World Ecotourism In The Developing Countries - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Past Papers Academic Reading Test 20 · Part 1 · Questions 1–13
Reading Passage
Read the text below and answer questions 1-13.
World Ecotourism in the Developing Countries
A The Ecotourism Society defines ecotourism as "a responsible travel to natural areas which conserves the environment and improves the welfare of local people". It is recognised as being particularly conducive to enriching and enhancing the standing of tourism, on the basis that this form of tourism respects the natural heritage and local populations and are in keeping with the carrying capacity of the sites.
Cuba
B Cuba is undoubtedly an obvious site for ecotourism, with its picturesque beaches, underwater beauty, countryside landscapes, and ecological reserves. An educated population and improved infrastructure of roads and communications adds to the mix. In the Caribbean region, Cuba is now the second most popular tourist destination.
Ecotourism is also seen as an environmental education opportunity to heighten both visitors' and residents' awareness of environmental and conservation issues, and even to inspire conservation action.
Ecotourism has also been credited with promoting peace, by providing opportunities for educational and cultural exchange. Tourists' safety and health are guaranteed.
Raul Castro, brother of the Cuban president, started this initiative to rescue the Cuban tradition of herbal medicine and provide natural medicines for its healthcare system. The school at Las Terrazas Eco-Tourism Community teaches herbal healthcare and children learn not only how to use medicinal herbs, but also to grow them in the school garden for teas, tinctures, ointments and creams.
In Cuba, ecotourism has the potential to alleviate poverty by bringing money into the economy and creating jobs. In addition to the environmental impacts of these efforts, the area works on developing community employment opportunities for locals, in conjunction with ecotourism.
South America
C In terms of South America, it might be the place which shows the shortcoming of ecotourism. Histoplasma capsulatum (see chapter "Histoplasmosis and HIV"), a dimorphic fungus, is the most common endemic mycosis in the United States, and is associated with exposure to bat or bird droppings. Most recently, outbreaks have been reported in healthy travelers who returned from Central and South America after engaging in recreational activities associated with spelunking, adventure tourism, and ecotourism. It is quite often to see tourists neglected sanitation while travelling. After engaging in high-risk activities, boots should be hosed off and clothing placed in airtight plastic bags for laundering. HIV-infected travelers should avoid risky behaviors or environments, such as exploring caves, particularly those that contain bat droppings.
D Nowhere is the keen eye and intimate knowledge of ecotourism is more amidst this fantastic biodiversity, as we explore remote realms rich in wildlife rather than a nature adventure. A sustainable tour is significant for ecotourism, one in which we can grow hand in hand with nature and our community, respecting everything that makes US privileged Travelers get great joy from every step that take forward on this endless but exciting journey towards sustainability. The primary threats to South America's tropical forests are deforestation caused by agricultural expansion, cattle ranching, logging, oil extraction and spills, mining, illegal coca farming, and colonization initiatives. Deforestation has shrunk territories belonging to indigenous peoples and wiped out more than 90% of the population. Many are taking leading roles in sustainable tourism even as they introduce protected regions to more travelers.
East Africa
E In East Africa, significantly reducing such illegal hunting and allowing wildlife populations to recover would allow the generation of significant economic benefits through trophy hunting and potentially ecotourism. "Illegal hunting is an extremely inefficient use of wildlife resources because it fails to capture the value of wildlife achievable through alternative forms of use such as trophy hunting and ecotourism," said Peter Lindsey, author of the new study. Most residents believed that ecotourism could solve this circumstance. They have passion for focal community empowerment, loves photography and writes to laud current focal conservation efforts, create environmental awareness and promote ecotourism.
Indonesia
F In Indonesia, ecotourism started to become an important concept from 1995, in order to strengthen the domestic travelling movement; the focal government targeting the right markets is a prerequisite for successful ecotourism. The market segment for Indonesian ecotourism consists of: (i) "The silent generation", 55-64 year-old people who are wealthy enough, generally well-educated and have no dependent children, and can travel for four weeks; (ii) "The baby boom generation", junior successful executives aged 35-54 years, who are likely to be travelling with their family and children (spending 2-3 weeks on travel) — travelling for them is a stress reliever; and (iii) the "X generation", aged 18-29 years, who love to do ecotours as backpackers — they are generally students who can travel for 3-12 months with monthly expenditure of US$300-500. It is suggested that promotion of Indonesian ecotourism products should aim to reach these various cohorts of tourists. The country welcomes diverse levels of travelers.
G On the other hand, ecotourism provide as many services as traditional tourism. Nestled between Mexico, Guatemala and the Caribbean Sea is the country of Belize. It is the wonderful place for Hamanasi honeymoon, bottle of champagne upon arrival, three meals daily, a private service on one night of your stay and a choice of adventures depending on the length of your stay. It also offers six-night and seven-night honeymoon packages. A variety of specially tailored tours, including the Brimstone Hill Fortress, and a trip to a neighboring island Guided tours include rainforest, volcano and off-road plantation tours. Gregory Pereira, an extremely knowledgeable and outgoing hiking and tour guide, says the following about his tours: "All of our tours on StKitts include transportation by specially modified Land Rovers, a picnic of island pastries and focal fruit, fresh tropical juices, CSR, a qualified island guide and a full liability insurance coverage for participants.
