The Forgotten Forests - IELTS Reading Answers

The reading from The Forgotten Forests is shown below. Take your time to read it and answer the questions. The Forgotten Forests reading answers are also given below.

Para-1

Even in its home state of the South, people talk little about how beautiful and biologically diverse the longleaf pine forest is. Still, it is one of the most varied environments in North America. Regarding the number of species it protects, it is on par with tallgrass plains and the old forests of the Pacific Northwest. Longleaf is also highly threatened, just like those other areas that are being destroyed for wildlife.

Para-2

Longleaf pine woods have trees that are spread out in a way that makes the area look more like a park than a forest. There aren't many trees in the way that they block the sun. Because of this, the forest floor is one of the most varied in the world. It's home to trumpet pitcher plants, lavender ladies, many-1 powered grass pinks, and pineland bog-buttons. As many as 50 different kinds of plants, bushes, grasses and ferns have been recorded in just a square meter.

Para-3

Once, nearly 92 million acres of longleaf forest fed from Virginia to Texas, the only place in the world where it is found. By the start of the 21st century, however, nearly all of it had been logged, paved or farmed into nothingness. Only about 3 percent of the original range still supports longleaf forest, and only about 10,000 acres of that is pure old-growth—the rest is forest that has regrown after cutting. An estimated 100,000 of those acres are still disappearing every year. However, a quiet effort to change this trend is spreading across the area. Governments, business groups (including NWF), and individual environmentalists are looking for ways to protect and keep the surviving Longleaf and plant new trees for future generations.

Para-4

Figuring out how to bring back the piney woods will allow scientists to help the plants and animals that depend on this environment. Nearly two-thirds of the falling, dangerous or endangered species in the southeastern United States are linked with Longleaf. The total loss of Longleaf is only part of their story, says Mark Danaher, the scientist for South Carolina's Francis Marion National Forest. He says the death of these animals and plants is also tied to a lack of fire, which once went through the southern woods frequently. "Fire is absolutely critical for this ecosystem and for the species that depend on it," says Danaher.

Para-5

Name just about any species that happens in Longleaf, and you can find a link to fire. Bachman's sparrow is a shy bird with a beautiful song that echoes across the Longleaf flatwoods. It tucks its nest on the ground beneath groups of wiregrass and little bluestem in the open under-story. But the birds disappear once the fire has been missing for several years and a mass of shrubs grows. Gopher tortoises, the only native land turtles east of the Mississippi, are also common in Longleaf. A crucial species for these woods, its burrows provide homes and safety to more than 300 species of animals and insects, ranging from eastern diamond-back rattlesnakes to gopher frogs. If fire is repressed, however, the tortoises are choked out. "If we lose fire," says Bob Mitchell, a biologist at the Jones Center, "we lose wildlife."

Para-6

With fire, we also retain Longleaf. Fire cuts back the oaks and other trees that can grow to overwhelm longleaf forests. "They are fire forests," Mitchell says. "They evolved in the lightning capital of the eastern United States." And it wasn't only lightning hits that set the forest aflame. "Native Americans also lit fires to keep the forest open," Mitchell says. "So did the early pioneers. They helped build the Longleaf pine woods that we know today."

Para-7

Fire also changes how nutrients flow throughout longleaf forests in ways we are just starting to understand. For example, experts have found that regular fires provide extra calcium to rare red-cockaded woodpeckers, essential for egg development. Frances James, a retired avian biologist from Florida State University, has studied these small black-and-white birds in Florida's huge Apalachicola National Forest for over two decades. When she noticed female woodpeckers laid more oversized clutches in the first breeding season after their areas were burned, she and her colleagues looked for answers. "We learned calcium is stashed away in woody shrubs when the forest is not burned," James says. "But when there is a fire, a pulse of calcium moves down into the soil and up into the longleaf." Eventually, this calcium makes its way up the food chain to a tree-dwelling type of ant, the red-cockaded's best food. The result is more calcium for the birds, which leads to more eggs, more young, and more woodpeckers.

Para-8

Today, fire is an important control tool for protecting Longleaf and its wildlife. Most of these fires are controlled burns, carefully set with a drip torch. Although the public often resists any fire—and the smoke that goes with it—these regular, low-intensity burns lower the risk of catastrophic concentrations. "Forests are going to burn," says Amadou Diop, NWF's southern woods repair manager. "It's just a question of when. With controlled burns, we can pick the time and the place."

Para-9

Restoring Longleaf is a challenging job. The grassy layer—-the understory of wiregrasses and other plants, also needs to be re-created. In areas where the land has not been chewed up by farming but turned into loblolly or slash pine farms, the seed bank of the longleaf forest usually stays viable beneath the soil. In time, this natural foliage can be coaxed back. Where agriculture has killed the seeds, however, wiregrass must be reintroduced. The price is excessive, but experts are looking for low-cost options. 

