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Natural Pesticide In India Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test with Answers

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Updated on Jul 15, 2024, 10:32

Did you know a 60-minute test can thoroughly analyse your reading and comprehension skills? That’s the IELTS Reading test for you! While IELTS General reading focuses on newspaper ads, handbook instructions, and company manuals, the IELTS Academic test features informative passages on anything from science to history!


 

With the right strategies and consistent practice, you can easily conquer those reading challenges and ace this crucial part of the IELTS test! Remember, practice makes perfect, and you'll feel more confident and prepared with each practice session.


 

One important topic for IELTS reading prep is ‘Natural Pesticide in India.’ This passage discusses the shift in farming practices in Punukula, Southeast India, focusing on cotton cultivation. Initially reliant on chemical pesticides, which had harmful effects on health and the environment, farmers transitioned to Non-Pesticide Management (NPM). 


 

NPM, supported by local initiatives and organisations like SECURE and India’s Center for Sustainable Agriculture, promoted natural methods such as neem trees.


 

Dive into this interesting passage! Read carefully, and answer the questions that follow. If you need help, we have attached the Natural Pesticide in India Reading answers below. 


 

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1. Natural Pesticide in India 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. Natural Pesticide in India Reading Questions and Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Natural Pesticide in India Reading Question & Answers

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1.

Natural Pesticide in India 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.

 

 

 

 

Natural Pesticide in India Reading Passage

 

 

Paragraph A. 

 

A significant story about cotton farmers in India shows how devastating pesticides can be for people and the environment and why today’s farming is so reliant on pesticides. This story also shows that it’s feasible to cease utilising chemical pesticides without dropping a crop to ravaging insects, and it describes how to do it.

 

Paragraph B. 

 

The story commenced about 30 years ago, when a group of families migrated from the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, Southeast India, into Punukula, a group of around 900 people ploughland of between 2 to 10 acres. The strangers from Guntur brought cotton culture with them. Cotton pursued harvesters by assuring them to bring in more hard cash than the mixed crops they were earlier getting bigger to eat and sell: groundnuts, millet, pigeon peas, sorghum, rice, chilli and mung beans. But cultivating cotton meant utilising pesticides and manure – till then, a puzzle to the mostly uneducated harvesters of the group. When cotton manufacturing began to unfurl through Andhra Pradesh state, The high worth of cotton made it an unusually alluring crop, but raising cotton needed chemical manures and pesticides. As most of the harvesters were poverty-stricken, uneducated, and without past experiences utilising agricultural chemicals, they were forced to depend on local, minuscule agricultural retailers for advice. The retailers sold them seeds, manures, and pesticides on credit and also assured the purchase of their crop. The retailers themselves had little hard skill about pesticides. They merely expressed promotional details from international chemical companies that give their products.  

   

Paragraph C. 

 

Primarily, cotton production was high, and the cost of pesticides was low because cotton bugs had not yet moved in. The harvesters had never been paid so much! But within a few years, cotton bugs like aphids and bollworms afflicted the meadows, and the harvesters saw how quick insect enlargement can be. Again and again, spraying destroyed the weaker bugs, but left the ones most immune to pesticides to increase. As pesticide resistance framed, the harvesters had to spray more and more of the pesticides to get the equal outcomes. Simultaneously, the pesticides destroyed wasps, beetles, birds, spiders, and other carnivores that had once supplied natural control of bugs and insects. Without these carnivores, the cuss could demolish the whole crops if pesticides were not used. Finally, harvesters were fused, sometimes having topiary their Cotto as often as two times in a week. They were actually curved!


 

Paragraph D. 

 

The villagers were uncertain, but one of Punukla’s hamlet elders distinctly hazarded attempting the natural procedure rather than pesticides. His son had collapsed with keen and sharp pesticide poisoning and remained alive, but the hospital bill was shocking. SECURE employees coached this villager on how to secure his cotton crop by utilising a toolset of natural procedures through India’s Center for viable Agriculture put jointly in partnership with scientists at Andhra Pradesh’s state University. They called the toolset “ non-pesticide Management”- or “NPM”.


 

Paragraph E. 

 

The supreme wealth in the NPM toolset was the neem tree(Azadirachta indica), which is common all over India. The neem tree is a broad-leaved everlasting tree related to amber. It secures itself as opposed to insects by manufacturing a lot of natural pesticides that work in different ways: with weapons of chemical ammunition that repulse egg-laying, interfere with insect growth, and, most of all, disrupt the capacity of crop-eating insects to sense their food.  


 

Paragraph F. 

 

Actually, neem has been worn traditionally in India to secure stored grains from insects and to manufacture skin lotions, soaps, and other health products. To secure crops from insects, neem seeds are plainly ground into a powder that is immersed overnight in water. The mixture is then sprayed onto the crop. Another progress is, neem cake can be mixed into the soil to destroy pests and diseases in the soil, and it look-alike as an organic manure high in N (nitrogen). Neem trees grow locally, so the only “cost” is the toil to prepare neem for use in fields.