H Kodai is an ultimate splendor spot for those who love being close to mother nature. They say every bird must sing it's own throat while we say every traveller should find his own way out of variegated and unblemished paths of deep valleys and steep mountains. The cheese factory here exports great quantity of cheese to various countries across the globe. It is located in the center of forest Many travelers are attracted by the delicious cheese. The ecotourism is very famous this different eating experience.
Questions
Questions 1–5 Matching Features
Use the information in the passage to match the place (listed A-D) with opinions or deeds below. Write the appropriate letters A-D in your answer.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
A. Cuba
B. East Africa
C. South America
D. Indonesia
Questions 6–9 Matching Features
Use the information in the passage to match the companies (listed A-D) with opinions or deeds below. Write the appropriate letters A, B, C or D in your answer.
A. eating the local fruits at the same time
B. find job opportunities in community
C. which is situated on the heart of jungle
D. with private and comfortable service
Questions 10–13 Summary Completion
Complete the following summary of the paragraphs of Reading Passage, using no more than two words from the Reading Passage for each answer.
Ecotourism is not a nature 10 but a 11 tour. The reason why South America promotes ecotourism is due to the destruction of 12. In addition, East Africa also encourages this kind of tourism for cutting the 13 in order to save wild animals.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q1 | A | Ecotourism is also seen as an environmental education opportunity to heighten both visitors' and residents' awareness of environmental and conservation issues, and even to inspire conservation action | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that in Cuba, ecotourism serves as a way to educate both local residents and visiting tourists about the environment and conservation. Answer Explanation: The answer "A" refers to Cuba. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because section B describes Cuba and mentions that ecotourism provides an opportunity for environmental education to increase the awareness of both visitors (tourists) and residents (local people). |
| Q2 | D | The market segment for Indonesian ecotourism consists of: (i) "The silent generation", 55-64 year-old people who are wealthy enough, generally well-educated and have no dependent children, and can travel for four weeks; (ii) "The baby boom generation", junior successful executives aged 35-54 years, who are likely to be travelling with their family and children (spending 2-3 weeks on travel) — travelling for them is a stress reliever; and (iii) the "X generation", aged 18-29 years, who love to do ecotours as backpackers — they are generally students who can travel for 3-12 months with monthly expenditure of US$300-500. It is suggested that promotion of Indonesian ecotourism products should aim to reach these various cohorts of tourists. The country welcomes diverse levels of travelers | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that Indonesia welcomes all types of visitors, ranging from wealthy older individuals to young student backpackers who spend only a small amount of money. Answer Explanation: The answer "D" means that Indonesia is the place that is suitable for both wealthy tourists and travelers with very little money. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is D because Paragraph F explicitly explains that the market for Indonesian ecotourism targets groups with different financial backgrounds. It mentions "The silent generation" who are "wealthy enough" (representing rich travelers) as well as the "X generation" consisting of student backpackers who travel on a low monthly budget of "US$300-500" (representing budget or poor travelers), concluding that "The country welcomes diverse levels of travelers." |
| Q3 | C | Histoplasma capsulatum (see chapter "Histoplasmosis and HIV"), a dimorphic fungus, is the most common endemic mycosis in the United States, and is associated with exposure to bat or bird droppings. Most recently, outbreaks have been reported in healthy travelers who returned from Central and South America after engaging in recreational activities associated with spelunking, adventure tourism, and ecotourism | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that travelers visiting Central and South America for outdoor adventures and ecotourism have caught infections caused by a fungus found in places like caves. Answer Explanation: The answer "C" refers to South America as the location where people can easily catch a fungal infection while traveling. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because Paragraph C, which discusses South America, mentions a type of fungus called "Histoplasma capsulatum" and states that disease outbreaks have occurred in travelers returning from Central and South America after taking part in outdoor ecotourism activities. |
| Q4 | B | In East Africa, significantly reducing such illegal hunting and allowing wildlife populations to recover would allow the generation of significant economic benefits through trophy hunting and potentially ecotourism | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that cutting down on illegal hunting in East Africa will help wild animals recover and bring in money through ecotourism and other activities. Answer Explanation: The answer "B" represents East Africa. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because Paragraph E discusses reducing "illegal hunting" (which means "unlawful poaching") in East Africa. The text explains that local residents and experts believe that ecotourism and alternative methods can solve the problem of illegal hunting while bringing economic benefits. |
| Q5 | A | Raul Castro, brother of the Cuban president, started this initiative to rescue the Cuban tradition of herbal medicine and provide natural medicines for its healthcare system | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that an effort was made in Cuba to bring back traditional plant-based medicine in order to support and supply the country's healthcare system. Answer Explanation: The answer "A" means that Cuba is the location connected to developing natural treatments for its medical and healthcare network. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because Paragraph B describes how Cuba initiated efforts to revive traditional herbal remedies to supply natural treatments for its healthcare network. The school at an eco-tourism community in Cuba even teaches herbal healthcare to children. Key terms to pay attention to include "healthcare system", "herbal healthcare", and "natural medicines". |
