Arctic Survivors - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Succeed in IELTS Academic Reading Test 7 · Part 2 · Questions 14–26
Reading Passage
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14 - 26, which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.
Arctic Survivors
The Arctic is an area located at the northernmost part of the Earth and includes the Arctic Ocean, Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland. It consists of an ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost. The area can be defined as north of the Arctic Circle, the approximate limit of the midnight sun and the polar night. The average temperature in July, which is the warmest month, is below 10°C. Colder summer temperatures cause the size, abundance, productivity and variety of plants to decrease. Trees cannot grow in the Arctic, but in its warmest parts, shrubs are common and can reach 2 metres in height.
A thick blanket of snow lies several feet deep all over the ground. The sun appears for only a few brief hours each day before sinking below the horizon as blackness cloaks the land. As it vanishes, a bitter chill tightens its grip. The Arctic is not a place to be in the throes of winter; it is hostile to almost all animal life. Amphibians would freeze solid here. Nor can reptiles withstand the extreme cold. And yet there are animals here, animals that exhibit a remarkable tolerance of the most inhospitable conditions on the planet. Less than half a metre beneath the surface of the snow, a furry white creature, no bigger than a hamster, scurries along a tunnel. It is a collared lemming. It and other members of its family have excavated a complex home within the snow field, but it costs the lemmings a great deal to survive here. They pay by using some of their precious and scarce food supply to generate heat within their bodies so that their biochemical processes can continue to function efficiently. But in order to keep fuel costs to a minimum, they must conserve as much energy as they can. A thick insulating coat of fine fur covering all but the lemmings’ eyes achieves this. Fur is the life preserver of the Arctic.
Only one class of animals has fur - the mammals. Fur is comprised of dense layers of hair follicles. Hair is composed of a substance called keratin. It grows constantly, its roots embedded in the skin and surrounded by nerve fibres so that its owner can sense any movement of the hair. It is this precious fur that gives land mammals the edge necessary to survive the harsh Arctic winter. Without it, wolves, lemmings and arctic foxes alike would surely perish.
The insulation provided by fur comes not from the fur itself, but largely from the layer of air trapped within the fur. Air is an extremely effective insulator, which is the same as saying it is a poor conductor, i.e. it has a very limited ability to conduct heat away from a warm surface. Studies reveal that if a layer of air of about five centimetres could be held in place close to the skin, it would provide the same insulation as does the impressively dense winter coat of the arctic fox. If an arctic fox or wolf is exposed to an air temperature of about minus ten degrees, the temperature near the tips of the fur will match the air temperature, but at the surface of the skin it will be closer to thirty degrees. This represents a temperature difference of around forty degrees. Such effective insulation is only made possible by the layer of trapped air contained within the long, fine and densely packed fur.
But Arctic mammals have more in their arsenal than just fur to protect them from the elements. Unlike amphibians, reptiles and other classes of animals, they are endotherms, meaning they can generate their own body heat. This is another of the defining characteristics of mammals. It is the mammalian ability to generate heat internally that enables the arctic fox or the lemming to remain warm and active in very cold conditions. Generating heat internally, Arctic mammals can regulate their body temperature independent of external conditions; this is known as thermoregulation. When Arctic mammals are cold, they raise their metabolic rate and produce more heat. When they are warm, the reverse happens. Together, thermoregulation and fur make Arctic mammals perfectly equipped to face the toughest conditions the Arctic can throw at them.
Questions
Questions 14–20 One Choice
Choose the correct answer A, B, C or D.
