Trees In Trouble Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test with Answers

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Updated on Mar 13, 2025, 04:34

The IELTS Reading section assesses your ability to understand and analyse texts in English. You will have 60 minutes to answer 40 questions based on three passages, which test your skills in identifying main ideas, understanding details, recognising opinions, and making inferences. The texts come from books, newspapers, and journals, covering a wide range of academic and general topics.
 

The Trees in Trouble Reading answers passage discusses the crucial role of big trees in supporting biodiversity, producing energy, and storing carbon to influence climate. It discusses the specific conditions needed for their growth and the threats they face—like invasive plants, rising temperatures, logging, and disease—which impact their survival worldwide. The decline of these trees could worsen climate change due to the release of stored carbon.

 

Check out the Trees in Trouble Reading answers below, with references and detailed explanations.

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1. Trees In Trouble Reading Answers Passage

You should spend approximately 20 minutes answering Questions 1 – 13 based on the Trees In Trouble Reading Answers Passage below. 

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2. Trees In Trouble Reading Answers with Sample Questions

Have you read the passage? Now, take the test and find Trees In Trouble Reading answers!

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3. Check Out Top 10+ IELTS Reading Practice Test Questions with Answers

Below are some top free IELTS Reading Practice test online questions with detailed answers to enhance your IELTS preparation online. 

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Trees In Trouble Reading Answers Passage

General Information

  • Read Instructions: Understand each question before answering.
  • Manage Time: Spend about 20 minutes per passage.
  • Skim and Scan: Quickly get the main idea and find specific information.
  • Highlight Key Info: Underline essential words or phrases.
  • Answer All Questions: Attempt every question; no penalty for wrong answers.
  • Stay Focused: Avoid distractions and keep your attention on the task.
  • Check Spelling: Ensure correct spelling and grammar.
  • Transfer Answers Clearly: Write answers neatly on the answer sheet.
  • Don’t Dwell: Move on if stuck and return later.
  • Review: If time allows, review your answers.

 

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Trees In Trouble Reading Answers Passage

                                             

Paragraph 1. Big trees are incredibly important ecologically. For a start, they sustain countless other species. They provide shelter for many animals, and their trunks and branches can become gardens, hung with green ferns, orchids and bromeliads, coated with mosses and draped with vines. With their tall canopies (leaves and branches that form a cover high above the ground) basking in the sun, they capture vast amounts of energy. This allows them to produce massive crops of fruit, flowers and foliage that sustain much of the animal life in the forest.

 

Paragraph 2. Only a small number of tree species have the genetic capacity to grow really big. The mightiest are native to North America, but big trees grow all over the globe, from the tropics to the boreal forests of the high latitudes. To achieve giant stature, a tree needs three things: the right place to establish its seedling, good growing conditions and lots of time with low adult mortality(no. of deaths within a particular group). Disrupt any of these, and you can lose your biggest trees.

 

Paragraph 3. In some parts of the world, populations of big trees are dwindling because their seedlings cannot survive or grow. In southern India, for instance, an aggressive non-native shrub, Lantana camara, is invading the floor of many forests. Lantana grows so thickly that young trees often fail to take root. With no young trees to replace them, it is only a matter of time before most of the big trees disappear. Across much of northern Australia, gamba grass from Africa is overrunning native savannah woodlands. The grass grows up to four metres tall and burns fiercely, creating super-hot fires that cause catastrophic tree mortality.

 

Paragraph 4. Without the right growing conditions, trees cannot grow really big, and there is some evidence to suggest tree growth could slow in a warmer world, particularly in environments that are already warm. Having worked for decades at La Selva Biological Station in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, David and Deborah Clark and colleagues have shown that tree growth there declines markedly in warmer years. “During the day, their photosynthesis shuts down when it gets too warm, and at night, they consume more energy because their metabolic rate increases, much as a reptile’s would when it gets warmer,” explains David Clark. With less energy produced in warmer years and more being consumed just to survive, there is even less energy available for growth.

 

Paragraph 5. The Clarks’ hypothesis, if correct, means tropical forests would shrink over time. The largest, oldest trees would progressively die off and tend not to be replaced. According to the Clarks, this might trigger a destabilisation of the climate; as older trees die, forests would release some of their stored carbon into the atmosphere, prompting a vicious cycle of further warming, forest shrinkage and carbon emissions.

