Can the planet's coral reefs be saved? - IELTS Reading Answers [ explained ]

Can the planet's coral reefs be saved? - IELTS Reading Answers            

                   

In this post, you'll find the complete solution and explanation for the Reading passage Can the planet's coral reefs be saved? from IELTS Book Cambridge 20. Each answer is explained in the easiest possible way, along with the answer location from the passage. This is perfect for students who want to understand not just the correct answers, but why they are correct, helping you improve your IELTS Reading skills with every practice test.

Question 14-19     Match the headings

14. Answer: v 

Keywords: two clear educational goals,

Answer location: Paragraph A, Lines ....we want to show people how wonderful they are,' said Paul Pearce-Kelly,......

......we also want to highlight the research and conservation efforts that are now being carried out to try to save them from the threat of global warming.'....

15. Answer: ii

Keywords: Cooperation = comfortable relationship ,beneath waves=ocean bed 

Answer Location: Paragraph B, Lines. These polyps are transparent but get their brilliant tones of pink, orange, blue, green, etc. from algae that live within them, which in turn get protection, while their photosynthesis of the sun's rays provides nutrients for the polyps. This comfortable symbiotic relationship has led to the growth of coral reefs that cover 0.1% of the planet's ocean bed while providing homes for more than 25% of marine species, including fish, molluscs, sponges and shellfish.

16. Answer: iv

Keywords: disagreement/dismissed, accuracy, certain phrase

Answer location: Paragraph C, lines. As a result, coral reefs are often described as the 'rainforests of the sea', though the comparison is dismissed by some naturalists, including David Attenborough. 'People say you cannot beat the rainforest,' Attenborough has stated. 'But that is simply not true.

17. Answer: vii

Keywords:  warning = serious threat ,further trouble ahead = problem coming

Answer location: Paragraph D, lines. Unfortunately, these majestic sights are now under very serious threat, with the most immediate problem coming in the form of thermal stress. Rising ocean temperatures are triggering bleaching events that strip reefs of their colour and eventually kill them. And that is just the start.......

18. Answer: iii

Keywords: Working = trying to pinpoint, to lessen, the problems

Answer location: Paragraph E, Lines. However, scientists are trying to pinpoint hardy types of coral that could survive our overheated oceans, and some of this research will be carried out at the London Zoo.

19. Answer: vi

Keywords: promoting hope

Answer location: Paragraph F, Lines, 'The crucial point is that the progress we make in making coral better able to survive in a warming world can be shown to the public and encourage them to believe that we can do something to save the planet's reefs,' said Pearce-Kelly.

Questions 20-23    Choose Two Letters 

20 and 21. Which TWO of these causes of damage to coral reefs are mentioned by the writer of the text? Answer: C/E 

Keywords: contamination of the sea, alterations, usual flow, water, in the seas

Answer location: Paragraph D, Lines. Rising ocean temperatures are triggering bleaching events that strip reefs of their colour and eventually kill them. And that is just the start.  Other menaces include ocean acidification, sea level increase, pollution by humans, deoxygenation and ocean current changes, while the climate crisis is also increasing habitat destruction.

22 and 23. Which TWO of the following statements are true of the researchers at London Zoo? Answer: B/D

Keywords: London zoo, identify corals can with warmer.. , speed up reproduction

Answers location: Paragraph E, Lines. One aim will be to carry out research on species to find those that can survive best in warm, acidic waters. Another will be to try to increase coral breeding rates. 'Coral spawn just once a year,' he added.

Question 24-26    Complete the sentences below.

24. Answer:  tentacles

Keywords:   Corals, collect their food, Capturing small marine creatures

Answer location: Paragraph B, Lines, Corals are composed of tiny animals, known as polyps, with tentacles for capturing small marine creatures in the seawater.

25. Answers: protection

Keywords:  Algae,gain, inside the coral = within them.

Answer location: Paragraph B, lines. These polyps are transparent but get their brilliant tones of pink, orange, blue, green, etc. from algae that live within them, which in turn get protection, while their photosynthesis of the sun's rays provides nutrients for the polyps.

26. Answer: colour

Keywords: Increases =  Rising,warmth = temperature,sea water, remove =  strip 

Answer location: Paragraph D, Lines. Rising ocean temperatures are triggering bleaching events that strip reefs of their colour and eventually kill them.

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                     Hard vocabulary from the Passage " Can the planet's coral reefs be saved?"

Word / Phrase	Meaning	Example Sentence
Conservationists	People who work to protect nature and wildlife	Conservationists are protecting endangered animals.
Renowned	Famous, well-known	The Taj Mahal is a renowned monument.
Minuscule	Extremely small	The insect was so minuscule I could barely see it.
Invertebrate	Animal without a backbone	A jellyfish is an invertebrate.
Sustain	To support or maintain	Clean water is needed to sustain life.
Ecosystems	Communities of living things and their environment	Coral reefs are rich ecosystems.
Conservation	Protection of natural resources	Conservation of forests is essential.
Polyps	Small marine animals that form corals	Coral reefs are made of millions of polyps.
Symbiotic	Relationship where two species benefit each other	Bees and flowers have a symbiotic relationship.
Molluscs	Soft-bodied animals, often with shells	Oysters and octopuses are molluscs.
Majestic	Grand, impressive	The majestic mountains were breathtaking.
Thermal stress	Damage caused by heat	Corals die due to thermal stress.
Triggering	Causing something to start	Stress is triggering his headaches.
Bleaching	Loss of color in corals	Warm seas cause coral bleaching.
Menaces	Dangers or threats	Pollution is one of the greatest menaces to oceans.
Acidification	Process of becoming acidic	Ocean acidification harms shellfish.
Deoxygenation	Reduction of oxygen	Fish die due to deoxygenation of water.
Habitat destruction	Loss of natural living spaces	Deforestation causes habitat destruction.
Erosion	Wearing away by water or wind	Coastal erosion reduces beach size.
Pinpoint	To identify exactly	Doctors are trying to pinpoint the cause of illness.
Hardy	Strong, able to survive harsh conditions	Hardy plants can grow in deserts.
Spawn	To release eggs (fish/coral)	Salmon swim upstream to spawn.
Restoration	Bringing back to original state	Forest restoration helps biodiversity.
Blighted	Damaged, spoiled, destroyed	The crops were blighted by disease.
Crucial	Extremely important	Sleep is crucial for good health.
Ecological	Related to living things and environment	Protecting wildlife is an ecological duty.

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