The "All About the Otter" IELTS reading practice test is designed to test your reading comprehension skills. The passage provides information about otters' characteristics, habitat, diet, and behaviour. You must read the passage carefully and answer questions based on the information provided. This practice test is a great way to prepare for the IELTS reading test and improve your ability to understand academic texts.
The IELTS test is essential for anybody planning to study, work, or relocate to English-speaking nations. Mastery of this part necessitates strong linguistic abilities and efficient reading comprehension techniques. In this situation, understanding reading passages and correctly recognizing responses is critical. By analyzing the passage and critiquing example responses, we want to give valuable insights and tactics to assist test takers in effectively traversing this area. This article provides thorough information for improving reading comprehension and eventually succeeding on the IELTS Reading exam, from understanding the material to breaking down sample responses.
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All About the Otters Reading Passage
Paragraph 1
Otters have long, thin bodies with small legs, making them perfect for pushing through thickets or searching in tunnels. An adult male can grow to be up to 4 feet tall and weigh up to 30 pounds. Females are usually smaller than males. The nose of the Eurasian otter is the smallest of the otter species, with a shallow 'W' shape. The tail (or rudder, or stern) of an otter is thick at the base and thins out as it approaches the tip, where it flattens. When swimming quickly underwater, this is an element of the propulsion system. Otter fur is made up of two types of hair: robust guard hairs that form a waterproof outer layer, and dense and fine under-fur that serves as an otter's thermal underwear. Grooming is required to keep the fur in good condition. When otter fur is exposed to saltwater, it loses its waterproofing and insulating properties. Freshwater ponds are crucial to otters living on the coast for this reason. They crawl on the ground to rub dry against vegetation after swimming and washing off the salts in ponds.
Paragraph 2
On land, the scent is used for hunting, communication, and detecting danger. The sensitivity of an otter's sense of smell is thought to be equivalent to that of a dog. On land, otters have tiny eyes and are likely short-sighted. They do, however, have the capacity to change the shape of the lens in the eye, making it more spherical and therefore overcoming water refraction. Otters can hunt fish by sight in clean water with good light. The eyes and nostrils of the otter are high on its head, allowing it to see and breathe even while the rest of its body is submerged. Except for steering, the cotter holds its legs against the body underwater and flexes its hind end in a sequence of vertical undulations. River otters have webbing that runs the length of each digit, but not all the way to the end. The webs of giant and sea otters are considerably more noticeable, but the Asian short-clawed otter has none since it hunts for shrimp in ditches and rice fields, so it doesn't require the speed. Otter ears are small to save space, but they have extremely keen hearing and are protected by valves that close them against water pressure.
Paragraph 3
The habitats suited for otters are limited by a number of restrictions and preferences. Water is essential, and rivers must be large enough to sustain a healthy fish population. Because they are such quiet and wary creatures, they will seek areas where man's activities do not have a significant impact. Of course, there must be no other otter in the area - something that has only recently become more important as populations begin to recover. Coastal otters have a substantially larger food source, and males and females may have a range of only a few kilometres of shoreline. Because the male range overlaps with two or three females - this is a good thing! Otters will consume whatever they can get their hands on, including sparrows, snakes, and slugs, according to reports. Crayfish, crabs, and aquatic fowl are the most prevalent prey, aside from fish. Small mammals, most typically rabbits, but also moles, are occasionally taken.
Paragraph 4
Where food is plentiful, Eurasian otters will breed at any time. Cubs are born in the spring in regions where the conditions are more severe, like Sweden, where the lakes remain frozen for much of the winter. This guarantees that they are fully matured before the next round of bad weather arrives. Cubs are born in the summer in the Shetlands, when fish are more plentiful. Some otters do not breed every year, despite the fact that they are capable of doing so. This, too, is contingent on food availability. Other factors, such as the female's food range and quality, may have an impact. With the exception of Lutra canadensis, whose embryos may undergo delayed implantation, Eurasian otters have a 63-day gestation period. To minimise interruptions, otters usually give birth in more secure dens. When mummy is away feeding, the cubs' nests are lined with bedding to keep them warm.
Paragraph 5
To minimise interruptions, otters usually give birth in more secure dens. To keep the cubs warm while the mother is gone feeding, the nests are lined with bedding (reeds, waterside plants, grass). The litter size ranges from one to five. Coastal otters generate smaller litters for some unexplained reason. They open their eyes at five weeks, a tiny 700g cub. They are weaned onto solid food at the age of seven weeks. They leave the nest at ten weeks, blinking for the first time in daylight. They ultimately meet the water and learn to swim after three months. They start hunting after eight months, while the mother still gives a lot of food. She can finally chase them all away with a clear conscience after nine months, and relax — until the next fella shows up.