 

Paragraph 6. Big trees face threats from elsewhere. The most serious is increasing mortality, especially of mature trees. Across much of the planet, forests of slow-growing ancient trees have been cleared for human use. In western North America, most have been replaced by monocultures of fast-growing conifers. Siberia’s forests are being logged at an incredible rate. Logging in tropical forests is selective, but the timber cutters usually prioritise the biggest and oldest trees. In the Amazon, my colleagues and I found the mortality rate for the biggest trees had tripled in small patches of rainforest surrounded by pasture land. This happens for two reasons. First, as they grow taller, big trees become thicker and less flexible: when winds blow across the surrounding cleared land, there is nothing to stop their acceleration. When they hit the trees, the impact can snap them in half. Second, rainforest fragments dry out when surrounded by dry, hot pastures, and the resulting drought can have devastating consequences: one four-year study has shown that death rates will double for smaller trees but will increase 4.5 times for bigger trees.

 

Paragraph 7. Particular enemies of large trees are insects and disease. Across vast areas of western North America, increasingly mild winters are causing massive outbreaks of bark beetles. These tiny creatures can kill entire forests as they tunnel their way through the inside of trees. In both North America and Europe, fungus-causing diseases such as Dutch elm disease have killed off millions of stately trees that once gave beauty to forests and cities. As a result of human activity, such enemies reach even the remotest corners of the world, threatening to make the ancient giants a thing of the past.

2.

Trees In Trouble Reading Answers with Sample Questions

Have you read the passage? Now, take the test and find Trees In Trouble Reading answers! Try to answer these questions by yourself before you sneak a peek at the answers given below.

Questions and Answers 1-7
  • The Trees In Trouble Reading Answers passage has seven paragraphs: A-G.
  • Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.
  • Write the correct number, i-x, as your answer to each question.

 

List of Headings

 

i. How Deforestation Harms Isolated Trees

ii. How other plants can cause harm

iii. Which big trees support the most diverse species

iv. Impact of big tree loss on the wider environment

v. Measures to prevent further decline in big tree populations

vi. How wildlife benefits from big trees

vii. Risk from pests and infection

viii. Ways in which industry uses big tree products

ix. How higher temperatures slow the rate of tree growth

x. Factors that enable trees to grow to significant heights

 

1. Paragraph 1

2. Paragraph 2

3. Paragraph 3

4. Paragraph 4

5. Paragraph 5

6. Paragraph 6

7. Paragraph 7
 

Trees In Trouble  Reading Answers with Explanations (1-7)
 

Type of question: Matching Headings

 

In this question type, you will be asked to choose the correct heading for each paragraph from a list of headings provided. This type of question assesses your ability to understand the main idea or theme of each paragraph.

How to best answer: 

 

  • Familiarise yourself with the list of headings before reading the paragraphs. This helps you know what to look for.
  • Identify the main idea or theme of each paragraph by looking for topic sentences or recurring themes.
  • Find keywords or phrases that are similar to those in the headings. This can help you make connections.
  • Eliminate incorrect options that don’t match any paragraphs to narrow down your choices.
  • Skim and Scan each paragraph efficiently to get a context about the content.

 

1. vi – How wildlife benefits from big trees

 

Reference: From paragraph 1: “Big trees are incredibly important ecologically. For a start, they sustain countless other species. They provide shelter for many animals, and their trunks and branches can become gardens, hung with green ferns, orchids and bromeliads, coated with mosses and draped with vines.”

 

Explanation:  The above lines explain the importance of big trees and the environmental threat they face. The passage begins by explaining the importance of big trees and how they influence other organisms in an ecosystem. They shelter and assist the growth of other plants and animals surrounding them. So, the given title, “How Wildlife Benefits from Big Trees”, matches paragraph 1.
 

2. x – Factors that enable trees to grow to significant heights

 

Reference: From paragraph 2: “To achieve giant stature, a tree needs three things: the right place to establish its seedling, good growing conditions and lots of time with low adult mortality(no. of deaths within a particular group).”

 

Explanation:  According to the passage, trees need three different elements to help them grow into big trees. The first condition is to receive a proper place for the seedlings to grow. Secondly, they require appropriate growing conditions. Finally, they need to get enough time without dying out. So, paragraph 2 matches with the title “Factors that Enable Trees to Grow to Significant Heights”.
 

3. ii – How other plants can cause harm

 

Reference: From paragraph 3: “In southern India, for instance, an aggressive non-native shrub, Lantana camara, is invading the floor of many forests. Lantana grows so thickly that young trees often fail to take root. —--------The grass grows up to four metres tall and burns fiercely, creating super-hot fires that cause catastrophic tree mortality.”

 

Explanation:  The given paragraph explains how other plants can cause harm to the growth of a particular plant. The passage provides two examples of this. Lantana camara of southern India and the gama grass of Australia. Both these plants are replacing the native species. So, the title “How Other Plants Can Cause Harm” matches paragraph 3.

