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The Great Australian Fence Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test

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Updated on Jul 15, 2024, 10:48

The IELTS Reading section is a pivotal part of the exam, evaluating your ability to comprehend and analyse various types of texts. It consists of three passages, each progressively more challenging, accompanied by questions that assess your reading skills. You will encounter texts sourced from books, newspapers, magazines, and online materials designed to test your ability to locate specific details, grasp main ideas, and discern the writer's intentions.

 

The Great Australian Fence, a remarkable feat of engineering, spans thousands of kilometres across Australia. Initially erected to protect agricultural lands from wildlife and pests, this fence has evolved into a symbol of Australia's determination to manage its unique environment. Exploring its history and significance not only illuminates Australia's environmental management but also underscores the challenges and innovations in maintaining such a vast structure.

 

For those preparing for the IELTS Reading section, practising with sample answers, engaging in mock tests, and familiarising oneself with the format are essential strategies to enhance comprehension and speed. These resources provide invaluable preparation for tackling the varied passages and question types encountered in the actual exam.

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1. The Great Australian Fence 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. The Great Australian Fence Reading Questions & Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about The Great Australian Fence Reading Question & Answers

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1.

The Great Australian Fence 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.

 

 

 

 

The Great Australian Fence Reading Passage

 

 

Paragraph A:


For over a century, sheep ranchers in Australia have been at odds with the dingo, Australia's wild dog. To preserve their livelihood, the farmers erected a wire fence—3,307 miles of continuous wire mesh stretching from the coast of South Australia to the cotton fields of eastern Queensland, just short of the Pacific Ocean.

 

Paragraph B: 

 

The Fence is Australia's equivalent of the Great Wall of China, except it is much longer and was built to keep away hostile invaders, in this instance, hordes of yellow dogs. The empire it protects is that of the woolgrowers, sovereigns of the world's second-largest sheep flock after China's (some 123 million head), and guardians of a four-billion-dollar wool export enterprise. Never mind that an increasing number of people conservationists, lawmakers, taxpayers, and animal lovers argue that such a barrier would never be permitted today on ecological grounds. With portions dating back over a century, the dog fence has become, as conservator Lindsay Fairweather ruefully concedes, "an emblem of Australian frontier inventiveness."


 

Paragraph C:


 

I spent a portion of the Australian autumn touring the wires, appreciating this strange outback monument, and meeting the people whose lives rely on it. It goes by several names in different states: the "Dog Fence" in South Australia, the "Border Fence" in New Mexico, and the "Barrier Fence" in Queensland. I'd just call it the fence.


 

Paragraph D:


 

For most of its epic length, this epic barrier runs like a river across a terrain devoid of rivers until heavy rain has occurred. The circuitous course, primarily dictated by property borders, offers a taste of outback topography: the fence winds through dunes, across salt lakes, up and down rock-strewn hills, thick bush, and over bleak plains.


 

Paragraph E:


 

The barrier keeps towns at bay. Where it runs through a town, it has become a tourist attraction, frequented by bus excursions. It is the traditional boundary between cattle and sheep. Dingoes are shot, poisoned, and imprisoned inside, where they are legally categorised as pests. Sheep and dingoes do not mix, and the fence makes it clear for miles.


 

Paragraph F: 


 

What is this monster that, despite the existence of the world's most fanatical fence, threatens a whole business, causing several million dollars in damage each year? Cam's lupus dingo is an invasive species of wild dog related to coyotes and jackals derived from Asian wolves. Skeletal evidence suggests that Asian mariners who arrived on Australia's north coast brought the dingo more than 3,500 years ago. The adaptive dingo expanded quickly and became the main predator, eliminating all of its marsupial rivals. With a large snout, short pointed ears, and a bushy tail, the dingo resembles a miniature wolf. Dingoes shriek and howl rather than bark. The dingo is Australia's biggest terrestrial carnivore, at around 22 inches at the shoulder, slightly higher than a coyote.


 

Paragraph G:


 

The woolgrowers' fight against dingoes, which is akin to sheep ranchers' wrath against coyotes in the United States, began not long after the first European settlers arrived in 1788, carrying a cargo of sheep with them. Dingoes became criminals when the government set a reward on their heads in 1830. Today's bounty for troubled dogs: Killing sheep inside the fence may cost up to $500. Fences replaced shepherds when pioneers invaded the interior with their flocks of sheep. By the end of the nineteenth century, hundreds of miles of barrier fencing crisscrossed the enormous grazing areas.


 

Paragraph H: 


 

"The dingo began as a calm observer, but quickly came to symbolise everything dark and terrible on the continent,' says Roland Breckwoldt in A Very Elegant Animal: The Dingo. Dingo populations are said to have multiplied a hundredfold since sheep arrived in Australia. Although dingoes have been exterminated in certain areas of Australia, an educated assessment puts the number at more than a million.