Paragraph 6
The British otter's condition was recognised in the early 1960s, but the primary cause was not determined until the late 1970s. Pesticides like dieldrin and aldrin were first used in agriculture and other industries in 1955; these chemicals are extremely persistent and have been linked to massive population losses in peregrine falcons, sparrow hawks, and other predators. Pesticides found their way into river systems and the food chain, contaminating microorganisms, fish, and eventually otters, with each step increasing the toxic concentration. The pesticides were taken out starting in 1962, but while some species rebounded rapidly, otter populations did not, and continued to decline well into the 1980s. Habitat damage and road deaths were most likely to blame. When it comes to populations that have been fragmented by the rapid extinction in the 1950s and 1960s, the loss of just a few otters in one location can make an entire population unviable and lead to extinction.
Paragraph 7
Otter populations are rebounding across the United Kingdom, with populations increasing in the few regions where they remained, and expanding from those areas into the rest of the country. This is virtually completely due to legislation, conservation initiatives, halting and reversing the erosion of appropriate otter habitat, and captive breeding programme reintroductions. Many people believe that releasing captive-bred otters is a last resort. The reasoning is that if they don't have sufficient habitat, they won't survive after being released, but if they do, natural populations should be able to expand into the area. Reintroducing animals into a fragmented and vulnerable population, on the other hand, may provide just enough drive for it to stabilise and spread rather than extinction. This is what the Otter Trust was able to achieve in Norfolk, where the otter population was estimated to be as low as twenty animals in the early 1980s. The Otter Trust has completed its captive breeding programme, which is fantastic news because it means the programme is no longer required.
All About the Otters Reading Questions
Questions (1 - 4)
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage?
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. An otter's stern is thick until it reaches the tip, where it flattens.
2. It is believed that the sensitivity of an otter's sense of smell is comparable to that of a bat.
3.Otter populations are recuperating throughout the United Kingdom and Europe, with populations strengthening in the few remaining regions and expanding from there to the rest of the region.
4. Because they are such timid and apprehensive creatures, they will seek out regions where human activity has little to no effect.
Questions (5 - 10)
The reading Passage has seven paragraphs A-G Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter A-G, in boxes 1-9 on your answer sheet.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
5. The conflicting opinions on how to preserve.
6. The fit-for-purpose characteristics of otter’s body shape
7. A reference to an underdeveloped sense
8. An explanation of why agriculture failed in otter conservation efforts
9. A description of how otters regulate vision underwater
10. A description of how baby otters grow
Questions (11 - 13)
Answer the questions below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/ OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
11. Which type of otters has the shortest range?
12. What affects the outer fur of otters?
13. What skill is not necessary for Asian short-clawed otters?
All About the Otter Reading Answers
| 1. False | 5. G | 9.B | 13. swimming speed |
| 2. Not given | 6. A | 10. E | |
| 3. Not given | 7. B | 11. coastal otters | |
| 4. True | 8. F | 12.sea water/ salt water/ salt |
All About the Otter Reading Answers with Explanations
All about the Otters reading answers with explanation are given for your reference. You can use these explanations to identify your shortcomings and rectify them quickly.
(Note: The text in italics is from the reading passage and shows the location from where the answer is taken or inferred. The text in the regular font explains the answer in detail.)
1. False
Explanation: The 5th line of paragraph A states,” The tail (or rudder, or stern) of an otter is thick at the base and thins out as it approaches the tip, where it flattens”.
2. Not given
Explanation: The 1st line of paragraph B states,” On land, the scent is used for hunting, communication, and detecting danger. The sensitivity of an otter's sense of smell is thought to be equivalent to that of a dog”.
3. Not given
Explanation: The 1st line of paragraph G states,” Otter populations are rebounding across the United Kingdom, with populations increasing in the few regions where they remained, and expanding from those areas into the rest of the country”.
4. True
Explanation: The 1st line of paragraph C states,” Water is essential, and rivers must be large enough to sustain a healthy fish population. Because they are such quiet and wary creatures, they will seek areas where man's activities do not have a significant impact”.
5. G
Explanation: The 7th line of paragraph G illustrates that the argument runs that where there is no suitable habitat for them they will not survive after release and where there is suitable habitat, natural populations should be able to expand into the area. However, reintroducing animals into a fragmented and fragile population may add just enough impetus for it to stabilise and expand, rather than die out. These lines indicate the conflicting options on how to preserve the otter population. Thus, the answer is G.
6. A
Explanation: The 5th line of paragraph A illustrates that an otter’s tail (or rudder, or stern) is stout at the base and tapers towards the tip where it flattens. This forms part of the propulsion unit when swimming fast underwater. These lines indicate the fit-for-purpose characteristics of the otter’s body shape. The otter’s body is built to help the animal swim faster, especially the tail that resembles an oar underwater. Therefore, the answer is A.
