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Can Animals Count Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test

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Updated on Jul 15, 2024, 10:25

In the IELTS Reading section, your ability to understand complex concepts is tested through three passages, each accompanied by questions in formats like multiple choice, matching headings, and True/False/Not Given. Lasting 60 minutes, this segment challenges you to grasp key information, identify main ideas, and infer meaning effectively.

 

 

To excel in the IELTS Reading section, employ effective strategies such as skimming for main ideas and scanning for specific details. Regular practice with sample questions and exposure to diverse question types will refine your skills for test day.

 

 

Prepare for an enlightening exploration of "Can Animals Count? Reading Answers," which delves into the cognitive abilities of animals in understanding numerical concepts. Explore how various species, from dolphins to ants, demonstrate surprising numerical skills, enriching your understanding of cognitive abilities in the animal kingdom.

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1. Can Animals Count Reading Passage

You should spend approximately 20 minutes answering Questions 1 - 13 based on the Reading Passage below. This approach can help manage time effectively during a reading comprehension activity or exam. 


 

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2. Can Animals Count Reading Answers Question & Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Can Animals Count Reading Answers 

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1.

Can Animals Count Reading 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.

 

 

 

 

Can Animals Count Reading Passage 

 

 

Paragraph A 

 

According to psychologist Elizabeth Brannon, the capacity to discern between a large and a small number is the most fundamental numerical skill. If the ratio is large enough, humans can accomplish this with ease, but can other animals perform this task? In one experiment, Rhesus monkeys and college students inspected two sets of geometrical shapes that momentarily appeared on a computer monitor. They were required to determine which set had more items. Importantly, Brannon's team discovered that, like humans, monkeys make more mistakes when the numbers of objects in two sets are close together. The kids' performance ultimately resembles that of a monkey. She states it.



 

Paragraph B

 

Both humans and monkeys are animals belonging to the primate family. However, they are not the only creatures whose numerical abilities depend on ratios. The same appears to be true for certain amphibians. The team of psychologist Claudia Uller enticed salamanders with two sets of fruit flies contained in transparent tubes. In a series of experiments, the researchers observed which tube the salamanders scurried towards, hypothesising that if the salamanders had the ability to discern numbers, they would choose the tube with the greater number. The salamanders were able to distinguish between tubes carrying 8 and 16 flies but not between tubes containing 3, 4, 6, or 8 flies. For salamanders to be able to distinguish between two numbers, the larger one must be at least twice as large as the smaller one. However, they were able to distinguish between 2 and 3 flies equally as well as between 1 and 2 flies, indicating that they identify smaller numbers differently than bigger ones.



 

Paragraph C

 

Researchers have found that mosquitofish instinctively form large shoals, lending further credence to this notion. While mosquitofish can discern the difference between a group of 3 shoal-mates and a group of 4, they showed no preference between groups of 4 and 5 when it came to the number of shoal-mates. It was discovered by the researchers that mosquitofish can distinguish between a maximum of 16 numbers, but only if the shoal-to-shoal ratio exceeds 2:1. In other words, fish, like salamanders, appear to have both the approximate and precise number systems present in more sophisticated creatures such as humans and other primates in infancy.

 

 

Paragraph D

 

However, some critics argue that the animals may be relying on factors other than their number in order to complete the tasks. As Brannon points out, "any study that claims an animal is capable of representing a number should also be controlled for other factors." However, experiments on monkeys have shown that they are capable of performing mathematical feats without the need for additional cues. The mosquitofish studies were rerun, this time with different geometrical shapes in place of fish, in order to investigate this potential. Although each shape had a varied number of particles, the team arranged them in such a way that they had the same overall surface area and luminosity. The researchers conducted hundreds of experiments on 14 different species of fish and discovered that two out of three objects were continuously ignored by the fish. Mosquitofish are currently being tested to see if they can recognise three geometric shapes from four.

 

 

Paragraph E

 

This skill may be found in even the most primitive of species. One chamber contained sugar water, which the bees preferred, while the other was bare. Jurgen Tautz dispatched a colony of bees down this hallway to see what would happen. Each compartment was labelled with a different number of geometric shapes—between 2 and 6—to test the bees' ability to count. The bees quickly mastered the art of identifying which chamber contained the number of shapes. As with salamanders and fish, the bees' mathematical prowess was limited; they could discern up to four forms but not more than five or six.

 

 

Paragraph F

 

Still, these investigations do not answer the question of whether animals are taught to count or if they are born with the ability. A mathematical mind would have an evolutionary advantage if this is the case. An experiment involving three- and four-day-old chicks has yielded evidence that this may be the case. Chicks, like mosquitofish, love to be in close proximity to as many of their siblings as possible, so they'll always travel toward a larger group of relatives. In the initial few days of their lives, chicks are surrounded by certain objects, and they develop a strong attachment to these objects. Researchers treated these objects as though they were members of one's family. Each chick was placed in the middle of a platform and shown in two groups. The researchers made groups of paper balls. Afterwards, they concealed the two piles behind screens before revealing them to the chick and altering the quantities in each pile. To determine which side had the most "prothers," the chick was forced into rudimentary arithmetic. For reasons that aren't clear, these chicks flew to the larger group at a rate that was far above random. According to the researchers, they were merely performing some basic math.

