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Monkeys And Forests Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test with Answers

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Updated on Jul 15, 2024, 10:31

The IELTS Reading section is a crucial component of the exam, designed to evaluate your English reading comprehension skills. During this section, you'll encounter passages from diverse sources such as books, journals, and newspapers, and you'll need to answer 40 questions within 60 minutes.

 

It might seem daunting, but with the right preparation, you can approach it confidently. We're here to support you every step of the way!
 

Let’s kick off your IELTS reading preparation with an engaging topic: 'Monkeys and Forests.’ 
 

This passage discusses how mantled howler monkeys adapt to human-altered environments. Due to their leaf-based diet, they thrive at a Costa Rican cattle ranch and live successfully in younger forests. Research in Mexico shows how they flourish in cocoa plantations by spreading seeds and fertilising the soil. The passage suggests that cooperation between agriculture and conservation can help preserve primate populations.
 

Read the passage and try to answer the questions yourself. If you need help, Monkeys and Forests reading answers are attached below! 

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1. Monkeys and Forests Reading Passage

You should spend approximately 20 minutes answering Questions 1 - 14 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. Monkeys and Forests Reading Questions and Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Monkeys and Forests Reading Question & Answers

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1.

Monkeys and Forests 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.

 

 

 

 

Monkeys and Forests Reading Passage

 

 

Paragraph A: 

 

A woman-mantled howler monkey glides through the swaying branches of the forest canopy as an east wind rages through a break in the Cordillera de Tilaran. This rocky mountain range separates northern Costa Rica in half.

 


 

Paragraph B

 

Ken Glander, a primatologist from Duke University, watches the female's motions as she moves through the canopy. He patiently awaits the ideal opportunity to shoot while holding a dart gun. Glander takes tremendous care in his aim and firing. When the rump gets hit, the monkey sways. This howler is a member of a population that has lived for many years at the operating cattle ranch Hacienda La Pacifica in the province of Guanacaste. Spider monkeys and white-faced capuchin monkeys used to be common in this area, but after the Pan-American Highway became operational nearby in the 1950s, they vanished. The majority of the nearby area had been clear-cut for pasture.

 

 


 

Paragraph C

 

Howlers at La Pacifica, according to Glander, survived because they ate leaves. They eat fruit when it is available, but unlike capuchin and spider monkeys, they do not depend on vast areas of fruit-bearing trees. Due to their adaptable dietary habits, howlers can live anywhere there are six trees, according to him. In forests, there is a constant struggle for survival between the trees and the countless animals that consume leaves. Plants have developed a wide range of chemical defences, from poisonous alkaloids and cyanide to hazardous tannins that bind to nutrients produced by plants and render them indigestible.


 

 

Paragraph D

 

 

All primates, including humans, are capable of getting rid of toxins to some extent. We can rid our bodies of caffeine, a terrible chemical that kills many animals. states Glander. Long-term exposure to a certain plant toxin can increase a leaf-ability eater's to both neutralise the poison and absorb the nutrients from the leaves. Less disturbed, centuries-old trees that persist further south, in the Amazon Basin, generate leaves that are actually less howler-friendly than those that grow in regenerating forests, like those at La Pacifica. Younger forests have trees that focus most of their scarce energy on producing fruit, leaves, and wood, which results in far lesser toxin production than mature, old-growth trees.


 

 

 

Paragraph E

 

About 35 miles northwest of Hacienda La Pacifica, in Santa Rosa National Park, researchers are looking at the importance of maturing forests to primates. In addition to white-faced capuchins and spider monkeys, the park also has colonies of mantled howler monkeys. However, the majority of the forests there are under 50 years old, making them youthful. When the trees were as young as 14 years old, Capuchins were the first to start exploiting the regenerated woodlands. Howlers require slightly older trees with limbs that can support their heavier bodies because they are bigger and heavier than capuchins. Another factor contributing to Santa Rosa's population rise is the Hacienda La Pacifica working ranch. Fedigan explains that there are a number of reasons why howler monkeys are more adaptable than capuchin and spider monkeys.

 


 

Paragraph F

 

Additionally, compared to other local monkey species, howlers reproduce more quickly. Howler monkeys give birth for the first time at around 3.5 years of age, while capuchins wait until they are approximately 7 years old, and spider monkeys wait even longer. In addition, well-fed howler monkeys can give birth to a youngster every two years, as opposed to a female spider monkey's about every four years.


 

 

Paragraph G

 

Howler monkeys can survive away from open streams and water holes because the leaves they consume are filled with water. They have a distinct edge over capuchin and spider monkeys, which have suffered during Guanacaste's lengthy drought because of this trait.


 

 

Paragraph H

 

 

In Central and South America, pressures from a growing human population have resulted in ongoing forest loss. About 1.1 million acres per year of Central American forest were cleared throughout the 1990s. Ecologist Alejandro Estrada of Estacion de Biologia Los Tuxtlas in Veracruz, Mexico, has been researching how monkeys live in a world that is being altered by people more and more. Recently, he and his colleagues conducted research on the ecology of a tribe of mantled howler monkeys living in a cocoa plantation in Tabasco, Mexico, an environment that has been entirely transformed by humans. Their owners planted fig, monkey pods, and other big trees 40 years ago to create a protective canopy above their crop because cacao plants, like many types of coffee, need shade to develop. After the surrounding woodlands were cleared, the howlers migrated there about 25 years ago. This odd environment, a mix of domesticated native and exotic flora, appears to be home to roughly the same number of monkeys as a comparable-sized area of wild forest. Farmers approve of howlers because they consume the leaves and fruit of the shade trees but leave the prized cacao pods alone.

