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What Do Whales Feel Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test

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Updated on Jul 02, 2024, 11:57

In the IELTS Reading section, your reading comprehension skills are put to the test, lasting for 60 minutes and comprising three passages, each followed by a series of questions in various formats like multiple choice, matching headings, and True/False/Not Given. Success in this section depends on your ability to 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 different question types will sharpen your skills and boost your confidence for test day.
 

Prepare yourself for a fascinating exploration into "What Do Whales Feel," delving into the complex world of cetaceans and their emotional lives. Dive into passages that unravel the mysteries of what whales feel, probing into their social dynamics, communication methods, and the profound depths of their emotional experiences. Engage with accompanying questions that will deepen your understanding of these magnificent creatures and the significance of their emotions in the marine ecosystem.

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1. What Do Whales Feel Reading Passage

You should spend approximately 20 minutes answering Questions 1 - 15 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. What Do Whales Feel Reading Question & Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about What Do Whales Feel

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1.

What Do Whales Feel 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.

 

 

 

 

 What Do Whales Feel Reading Passage


 

 

Paragraph A 

Some senses in cetaceans are reduced or absent or don't work in water, but we and other terrestrial mammals take these for granted. For example, toothed species are unable to smell, which is evident from their brain structure. On the other hand, Baleen species have some similar brain structures, but whether these are functional is not understood. As the blowholes evolved and migrated to the top of the head, it has been speculated that nearly all of the neural pathways serving a sense of smell were sacrificed. The nerves serving these have degenerated or are rudimentary, even though some cetaceans have taste buds. 

 

Paragraph B

The sense of touch has been sometimes reported to be weak too, but it is mostly mistaken. Trainers comment on their captive dolphins and small whales' responsiveness to touching or rubbing. Free-ranging and captive cetacean individuals of all species (particularly adults and calves or members of the same subgroup) appear to make frequent contact. Stroking or touching are part of the courtship ritual in most species and this contact may help to maintain order within a group. Captive animals often object to being touched around the area of the blowhole as it is sensitive there.

 

 

Paragraph C

The sense of vision is developed in different species to different degrees. Baleen species, specifically a grey whale calf, studied in captivity at close quarters underwater for a year, and humpback whales and free-ranging right whales, studied and filmed off Argentina and Hawaii, have tracked objects with vision underwater, and they can see to a certain extent both in water and in air. However, the position of the eyes limits the field of vision in baleen whales that do not have stereoscopic vision. 

 

Paragraph D

The position of the eyes in most dolphins and porpoises, on the other hand, indicates that they have stereoscopic vision that is downward and forward. The eye position in freshwater dolphins, which often swim upside down or on their side while feeding, suggests that the vision they have is stereoscopic, upward and forward. In comparison, the bottlenose dolphin has extremely keen eyesight in water. Judging from the way it tracks and watches the flying fish, it can also see well through the air-water interface as well. Even though the initial experimental evidence indicates that their vision in air is low, the precision with which dolphins spring high to catch small fish out of a trainer’s hand gives anecdotal evidence to the contrary. 

 

Paragraph E

With no doubt these variations can be explained with reference to the habitats in which individual species have grown. For example, to species inhabiting clear open waters, vision is more useful than to those living in turbid rivers and flooded plains. For instance, the Chinese beiji and South Americans but appear to have very limited sight, and the Indian susus are blind, their eyes reduced to slits that mostly allow them to recognise only the intensity of light and direction. 

 

Paragraph F

Even though the sense of taste and smell appear to have declined, and vision in water appears to be unknown, such shortcomings are compensated for by cetaceans’ well-developed auditory sense. Most species are highly vocal, although they vary in the range of voice they generate, and many hunt their prey using echolocation. Primarily, large baleen whales use lower frequencies and are often restricted in their repertoire. The complex, haunting utterances of the humpback whales and the song-like choruses of bowhead whales in summer are notable exceptions. Toothed species in general, produce a wider variety of sounds and more frequency spectrum than baleen species (though the sperm whale apparently produces a monotonous series of high-energy clicks and little else). A few of the complicated sounds are also clearly communicative. The role they play in the ‘culture’ and social life of cetaceans has been more of a wild speculation than of solid science.

2.