 

Paragraph I: 


 

Eventually, government authorities and graziers decided that a single well-maintained fence, built on the outside of sheep country and funded by woolgrower taxes, should replace the tangle of private nets. By 1960, three states' barriers had been connected to create a single dog fence.


 

Paragraph J:


 

Private confrontations between wool farmers and dingoes have often served solely to define the fence in economic terms. It denotes the distinction between profit and loss. However, the fence throws a considerably larger ecological shadow since it has become a form of a terrestrial dam, obstructing the movement of creatures within and outside. The environmental consequences are most visible at Sturt National Park. In 1845, The explorer Charles Sturt undertook a failed trip across these areas in quest of an inland sea. A kangaroo sighting was an unusual occurrence for Sturt and other early explorers. They are now everywhere because, in the absence of a natural predator, the kangaroo population has surged within the fence. Kangaroos have become more cursed than dingoes. They have replaced sheep as competitors for water and pasture. As a result, state governments shoot around three million kangaroos each year to prevent Australia's national emblem from overrunning the pastoral regions. Park authorities acknowledge that the barrier is at fault and reply to the influx of kangaroos by stating, "The fence is there, and we have to live with it."

 

2.

The Great Australian Fence Reading Questions & Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about The Great Australian Fence 

Questions and Answers 1-4

  • The Great Australian Fence Reading Questions 1-4
  • Choose the appropriate letters A-D and write them in boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet.

 

1. Why was the fence built?

 

  1. to separate the sheep from the cattle.
  2. to stop the dingoes from being slaughtered by farmers.
  3. to act as a boundary between properties.
  4. to protect the Australian wool industry.

 

2. On what point do conservationists and politicians agree?

 

  1. Wool exports are vital to the economy.
  2. The fence poses a threat to the environment.
  3. The fence acts as a useful frontier between states.
  4. The number of dogs needs to be reduced.

 

3. Why did the author visit Australia?

 

  1. to study Australian farming methods.
  2. to investigate how the fence was constructed.
  3. because he was interested in life around the fence.
  4. because he wanted to learn more about the wool industry.

 

4. How does the author feel about the fence?

 

  1. impressed
  2. delighted
  3. shocked
  4. annoyed

 

 

The Great Australian Fence Reading Answers with Explanations 1-4

 

Type of Question: Multiple Choice Questions


 

These types of questions in IELTS reading involve identifying the right choice from the given options using the given paragraph. 


 

How to best answer: 

 

  • Understand the context and instructions before tackling the options.
  • Rule out obviously incorrect choices to narrow down your options.
  • Choose the answer that fits grammatically and logically with the surrounding text.
  • Double-check your choice against the passage to ensure accuracy.
  • Allocate sufficient time for each question to avoid rushing through the answers.

 

1. D

 


Reference: From Paragraph A, "To preserve their livelihood, the farmers erected a wire fence—3,307 miles of continuous wire mesh..."

 

Explanation: The phrase "To preserve their livelihood" indicates that the primary purpose of erecting the fence was to protect the livelihoods of sheep ranchers in Australia. The fence safeguards the Australian wool industry, which relies heavily on sheep farming by keeping dingoes away. Therefore, the correct answer is to protect the Australian wool industry.

 

2. B

 


 Reference: From Paragraph B, "Never mind that an increasing number of people conservationists..."

 

Explanation: The statement discusses how conservationists, lawmakers, taxpayers, and animal lovers argue against the fence on ecological grounds. They view the fence as posing a threat to the environment ("barrier would never be permitted today on ecological grounds"). Therefore, the correct answer is that the fence poses a threat to the environment, as agreed upon by conservationists and politicians.


 

3. C


 

Reference: From Paragraph C, "I spent a portion of the Australian autumn touring the wires..."

 

Explanation: The author's visit to Australia was motivated by a desire to explore and appreciate the significance of the fence in Australian life ("touring the wires"). The phrase "meeting the people whose lives rely on it" indicates an interest in understanding how the fence impacts local communities. Hence, the correct answer is that he wanted to learn more about life around the fence.

 

4. A


 

Reference: From Paragraph D, "For most of its epic length, this epic barrier runs like a river..."

 

Explanation: The description of the fence as an "epic barrier" and the author's appreciation of it as a "strange outback monument" suggests a positive sentiment towards the fence ("appreciating"). This indicates that the author is impressed by the fence's scale and significance in the Australian landscape. Therefore, the correct answer is impressed.

Questions and Answers 5-11
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?
In boxes 5-11 on your answer sheet, write

  • YES if the statement agrees with the views of the writer.
  • NO if the statement contradicts the views of the writer.
  • NOT GIVEN It is not given if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this.