 

 

Paragraph G

 

Foraging for food would be much easier if an animal had the ability to learn these skills. Those animals in the search for food have to make regular decisions about which trees have the most fruit or which patches of flowers have the most nectar. Numeracy has a number of other advantages that may not be immediately apparent. Some convincing evidence suggests that female coots count the eggs they've already laid before making any decisions about whether or not to increase their clutch size. It's hard to say how old these abilities are with certainty. We can only begin to comprehend the fundamental circumstances of the evolution of numbers.

2.

Can Animals Count Reading Answers Question & Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Can Animals Count Reading Answers 

Questions and Answers 1-7

  • Complete the table below
  • For each answer, choose no more than three words from the passage.
  • Write your answers in the blank spaces next to 1–7 on your answer sheet.

 

 

SubjectsExperimentResults
Rhesus monkeys and humansI looked at two sets of geometrics on a computer screen.

The performance of the two groups is almost  

1...

Chickschose between two sets of  2………………… which are alteredChicks can do calculations in order to choose a larger group.
cootsThe behaviors of  3... birds were observed.The bird seems to have the ability to count eggs.
salamandersoffered clear tubes containing different quantities of 4...Salamanders distinguish between numbers over four if the bigger number is at least two times larger.
5..........They show real shoals and later artificial ones of geometrical shapes; these are used to check the influence of a total of 6... and brightness.All subjects know the difference between two and three and possibly three and four, but not between four and five.
beesI had to learn where  7... was stored.I could soon choose the correct place.

 

 

Can Animals Count Reading Answers Reading Answers with Explanations (1-7)

 

 

Question Type: Table Completion

 

In the IELTS Reading test, the Table Completion task is a type of question where you are required to complete a table with the information provided in the passage.


 

How to best answer the question:

 

  • Understand what information is required to complete the table.
  • Quickly scan the passage to identify where relevant information for each table entry is located.
  • Focus on specific paragraphs or sentences that provide the required details. Look for keywords that match the table headings.
  • Ensure that the information you enter matches the table headings accurately. Pay attention to numbers, dates, names, or any specific details mentioned in the passage.
  • If the table requires verbatim information, use the exact words or phrases as provided in the passage.

 



 

1. Identical


 

Reference:

 

Paragraph A

like humans, monkeys make more mistakes when the numbers of objects in two sets are close together. 


 

Explanation

 

The word "identical" implies that both Rhesus monkeys and humans perform similarly when distinguishing between sets of geometrical shapes, making more errors when the numbers are close together.


 

2. Balls of Paper


 

Reference:

 

Paragraph F 

Groups of paper balls


 

Explanation

 

Chicks were presented with groups of paper balls to choose from, altering the quantities in each group to test their ability to choose the larger group, demonstrating basic arithmetic skills.


 

3. Female


 

Reference:

 

Paragraph G 

Some convincing evidence suggests that female coots count the eggs they've already laid before making any decisions about whether or not to increase their clutch size.

 

 

Explanation

 

Female coots were observed to count the eggs they have already laid, indicating an ability to keep track of the number of eggs, which influences their clutch size decision.


 

4. Fruit Flies


 

Reference:

 

Paragraph B

The team of psychologist Claudia Uller enticed salamanders with two sets of fruit flies contained in transparent tubes. 


 

Explanation

 

Salamanders were presented with tubes containing different quantities of fruit flies, testing their ability to distinguish between numbers based on the quantity of flies in the tubes.


 

5. Mosquitofish


 

Reference:

 

Paragraph C

Researchers have found that mosquitofish instinctively form large shoals, lending further credence to this notion.

 

 

Explanation

 

Mosquitofish were studied to understand their ability to discern between different quantities of shoal-mates, demonstrating their numerical abilities when the ratio between groups is large enough.


 

6. Surface


 

Reference:

 

Paragraph D 

geometrical shapes... arranged... same overall surface area


 

Explanation

 

Fish were presented with geometric shapes having the same surface area and luminosity but different quantities, to test their ability to recognise and choose between different numbers of shapes.


 

7. Sugar


 

Reference:

 

Paragraph E 

One chamber contained sugar water, which the bees preferred, while the other was bare. Jurgen Tautz dispatched a colony of bees down this hallway to see what would happen. 


 

Explanation

 

Bees were trained to locate sugar water based on the number of geometric shapes present in the compartments, demonstrating their ability to count up to a certain number of shapes.



