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Population Movements and Genetics Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test

updated at

Updated on Jul 02, 2024, 11:57

In the IELTS Reading section, you'll face a thorough examination of your reading comprehension skills. This segment spans 60 minutes and presents three passages, each accompanied by a variety of question formats, including multiple-choice, matching headings, and True/False/Not Given. Success in this section pivots on your ability to swiftly grasp key information, discern main ideas, and infer meaning from context.
 

To excel in the IELTS Reading section, it's crucial to adopt effective reading strategies such as skimming for main ideas and scanning for specific details. Regular practice with sample questions and exposure to diverse question types will hone your skills and prepare you for the challenges of test day.

 

Get ready for an immersive exploration of "Population Movements and Genetics," a captivating dive into the dynamics of human migration and its impact on genetic diversity. Delve into the intricate interplay between population movements, genetic adaptation, and cultural evolution through engaging passages and accompanying questions, deepening your comprehension of how human societies evolve and adapt over time.

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1. Population Movements and Genetics 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. Population Movements and Genetics Reading Question & Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Population Movements and Genetics

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1.

Population Movements and Genetics 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.

 

 

 

 

Population Movements and Genetics Reading Passage


 

 

Paragraph A 

Origins and distribution of human populations is studied based on archaeological and fossil evidence. From the 1950s, numerous techniques have been used which are more objective. Information about early population movements now obtained by 'archaeology of the living body', the clues are taken from the genetic material. 

 

Paragraph B

These values of the techniques are ensured by the work on the problems which deal with when people entered America. The launching ground of human colonisers of the New World is North-east Asia and Siberia. It was found that major migration happened across the Bering Strait into the Americans. New clues have derived from the research into genetics which includes the genetic markers in modern Native Americans. 

 

Paragraph C

Biological Anthropologist Robert Williams found one particular protein (immunoglobulin G) in the form of fluid in the blood. Most of the proteins produce variants and interbreeding human population members will share these sets of variants. One can determine their genetic distance by comparing the Gm allotypes of two different populations. This informs the length of time. 

 

Paragraph D

In the span of a twenty year period, Williams and his colleagues collected the sample of over 5,000 American Indians in Western North America. . Gm allotypes can be divided into two groups, one of them corresponds to the genetic typing of Central And South American Indians. Apart from this, other tests showed that Aleut3 and Inuit formed a third group. It was found from the evidence that there have been three migration waves that happened across the Bering Strait. da about 600 or 700 years ago). The third wave, perhaps 10,000 or 9,000 years ago, saw the migration from North-east Asia of groups ancestral to the modern Eskimo and Aleut.

 

Paragraph E

To what extent does other research support these conclusions ? Douglas Wallace, a geneticist, studied mitochondrial DNA4 in the blood samples from three distinct Native American Groups: Arizona’s Pima-Papago Indians, Maya Indians on the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, and Ticuna Indians in Brazil's Upper region. According to the prediction of Robert Williams’s work, all three groups seem to be descended from the same ancestor - the Paleo-indian population. 

 

Paragraph F

There are two other sorts of research which throws some light on the Native American Population origination. It involves the study of teeth and of languages. The biological anthropologist Christy Turner, having an expertise in analysing the changing physical characteristics in human teeth. According to him, tooth crowns and roots possess a high genetic component, affected by environmental and other factors in a minimal fashion. Turner studied many thousands of New and Old World Specimens, both ancient and modern and finds that most of the prehistoric Americans are connected to Northern Asian Populations by root and crown traits such as incisor shovelling ( a scooping out on one or both surfaces of the tooth ), triple-rooted lower first molars and single-rooted upper first premolars.

 

Paragraph G

As stated by Turner, this ties in with the idea of a single Paleo-Indian migration out of North Asia, which he fixes before 14,000 years ago by calibrating rates of dental micro-evaluation. Analysing the tooth suggests that there were two later migrations of Eskimo-Aleut and Na-Denes. 

 

Paragraph H

Since the 1950s, the linguist Joseph Greenberg has argued that all Native American languages belong to a single ‘Amerind’ family, Na-Dene and Eskimo-Aleut is an exception - a view that supports the idea of three main migrations. Among fellow linguists, Greenberg is a minority, who favour the idea of many waves of migration to account for the fact that American Indians speak more than 1000 languages at one time. Greenberg’s view is supported by the new genetic and dental evidence. However, dates given for the migrations should be treated cautiously, excluded where supported by hard archaeological evidence. 

2.

Population Movements and Genetics Reading Question & Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about Population Movements and Genetics

Questions and Answers 1-7
  • Answer the questions below.
  • Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.

 

 

1. Where from the clues on early population movements was taken by ?

 

2. What protein Robert Williams found in the form of fluid in the blood ?

 

3. What could be determined by comparing the Gm allotypes of two different populations ?

 

4. How many groups are there in Gm allotypes ?

 

5. Who studied mitochondrial DNA4 from three different Native American Groups’ blood samples ?

 

6. Which study throws a light on origins of the Native American Population other than study of languages ?

 

7. Who is an expert in analysing changing physical characteristics of human teeth ?

 

 

Population Movements and Genetics Reading Answers with Explanations (1-7)

 

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 spelled, and grammatically accurate. 

 

 

1. Genetic material

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph A

Information about early population movements now obtained by 'archaeology of the living body', the clues are taken from the genetic material.