 

4. ix – How higher temperatures slow the rate of tree growth

 

Reference: From paragraph 4: “Without the right growing conditions, trees cannot grow really big, and there is some evidence to suggest tree growth could slow in a warmer world, particularly in environments that are already warm. Having worked for decades at La Selva Biological Station in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, David and Deborah Clark and colleagues have shown that tree growth there declines markedly in warmer years.”

 

Explanation:  According to the given passage, the studies conducted by David and Deborah Clark and their colleagues show that warmer climatic conditions can reduce the growth rate of plants. According to this four-year study, during summers, the energy expenditure of plants is reserved for survival. So, they lack energy for growth. So, the title “How Higher Temperatures Slow the Rate of Tree Growth” matches paragraph 4.

 

5. iv – Impact of big tree loss on the wider environment

 

Reference: From paragraph 5: “According to the Clarks, this might trigger a destabilisation of the climate; as older trees die, forests would release some of their stored carbon into the atmosphere, prompting a vicious cycle of further warming, forest shrinkage and carbon emissions.”

 

Explanation:   According to the passage, the death of bigger plants can destabilise the climatic conditions. Plants are carbon reservoirs. So, when a plant dies, carbon emission takes place. This increases the temperature and results in the death of more plants. So, paragraph 5 explains how the death of bigger trees causes further environmental losses. The given paragraph matches the title “Impact of Big Tree Loss on the Wider Environment”.

 

6. i – How deforestation harms isolated trees

 

Reference: From paragraph 6:  “Logging in tropical forests is selective, but the timber cutters usually prioritise the biggest and oldest trees.---------- one four-year study has shown that death rates will double for smaller trees but will increase 4.5 times for bigger trees.”

 

Explanation:  The above-given lines explain that isolated trees are worst affected by deforestation. A major reason is that when storms hit isolated big trees, they do not have other nearby trees for support. So, the impact is doubled. Another reason is that, as the nearby forest cover disappears, the ground is drying out easily. So, paragraph 6 matches with the title “How Deforestation Harms Isolated Trees”.

 

7. vii – Risk from pests and infection

 

Reference: From paragraph 7: “Particular enemies to large trees are insects and disease. Across vast areas of western North America, increasingly mild winters are causing massive outbreaks of bark beetles. These tiny creatures can kill entire forests as they tunnel their way through the inside of trees.  In both North America and Europe, fungus-causing diseases such as Dutch elm disease have killed off millions of stately trees that once gave beauty to forests and cities.”

 

Explanation:  The concluding paragraph of the passage explains how insects and infections destroy forests. An example given here is the case of beetles in western North America. An example of infection is fungus-causing diseases such as Dutch elm disease in North America and Europe. This denoted that paragraph 7 matches the title “Risk from Pests and Infection”


Check Reading Answers PDFs IELTS Reading Practice Test 2025

Questions and Answers 8-13
  • Complete the sentences below.
  • Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

 

8. The biggest trees in the world can be found in ___________

9. Some trees in Northern Australia die because of __________ made worse by gamba grass.

10. The Clarks believe that the release of __________ from dead trees could lead to the death of more trees.

11. Strong ____________ are capable of damaging tall trees in the Amazon.

12. ____________ has a worse impact on tall trees than smaller ones.

13. In western Northern America, a species of ___________ has destroyed many trees.
 

Trees In Trouble  Reading Answers With Explanations (8-13)

 

Type of question: Sentence Completion

 

In this question type, you are required to fill in the blanks in a given sentence with words or phrases taken directly from the passage. These questions test your ability to understand specific details and information presented in the text.

How to best answer: 

 

  • Read the sentence carefully to understand the context.
  • Identify keywords or clues that can help you find the answer in the passage.
  • Scan the passage for relevant information, focusing on the area around the blank.
  • Choose the answer that fits grammatically and contextually.
  • Verify your answers and finalise them.
     
8. North America

 

Reference: From paragraph 2: “Only a small number of tree species have the genetic capacity to grow really big. The mightiest are native to North America, but big trees grow all over the globe, from the tropics to the boreal forests of the high latitudes.”

 

Explanation:  According to the given paragraph, North America is home to the mightiest big trees in the world. Besides North America, bigger trees are also found across the globe, from tropical regions to high latitudes. Hence, “North America” is the correct answer.

 

9. Super-hot Fires

 

Reference: From paragraph 3: “Across much of northern Australia, gamba grass from Africa is overrunning native savannah woodlands. The grass grows up to four metres tall and burns fiercely, creating super-hot fires that cause catastrophic tree mortality.”

 

Explanation:  As the above lines suggest, the trees of Northern Australia are dying due to the fires. The African plant gamba grass is a major factor that adds to the fires. Hence, “super-hot fires” is the correct answer.

 

10. Stored Carbon

 

Reference: From paragraph 5: “According to the Clarks, this might trigger a destabilisation of the climate; as older trees die, forests would release some of their stored carbon into the atmosphere, prompting a vicious cycle of further warming, forest shrinkage and carbon emissions.”