What Do Whales Feel Reading Question & Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about What Do Whales Feel

Questions and Answers 1-5
  • Complete the notes below.
  • Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/ OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.

 

 

Toothed species are unable to 1) _______. 

Blowholes evolved and migrated to the top of the 2) _____.

Captive animals often object to being touched around the area of the 3) ______. 

The sense of 4) ________ is developed in different species to different degrees. 

The bottlenose dolphin has an extremely keen 5) ________ in water. 

 

 

What Do Whales Feel Reading Answers with Explanations (1-5)

 

Type of question: Note Completion

 

In note completion questions, you are required to fill in the gaps in notes or summaries using information from the reading passage. This task assesses your ability to find specific details within the passage and requires you to understand and identify the main points. 
 

How to best answer the question

 

  • Understand what specific information you need to fill in the blanks.
  • Quickly read through the passage to get a general understanding of its main ideas, key points, and the context surrounding the information you need to complete.
  • Pay attention to keywords or phrases in the notes provided. 
  • Once you've identified the keywords, scan the passage to locate the section that contains the information needed to complete the notes. 
  • Be prepared for the information in the passage to be paraphrased or expressed using synonyms. 
  • Ensure that the completed notes fit logically within the context of the passage. 

 

 

1. smell

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph A

For example, toothed species are unable to smell which is evident from their brain structure.
 

Explanation

The paragraph discusses the absence of the sense of smell in toothed cetacean species, which is reflected in their brain structure, indicating that they are unable to detect odours.


 

2. head

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph A

As the blowholes evolved and migrated to the top of the head it has been speculated that the neural pathways serving a sense of smell may have been nearly all sacrificed.
 

Explanation

The relocation of blowholes to the top of the head may have led to the reduction or sacrifice of neural pathways associated with the sense of smell, as speculated in the paragraph.


 

3. blowhole

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph B

Captive animals often object to being touched around the area of the blowhole as it is sensitive there.
 

Explanation

The paragraph highlights that captive cetaceans often react negatively to being touched near their blowhole area due to its sensitivity, indicating that this region is particularly delicate.


 

4. vision

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph C

The sense of vision is developed in different species to different degrees.

 

Explanation

The paragraph discusses the variation in the development of vision among cetacean species, indicating that some species have better visual abilities than others.


 

5. eyesight

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph D

In comparison, the bottlenose dolphin has extremely keen eyesight in water.

 

Explanation

The paragraph contrasts the visual capabilities of different cetacean species, highlighting the exceptional eyesight of bottlenose dolphins underwater, allowing them to see with great clarity.

Questions and Answers 6-9
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage?
In boxes 6-9 on your answer sheet, write

  • YES if the statement agrees with the information given
  • NO if the statement contradicts the information given
  • NOT GIVEN if there is no information about this

 

 

6. Stroking or touching may help to maintain order within a group.

7. Captive animals like  being touched around the area of the blowhole 

8. Dolphins live up to the age of 30. 

9. Chinese Beiji and South American Boutu have very limited sight.

 

 

What Do Whales Feel Reading Answers with Explanations (6-9)

 

Question Type:  Yes/No/Not Given

 

In this task, you are presented with a statement, and your task is to determine if it agrees with the information in the passage (Yes), contradicts the information in the passage (No), or if there is insufficient information in the passage to decide (not given).
 

How to best answer the question:

 

  • Read the statement carefully to ensure you understand exactly what it is saying. 
  • Pay attention to details such as dates, numbers, and specific information.
  • Scan the passage to find the section where the relevant information is likely to be located. 
  • Focus on finding evidence that either supports or contradicts the statement.
  • Yes: If the statement agrees with the information in the passage.
  • No: If the statement contradicts the information in the passage.
  • Not Given: If there is no information in the passage that confirms or contradicts the statement.


 

6. Yes

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph B

Stroking or touching are part of the courtship ritual in most species and this contact may help to maintain order within a group.
 

Explanation

The paragraph mentions that stroking or touching is part of the courtship ritual in most species and suggests that such contact may help to maintain order within a group, indicating agreement with the statement.


 

7. No

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph B

Captive animals often object to being touched around the area of the blowhole as it is sensitive there.

