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The History Of The Tortoise Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test

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Updated on Jul 02, 2024, 11:57

The IELTS Reading section is designed to assess your reading comprehension skills through a variety of texts and question types. You will encounter three long passages, each with increasing difficulty, and you will have 60 minutes to answer 40 questions. These passages will cover a range of topics, from descriptive and factual to discursive and analytical.

 

The passage "The History Of The Tortoise" delves into the fascinating evolutionary journey of tortoises, highlighting their adaptation from aquatic to terrestrial life. It explores significant milestones in their history and the unique characteristics that have enabled their survival over millions of years.

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1. The History Of The Tortoise Reading Passage

You should spend approximately 20 minutes answering Questions 1 - 12 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 History Of The Tortoise Reading Question & Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about The History Of The Tortoise

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1.

The History Of The Tortoise 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 History Of The Tortoise Reading Passage


 

 

Paragraph 1

If you go far back, everything lives in the ocean. At different topics in evolutionary history, interested individuals from different animal groups travelled to land, sometimes taking their own seawater in blood and cellular fluids, even to the aridest deserts. In addition to the reptiles, birds, mammals, and insects that surround us, other groups that have conquered the water contain scorpions, snails, and crustaceans such as woodlice, land crabs, millipedes and centipedes, spiders, and different worms. We must not forget the vegetation, without whose pre-invaded land, no other migrations could have taken place.

 

Paragraph 2

Going from water to land involves a significant reshaping of every part of life, as well as respiration and reproduction. However, a good number of terrestrial animals later returned, abandoning the hard-earned terrain resurfacing tool and returning to the water. The seals were only partially returned. On the way to extreme events like Whales and dugongs, they display to us what mediators would have been like. Whales and dugongs, their closest relatives, the Manatees, ceased to be terrestrial creatures as a whole and returned to the whole marine customs of distant ancestors. They do not even come ashore to breed. Nevertheless, they still breathe air, creating nothing similar to the gills of their previous marine incarnation. Turtles went to sea a long time ago, and like all vertebrates that return to the water, they breathe air. Yet, they are, in a way, less likely to return to the water than whales or dugongs because turtles still lay their eggs on the beaches.

 

Paragraph 3

There is proof that all modern turtles are descended from a terrestrial ancestor who lived before most dinosaurs. From the earliest dinosaur times, there are two major fossils known as Proganochelys quenstedti and Palaeochersis talampayensis, all of which are closely related to the ancestry of modern turtles and tortoises. You may be wondering how we can tell if fossil animals lived on land or in water, particularly when only fragments are discovered. Sometimes it’s clear. Ichthyosaurs are reptile contemporaries of dinosaurs, with paddles and streamlined bodies. The fossils look like dolphins, and they certainly lived in the water like dolphins. With turtles, it manifests a little less. One method is to measure the bones of their forearms.

 

Paragraph 4

Walter Joyce and Jacques Gauthier of Yale University obtained three measurements on the specific bones of 71 species of living turtles and turtles. They used a type of triangular graph paper to plan all three measurements against each other. All terrestrial turtle species formed a tight spot at the top of the triangle, while all water turtles are at the bottom of the triangular graph. They are not mutually exclusive, except for some species that spend time in water and land. Of course, this amphibious species appears on the triangular graph almost halfway between the 'wet cluster' of sea turtles and the 'dry cluster' of land turtles. Determining where the fossils fell was the next step. We have no doubt the bones of P quenstedti and JR talampayensis. Their points on the graph are the thickness of the dry mass. Both of these fossils are arid land turtles. They came before our turtles could return to the water.

 

Paragraph 5

So, as most mammals did after going to sea, you might guess that modern land turtles may have stayed on land since that early terrestrial period. But obviously not. If you draw the family tree of all current turtles and tortoises, almost all the branches are aquatic. Today's land turtles are a branch with deep nests built among the branches of aquatic turtles. This suggests that modern land turtles have not relied on the land continuously since the time of P. quenstedti and P. talampayensis. On the contrary, their ancestors were among those who returned to the water, and they reappeared on land in recent times.

 

Paragraph 6

Therefore, turtles represent significant double returns. As with all mammals, reptiles, and birds in general, their distant ancestors were marine fish, before which various more or less worm-like creatures still in the sea developed into primary bacteria. Later, ancestors lived on the land and stayed there for many ages. Afterwards, ancestors still turned into water and became sea turtles. Eventually, they returned to the land as turtles, some of which now live in arid deserts.

2.

The History Of The Tortoise Reading Question & Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about The History Of The Tortoise

Questions and Answers 1-4
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage?
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. Without whose pre-occupied land, no other displacements could have taken place.
 

2. Turtles never went to sea for a long time, like all vertebrates.
 

3.  Turtles still lay their eggs on the beaches.
 

4. Turtles are among the first batch of creatures to return to the sea.


 

The History Of The Tortoise Reading Answers with Explanations (1-4)

 

Type of question: True/False/Not Given

 

In this question type, you are required to determine whether the statements provided agree with, contradict, or are not mentioned in the reading passage. 

 

How to best answer: 
 

  • Understand what information is being presented and what is being asked.
  • Find relevant information in the reading passage that relates to the statement.
  • Determine if the statement agrees with, contradicts, or is not mentioned in the passage.
  • If the information is not explicitly provided in the passage, select 'Not Given' rather than making assumptions.

 

 

1. True

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph 1: "We must not forget the vegetation; without whose pre-invaded land, no other migrations could have taken place."
 

Explanation

The statement matches the information in paragraph 1, which emphasises the crucial role of vegetation in facilitating migrations from water to land.


 

2. False

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph 2: "Turtles went to sea a long time ago, and like all vertebrates that return to the water, they breathe air."

