please, my email id is amancpi2gmail.com.
How was your IELTS exam? I am also poor in reading section.
I got the full marks in my first trial. Hopefully, such an easy passage would come in the real exam!
Hi, please read the instructions before you come to any conclusion. It’s clearly written that read paragraph ‘A’ and then answer, then how can you go and look for the answer in paragraph ‘C’? The answer should be ‘Not Given’. 🙂
[quote name=”Vinit”]I am facing difficulty in reading. Can you please help me?[/quote][quote name=”Vinit”]I am facing difficulty in reading. Can you please help me?[/quote]Hi, I am new here. Help me for a good IELTS band score. My contact number is 9746276094. I am very poor in writing, reading, listening and speaking. Please help me urgently.
Dayoos, this isn’t a place to make GF!!!
Look at the end of paragraph C.
My goal is getting 7.5 band score and I have improved a lot in other parts but my reading is not good. I am going to appear in IELTS exam in January. I am looking for somebody who wants to improve reading skills. Someone who wants analyse the reading tests to see why we answered wrong. This is my Skype: Nastaran1r.
I am facing difficulty in reading. Can you please help me?
I also have the same sentiment regarding question number 28.
In question 1, – “Scientists are interested in the effect of forestry on native animals.”, in the text, there is no mention of scientists’ interests. Shouldn’t the answer be “Not Given”? Thanks.
Keywords to find the answers:
1. effect of=impact of, native animals=ecosystem.
2. “now enormous potential” deny “many years”.
3. “the last individual dies” deny “one individual exists”.
4. the rest of the paragraph just mentions the extinction process of luck and chances but does not mention the phenomena.
5. reproduce= reproduction, uncertainly= haphazard.
6. A small number of one sex.
7. the loss of genetic diversity
8. catastrophes= disaster, fire, flood… are nature.
Q. 9 to 11 are a bit difficult. It requests reading through the whole paragraph because the answer is disordered from the article. I spent 17 minutes on this reading, I don’t get used to reading by computer yet, I use to read from books as I could mark the keyword. I did 2 mistakes, 1 and 9.
In 1, I didn’t tackle the right answer because I was focused on finding any word relates to SCIENTIST ARE INTERESTED IN. I didn’t find any words embody “SCIENTIST” and their “interested”. Even in the later part, I could not find the words to match. But the subject of the question couldn’t be found. So I don’t know if this question is exactly right or wrong or should be NOT GIVEN.
In Q. 9, I was too focused on finding the answer in order. I spent too much time studying the first 2 sentences of Part C, but I didn’t find any verb to finish the sentence. And I have never expected the answer to be found at the beginning from the end back to the beginning… That means, my grammatical range is not strong enough, and every kind of questions could be found in IELTS exam.
Hello, see this point of your question ‘Australia’s environment fluctuates’.
Should the answer to question 8 be “iv) Human disasters” instead of “ii. Natural disaster.” Anyone can explain, please?
Mistakenly looked into paragraph C. My bad. “ii. Natural disaster” is the correct choice.
I had appeared in the IELTS test once, but I could not score 6 because of the reading section. I couldn’t finish it on time. Very upset now. Can you please help me regarding the reading practice?
You have to see the keywords and synonyms, for example, Q no. 9 – they are talking about small isolated groups in the reading passage. It very clearly mentions that 20 individuals have the same probability of extinction that means those small isolated groups could become extinct.
Can you explain where did they mention about Scientists and why can’t it be ‘Not Given’?
Q. 1: Scientists are interested in the effect of forestry on native animals. The answer is ‘yes’. See here (that a species will become extinct in a particular region over a specific period. It has been successfully used in the United States).
Which word indicates that the scientists are showing their interest? Can you explain?
Yes, I agree with you. There is no idea that indicates that the scientists get involved or show their interest in the paragraph.
It is helpful.
And also, may I just add that I faced countless passages in IELTS academic module and I can say that this was man-made. Your sample does not even contain 40 questions. There are no information/answers found for #9 – 11 and I believe many will agree that 9-11 questions’ answers cannot be found.
The answer to Question #1 should be ‘Not Given’. Yes, it says “One tool for assessing the impact of forestry on the ecosystem is population viability analysis (PVA). This is a tool for predicting the probability that a species will become extinct in a particular region… “but in this statement … “Scientists” were never mentioned that they were the ones who are interested. It just said things about PVA. How come the answer is ‘YES’?
Yes, I agree with you too.
I am having the same problem with those questions as well. It’s like we have to construct our own words or phrases regarding our thorough understanding of the whole paragraph. I got 9 out of 12 because of that 🙁
Questions 9, 10 and 11 have answers that are not taken from the passage as it is said (complete the sentences below with words taken from the passage).
Hi guys, I’m wondering if can I get some reading samples? I mean I want to download some samples. Is there any way to download these samples with answers?
[quote name=”Nabin”]10 days are remaining for my IELTS exam and I have just found this website.[/quote]The same has happened to me too!
I could not find their answers too!
10 days are remaining for my IELTS exam and I have just found this website. I think this is a great website for IELTS and it would help me a lot to get a higher band score in IELTS. Thanks for such a valuable website.
Can you provide me with more reading passages with questions and answers?
Neelam, I want to take IELTS. I need someone to practise with. If you have time, then contact me so that we can prepare for the IELTS test.
But the question says no more than three words!
In part C, you have to find the word(s) in the passage to complete the sentence. Sometimes they change or rephrase the sentence, that is why you have to understand it.