Australia’s Lost Giants - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS Academic Reading Test 6 · Part 2 · Questions 14–26
Reading Passage
Read the text below and answer questions 14-26.
Australia's Lost Giants
A. The Victorian Cave was explored by a fossil hunter named Rod Wells, who came to Naracoorte, South Australia, in 1969. The narrow passages, which were distinctly clawed, led to huge chambers. The ground had red soil, and the floor was bedraggled with strange objects. It took Wells a moment to acknowledge that what he was checking out were the bones of thousands of animals that might have fallen from openings in the ground above and gotten stuck. Compared to the mammals found today in Australia, some of the oldest were far more sizable. These bones belonged to Australian megafauna—giant mammals of the Pleistocene epoch. Across the continent, in boneyards, fossils of a giant snake, a huge flightless bird, and a seven-foot kangaroo, to give some examples, were discovered by scientists. Considering the amount of light cast on the extinction of the dinosaurs, it's surprising that a little has been discovered about megafauna. Prehistoric humans never harmed Tyrannosaurus rex with spears, although they did hunt mammoths and mastodons.
B. Soon after the arrival of humans, the extinction of megafauna in America, including mammoths, saber-toothed cats, and gigantic sloths, occurred around 13,000 years ago. A paleoecologist named Paul Martin published a hypothesis known as the "blitzkrieg hypothesis" in the 1960s. Modern people caused chaos in the Americas by killing animals with spears. These animals had never seen a smart predator before, so they couldn't defend themselves.But this period of extinction was not complete. On the continent, North America retained its deer, black bears, and a small type of bison, and on the continent, South America had its jaguars and llamas.
C. It is confounding to witness the melancholy of Australia's large animals. For quite a long time, researchers put aside any other causes for extinction other than environmental changes. To be sure, Australia has been drying out for more than 1,000,000 years, and the megafauna were confronted with a landmass where vegetation had started to vanish. Tim Flannery, an Australian paleontologist, proposed that people who moved onto the continent around 50 centuries ago used fire to hunt. This was accompanied by deforestation. Something worrisome occurred to Australia's predominant land animals-somewhere around 46,000 years ago, not long after the intrusion of a profoundly wise hunter with excellent tools.
D. The controversy over megafauna revolves around the methods for dating old bones and the sediments in which they are buried. Only if scholars can demonstrate that the extinction of megafauna occurred within a few centuries, or possibly a couple thousand years, of the emergence of humans would the argument be strengthened-regardless of whether it was merely coincidental. Cuddie Springs in New South Wales can demonstrate this case without a shadow of a doubt. Judith Field, an archaeologist, is currently the most vocal. In 1991, she discovered megafauna bones as well as stone tools. This was a significant discovery. She claims there are two strata displaying the affiliation, one around 30,000 years old and the other around 35,000 years old. This suggests that people and megafauna coexisted in Australia for at least 20 thousand years. "What Cuddie Springs reveals is that you have a long cross-over of people and megafauna that existed together," Field added. Critics argue that the original locations of fossils were altered and were replaced by younger sediments.
E. Another renowned boneyard in a similar area is a spot called Wellington Caverns,Diprotodon, the largest known marsupial (an animal that, like kangaroos and koalas, bears its young in a pouch), was discovered.In 1830 a regional officer, George Rankin lowered down himself into the cave utilizing a rope snared to a hole in a cave wall. The hole was actually a bone. 12 months later a surveyor, Thomas Mitchell examined the caves in the area and gave Richard Owen, British paleontologist , who was recognised later for unraveling the existence of dinosaurs. extinct marsupial’s cave bones were found in Wellington. In 1909 and 1915 sediments in Mammoth Cave that consisted of fossils were dug out and studied in haphazard manner as a result of this no scolar agreed with these findings. Yet, a single bone particularly captured dramatic attention : a femur with a wound in it, possibly left there by a sharp tool.
F. Sadly, the Earth conserves its history in a chaotic manner.Bones degrade , the land erodes, the climate changes, the mere existence of forests is uncertain , rivers change their course and the history slowly gets disguised. Sadly, the Earth conserves its history in a chaotic manner. The storys constructed from time to time have limited information. Various rock art portrayed Australia's first people. The paintings of Palorchestes, a megafauna marsupial , on rock, in far northern Australia, was examined by Peter Murray, a Paleontologist. In Western Australia another site shows what seems to be a hunter with either a marsupial lion ; in the more recent historical era, the marsupial lion went extinct as they were bigger. "Every stage of the procedure requires analysis. The information does not speak for itself." said Murray .