Questions 21–26 Summary Completion
Complete the summary below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
The Arctic winter is something few animals can survive, but there are a select few that show an amazing 21 of the severe winter conditions. These animals have to use their food resources to keep their body temperature high so that the biochemical 22 inside them continue to run. One thing that helps them keep their bodies warm is their 23 which consists of thick layers of hair that provide insulation for their bodies; it is their life 24. The layer of trapped air that they also have provides very effective insulation from cold because it is not a good 25 of heat. In the case of an Arctic mammal getting cold, it deals with it by increasing its 26 rate to generate more heat.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q14 | A | And yet there are animals here, animals that exhibit a remarkable tolerance of the most inhospitable conditions on the planet | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that some animals can live in this area because they can handle and endure the most difficult and unwelcoming environments on Earth. Answer Explanation: The answer means that animals living in the Arctic are able to survive in very harsh and tough environments. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the text states that Arctic animals show great tolerance to the harshest environments on Earth. In the passage, the phrase "exhibit a remarkable tolerance" matches the idea of "can withstand", and "inhospitable conditions" means "difficult living conditions". In contrast, amphibians (like frogs or toads) and reptiles cannot survive this extreme cold, making options B, C, and D incorrect. |
| Q15 | D | Less than half a metre beneath the surface of the snow, a furry white creature, no bigger than a hamster, scurries along a tunnel. It is a collared lemming | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that the collared lemming moves through tunnels under the snow at a depth of less than half a meter (under 50 centimeters). Answer Explanation: The answer means that lemmings make their homes roughly 50 centimeters underneath the top of the snow. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is D because the text describes the home of the collared lemming as being "less than half a metre beneath the surface of the snow." In measurement, half a meter is equal to 50 centimeters. Therefore, "about 50cm below the surface of the snow" directly matches "less than half a metre beneath the surface of the snow." |
| Q16 | A | Fur is comprised of dense layers of hair follicles | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that fur is made up of tightly packed, thick layers of hair. Answer Explanation: The answer means that fur is made up of thick, closely packed layers of hair. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because paragraph 3 explicitly states what fur consists of. The text says that fur is "comprised of dense layers of hair follicles." In this context, the word "dense" means packed closely together or "thick", and "comprised of" means made of. Therefore, fur is thick layers of hair. The other choices are incorrect because only mammals have fur (not all animal classes), fur is vital rather than unhelpful, and it protects both large and small Arctic mammals (like wolves, arctic foxes, and lemmings). |
| Q17 | C | Air is an extremely effective insulator, which is the same as saying it is a poor conductor, i.e. it has a very limited ability to conduct heat away from a warm surface | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that air stops cold and heat very well because it cannot carry heat away from warm skin easily. Answer Explanation: The answer "C" means that trapped air keeps things warm because heat does not pass or travel through it easily. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because the passage directly explains that being an effective insulator means the exact same thing as being a poor conductor. In simple words, "poor conductor" means a "bad conductor" of heat. Keywords to look for are "effective insulator," "poor conductor," and "conduct heat away." |
| Q18 | C | If an arctic fox or wolf is exposed to an air temperature of about minus ten degrees, the temperature near the tips of the fur will match the air temperature, but at the surface of the skin it will be closer to thirty degrees | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that when the outside air and the tips of the fox's fur are at minus ten degrees, the skin underneath stays much warmer at around thirty degrees. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the temperature on the fox's skin is near thirty degrees. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because the text directly states what happens when the air and the tips of the fur are at minus ten degrees. The author writes that while the tips of the fur are minus ten degrees, the temperature right at the animal's skin will be closer to thirty degrees. Note the keyword 'thirty degrees' in contrast to the forty-degree difference between the outside and the skin. |
| Q19 | A | they are endotherms, meaning they can generate their own body heat | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that being an endotherm means an animal has the ability to produce its own heat inside its body. Answer Explanation: The answer means an animal that is able to make warmth inside its own body. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because the text clearly defines what "endotherms" are. It explains that Arctic mammals "are endotherms, meaning they can generate their own body heat." Words like "generate their own body heat" and "generate heat internally" directly match the phrase "generate heat inside its body". |