 

Explanation:  As mentioned in the above lines, old plants release their stored carbon as they die. The release of carbon results in rising climatic temperatures, resulting in the death of more plants. Hence, “stored carbon” is the correct answer.

 

11. Winds

 

Reference: From paragraph 6: “In the Amazon, my colleagues and I found the mortality rate for the biggest trees had tripled in small patches of rainforest surrounded by pasture land. This happens for two reasons. First, as they grow taller, big trees become thicker and less flexible: when winds blow across the surrounding cleared land, there is nothing to stop their acceleration. When they hit the trees, the impact can snap them in half.”

 

Explanation:  According to the passage, strong winds can uproot big plants. As plants grow taller, they become less flexible. As a result, huge storms can affect them easily. So, taller trees are more affected than smaller trees. Hence, “winds” is the correct answer.

 

12. Drought

 

Reference: From paragraph 6: “Second, rainforest fragments dry out when surrounded by dry, hot pastures, and the resulting drought can have devastating consequences: one four-year study has shown that death rates will double for smaller trees but will increase 4.5 times for bigger trees.”

 

Explanation:  According to the given paragraph, drought is a major problem that affects trees. As the study suggests, the effect of drought on bigger plants is 4.5 times greater than that on smaller trees. Hence, “drought” is the correct answer.

 

13. Beetle

 

Reference: From paragraph 7: “Particular enemies to large trees are insects and disease. Across vast areas of western North America, increasingly mild winters are causing massive outbreaks of bark beetles. These tiny creatures can kill entire forests as they tunnel their way through the inside of trees.”

 

Explanation:  According to the final paragraph of the passage, tiny insects called beetles have caused a major destruction of trees in western North America. These small insects tunnel through the trees, causing the trees to die out. Hence, “beetle” is the correct answer.

 

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FAQs

Q. What are common keywords in the 'Trees In Trouble' reading passage?

Ans. Common keywords in the 'Trees In Trouble' passage may include terms like deforestation, climate change, biodiversity loss, conservation, ecosystem, pollution, and reforestation. These words are crucial for identifying the main ideas and supporting details in the passage. Paying attention to synonyms and paraphrased versions of these terms can help locate relevant information quickly.

Q. How to answer matching headings questions in the 'Trees In Trouble' reading passage?

Ans. To answer matching headings questions, first, skim the passage to understand the main idea of each paragraph. Then, read the headings carefully and match them to the paragraphs based on keywords and central themes. Look for synonyms or paraphrases in the text, and eliminate options that do not fit logically. Avoid choosing a heading based only on a single keyword—focus on the overall meaning.

Q. What is a challenging aspect of the 'Trees In Trouble' reading passage?

Ans. A challenging aspect of the 'Trees In Trouble' passage is dealing with complex vocabulary related to environmental science. Additionally, identifying paraphrased information and distinguishing between similar but slightly different ideas can be tricky. Time management is also crucial, as lengthy descriptions and case studies may slow down reading speed.

Q. Are 'Trees In Trouble' passages part of the IELTS Academic or General Reading?

Ans. 'Trees In Trouble' passages are more likely to appear in the IELTS Academic Reading section. Academic passages often discuss scientific topics like environmental issues, conservation, and climate change in a detailed manner. However, similar topics may also be found in the General Training section, but with a simpler presentation.

Q. How many passages are there in the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. The IELTS Reading test consists of three passages. In the Academic test, the passages are taken from books, journals, and newspapers. In the General Training test, the texts are from advertisements, company guidelines, and general interest topics.

Q. How much time is given for the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. You have 60 minutes to complete the IELTS Reading test. There is no extra time for transferring answers, so you must write them directly on the answer sheet within the given time.

Q. How is the IELTS Reading test scored?

Ans. The Reading test is scored out of 40, and your raw score is converted into a band score from 0 to 9. Academic and General Training Reading tests have different scoring conversions.

Q. What is the difference between Academic and General Training Reading?

Ans. The Academic Reading test has longer and more complex passages, while the General Training Reading test has shorter texts that focus on everyday situations. The question types, however, remain similar in both versions.

Q. Can I write answers in capital letters?

Ans. Yes, you can write all answers in capital letters, and it is often recommended for better clarity. There is no penalty for using uppercase letters in the Reading section.

Q. Are spelling and grammar important in the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. Yes, spelling and grammar are important. If you misspell a word, your answer will be marked incorrect. Always check your spelling and ensure correct word forms are used.

Q. Can I use a pen or pencil in the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. You must use a pencil to complete the IELTS Reading test. This allows you to erase and correct answers if needed. Using a pen is not allowed on the answer sheet.