Palm Oil - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Cambridge IELTS 17 Academic Reading Test 3 · Part 2 · Questions 14–26
Reading Passage
Palm oil
A
Palm oil is an edible oil derived from the fruit of the African oil palm tree, and is currently the most consumed vegetable oil in the world. It’s almost certainly in the soap we wash with in the morning, the sandwich we have for lunch, and the biscuits we snack on during the day. Why is palm oil so attractive for manufacturers? Primarily because its unique properties - such as remaining solid at room temperature - make it an ideal ingredient for long-term preservation, allowing many packaged foods on supermarket shelves to have ‘best before’ dates of months, even years, into the future.
B
Many farmers have seized the opportunity to maximise the planting of oil palm trees. Between 1990 and 2012, the global land area devoted to growing oil palm trees grew from 6 to 17 million hectares, now accounting for around ten percent of total cropland in the entire world. From a mere two million tonnes of palm oil being produced annually globally 50 years ago, there are now around 60 million tonnes produced every single year, a figure looking likely to double or even triple by the middle of the century.
C
However, there are multiple reasons why conservationists cite the rapid spread of oil palm plantations as a major concern. There are countless news stories of deforestation, habitat destruction and dwindling species populations, all as a direct result of land clearing to establish oil palm tree monoculture on an industrial scale, particularly in Malaysia and Indonesia. Endangered species - most famously the Sumatran orangutan, but also rhinos, elephants, tigers, and numerous other fauna - have suffered from the unstoppable spread of oil palm plantations.
D
‘Palm oil is surely one of the greatest threats to global biodiversity,’ declares Dr Farnon Ellwood of the University of the West of England, Bristol. ‘Palm oil is replacing rainforest, and rainforest is where all the species are. That’s a problem.’ This has led to some radical questions among environmentalists, such as whether consumers should try to boycott palm oil entirely.
Meanwhile Bhavani Shankar, Professor at London’s School of Oriental and African Studies, argues, ‘It’s easy to say that palm oil is the enemy and we should be against it. It makes for a more dramatic story, and it’s very intuitive. But given the complexity of the argument, I think a much more nuanced story is closer to the truth.’
E
One response to the boycott movement has been the argument for the vital role palm oil plays in lifting many millions of people in the developing world out of poverty. Is it desirable to have palm oil boycotted, replaced, eliminated from the global supply chain, given how many low-income people in developing countries depend on it for their livelihoods? How best to strike a utilitarian balance between these competing factors has become a serious bone of contention.
F
Even the deforestation argument isn’t as straightforward as it seems. Oil palm plantations produce at least four and potentially up to ten times more oil per hectare than soybean, rapeseed, sunflower or other competing oils. That immensely high yield - which is predominantly what makes it so profitable - is potentially also an ecological benefit. If ten times more palm oil can be produced from a patch of land than any competing oil, then ten times more land would need to be cleared in order to produce the same volume of oil from that competitor.
As for the question of carbon emissions, the issue really depends on what oil palm trees are replacing. Crops vary in the degree to which they sequester carbon - in other words, the amount of carbon they capture from the atmosphere and store within the plant. The more carbon a plant sequesters, the more it reduces the effect of climate change. As Shankar explains: ‘[Palm oil production] actually sequesters more carbon in some ways than other alternatives. [...] Of course, if you’re cutting down virgin forest it’s terrible - that’s what’s happening in Indonesia and Malaysia, it’s been allowed to get out of hand. But if it’s replacing rice, for example, it might actually sequester more carbon.’
G
The industry is now regulated by a group called the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), consisting of palm growers, retailers, product manufacturers, and other interested parties. Over the past decade or so, an agreement has gradually been reached regarding standards that producers of palm oil have to meet in order for their product to be regarded as officially ‘sustainable’. The RSPO insists upon no virgin forest clearing, transparency and regular assessment of carbon stocks, among other criteria. Only once these requirements are fully satisfied is the oil allowed to be sold as certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO). Recent figures show that the RSPO now certifies around 12 million tonnes of palm oil annually, equivalent to roughly 21 percent of the world’s total palm oil production.