 

 

5. The fence serves a different purpose in each state.
 

6. The fence is only partially successful.
 

7. The dingo is indigenous to Australia.
 

8. Dingoes have flourished as a result of the sheep industry.
 

9. Dingoes are known to attack humans.
 

10. Kangaroos have increased in number because of the fence.
 

11. The author does not agree with the culling of kangaroos.


 

The Great Australian Fence  Reading Answers with Explanations 5-11

 

 

Type of Question: Yes/No/Not Given

 

These types of questions in the IELTS reading involve finding whether the given statement is Yes/No/Not Given based on the given paragraph. 


How to best answer: 
 

  • Identify keywords and phrases in the question and passage.
  • Base your answer strictly on what is stated in the passage—no assumptions.
  • Find direct evidence in the passage to support your answer.
  • Be cautious of similar-sounding information that might lead to a wrong answer.
  • Check your answer against the passage to ensure accuracy before moving on.


 

5. No


 

Reference: From Paragraph C, "It goes by several names in different states: the 'Dog Fence' in South Australia, the 'Border Fence' in New Mexico, and the 'Barrier Fence' in Queensland."

 


Explanation: The statement indicates that different names in different states know the fence, not that it serves different purposes in each state. Therefore, the correct answer is "No."


 

6. Yes


Reference: From Paragraph B, "Never mind that an increasing number of people conservationists..."

 

 

Explanation: The passage suggests that while the fence serves its primary purpose of protecting sheep from dingoes, there is criticism about its ecological impact, indicating that it is only partially successful. Therefore, the correct answer is "YES."


 

7. No


 

Reference: From Paragraph H, "Dingo populations are said to have multiplied a hundredfold since sheep arrived in Australia."

 

 

Explanation: The statement contradicts the passage, which indicates that dingoes were introduced by Asian mariners more than 3,500 years ago, suggesting they are not indigenous to Australia. Therefore, the correct answer is "NO."

 

 

8. Yes


 

Reference: From Paragraph H, "Dingo populations are said to have multiplied a hundredfold since sheep arrived in Australia."

 

Explanation: The passage clearly states that dingo populations have increased significantly due to the sheep industry, which brought abundant prey and eliminated competitors. Therefore, the correct answer is "YES."


 

9. Not Given

 

Reference: Not available

 

Explanation: There is no explicit mention in the passage regarding whether dingoes are known to attack humans. Therefore, the correct answer is "NOT GIVEN."

 

10. Yes


 

Reference: From Paragraph J, "They are now everywhere because, in the absence of a natural predator, the kangaroo population has surged within the fence."

 

Explanation: The passage clearly states that the kangaroo population has increased within the fenced areas due to the absence of natural predators like dingoes. Therefore, the correct answer is "YES."

 

11. Not Given

 

Reference: Not available

 

Explanation: The passage does not express the author's opinion on the culling of kangaroos. Therefore, the correct answer is "NOT GIVEN."


 

Questions and Answers 12-13

  • Choose the appropriate letters from A-D.
  • Write them in boxes 12-13 on your answer sheet.

 

12. When did the authorities first acknowledge the dog problem?

 

  1. 1788
  2. 1830
  3. 1845
  4. 1960

 

13. How do the park officials feel about the fence?

 

  1. philosophical
  2. angry
  3. pleased
  4. proud

 

The Great Australian Fence  Reading Answers with Explanations 12-13 

 

Type of Question: Multiple Choice Questions


 

12. B


 

Reference: From Paragraph G, "Dingoes became criminals when the government set a reward on their heads in 1830."

 


Explanation: The passage directly states that authorities acknowledged the dingo problem by setting a reward for killing them in 1830, indicating the authorities' recognition of the issue. Therefore, the correct answer is "1830."


 

13. A


 

Reference: From Paragraph J, "Park authorities acknowledge that the barrier is at fault and reply to the influx of kangaroos by stating, 'The fence is there, and we have to live with it.'"

 

Explanation: The passage describes park authorities acknowledging the impact of the fence on kangaroo populations in a resigned manner, implying a philosophical acceptance of the situation. Therefore, the correct answer is "philosophical."


 

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FAQs

Q. How can I manage my time effectively during the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. To manage your time effectively in the IELTS Reading test, allocate about 20 minutes per section (there are three sections). Quickly skim the questions before reading the passage to identify keywords. Focus on understanding the main idea of each paragraph rather than every detail. Leave some time at the end to review answers

Q. What are some good sources for practice materials for the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. You can find practice materials for the IELTS Reading test from official sources like the British Council and Cambridge Assessment English. Websites offering practice tests and sample questions specific to the IELTS Reading section are also valuable. Look for materials that provide varied difficulty levels and include answer keys for self-assessment.

Q. How can I improve my comprehension skills for the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. To improve comprehension for the IELTS Reading test, practice active reading techniques such as summarising paragraphs in your own words and identifying key ideas and supporting details. Work on increasing your reading speed while maintaining accuracy. Regularly practice with timed practice tests to simulate exam conditions and enhance your ability to quickly locate information within passages.