| Q20 | B | But Arctic mammals have more in their arsenal than just fur to protect them from the elements Together, thermoregulation and fur make Arctic mammals perfectly equipped to face the toughest conditions the Arctic can throw at them |
Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that animals use fur plus other tools to keep safe from tough weather. It then concludes that thermoregulation and fur work together so these animals can survive the harshest Arctic conditions. Answer Explanation: The answer means that body heat control (thermoregulation) and fur together help animals stay safe from harsh weather and extreme cold. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because the passage explains that Arctic mammals have fur and the ability to control their body heat (thermoregulation) to survive. In paragraph 5, the text notes that mammals use both fur and internal heat to "protect them from the elements" (guard themselves against the harsh environment). At the end of the paragraph, it confirms that fur and thermoregulation together allow these animals to survive "the toughest conditions" of the Arctic. |
| Q21 | tolerance | And yet there are animals here, animals that exhibit a remarkable tolerance of the most inhospitable conditions on the planet | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that some animals are able to handle and survive the harshest and coldest conditions on Earth. Answer Explanation: The answer "tolerance" means the ability to endure, live through, or handle very harsh and difficult situations. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "tolerance" because the passage describes Arctic animals that can survive in extreme cold. The text states that these creatures "exhibit a remarkable tolerance of the most inhospitable conditions". In the summary, the word "show" matches "exhibit", and "amazing" matches "remarkable". Therefore, the missing word that fits the phrase "an amazing [blank] of the severe winter conditions" is "tolerance". |
| Q22 | processes | They pay by using some of their precious and scarce food supply to generate heat within their bodies so that their biochemical processes can continue to function efficiently | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that lemmings burn food to create heat in their bodies so that the chemical activities keeping them alive can keep working well. Answer Explanation: The answer "processes" means the natural chemical actions or activities that take place inside living bodies to keep them alive. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "processes" because the passage explains how lemmings stay alive in the cold. It notes that they use their limited food supply to create warmth inside themselves "so that their biochemical processes can continue to function efficiently." In the summary sentence, "biochemical processes inside them continue to run" corresponds directly to the text, with "run" matching the meaning of "function." |
| Q23 | fur | Fur is comprised of dense layers of hair follicles | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that fur is made up of thick, tightly packed layers of hair. Answer Explanation: The answer "fur" refers to the soft, thick hair that grows on the skin of many animals to keep them warm. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "fur" because the summary describes something that "consists of thick layers of hair" that help animals stay warm. The passage directly states in the third paragraph that "Fur is comprised of dense layers of hair follicles." In this context, "comprised of" has the same meaning as "consists of", and "dense layers of hair" matches "thick layers of hair". |
| Q24 | preserver | Fur is the life preserver of the Arctic | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that fur is what saves the lives of animals living in the extremely cold Arctic. Answer Explanation: The answer means something that saves lives or helps living things stay alive. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "preserver" because the summary mentions that an animal's fur provides insulation and acts as "their life ". In the second paragraph, the text directly uses this exact phrase to highlight how essential fur is for survival: "Fur is the life preserver of the Arctic." |
| Q25 | conductor | Air is an extremely effective insulator, which is the same as saying it is a poor conductor, i.e. it has a very limited ability to conduct heat away from a warm surface | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that air stops heat from escaping because heat cannot travel through it easily. Answer Explanation: The answer means a material or substance that allows heat to easily move or pass through it. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "conductor" because the text explains that air works very well to block the cold because it is a "poor conductor" of heat. In the summary sentence, the phrase "not a good" means the same thing as the word "poor" in the passage. |
| Q26 | metabolic | When Arctic mammals are cold, they raise their metabolic rate and produce more heat | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that whenever Arctic mammals feel cold, they make their bodies work faster internally to create extra warmth. Answer Explanation: The answer refers to the chemical activity inside the body that turns food into energy and heat. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "metabolic" because the text explains what happens when an Arctic mammal feels cold. In the passage, it states that these animals "raise their metabolic rate and produce more heat." In the summary sentence, the word "increasing" matches the passage's word "raise," and "generate more heat" matches "produce more heat." Therefore, the missing word describing the rate is "metabolic." |