 

Explanation

The paragraph states that captive animals often object to being touched around the area of the blowhole as it is sensitive, implying disagreement with the statement.


 

8. Not Given

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph 
NA
 

Explanation

The passage does not provide information about the average lifespan of dolphins, so it's impossible to determine whether they live up to the age of 30 or not.


 

9. Yes

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph E
For instance, the Chinese beiji and South American boutu appear to have very limited sight, and the Indian susus are blind, their eyes reduced to slits that mostly allow them to recognise only the intensity of light and direction. 
 

Explanation

The paragraph mentions that Chinese beiji and South American boutu appear to have very limited sight, supporting the statement.

Questions and Answers 10-15
  • The reading passage has six paragraphs, A-F.
  • Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.
  • Write the correct number, i-vii, as your answer to each question.

 

 

i. Habitat of whales
ii. Absence of senses in Cetaceans  
iii. Voice of whales
iv. Responsiveness to touch
v. Position of eyes
vi. The size of whales
vii. Sense of vision 

 

10. Paragraph A 
11. Paragraph B 
12. Paragraph C 
13. Paragraph D 
14. Paragraph E 
15. Paragraph F 


 

What Do Whales Feel Reading Answers with Explanations (10-15)

 

Question Type:  Matching Headings

 

In this question type, you are provided with a list of headings, usually in the form of short phrases or sentences, and you need to match each heading to the corresponding paragraph or section of the reading passage.
 

How to best answer the question:

 

  • Before attempting to match the headings, it's essential to read the passage thoroughly. 
  • The headings should capture the main idea or theme of each paragraph or section.
  • Once you understand the main ideas of the passage, scan each paragraph for specific details that align with the headings. 
  • Cross out any options that don't match the content of the paragraphs, even if they seem somewhat related.
  • The headings should follow a coherent order that reflects the organisation of the text.
  • If you're unsure about a particular match, try to eliminate options that clearly don't fit. 


 

10. Paragraph A = ii

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph A

Some senses in cetaceans are reduced or absent or don't work in water...
 

Explanation

Paragraph A introduces the topic of reduced or absent senses in cetaceans, highlighting the contrast between their sensory abilities and those of terrestrial mammals.


 

11. Paragraph B = iv

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph B

The sense of touch has been sometimes reported to be weak too...
 

Explanation
Paragraph B discusses the sense of touch in cetaceans, mentioning its potential weakness and its significance in their behavior, particularly in terms of courtship rituals and social order maintenance.


 

12. Paragraph C = vii

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph C

The sense of vision is developed in different species to different degrees...
 

Explanation

Paragraph C focuses on the development of vision in various whale species, indicating variability in visual capabilities across different habitats and species.


 

13. Paragraph D = v

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph D

The position of the eyes in most dolphins and porpoises...
 

Explanation

Paragraph D discusses the position of the eyes in dolphins and porpoises, suggesting how their eye structure influences their vision, particularly in relation to hunting and behavior.


 

14. Paragraph E = i

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph E

With no doubt these variations can be explained with reference to the habitats...

 

Explanation

Paragraph E links variations in whale vision to their respective habitats, highlighting how environmental factors shape sensory adaptations in different species.


 

15. Paragraph F = iii

 

Reference:

 

Paragraph F
Most species are highly vocal, although they vary in the range of voice they generate...
 

Explanation

Paragraph F delves into the vocal abilities of whales, mentioning their use of echolocation and the variability in vocalizations among different species, indicating their significance in communication and hunting strategies.

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FAQs

Q. What is the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. The IELTS Reading test assesses your ability to understand written English. It consists of three long passages with a variety of question formats, such as multiple choice, True/False/Not Given, and matching headings, designed to evaluate your comprehension skills.

Q. What types of questions are asked in the IELTS Reading section?

Ans. The IELTS Reading section features various question types, including multiple choice, matching headings, True/False/Not Given, sentence completion, and summary completion. Familiarizing yourself with these formats through practice tests can help you become more comfortable with the exam structure and improve your performance.

Q. How many passages are there in the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. There are three passages in the IELTS Reading test. These passages cover a range of topics, including academic and general interest subjects, and increase in complexity and difficulty as you progress through the test.