 

Read more about Dictation Words for IELTS: Practice and Preparation!

 

Questions and Answers 8-11
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Can Animals Count reading passage?
For the questions 8-11 on your answer sheet, write on your answer sheet, write

  • TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
  • FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
  • NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this in the passage

 

 

 8. Primates are better at identifying the larger of two numbers if one is much bigger than the other.

9. Jurgen Tautz trained the insects in his experiment to recognise the shapes of individual numbers.

10. The research involving young chicks took place over two separate days.

11. The experiment with chicks suggests that some numerical ability exists in newborn animals.

 

 

Can Animals Count Reading Answers Reading Answers with Explanations (8-11)

 

 

Question Type: True/False/Not Given

 

In this task, you are presented with a statement, and your task is to determine if it agrees with the information in the passage (True), contradicts the information in the passage (False), or if there is insufficient information in the passage to decide (not given).

 


 

How to best answer the question:

 

  • Read the statement carefully to ensure you understand exactly what it is saying. 
  • Pay attention to details such as dates, numbers, and specific information.
  • Scan the passage to find the section where the relevant information is likely to be located. 
  • Focus on finding evidence that either supports or contradicts the statement.
  • True: If the statement agrees with the information in the passage.
  • False: If the statement contradicts the information in the passage.
  • Not Given: If there is no information in the passage that confirms or contradicts the statement.



 

8. True


 

Reference:

 

Paragraph A

like humans, monkeys make more mistakes when the numbers of objects in two sets are close together.


 

Explanation

 

The statement agrees with the information because it reflects that primates, including humans and monkeys, struggle more when distinguishing between numbers that are close together in quantity.


 

9. False


 

Reference:

 

Paragraph  E

Each compartment was labelled with a different number of geometric shapes—between 2 and 6—to test the bees' ability to count.


 

Explanation

 

The statement is false because Jurgen Tautz did not train the bees to recognise the shapes of individual numbers; rather, they were tested on their ability to identify the number of geometric shapes in compartments.


 

10. Not Given


 

Reference:

 

Paragraph  

Not Given


 

Explanation

 

The passage does not provide specific information about whether the research involving young chicks took place over two separate days. Therefore, the answer is "Not Given."


 

11. True


 

Reference:

 

Paragraph F 

An experiment involving three- and four-day-old chicks has yielded evidence that this may be the case.


 

Explanation


The statement is true because the experiment with chicks suggests that some numerical ability exists in newborn animals, as they demonstrated a preference for larger groups, indicating rudimentary arithmetic skills.



 

Read more about A Guide on Most Common English Words Used in Daily Life!

Questions and Answers 12-13

  • Answer the following question:
  • Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

 

 

 12. Other than humans, which animal belongs to the primate family?

13. Who has given this statement, “the capacity to discern between a large and a small number is the most fundamental numerical skill”?

 

 

Can Animals Count Reading Answers Reading Answers with Explanations (12-13)

 

 

Question Type: Short Answer 

 

 In the IELTS Reading section, short answer questions require you to provide concise responses, typically consisting of a few words or a short phrase. 


 

How to best answer the question:

 

  • Make sure your answers directly relate to the information provided in the passage and adhere to any specified word limits. 
  • Practice your scanning skills to quickly locate relevant information, and be prepared to recognise synonyms or paraphrased versions of the information. 
  • Ensure your answers are precise, correctly spelt, and grammatically accurate.

 



 

12. Monkeys


 

Reference:

 

Paragraph B 

Both humans and monkeys are animals belonging to the primate family.


 

Explanation

 

The answer is "monkeys" because the paragraph explicitly mentions that monkeys, along with humans, belong to the primate family.


 

13. Elizabeth Brannon


 

Reference:

 

Paragraph A 

According to psychologist Elizabeth Brannon, the capacity to discern between a large and a small number is the most fundamental numerical skill.

 


 

Explanation

 

The answer is "Elizabeth Brannon" because she is cited in the paragraph as the psychologist who made the statement about discerning between large and small numbers being a fundamental skill.


 

Read More:

 

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FAQs

Q. What types of texts are included in the IELTS Reading section?

Ans. The Academic version includes texts from books, journals, magazines, and newspapers, focusing on topics of general interest suitable for university-level study. The General Training version features extracts from books, magazines, newspapers, notices, advertisements, and company handbooks.

Q. How can I improve my IELTS Reading score?

Ans. Improve your reading skills by practising regularly with sample passages and questions. Focus on skimming for main ideas and scanning for specific information. Time management is crucial, so practice completing each section within the allotted time.

Q. What strategies can I use for difficult questions in the IELTS Reading section?

Ans. For difficult questions, first, try to locate the relevant section in the passage. Use a process of elimination to narrow down your choices. If you're still unsure, make an educated guess and move on to save time for other questions.