 

Explanation

The passage states that clues on early population movements are derived from genetic material.


 

2. Immunoglobulin G

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph  C 

Biological Anthropologist Robert Williams found one particular protein (immunoglobulin G) in the form of fluid in the blood.

 

Explanation

Robert Williams discovered the presence of immunoglobulin G protein in blood samples, indicating the specific protein found.


 

3. Genetic distance

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph C 

One can determine their genetic distance by comparing the Gm allotypes of two different populations. This informs the length of time.
 

Explanation

Comparing Gm allotypes of two populations allows for the determination of genetic distance between them, providing insight into the length of time since their divergence.


 

4. Two groups

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph  D 

Gm allotypes can be divided into two groups, one of them corresponds to the genetic typing of Central And South American Indians.

 

Explanation

The passage explicitly states that Gm allotypes can be categorised into two groups, with one group associated with the genetic typing of Central and South American Indians.


 

5. Douglas Wallace

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph E 

Douglas Wallace, a geneticist, studied mitochondrial DNA4 in the blood samples from three distinct Native American Groups

 

Explanation

Douglas Wallace conducted a study on mitochondrial DNA from blood samples of three specific Native American groups, indicating his research focus and expertise.


 

6. Study of teeth

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph F 

There are two other sorts of research which throws some light on the Native American Population origination. It involves the study of teeth and of languages.
 

Explanation

The passage mentions teeth study as one of the research methods providing insights into the origin of Native American populations, illustrating its significance alongside language studies.


 

7. Christy Turner

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph F 

The biological anthropologist Christy Turner, having an expertise in analysing the changing physical characteristics in human teeth.

 

Explanation

Christy Turner is highlighted as an expert in analyzing changes in physical characteristics of human teeth, indicating his specialisation and role in the research on Native American population origins.

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

 

 

From the 8) ______, numerous techniques have been used which are more objective to study the fossil evidence. Information about early population movements now obtained by '9) ____ of the living body', the clues are taken from the genetic material. Modern 10) ________, new clues have been derived from the research into genetics which includes the genetic 11) ______. Biological Anthropologist 12) _______ found one particular protein (immunoglobulin G) in the form of fluid in the blood. One can determine their genetic distance by comparing the 13) _______ of two different populations.

 

 

Population Movements and Genetics Reading Answers with Explanations (8-13)


 

Type of Question: Summary Completion

 

Summary completion questions provide a summary of part of the reading passage with several blanks. Your task is to fill in these blanks with appropriate words or phrases from the passage. The summary may cover a whole passage or a part of it, focusing on key points and main ideas.
 

How to best answer this question:

 

  • Quickly skim the passage to get an idea of its main ideas and structure.
  • Focus on keywords in the summary and look for them or their synonyms in the passage.
  • Carefully read the instructions to know the word limit and any specific guidelines.
  • Identify the part of the passage related to the summary. This often involves scanning for keywords or phrases.
  • Ensure the words you choose fit grammatically and contextually within the summary.
  • After filling in the blanks, review the summary to ensure it makes sense and adheres to the word limit.


 

8. 1950s

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph A 

From the 1950s, numerous techniques have been used which are more objective
 

Explanation

The answer is found in the first sentence of Paragraph A, which discusses the time frame since the 1950s when various objective techniques have been employed to study fossil evidence.


 

9. Archaeology

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph  A 

Information about early population movements now obtained by 'archaeology of the living body', the clues are taken from the genetic material.
 

Explanation

The term "archaeology of the living body" is mentioned in Paragraph A, indicating that genetic material provides clues about early population movements.


 

10. Native Americans

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph B 

New clues have derived from the research into genetics which includes the genetic markers in modern Native Americans.
 

Explanation

The answer is found in Paragraph B, where it mentions that new clues in genetics, including genetic markers, have been derived from research into modern Native Americans. This indicates that modern Native Americans are the source of these genetic clues.


 

11. markers

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph B 

New clues have derived from the research into genetics which includes the genetic markers in modern Native Americans.

 

Explanation
Paragraph B mentions that research into genetics, including genetic markers in modern Native Americans, provides new clues about early population movements.


 

12. Robert Williams

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph C 

Biological Anthropologist Robert Williams found one particular protein (immunoglobulin G) in the form of fluid in the blood.

 

Explanation

The answer is directly stated in Paragraph C, where Robert Williams, a Biological Anthropologist, discovered immunoglobulin G protein in blood samples.


 

13. Gm allotypes

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph C 

One can determine their genetic distance by comparing the Gm allotypes of two different populations.

 

Explanation

Paragraph C discusses how genetic distance can be determined by comparing Gm allotypes of different populations, indicating the relevance of comparing these genetic markers.

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FAQs

Q. How can I improve my reading speed for the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. To enhance your reading speed, engage in regular timed reading exercises. Allocate specific time slots for reading passages and answering questions, replicating test conditions to boost your speed gradually.

Q. Should I read the questions before reading the passage?

Ans. Yes, it's advisable for some test-takers to skim through the questions before delving into the passage. This approach helps in identifying key terms and directing focus while reading, potentially saving time during the test.

Q. What should I do if I run out of time during the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. If you find yourself short on time, prioritize answering remaining questions swiftly. Make educated guesses rather than leaving questions unanswered, as there's no negative marking for wrong answers, maximizing your chances of gaining points.