Questions
Questions 14–18 Matching Information
Which paragraphs contain the following information? Every question has only one answer but you may use any of the letters A-F for more than one question. Circle the correct letters in your answer sheet.
Questions 19–20 Multiple Choice (Two Answers)
Choose TWO letters from A-E
Questions 21–22 Multiple Choice (Two Answers)
Choose TWO letters A-E.
Questions 23–26 True / False / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage?
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the informations
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q14 | F | Bones degrade , the land erodes, the climate changes, the mere existence of forests is uncertain , rivers change their course and the history slowly gets disguised | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that because things like bones rot and the land changes over time, the history of the earth becomes hidden and difficult to understand. Answer Explanation: The answer is paragraph F because it lists natural events that hide the details of the past. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is paragraph F because it describes how natural processes like erosion, climate change, and the movement of rivers make it difficult for scientists to find clear information about early history. These 'naturally occurring events'—such as bones breaking down or land wearing away—cause history to be 'disguised,' which means it is hard to trace or see clearly. |
| Q15 | E | Another renowned boneyard in a similar area is a spot called Wellington Caverns,Diprotodon, the largest known marsupial (an animal that, like kangaroos and koalas, bears its young in a pouch), was discovered.In 1830 a regional officer, George Rankin lowered down himself into the cave utilizing a rope snared to a hole in a cave wall. The hole was actually a bone | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that in 1830, a man named George Rankin found the bones of a huge animal called a Diprotodon inside a cave called Wellington Caverns. Answer Explanation: The answer is Paragraph E because it tells the story of how the bones of a specific animal that no longer lives today were found. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is Paragraph E because it provides a specific account (a story or report) of the discovery of the Diprotodon. This is a particular animal described as an extinct marsupial, meaning it has died out. The paragraph explains that it was found in Wellington Caverns in 1830 by George Rankin. Key terms to notice are 'discovered' and 'extinct marsupial'. |
| Q16 | A | It took Wells a moment to acknowledge that what he was checking out were the bones of thousands of animals that might have fallen from openings in the ground above and gotten stuck | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that the researcher found bones from many thousands of animals. He believed these animals died because they fell through holes in the earth and could not get out. Answer Explanation: The answer identifies the section of the text that explains how many different kinds of animals ended up dead in a single location. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because this paragraph describes the discovery of thousands of animal bones in a specific cave. It provides a possible reason for this high concentration of remains in one small spot, suggesting that the animals fell through holes in the ground and became trapped. Keywords to notice include 'bones of thousands of animals', which refers to a 'variety of animals', and 'fallen from openings in the ground', which explains 'why' they were found there. |
| Q17 | E | In 1909 and 1915 sediments in Mammoth Cave that consisted of fossils were dug out and studied in haphazard manner as a result of this no scolar agreed with these findings | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that between 1909 and 1915, fossils were taken out of Mammoth Cave and looked at in a disorganized and careless way, which caused other experts to reject the information discovered. Answer Explanation: The answer is paragraph E, which mentions that a specific scientific study of fossils was done poorly. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is E because it describes a situation where fossils were dug up and studied in a 'haphazard manner.' In English, 'haphazard' means that something was done in a messy way without a good plan or care. Because the work was done so poorly (which makes it an 'inappropriate procedure'), other scientists or 'scholars' did not agree with or trust the results of that study. |
| Q18 | B | But this period of extinction was not complete. On the continent, North America retained its deer, black bears, and a small type of bison, and on the continent, South America had its jaguars and llamas | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that not every type of animal disappeared. It lists certain animals in North and South America, such as deer and llamas, that continued to live while others were dying out. Answer Explanation: The answer identifies Paragraph B as the section that names specific animals that survived even though many others were hunted and died. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because this paragraph discusses the 'blitzkrieg hypothesis,' which suggests humans hunted many large animals in the Americas until they were gone. However, it points out that the disappearance of animals was not total. It provides specific examples like deer, black bears, bison, jaguars, and llamas as animals that stayed on the land and did not disappear during this time. |
| Q19 | — | — | |
| Q20 | A / C | To be sure, Australia has been drying out for more than 1,000,000 years, and the megafauna were confronted with a landmass where vegetation had started to vanish. Tim Flannery, an Australian paleontologist, proposed that people who moved onto the continent around 50 centuries ago used fire to hunt | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that for a very long time, Australia was getting dry and the plants that animals needed were going away. It also says that when people arrived, they used fire to help them hunt. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the text mentions two main reasons for the giant animals of Australia disappearing: the things humans did (like hunting) and the loss of the plants and land where the animals lived. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is correct because the passage in Section C explains that Australia became much drier and the plants (vegetation) started to disappear, which refers to 'loss of habitat'. It also mentions that humans who arrived on the continent used fire to hunt and acted as smart predators, which refers to 'human activity'. |