7. B
Explanation: Line 3 of paragraph B illustrates that Otters have small eyes and are probably short-sighted on land. These lines depict that despite Otters having a strong olfactory sense, they have small size, which results in short-sight on land. Hence, the answer is B.
8. F
Explanation: Paragraph F, line 6 states that the pesticides entered the river systems and the food chain – micro-organisms, fish and finally otters, with every step increasing the concentration of the chemicals. These lines indicate an explanation to why agriculture failed in the Otter conservation effect, that is the toxic chemical pesticides were heavily used in agriculture, however, they entered the river systems, and contaminated the food chain and caused a decrease in the Otter population. Thus, the answer is F.
9. B
Explanation: The 3rd line of paragraph B states, “But they do have the ability to modify the shape of the lens in the eye to make it more spherical, and hence overcome the refraction of water. In clear water and good light, otters can hunt fish by sight.” We can understand from these lines that though otters have limited eyesight on land, they’re capable of adapting the lenses in their eyes under water which helps them see against the refraction in water. Thus, a description of how otters regulate vision underwater can be found in Paragraph B, so, the answer is B.
10. E
Explanation: The 5th line of paragraph E states that at five weeks they open their eyes – a tiny cub of 700g. At seven weeks they’re weaned onto solid food. At ten weeks they leave the nest, blinking into daylight for the first time. After three months they finally meet the water and learn to swim. After eight months they are hunting, though the mother still provides a lot of food herself. Finally, after nine months she can chase them all away with a clear conscience, and relax – until the next fella shows up. These lines give a description of how a baby otter grows until 9 months. We can understand that baby otters are brought up in secluded dens devoid of interference. Only after 3 months, they learn to swim and hunt after 8 months. At almost 9 months, the otters are ready to fend for themselves. Thus, the answer is E.
11. Coastal Otters
Explanation: The 6th line of paragraph C states that coastal otters have a much more abundant food supply and range for males and females may be just a few kilometres of coastline. These lines suggest that coastal otters have a wide range of food supply, with a short range, where the males and females stretch over only a few kilometres of the coastlines. Therefore, the coastal otters have the shortest range. Thus, the answer is coastal otters.
12. sea water/ salt water/ salt
Explanation: The 8th line of paragraph A states that seawater reduces the waterproofing and insulating qualities of otter fur when saltwater in the fur. This is why freshwater pools are important to otters living on the coast. These lines indicate that the otter’s fur has water-repelling/ waterproofing and insulating qualities, which doesn’t require grooming. However, saltwater affects these features keeping the otters warm. This might be the reason why fresh-water pools are essential for the otters on the coast. Thus, saltwater affects the outer fur of otters. So, the answer is sea water/ salt water/ salt.
13. swimming speed
Explanation: In the 10th line of paragraph B, it is mentioned that giant otters and sea otters have even more prominent webs, while the Asian short-clawed otter has no webbing – they hunt for shrimps in ditches and paddy fields so they don’t need the swimming speed. These lines elucidate that giants and sea otters have more prominent webs, while Asian short-clawed otters have no webbing and they hunt for shrimps from paddy fields and ditches rather than hunting for fish in rivers as they don’t need the swimming speed. Thus, Asian short-clawed otters do not require swimming speed to eat their prey. Hence, the answer is swimming speed.
Suggested: Difference Between IELTS vs GMAT
Tips for Answering the IELTS Reading Test
- Read the instructions carefully: Before you start, make sure you understand what you need to match. Sometimes, you’ll be asked to match headings to paragraphs or statements to sections, so be clear on the task.
- Skim the passage: Quickly read through the passage to get a general sense of the content and layout. This will help you identify where the information you need might be located.
- Use keywords: Look for keywords or key phrases in the question and the passage. These words are often repeated or paraphrased in the text and can guide you to the correct answer.
- Underline or highlight: As you find information that matches the question, underline or highlight it in the passage. This will make it easier to refer back to when answering the questions.
- Check for synonyms: Be aware of synonyms and paraphrases. Sometimes, the exact words from the question may not appear in the passage, but similar words or phrases will. Keep an eye out for these.
Conclusion
To summarize, mastering the IELTS Reading test involves a combination of successful tactics, persistent practice, and confidence. You may quickly and accurately explore the chapters by establishing strong skimming and scanning methods, growing your vocabulary, and becoming familiar with various questions. Identify and manage your time effectively, remain calm under pressure, and systematically address each question. Yocket's extensive study materials and professional assistance may provide additional support and tools to help you succeed in your IELTS. With effort and the correct resources, you may confidently take the IELTS Reading exam and attain your goal score. Visit Yocket today and take your IELTS preparation to the next level.