 

Paragraph G. 

 

 

The earliest harvester’s trial with NPM was an achievement! His reap was as good as the harvests of harvesters that were utilising pesticides, and he was paid much more because he did not pay out a single rupee on pesticides. Motivated by this achievement, 20 harvesters tried NPM the following year. SECURE affixed two well-upkilled employees in Punukula to tute and help everyone in the hamlet, and the hamlet women put coercion on their spouses to cease using poisonous chemicals. Families that were no longer exposing themselves to pesticides started to feel much superior, and the quick development in income, health and common good existence rapidly sold everyone on the value of NPM. By 2000, all the harvesters in PUnukula were utilising NPM, not only for cotton but also for their other crops as well.


 

Paragraph H. 

 

The suicide outbreak came to a conclusion. With the health, cash and energy that reciprocated when they ceased poisoning themselves with pesticides, the villagers were motivated to begin more group and business projects. The women of Punukula produce a new origin of income by gathering, grinding, and selling neem seeds for NPM in other hamlets. The villagers saved their apprentice children and gave them exceptional six-month “meet” courses to return to school. 


 

Paragraph I. 

 

Struggling against pesticides and being victorious, propagating village unanimity, morale, and confidence about the future. When retailers tried to penalise NPM users by paying less for NPM cotton, the harvesters integrated to form a marketing collaboration that found decent prices somewhere. The guidance and partnership skills that the residents of Punukula expand in the NPM fight have helped them to take on other dares, like aqua purification, constructing a cotton gin to attach value to the cotton before they sell it, and cogent the state government to bear NPM over the protest of international pesticides companies.

 

2.

Natural Pesticide in India Reading Questions and Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Natural Pesticide in India

Questions and Answers 1-4
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?In boxes 1-4 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

 

 

1. Cotton in Andhra Pradesh state could bring more income to the local farmers than traditional farming.

2. The majority of farmers had used agricultural pesticides before 30 years ago.

3. The cotton yield is relatively lower than that of other crops.

4. The farmers didn’t realise the spread of the pests was so fast.


 

Natural Pesticide in India Reading Answers 1-4

 

Type of question: True/False/Not Given


 

True/False/Not Given questions in the IELTS reading test require you to determine the accuracy of statements based on information in the passage. 


 

How to best answer: 

 

  • Assess whether each statement agrees with the information in the passage (True), contradicts it (False), or if there is insufficient information to decide (Not Given).
  • Focus on understanding the meaning and details of each statement.
  • Quickly locate sections of the text relevant to each statement.
  • Determine if the information directly supports (True), opposes (False), or does not provide enough detail (Not Given) to support the statement.
  • Select True, False, or Not Given based on your passage assessment.
  • Ensure your answers are based strictly on the information provided in the passage, avoiding assumptions or outside knowledge.

 

 

1. False

 

 

Reference: Paragraph B, "But cultivating cotton meant utilising pesticides and manure – till then, a puzzle to the mostly uneducated harvesters of the group."


 

Explanation: The passage indicates that before the introduction of cotton farming, pesticides and manure were unfamiliar to the local farmers and were not something they had used extensively before.


 

2. True

 

 

Reference: Paragraph C, "But within a few years, cotton bugs like aphids and bollworms afflicted the meadows, and the harvesters saw how quick insect enlargement can be."


 

Explanation: This statement aligns with the information in the passage where the farmers observed the rapid spread of pests like aphids and bollworms shortly after starting cotton cultivation.


 

3. Not given

 

Reference: 

 

Explanation: No specific information is provided in the passage about the relative yield of cotton compared to other crops in Andhra Pradesh state.s.

 

4. True

 

 

Reference: Paragraph C, "But within a few years, cotton bugs like aphids and bollworms afflicted the meadows, and the harvesters saw how quick insect enlargement can be."


 

Explanation: The passage states that farmers witnessed the rapid spread (enlargement) of insects like aphids and bollworms, indicating they didn't realise how fast the pests could spread.

 

Questions and Answers 5-11
  • Complete the summary below

  • Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer
  • Write your answers in boxes 5-11 on your answer sheet.

 

The Making of pesticides protecting crops against insects


 

The broad-leaved neem tree was chosen. It is a fast-growing and 5.________  tree and produces an amount of 6.________  for itself that can be effective like insect repellent. Firstly, neem seeds need to be crushed into 7.______  forms, which is left behind  8.________  in water. Then, we need to spray the solution onto the crop. A special 9.__________ is used when mixing with soil in order to eliminate bugs and bacteria, and its effect 10.________ when it adds the level of 11.____________ 1 in this organic fertiliser meanwhile.