 


 

Paragraph I

 

Estrada thinks the monkeys' contributions to these farms, like spreading the seeds of figs and other shade trees and nourishing the ground with their waste, go unappreciated. He notes that howler monkeys inhabit the shadow of cocoa and coffee plantations in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Mexico. Although they require neighbouring forested regions to live over the long term, spider monkeys will also browse in such plantations. He is hoping that farmers would start to recognize the benefits of cooperating with wild monkeys, including prospective tourist initiatives.


 

 

Paragraph J

 

According to Estrada, "Conservation is usually viewed as an adversary between practices in agriculture and the desire to preserve nature." We're giving up on that idea and starting to think about how agriculture may help preserve primates in environments that have undergone human intervention.

2.

Monkeys and Forests Reading Questions and Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Monkeys and Forests

Questions and Answers 1-6

  • The Reading passage contains Eight paragraphs (A–H)
  • Which passage includes the information below?
  • On your answer sheet, fill in the responses for 1-6 with the correct letter.

 

 

  1. A mention of the decline of forest residents.
  2. While the other two monkey species vanished, just one species remained.
  3. A motive for Howler Monkey to select fresh leaves.
  4. Discussion of the dietary and feeding habits of the howler monkey.
  5. A mention of examining farmers' shifting attitudes on wildlife.
  6. Flexibility of the howler monkey living in a segmented habitat is an advantage.

 

 

Monkeys and Forests Reading Answers 1-6 

 

 

1. G

 

 

Reference: Paragraph H "After surrounding woodlands were cleared, the howlers migrated there about 25 years ago." 

 

 

Explanation: This line indicates that the clearing of surrounding woodlands led to the decline of various forest residents. However, it also shows that howler monkeys adapted by migrating to a new environment created by human activity, illustrating their resilience and adaptability.

 

 

2. A

 

 

Reference: Paragraph B "Spider monkeys and white-faced capuchin monkeys used to be common in this area, but after the Pan-American Highway became operational nearby in the 1950s, they vanished." 

 

 

Explanation: This line explains that spider monkeys and capuchins, once common in the area, disappeared following the construction of the Pan-American Highway. In contrast, howler monkeys remained, demonstrating their ability to survive environmental changes that the other species could not withstand.

 

 

3. C

 

 

Reference: Paragraph D "Long-term exposure to a certain plant toxin can increase a leaf-ability eater's to both neutralise the poison and absorb the nutrients from the leaves." 

 

 

Explanation: This line highlights that howler monkeys have evolved to tolerate and detoxify plant toxins, which allows them to consume a variety of leaves. This adaptability to different plant toxins is a key motive for selecting fresh leaves, ensuring their survival even in changing environments.

 

 

4. B

 

 

Reference: Paragraph C "They eat fruit when it is available, but unlike capuchin and spider monkeys, they do not depend on vast areas of fruit-bearing trees." 

 

 

Explanation: This line describes the dietary habits of howler monkeys, emphasising their ability to survive on leaves when fruit is scarce. This dietary flexibility sets them apart from capuchin and spider monkeys, which rely heavily on fruit-bearing trees, highlighting the howlers' adaptable feeding habits.

 

 

5. H

 

 

Reference: Paragraph J "He is hoping that farmers would start to recognise the benefits of cooperating with wild monkeys, including prospective tourist initiatives." 

 

 

Explanation: This line mentions the potential for farmers to change their attitudes towards wildlife by recognising the benefits of working with howler monkeys. By understanding the ecological advantages and tourism opportunities, farmers might become more supportive of conservation efforts, illustrating a shift in perspective towards wildlife.

 

 

6. D

 

 

Reference: Paragraph E "Fedigan explains that there are a number of reasons why howler monkeys are more adaptable than capuchin and spider monkeys." 

 

 

Explanation: This line shows the adaptability of howler monkeys in segmented habitats. Their ability to live in various environments, including those heavily altered by humans, gives them an advantage over capuchin and spider monkeys, which require more specific habitats. This flexibility is key to their survival and success in diverse and changing landscapes.

Questions and Answers 7-9

  • Examine the places and the list of headings below.
  • A-E, match each description to the appropriate location.
  • On your answer sheet, fill in boxes 7–9 with the proper letter from A–E.