H
There is even hope that oil palm plantations might not need to be such sterile monocultures, or ‘green deserts’, as Ellwood describes them. New research at Ellwood’s lab hints at one plant which might make all the difference. The bird’s nest fern (Asplenium nidus) grows on trees in an epiphytic fashion (meaning it’s dependent on the tree only for support, not for nutrients), and is native to many tropical regions, where as a keystone species it performs a vital ecological role. Ellwood believes that reintroducing the bird’s nest fern into oil palm plantations could potentially allow these areas to recover their biodiversity, providing a home for all manner of species, from fungi and bacteria, to invertebrates such as insects, amphibians, reptiles and even mammals.
Questions
Questions 14–20 Matching Information
The Reading Passage has eight paragraphs, A-H.
Which section contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A-H, in boxes on your answer sheet.
Questions 21–22 Multiple Choice (Two Answers)
Choose TWO letters, A-E.
Write the correct letters in boxes on your answer sheet.
Questions 23–26 Sentence Completion
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes on your answer sheet.
- One advantage of palm oil for manufacturers is that it stays 23 even when not refrigerated.
- The 24 is the best known of the animals suffering habitat loss as a result of the spread of oil palm plantations.
- As one of its criteria for the certification of sustainable palm oil, the RSPO insists that growers check 25 on a routine basis.
- Ellwood and his researchers are looking into whether the bird’s nest fern could restore 26 in areas where oil palm trees are grown.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q14 | F | Oil palm plantations produce at least four and potentially up to ten times more oil per hectare than soybean, rapeseed, sunflower or other competing oils. That immensely high yield – which is predominantly what makes it so profitable – is potentially also an ecological benefit. | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that oil palm plantations can produce a lot more oil compared to other types of oils like soybean or rapeseed. This high oil yield is seen as a significant factor in its profitability and could also have positive impacts on the environment. Answer Explanation: The answer is pointing to paragraph F in the passage. This section likely discusses examples of potential environmental benefits related to the high oil yield of oil palm tree cultivation. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is F because it aligns with the information provided in the excerpt where the passage mentions the potentially ecological benefits of the immensely high yield of oil palm plantations. This indicates that paragraph F may contain examples of environmental advantages associated with oil palm tree cultivation. |
| Q15 | G | The RSPO insists upon no virgin forest clearing, transparency and regular assessment of carbon stocks, among other criteria. Only once these requirements are fully satisfied is the oil allowed to be sold as certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO). | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage talks about the RSPO, an organization that enforces certain rules to ensure palm oil production does not harm the environment. Answer Explanation: The answer G refers to the section that describes the organization controlling the environmental impact of palm oil production. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is G because it specifically addresses the description of an organization, RSPO, that regulates the environmental impact of palm oil production as mentioned in the excerpt. |
| Q16 | A | Palm oil is an edible oil derived from the fruit of the African oil palm tree, and is currently the most consumed vegetable oil in the world. | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage talks about palm oil, which comes from a specific type of tree and is the most consumed vegetable oil globally. Answer Explanation: The answer indicates that the information about the widespread global use of palm oil can be found in section A. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the excerpt mentions palm oil being the most consumed vegetable oil in the world, suggesting its widespread global use. |
| Q17 | H | Ellwood believes that reintroducing the bird’s nest fern into oil palm plantations could potentially allow these areas to recover their biodiversity, providing a home for all manner of species, from fungi and bacteria, to invertebrates such as insects, amphibians, reptiles and even mammals. | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage talks about how reintroducing a specific plant, the bird's nest fern, into oil palm plantations can help restore the diversity of species in those areas. This could create a habitat for a variety of organisms like fungi, bacteria, insects, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. Answer Explanation: The answer indicates that the information about reintroducing a particular species to benefit oil palm plantations can be found in section H of the passage. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'H' because the excerpt specifically mentions the proposed action of introducing the bird's nest fern to oil palm plantations to improve their biodiversity. This aligns with the idea of benefiting the ecosystem of oil palm plantations through the introduction of a particular species, which is stated in section H. |
| Q18 | B | Between 1990 and 2012, the global land area devoted to growing oil palm trees grew from 6 to 17 million hectares, now accounting for around ten percent of total cropland in the entire world | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage talks about how the amount of land used for growing oil palm trees increased significantly between 1990 and 2012. Answer Explanation: The answer indicates that the section containing figures illustrating the rapid expansion of the palm oil industry is section B. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because the excerpt mentions the global land area dedicated to oil palm tree cultivation, which aligns with the information about the rapid expansion of the palm oil industry depicted through figures. |