 

Natural Pesticide in India Reading Answers 5-11

 

Type of question: Summary Completion 

 

Summary completion in IELTS reading involves filling in blanks in a provided summary using details from the passage. 

 

How to best answer: 

 

  • Understand the Task: Fill in the blanks in a summary with information from the passage.
  • Read the Summary: Focus on keywords indicating missing information.
  • Scan the Passage: Quickly locate related details in the text.
  • Identify Relevant Information: Find sentences or phrases that match each blank.
  • Choose Answers: Select words or phrases that fit grammatically and contextually.
  • Check Accuracy: Ensure answers make sense within the summary and passage.

 

6. Evergreen (everlasting)


 

Reference: Paragraph E, line 2 "The neem tree is a broad-leaved everlasting tree..."

 

Explanation: The term "everlasting" here refers to the neem tree being evergreen, meaning it retains its leaves throughout the year.

 

7. Natural pesticides


 

Reference: Paragraph E, lines 3-5 "It secures itself opposed to insects by manufacturing a lot of natural pesticides that work in different ways."

 

Explanation: The neem tree produces natural pesticides that act as insect repellents, making it effective in pest management.

 

8. Powder

 

 

Reference: Paragraph F, line 3 "Neem seeds are plainly ground into a powder..."

Explanation: Neem seeds are processed by grinding them into a powder form before being used in pesticide solutions.

 

9. Overnight

 

Reference: Paragraph F, lines 3-4 "...the mixture is then sprayed onto the crop."

 

Explanation: After grinding neem seeds into a powder, they are immersed overnight in water to prepare the pesticide solution.

 

10. Neem cake

 

Reference: Paragraph F, lines 4-5 "Neem cake can be mixed into the soil to destroy pests and diseases in the soil..."

 

Explanation: Neem cake, a byproduct of neem seed processing, is used as an organic soil amendment to control pests and diseases.

 

11. Doubles (looks-alike)

 

Reference: Paragraph F, lines 5-6 "Neem cake can be mixed into the soil...and it looks-alike as an organic manure high in N (nitrogen)."

 

Explanation: Neem cake serves a dual purpose as both a pest control agent and an organic fertiliser rich in nitrogen.

Questions and Answers 12-13
  • Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
  • Write your answers in boxes 12-13 on your answer sheet.

 

 

12. In which year did all the farmers use NPM for their crops in Panukala? 

13. What gave the women of Punukula a business opportunity for NPMs?


 

Natural Pesticide in India Reading Answers 12-13

 

Type of question: Short answer question 

 

A short answer question in IELTS reading requires concise answers using just a few words or numbers. 

 

How to best answer: 

 

  • Read the question carefully to understand what specific information is needed.
  • Scan the passage quickly to find where the answer is located, focusing on keywords from the question.
  • Identify the exact words or numbers that directly answer the question.
  • Be brief and accurate, sticking to the word limit provided. Use abbreviations or symbols if appropriate.
  • Ensure your answer is grammatically correct and spelt accurately.
  • Practice with sample questions to improve your scanning skills and accuracy.

 

12. In 2000

 

Reference: Paragraph G, last 2 lines "By 2000, all the harvesters in Punukula were utilising NPM..."

 


Explanation: This indicates that by the year 2000, all farmers in Punukula had adopted Non-Pesticide Management (NPM) for their crops.


 

13. Neem seeds

 

 

Reference: Paragraph H, lines 3-5 "The women of Punukula produce a new origin of income by gathering, grinding, and selling neem seeds for NPM..."

 

Explanation: The business opportunity for the women of Punukula arose from gathering, grinding, and selling neem seeds, which were used for Non-Pesticide Management (NPM) in other villages.


Also Read: IELTS Reading Vocabulary 

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FAQs

Q. Is grammar necessary for the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. Reading skills, comprehension, and the ability to locate information are crucial in the IELTS Reading test. However, grammar also plays a vital role. Clear and precise expression enhances effective communication of your understanding. Maintaining grammatical correctness in your answers is important to ensure clarity and structure, avoiding any confusion that incorrect grammar might cause.

Q. What are some common misconceptions about the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. Common misconceptions about the IELTS Reading test include the belief that reading the entire passage is necessary, using complex vocabulary guarantees a higher score, and there's only one correct approach to answering questions. In reality, effective techniques like skimming and scanning are often more efficient. Clear communication is valued over complex vocabulary, and various approaches can lead to correct answers as long as they align with the instructions and content of the passage.


 

Q. How can I stay calm and focused during the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. Practice mindfulness or deep breathing exercises beforehand to maintain calm and focus during the IELTS Reading test. Ensure you have adequate sleep and a nutritious breakfast. Read the instructions carefully, manage your time effectively, utilise the process of elimination for multiple-choice questions, and maintain a positive and confident mindset throughout the test.