| Q6 | C | The cheese factory here exports great quantity of cheese to various countries across the globe. It is located in the center of forest | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that this cheese factory sends a lot of cheese to different countries and is built right in the middle of the forest. Answer Explanation: The answer "C" means that visiting the cheese factory involves going to a place located right in the middle or heart of the jungle or forest. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is C because paragraph H discusses the cheese factory in Kodai and states that it is "located in the center of forest". In the given options, "situated on the heart of jungle" directly matches the meaning of being located in the center of the forest. |
| Q7 | D | It is the wonderful place for Hamanasi honeymoon, bottle of champagne upon arrival, three meals daily, a private service on one night of your stay and a choice of adventures depending on the length of your stay | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that Belize is a great location for a honeymoon vacation, offering welcome champagne, daily meals, and private service during the stay. Answer Explanation: The answer "D" means receiving special, personal, and relaxing care during a trip. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is D because paragraph G discusses a honeymoon trip in Belize (Hamanasi honeymoon) that includes comfortable and private amenities, such as a bottle of champagne upon arrival, daily meals, and "a private service on one night of your stay". Therefore, enjoying the honeymoon is associated with private and comfortable service. |
| Q8 | A | "All of our tours on StKitts include transportation by specially modified Land Rovers, a picnic of island pastries and focal fruit, fresh tropical juices, CSR, a qualified island guide and a full liability insurance coverage for participants | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that the guided tours provide a picnic that comes with island baked goods, fruits, and fresh tropical juices. Answer Explanation: The answer "A" means that people enjoy a picnic where they also eat fruits from the area. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is A because paragraph G mentions that Gregory Pereira's tours include a picnic that features island pastries and local/tropical fruits and juices. Therefore, having a picnic is associated with eating local fruits at the same time. |
| Q9 | B | In addition to the environmental impacts of these efforts, the area works on developing community employment opportunities for locals, in conjunction with ecotourism | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage means that along with helping the environment, ecotourism projects in Cuba create jobs for the local people who live there. Answer Explanation: The answer "B" means that people living in Cuba can get jobs within their local area. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is B because the text explains that ecotourism in Cuba helps create work for local residents. In Section B, the text states that the area focuses on creating "community employment opportunities for locals," which matches the idea of finding "job opportunities in community." |
| Q10 | adventure | Nowhere is the keen eye and intimate knowledge of ecotourism is more amidst this fantastic biodiversity, as we explore remote realms rich in wildlife rather than a nature adventure | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that ecotourism is about discovering wildlife areas instead of simply taking part in a nature adventure. Answer Explanation: The answer "adventure" refers to an exciting, bold, or risky journey into the wild. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "adventure" because paragraph D mentions that ecotourism focuses on exploring areas rich in wildlife "rather than a nature adventure." The phrase "rather than" corresponds directly to "not a" in the summary sentence ("Ecotourism is not a nature adventure..."). |
| Q11 | sustainable | A sustainable tour is significant for ecotourism, one in which we can grow hand in hand with nature and our community, respecting everything that makes US privileged | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that ecotourism focuses on sustainable tours where travelers live and grow in harmony with nature and local people. Answer Explanation: The answer "sustainable" describes an activity or type of travel that protects the environment and supports local communities so it can continue for a long time without causing harm. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "sustainable" because the summary contrasts ecotourism with a simple nature adventure and describes what type of tour it truly is. In Paragraph D, the text explains that visitors explore remote areas "rather than a nature adventure" and emphasizes that "A sustainable tour is significant for ecotourism". Therefore, the word "sustainable" directly completes the phrase "a sustainable tour". |
| Q12 | tropical forests | The primary threats to South America's tropical forests are deforestation caused by agricultural expansion, cattle ranching, logging, oil extraction and spills, mining, illegal coca farming, and colonization initiatives | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage says that the main dangers causing the cutting down and damage (deforestation) of tropical forests in South America come from farming, logging, and other human activities. Answer Explanation: The answer means warm, dense forests with a lot of rain located in tropical areas. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "tropical forests" because the summary discusses why South America needs and promotes sustainable ecotourism. The passage explains in Paragraph D that the biggest threats leading to destruction in South America affect its "tropical forests" (threatened by "deforestation", which means the destruction of forests). |
| Q13 | illegal hunting | In East Africa, significantly reducing such illegal hunting and allowing wildlife populations to recover would allow the generation of significant economic benefits through trophy hunting and potentially ecotourism | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that stopping unlawful animal hunting in East Africa will help wild animals survive and increase in number, while also bringing in money through ecotourism. Answer Explanation: The answer "illegal hunting" means killing or capturing wild animals against the law (poaching). Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "illegal hunting" because Paragraph E mentions that in East Africa, reducing (which means cutting) "illegal hunting" helps wildlife populations recover (saving wild animals) and brings economic benefits through ecotourism. |
