The Kakapo IELTS Reading Answers & Explanation ( Cambridge 20 ,Test 1 ,Passage 1)

The Kakapo  IELTS  Reading Answers & Explanation 

In this post, you'll find the complete solution and explanation for the Reading passage The Kakapo from the IELTS Book Cambridge 20. Each answer is explained in the easiest possible way, along with the answer location and hard Vocabulary 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 1-6:    True/false/Not given

1. There are other parrots that share the kakapo’s inability to fly. Answer: False

 Keywords: inability to fly = flightless parrot, only

 Answer location: paragraph 1, lines ( It is the world's only flightless parrot, and is also possibly one of the world's longest-living birds, with a reported lifespan of up to 100 years.)

it says flightless 

 2. Adult kakapo produce chicks every year. Answer: false

 Keywords: summer and autumn, only in years 

Answer location: 3rd paragraph, lines ( Kākāpō breed in summer and autumn, but only in years when food is plentiful.)

 3. Adult male kakapo bring food back to nesting females. Answer: False

 Keywords: male play no part, females alone... 

Answers location: 3rd Paragraph, Lines  (Males play no part in incubation or chick-rearing - females alone incubate eggs and feed the chicks.) 

 4. The Polynesian rat was a greater threat to the kakapo than Polynesian settlers. Answer: Not given

 Keywords: Polynesian rats, greater threat 

Answer Location: 4th Paragraph,( However, this all changed with the arrival of the first Polynesian settlers about 700 years ago. For the early settlers, the flightless kākāpō was easy prey.) it's mentioned Polynesian settlers and Polynesian rat, dog used to hunt Kokapo; however, there is no comparison regarding the biggest threat amongst. 

 5. Kakapo were transferred from Rakiura Island to other locations because they were at risk from feral cats. Answer: True

 Keywords: transferred from Rakiura = evacuated, at risk, feral cats

 Answer Location: 7th paragraph, Lines ( Unfortunately, predation by feral cats on Rakiura Island led to a rapid decline in kākāpō numbers. As a result, during 1980-97, the surviving population was evacuated to three island sanctuaries: Codfish Island, Maud Island and Little Barrier Island.)

 6. One Recovery Plan initiative that helped increase the kakapo population size was caring for struggling young birds. Answer: True

 Keywords: helped increase, young birds

 Answer Location: 8th paragraph, last few lines( However, the population did not start to increase until rats were removed from all three islands, and the birds were more intensively managed. This involved moving the birds between islands, supplementary feeding of adults and rescuing and hand-raising any failing chicks.)

Questions 7-13 :    Complete the notes below.

7. bulbs

 Keywords : diet(fern frond, various parts of tree = trunk, leaves, bark) and 

Answers location: 2nd paragraph, Lines ( They are entirely vegetarian, with their diet including the leaves, roots, and bark of trees as well as bulbs, and fern fronds.)

 8. Answers: soil 

Keywords: nest, created, eggs

 Answers location: 3rd paragraph,  Lines ( The 1-4 eggs are laid in soil, which is repeatedly turned over before and during incubation. )

 9. Answer: feathers 

Keywords : clothes = soft cloaks 

Answer Location: 4th Paragraph, Lines  ( For the early settlers, the flightless kākāpō was easy prey. They ate its meat and used its feathers to make soft cloaks.) 

 10. Answer: deer

 Keywords: European colonisation, introduced (species=animal)

 Answer location: 4th paragraph, Lines ( The fall in kākāpō numbers was accelerated by European colonisation. A great deal of habitat was lost through forest clearance, and introduced species such as deer depleted the remaining forests of food.) 

 11. Answer: 1980 

Keywords: protecting kakapo, Rakiura Island, female 

 Answer location: 6th paragraph, Lines ( There were about 200 individuals, and in 1980, it was confirmed that females were also present.)

 12. Answer: funding 

Keywords: recovery plan, increase a higher amount

 Answer location: 8th paragraph, Lines  ( In 1996, a new Recovery Plan was launched, together with a specialist advisory group called the Kākāpō Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee and a higher amount of funding.) 

 13. Answer: stakeholders

 Keywords: current goal, maintain, involvement=engaged, protection= preservation of species

 Answer Location: Last Paragraph, Lines ( Today, kākāpō management continues to be guided by the kākāpō Recovery Plan. Its key goals are: minimise the loss of genetic diversity in the kākāpō population, restore or maintain sufficient habitat to accommodate the expected increase in the kākāpō population, and ensure stakeholders continue to be fully engaged in the preservation of the species.)

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                                      Hard Vocabulary in the Passage: The Kakapo

Word / Phrase	Meaning (Simple)	Example Sentence
Kakapo	A large, nocturnal, flightless parrot from New Zealand	The kakapo is the heaviest parrot in the world.
Endangered	At serious risk of extinction	Kakapos are critically endangered.
Flightless	Unable to fly	Unlike most parrots, the kakapo is flightless.
Nocturnal	Active during the night	The kakapo is nocturnal and hides during the day.
Extinction	The complete disappearance of a species	The species was close to extinction.
Rediscovered	Found again after being thought lost	Kakapos were rediscovered after being thought extinct.
Conservationist	A person who works to protect wildlife	Conservationists created a recovery plan for the kakapo.
Predator-free	An area without harmful animals like cats or rats	Kakapos were moved to predator-free islands.
Intensive	Requiring a lot of effort and attention	The birds needed intensive care from conservationists.
Monitoring	Watching carefully over time	The birds were kept under close monitoring.
Intervention	Stepping in to change or improve a situation	Human intervention was needed to save the species.
Artificial insemination	A human technique to help reproduction	Artificial insemination helped increase chick numbers.
Genetic diversity	Variety of genes within a population	Low genetic diversity makes the kakapo vulnerable.
Inbreeding	Breeding between close relatives	Inbreeding reduced the species’ survival chances.
Vulnerable	Weak and easily harmed	Chicks are vulnerable without their mothers.
Translocation	Moving animals to a new habitat	Kakapos were saved through translocation to islands.
Sanctuary	A safe place where animals are protected	The kakapo lives in sanctuaries away from predators.
Recovery programme	A planned effort to increase species population	The Kakapo Recovery Programme began in the 1990s.
Captive breeding	Breeding animals under controlled conditions	Captive breeding was key to saving the kakapo.
Success story	A case with a positive outcome	The kakapo is now considered a conservation success story.

About Bird  

The Kakapo: New Zealand’s Rare Nocturnal Parrot

The Kakapo is one of the most unique birds in the world — and one of the rarest. Native to New Zealand, this large, flightless parrot is known for its green, mossy feathers, nocturnal lifestyle, and gentle personality. Unlike most parrots, the Kakapo cannot fly, but it is an excellent climber and uses its strong legs to move through forest floors and trees.

The name "Kakapo" comes from the Māori language, meaning “night parrot.” Once common throughout New Zealand, the Kakapo's population declined due to habitat loss and the introduction of predators like cats and rats. Today, the Kakapo is critically endangered, with only about 250 individuals surviving, all of which are carefully monitored and protected by conservationists.

This bird became famous not just for its appearance but also for the intensive conservation efforts that have helped bring it back from the edge of extinction. The Kakapo represents hope for endangered species and is a symbol of New Zealand’s rich and fragile biodiversity.

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