| Q21 | — | — | |
| Q22 | A / D | Yet, a single bone particularly captured dramatic attention : a femur with a wound in it, possibly left there by a sharp tool The paintings of Palorchestes, a megafauna marsupial , on rock, in far northern Australia, was examined by Peter Murray, a Paleontologist |
Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage describes a specific leg bone that showed damage likely made by a hunter's weapon and also notes the existence of ancient rock paintings created by early humans that show what these giant animals looked like. Answer Explanation: The answer identifies two specific types of evidence mentioned in the text that show humans and giant ancient animals lived at the same time: a leg bone damaged by a tool and ancient rock drawings of these animals. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A and D because the passage provides specific examples for both. For Choice A, Section E mentions a 'femur' (a leg bone) found in a cave that had a 'wound' possibly caused by a human's 'sharp tool.' For Choice D, Section F discusses 'rock art' or 'paintings' of a giant animal called 'Palorchestes' and a 'marsupial lion,' which were made by 'Australia's first people.' These findings provide physical evidence (the bone injury) and visual evidence (the drawings) that humans encountered these megafauna. |
| Q23 | TRUE | Considering the amount of light cast on the extinction of the dinosaurs, it's surprising that a little has been discovered about megafauna | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says it is unexpected that so little information has been found about megafauna, especially because people have spent so much time and effort studying how dinosaurs became extinct. Answer Explanation: The answer means that the giant animals that lived long ago (megafauna) deserve more study and interest than they currently receive, particularly when compared to the famous study of dinosaurs. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the passage highlights a contrast between the fame of dinosaur extinction and the lack of knowledge about megafauna. By stating that it is 'surprising' how little we know about megafauna while dinosaurs get so much 'light' (attention or research), the author implies that megafauna are neglected and should be given more attention. This suggests that the current level of attention is unbalanced and that megafauna deserve a higher priority than they have been given. |
| Q24 | NOT GIVEN | A paleoecologist named Paul Martin published a hypothesis known as the "blitzkrieg hypothesis" in the 1960s. Modern people caused chaos in the Americas by killing animals with spears. These animals had never seen a smart predator before, so they couldn't defend themselves.But this period of extinction was not complete. On the continent, North America retained its deer, black bears, and a small type of bison, and on the continent, South America had its jaguars and llamas | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage describes Paul Martin's idea that humans hunted animals that did not know how to protect themselves. It lists some animals that did not die out, but it does not mention any disagreements or issues with the idea itself. Answer Explanation: The answer is NOT GIVEN because the text explains what Paul Martin's theory was, but it does not say if scientists found any mistakes or problems with his theory. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NOT GIVEN because while the text in Paragraph B explains the "blitzkrieg hypothesis," it only provides a summary of the idea and some facts about which animals survived. There is no mention of any criticism, flaws, or "problems" related to this specific hypothesis. The text mentions controversy in later paragraphs, but that discussion is focused on the dating of bones and sediments in Australia, not Paul Martin's work in the Americas. |
| Q25 | NOT GIVEN | Tim Flannery, an Australian paleontologist, proposed that people who moved onto the continent around 50 centuries ago used fire to hunt | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage only explains Tim Flannery's scientific idea about early humans using fire to hunt; it does not mention a book or any people being angry about his suggestions. Answer Explanation: The answer is NOT GIVEN because the passage does not mention a book written by Tim Flannery, nor does it mention any protests by Aboriginal people regarding his work. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NOT GIVEN because the text provides no information to confirm or deny the statement. While Tim Flannery is mentioned as a scientist with a theory about how fire was used by early hunters, there is no mention of him writing a book. Additionally, the text does not talk about Aboriginal people (or any other group) protesting his ideas, nor does it offer an opinion on how any such protests should have been handled. Because these specific details are absent, the statement cannot be evaluated as true or false. |
| Q26 | FALSE | The storys constructed from time to time have limited information | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that the explanations scientists create about the past are based on a very small amount of data rather than plenty of clear evidence. Answer Explanation: The answer identifies the statement as FALSE, meaning the text contradicts the idea that there is enough proof for Tim Flannery's theories. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the passage explicitly mentions that the records of Earth's history are messy and that the 'stories' or theories we build from them are based on 'limited information.' Furthermore, it explains that the data is not clear and requires constant analysis because the 'information does not speak for itself.' Since the text highlights the lack of clear, plenty, or 'sufficient' evidence, the statement that there is 'sufficient evidence' is incorrect. |