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BEST IELTS General Reading Test – 325
IELTS GENERAL READING TEST 325 – PASSAGE – 3
IELTS GENERAL READING TEST – 325
READING PASSAGE – 3
Beyond the limits of land exploited
Despite deforestation within the last few centuries, rainforests still remain a biodiversity treasure hidden from human touch.
Throughout the centuries, rainforests have played a significant role in enriching society. Firstly, there were the indigenous tribes, who worshipped the rainforests with their own culture and their love and respect for nature. Then, there were members of a new civilisation, and wherever they stepped on, forests faced devastation. Whether they looked for gold and precious stones or new land to settle down, the result was deforestation.
Life changed, and so did the meaning of richness. Nowadays, there are those who seek to do business with the wood being cut illegally. And there are members of the science community – they are biologists, chemists, naturalists and health professionals who have been struggling to learn about the secrets of biodiversity.
IELTS General Reading Test
The name rainforests designate the forests which are under heavy rainfall throughout the year. They are located in the intertropical convergence zone, i.e., the area surrounding the equator. They fall into two categories – the tropical rainforest and the temperate one. The first one is found in the tropical areas, including Central America and South America, Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. The second one is located in the temperate regions of North America, South America, Europe, East Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
Studies have shown that a rainforest consists of four layers. The emergent layer carries a small number of large trees, which are home to eagles, bats and butterflies. The canopy layer contains the densest areas of biodiversity since adjacent treetops are thought to protect 50 per cent of the flora that live on Earth. Underneath the canopy, we can find the understory layer and its variety of birds, snakes, lizards and predators, such as jaguars and leopards. The last one is the forest floor, a mysterious area with only 2 per cent of sunlight and living beings that can survive under this condition.
IELTS General Reading Test
Thus, an inconceivable diversity of ecosystems is believed to live underneath the magnificent treetops in both temperate and tropical rainforests. Furthermore, the importance of the flow of information has meant that wealth lies in the provision of new information to this postmodern society. Therefore, recent government intervention to save the Brazilian rainforest from deforestation, for example, has clearly contributed to scientific research since the object of study is to be kept away from destruction.
In fact, 50 per cent of the fauna found in the world is thought to inhabit in the rainforest. There is a wide range of species, including mammals, reptiles, birds and invertebrates, and an incredible flora that live in natural ecosystems. Biodiversity is a singular feature of the rainforests. As they protect amazing species, they are also home to the natural resources for new medicine and healthier life. Yet, the more we learn about them, the more there is to discover.
IELTS General Reading Test
Questions 30 – 31
Choose the appropriate letter A-D and write them in boxes 30-31 on your answer sheet.
30. What do you learn about the rainforests in the first paragraph?
A) the reasons why different civilisations came to the rainforests
B) the amount of wealth that is found in the rainforests
C) the degree of deforestation so far
D) the lack of respect humans have for the rainforests.
31. In the second paragraph, what piece of information is accurate about human beings who have been to the rainforests?
A) The scientists who explore the rainforest are very rich.
B) Biologists and chemists aim to gain knowledge about biodiversity.
C) Criminals gave up cutting wood illegally.
D) Naturalists and health professionals intend to live there.
IELTS General Reading Test
Questions 32 – 34
Choose THREE letters A-G and write them in boxes 32-34 on your answer sheet.
Which three of the following does the writer highlight when describing the rainforests?
A) The etymological origin of the word ‘rainforest’
B) All the countries where portions of rainforest are found
C) The rainforests sub-divisions
D) the reason behind the name, rainforest’.
E) the difference between tropical and temperate rainforests.
F) the area where rainforests are located
G) the biodiversity available in the rainforests.
IELTS General Reading Test
Questions 35 -37
Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS answer the following questions.
Write your answers in boxes 35-37 on your answer sheet.
35. Which layer holds a high degree of biodiversity?
36. What is the name of the third layer mentioned in the passage?
37. What does the term ‘under this condition’ refer to?
IELTS General Reading Test
Questions 38 – 40
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?
In boxes 38-40 on your answer sheet write.
TRUE – if the statement is true
FALSE – if the statement is false
NOT GIVEN – if the information is not given in the passage
38. Postmodern society seeks information as a source of wealth.
39. Government intervention in activities of deforestation is the result of a partnership with the scientific community.
40. Biodiveristy is the only characteristic of the remaining rainforests.
IELTS General Reading Test
IELTS Academic Reading Test
ANSWERS
30. A
31. B
32. C/D/F (ANY ORDER)
33. C/D/F (ANY ORDER)
34. C/D/F (ANY ORDER)
35. THE CANOPY LAYER
36. THE UNDERSTORY LAYER
37. 2 PER CENT SUNLIGHT/LOW SUNLIGHT/POOR SUNLIGHT
38. TRUE
39. NOT GIVEN
40. FALSE