 

 

List of places


 

A. Hacienda La Pacifica

B. Santa Rosa National Park

C. A cacao plantation in Tabasco, Mexico

D. Estación de Biología Los Tuxtlas in Veracruz, Mexico

E.  Amazon Basin


 

7. The advantages of howler monkeys for local agriculture

8. All three of the native monkeys' original residence

9. A location where capuchin monkeys travel in search of a better habitat

 

 

Monkeys and Forests Reading Answers 7-9

 

 

7. C


 

Reference: Paragraph H "Alejandro Estrada and his colleagues conducted research on the ecology of a tribe of mantled howler monkeys living in a cocoa plantation in Tabasco, Mexico, an environment that has been entirely transformed by humans. Their owners planted fig, monkey pod, and other big trees 40 years ago to create a protective canopy above their crop because cacao plants, like many types of coffee, need shade to develop."

 

 

Explanation: This line demonstrates the advantages of howler monkeys for local agriculture by showing how they thrive in a human-altered environment and contribute to the ecosystem of the cocoa plantation.


 

8. A


 

Reference: Paragraph B "This howler is a member of a population that has lived for many years at the operating cattle ranch Hacienda La Pacifica in the province of Guanacaste. Spider monkeys and white-faced capuchin monkeys used to be common in this area, but after the Pan-American Highway became operational nearby in the 1950s, they vanished."


 

Explanation: This sentence indicates that all three native monkey species originally lived at Hacienda La Pacifica before the construction of the Pan-American Highway, which led to the disappearance of the spider monkeys and capuchins.


 

9. B


 

Reference: Paragraph E "About 35 miles northwest of Hacienda La Pacifica, in Santa Rosa National Park, researchers are looking at the importance of maturing forests to primates. In addition to white-faced capuchins and spider monkeys, the park also has colonies of mantled howler monkeys."


 

Explanation: This line shows that Santa Rosa National Park is a location where capuchin monkeys travel in search of a better habitat as researchers study the primates in the maturing forests there.

Questions and Answers 10-14

  • Finish the sentences given below.
  • For each answer, choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage. Fill in boxes 10 -14 on your answer sheet with your responses.

 

 

The reasons why Howler monkeys outlive the other two species in the focal region.


 

Howlers in La Pacifica because they can feed themselves with leaves when 10. _________ is hard to come by.

Old and young trees employed howlers to protect themselves since they had a superior ability to reduce the 11. ____________.

When compared to that of spider monkeys and capuchin monkeys, the 12. ____________ 

the frequency of howlers is comparatively higher (round for just every 2 years).

Due to the high concentration of 13.____________ in the leaves howlers consume, the monkeys can survive away from open streams and water holes, this guarantees their ability to withstand ongoing 14. __________ in Guanacaste.

 


 

Monkeys and Forests Reading Answers 10-14

 

 

10. Fruit/ the fruit

 

 

Reference: Paragraph C, Line 2 "Howlers at La Pacifica, according to Glander, survived because they ate leaves. They eat fruit when it is available, but unlike capuchin and spider monkeys, they do not depend on vast areas of fruit bearing trees."

 

 

Explanation: This sentence explains that howler monkeys can feed themselves with leaves when fruit is scarce, allowing them to survive when other food sources are limited.

 


 

11. Plant toxic/ toxic

 

 

Reference: Paragraph D, Line 7 "Younger forests have trees that focus most of their scarce energy on producing fruit, leaves, and wood, which results in far lesser toxin production than mature, old-growth trees."

 

 

Explanation: This line indicates that howlers are employed by old and young trees for their superior ability to reduce plant toxins, allowing them to thrive in different forest environments.


 

 

12. Reproduction/ Reproduce

 

 

Reference: Paragraph F, Line 1 "Additionally, compared to other local monkey species, howlers reproduce more quickly."

 

 

Explanation: This sentence highlights that howler monkeys have a higher reproduction frequency compared to spider monkeys and capuchins, giving them a survival advantage.

 


 

13. Water

 

 

Reference: Paragraph G, Line 1 "Howler monkeys can survive away from open streams and water holes because the leaves they consume are filled with water."

 

 

Explanation: This line shows that the high concentration of water in the leaves howlers consume allows them to survive without direct water sources.


 

14. Drought

 

 

Reference: Paragraph G, Line 2 "They have a distinct edge over capuchin and spider monkeys, which have suffered during Guanacaste's lengthy drought, because of this trait."

 

 

Explanation: This sentence explains howler monkeys can survive on water-filled leaves, which gives them an advantage during Guanacaste's prolonged drought, unlike other monkey species.


 

Good job getting to the end of this practice test. Here’s what you can do next: Learn about IELTS Reading vocabulary

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FAQs

Q. Can I skip questions during my IELTS Reading test?

Ans. Yes, you have the option to skip questions in your IELTS Reading test. It's not mandatory to attempt every question. However, it's recommended by IELTS trainers to attempt all questions as there is no penalty for incorrect answers. More attempts can increase your chances of scoring higher.

Q. Can I reschedule or cancel my IELTS Reading test?

Ans. Yes, you can reschedule or cancel your entire IELTS exam if needed. Specifically, for the Reading module, you must reschedule the entire test, not just the Reading section. This can be done through the official IELTS IDP India website.

Q. Is there a negative marking in the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. No, there is no negative marking in the IELTS Reading test. Since incorrect answers do not incur penalties, it is advisable to attempt as many questions as possible to maximize your chances of achieving a higher score. Each correct answer earns one mark, while incorrect answers receive zero marks.