| Q19 | E | One response to the boycott movement has been the argument for the vital role palm oil plays in lifting many millions of people in the developing world out of poverty | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage talks about how some people argue that it is important to support the palm oil industry because it helps many people in poor countries improve their financial situation. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to the section of the passage that provides an economic reason for not being against the palm oil industry. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'E' because the excerpt mentions the economic justification for not opposing the palm oil industry, which aligns with the answer choice 'E'. The argument presented in the passage is that palm oil contributes to lifting people out of poverty, which is an economic reason for supporting the industry. |
| Q20 | C | Endangered species – most famously the Sumatran orangutan, but also rhinos, elephants, tigers, and numerous other fauna – have suffered from the unstoppable spread of oil palm plantations. | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage talks about animals like orangutans, rhinos, elephants, and tigers being harmed by the growth of oil palm farms. Answer Explanation: The answer is section C. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because it mentions how endangered species such as the Sumatran orangutan, rhinos, elephants, and tigers are negatively impacted by the expansion of oil palm plantations. This matches the description provided in the question. |
| Q21 | However, there are multiple reasons why conservationists cite the rapid spread of oil palm plantations as a major concern | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage talks about why people who care about nature are worried about the fast growth of palm oil farms. Answer Explanation: The answer shows two letters, which represent sections of the passage about palm oil. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer includes sections that highlight important aspects of palm oil, such as its usage and the environmental concerns related to its production. This shows the balance between its benefits and the problems it causes. |
|
| Q22 | B / C | Over the past decade or so The RSPO insists upon no virgin forest clearing, transparency |
Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that over the past decade, the RSPO has been strict about not allowing the clearing of virgin forests and emphasizes the importance of transparency. Answer Explanation: The answer states that the RSPO demands that certified producers be open and honest about their practices and that it took several years to establish its criteria for sustainable palm oil certification. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer includes the statements that the RSPO insists on transparency from certified producers and highlights the time it took to set strict criteria for sustainable palm oil certification, which are supported by the details in the excerpt mentioning no virgin forest clearing and a commitment to transparency in the past decade. |
| Q23 | solid | Why is palm oil so attractive for manufacturers? Primarily because its unique properties – such as remaining solid at room temperature – make it an ideal ingredient for long-term preservation | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that one reason why manufacturers like palm oil is because it remains solid at room temperature. Answer Explanation: The answer implies that palm oil's ability to stay in a solid form even at room temperature is beneficial for manufacturers. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'solid' because it directly relates to the characteristic mentioned in the passage that makes palm oil attractive to manufacturers - its ability to remain solid at room temperature, aiding in long-term preservation. |
| Q24 | orangutan / Sumatran orangutan / orang-utan / Sumatran orang-utan | Endangered species – most famously the Sumatran orangutan, but also rhinos, elephants, tigers, and numerous other fauna – have suffered from the unstoppable spread of oil palm plantations. | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage talks about endangered animals like the Sumatran orangutan suffering due to the expansion of oil palm plantations. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to the Sumatran orangutan, which is the most well-known animal affected by habitat loss caused by oil palm plantations. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer matches the information in the excerpt, as it specifically mentions the Sumatran orangutan as an endangered animal affected by the spread of oil palm plantations. The answer provided is relevant to the context of the passage. |
| Q25 | carbon stocks | The RSPO insists upon no virgin forest clearing, transparency and regular assessment of carbon stocks, among other criteria. | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage talks about the criteria set by the RSPO for sustainable palm oil production. One of these criteria is the regular assessment of carbon stocks. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to the amount of carbon stored in an area, which is important for understanding the impact of palm oil plantations on the environment. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer matches the concept of 'assessment of carbon stocks' mentioned in the excerpt, indicating the need for monitoring the amount of carbon stored in a given area to ensure sustainable palm oil production. |
| Q26 | biodiversity | Ellwood believes that reintroducing the bird’s nest fern into oil palm plantations could potentially allow these areas to recover their biodiversity | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage talks about how planting bird's nest fern in areas with oil palm trees could help those areas become diverse with different plants and animals. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to the different plants and animals living in an area, which is known as biodiversity. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer, biodiversity, fits perfectly as it encapsulates the variety of plants and animals that could be restored in oil palm plantation areas through the presence of bird's nest fern, as mentioned in the excerpt. |