 

Explanation

The statement contradicts the information provided in paragraph 2, which states that turtles went to sea long ago, like other vertebrates that returned to the water.

 

 

3. True

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph 2:  "Yet, they are, in a way, less likely to return to the water than whales or dugongs because turtles still lay their eggs on the beaches."
 

Explanation

This statement aligns with information from paragraph 2, which mentions that turtles still lay their eggs on beaches, indicating their connection to land for reproduction.


 

4. Not Given

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph: NA

 

Explanation

The passage does not provide specific information about whether turtles were among the first creatures to return to the sea; hence, the answer is "Not given."

Questions and Answers 5-9
  • Answer the questions below.
  • Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.

 

 

5.  Who lived before most dinosaurs?

6. Who are the Proganochelys quenstedti and Palaeochersis talampayensis?

7. What does the fossil look like?

8. Walter Joyce and Jacques Gauthier are from?

9. Which species appear on the triangular graph?

 

 

The History Of The Tortoise Reading Answers with Explanations (5-9)

 

Type of question: Short answer 

 

In this task, you will be given a set of questions with missing information, typically sentences with blank spaces. You must complete each statement with one word or phrase (as instructed).  

 

How to answer:  

 

  • Read the questions first to understand what information you need to look for in the passage
  • Skim the passage and look for keywords 
  • You may have to look for synonyms or paraphrases to locate the answer 
  • Verify your answers and finalise them


 

5. terrestrial ancestor

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph 3: "There is proof that all modern turtles are descended from a terrestrial ancestor who lived before most dinosaurs."

 

Explanation

The term "terrestrial ancestor" refers to the ancestor of modern turtles that lived on land before most dinosaurs, as mentioned in the line.


 

6. fossils

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph 3: “From the earliest dinosaur times, there are two major fossils known as Proganochelys quenstedti and Palaeochersis talampayensis, all of which are closely related to the ancestry of modern turtles and tortoises.”

 

Explanation

These "fossils" are the ancient remains of Proganochelys quenstedti and Palaeochersis talampayensis, and they are crucial in understanding the ancestry of modern turtles and tortoises.


 

7. dolphins

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph 3: "The fossils look like dolphins, and they certainly lived in the water like dolphins."

 

Explanation

The fossils resemble dolphins and live in water like them, showcasing similarities in appearance and habitat adaptation.


 

8. Yale University

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph 4: "Walter Joyce and Jacques Gauthier of Yale University obtained three measurements on the specific bones of 71 species of living turtles and turtles."
 

Explanation

Walter Joyce and Jacques Gauthier are from Yale University, as stated in the line.


 

9. amphibious

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph 4: "Of course, this amphibious species appears on the triangular graph almost halfway between the 'wet cluster' of sea turtles and the 'dry cluster' of land turtles."

 

Explanation

The species that spend time in both water and land are referred to as "amphibious" in the passage, as indicated in the line.

Questions and Answers 10-12
  • Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D

 

 

10. All current turtles and tortoises, almost all the branches are 

 

A. ancestors

B. fossils

C. aquatic 

D. terrestrial

 

11. Modern land turtles have not relied on the 
 

A. water

B. desert

C. sea

D. land

 

12.  Later, ancestors still turned into water and became 

 

A. land turtles

B. sea turtles

C. arid sea turtles

D. arid land turtles

 

 

The History Of The Tortoise Reading Answers with Explanations (10-12)

 

Type of question: Multiple choice questions

 

In this question type, you are asked to answer the question followed by several options, typically lettered A, B, C, or D. The task is to select the correct answer from the given choices based on the information provided in the reading passage.

 

How to best answer: 
 

  • Read the question carefully and understand what it asks.
  • Pay attention to the keywords in the question.
  • Skim the passage quickly to locate relevant information.
  • Eliminate the clearly incorrect options.
  • Select the answer that best fits the information in the passage.

 

 

10. aquatic

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph 5: "But obviously not. If you draw the family tree of all current turtles and tortoises, almost all the branches are aquatic. Today's land turtles are a branch with deep nests built among the branches of aquatic turtles."
 

Explanation

The correct answer is "aquatic" because the passage states that almost all branches of current turtles and tortoises are aquatic, indicating their preference or habitat.


 

11. land

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph 5: "Today's land turtles are a branch with deep nests built among the branches of aquatic turtles. This suggests that modern land turtles have not relied on the land continuously since the time of P. quenstedti and P. talampayensis."

 

Explanation

The right answer is "land" because the passage explains that modern land turtles have not continuously relied on the land since their earlier terrestrial period, implying that they have returned to land but are not completely dependent on it.


 

12. sea turtles

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph 6: "Later ancestors lived on the land and stayed there for many ages. Afterwards, ancestors still turned into water and became sea turtles."
 

Explanation

The correct answer is "sea turtles" because the passage mentions that later ancestors turned into water and became sea turtles, indicating their transition from land to sea.

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FAQs

Q. What is the band score range for the IELTS Reading module?

Ans. When you take the IELTS reading module, the band score ranges from 0 to 9. Your scores are determined by your correct answers and then rounded to the nearest half-band. Your proficiency ranges from non-user (0) to expert user (9). Keep in mind that specific score requirements may vary among institutions and organisations.

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

Ans. You should begin practising daily to enhance your reading skills. Utilise techniques such as skimming and scanning to grasp the main idea of the passage. Consistent practice will lead to improved speed and comprehension. Remember, regular practice is key to skill enhancement. Keep at it, and you'll notice significant progress over time!

Q. What are some effective reading strategies for the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. Firstly, swiftly scan the text to identify key ideas. Then, pinpoint crucial keywords. Understanding the passage's organisation, such as chronological order or cause and effect, is beneficial. Next, carefully read the questions and instructions, aiming to find answers promptly. Employing these strategies will enhance your test performance.