Para-10 

Bringing back Longleaf is not for the short-sighted, however. Few of us will be alive when the pines planted today become mature woods in 70 to 80 years. But longleaf fans are still going. "Today, it's getting hard to find longleaf seedlings to buy," one of the private ranchers says. "Everyone wants them. Longleaf is in a resurgence."

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Let's investigate the example questions below. The Forgotten Forests reading answers and explanations are provided below.

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Questions 1-5

Complete the notes below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the text for each answer, The forgetting forest IELTS.

Write your responses in boxes 1-5 on your answer sheet.

 Forest fire guarantees that:

 Birds can find their 1 ________ in the ground.

 The burrows of a species of 2 ________ give homes to numerous other creatures.

 Hardwoods like 3 ________ may flourish and outnumber longleaf trees.

 Apart from flames sparked by lightning,

 Fires are generated by 4 ________ and settlers.

 Fires intentionally started are termed 5 ________

 Answers with Explanation (1 – 5)

1. Nest

Reference

Paragraph E: It tucks its nest on the ground among clumps of wiregrass and small bluestem in the open under-story.

Explanation

The paragraph adds that bird species present in the broad and diversified longleaf pine forests tuck their nests on the ground among clumps of wiregrass and small bluestem in the open under-story, which is feasible owing to the parklike setting produced by the widely spaced trees.

2. Tortoises

Reference

Paragraph E: A keystone species for these woods, tortoise burrows give homes and protection to more than 300 species of vertebrates and invertebrates ranging from eastern diamond-back rattlesnakes to gopher frogs.

Explanation 

The paragraph adds that the gopher tortoise species in the longleaf pine forests give homes and protection to more than 300 vertebrates and invertebrates via their tunnels.

3. Oaks

Reference 

Paragraph F: Fire sweeps down the oaks and other hardwoods that may expand to overrun longleaf forests.

Explanation 

The text claims that oaks and other hardwoods may develop and exceed longleaf trees in number.

4. Native Americans

Reference

Paragraph F: Native Americans also burned fires to keep the forest open," Mitchell says. "So did the early pioneers.

Explanation

The paragraph explains the importance of fires generated by Native Americans and settlers for the longleaf pine woods. These flames played a significant part in sustaining a varied ecology. 

5. Prescribed burns

Reference

Paragraph H: Most fires are prescribed burns, purposefully lit with a drip torch.

Explanation 

The text adds that most of these flames are prescribed burns, a designation for fires set intentionally using a drip torch. Prescribed burns are the term given to fires that are purposefully started. These fires are vital in preserving the longleaf pine woods and the myriad species that rely on them.

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Questions 6-9

Complete the flowchart below.  

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text for each answer.  

Write your responses in boxes 6-9 on your answer sheet. 

 How do we increase the number of cockaded woodpeckers? 

 Calcium stored in 6 ________ 

 ↓ 

 Shrubs are burnt 

  ↓ 

  Calcium released into 7 ________ 

  ↓ 

  Travel up to the leaves. 

  ↓ 

  8 ________ are consumed 

  ↓ 

  Number of 9 ________ rises 

 ↓ 

More cockaded woodpeckers 

Answers with Explanation (6 – 9) 

6. Shrubs 

Reference  

Paragraph G: We learnt calcium gets stored in woody plants when the forest is not burnt. 

Explanation 

The paragraph indicates calcium deposits in woody plants when the forest is not burnt. This shows the significance of fire in preserving the longleaf pine forest ecosystem since the calcium deposited in shrubs is released back into the soil during fires, giving nutrients for the development of plants and the survival of numerous species. 

7. Soil 

Reference  

Paragraph G: But when there is a fire, a calcium pulse goes down into the soil and the Longleaf. 

Explanation 

The paragraph discusses how a calcium pulse goes down into the Earth and the Longleaf when a fire happens in the forest. This highlights the relevance of fire in the ecosystem and its influence on the soil and plant life. 

8. Ant 

Reference 

Paragraph G: Eventually, this calcium works its way up the food chain to a tree-dwelling type of ant, which is the red-cockaded's preferred diet. 

Explanation  

The text claims that calcium goes up the food chain to a tree-dwelling type of ant, the red-cockaded woodpecker's favoured diet. The chapter also highlights the significance of repairing the longleaf pine forest and safeguarding the species that rely on it. 

9. Eggs 

Reference  

Paragraph G: The result: more calcium for the birds, which leads to more eggs, more young and more woodpeckers. 

Explanation  

The paragraph describes how an increase in the calcium intake of birds leads to a rise in the production of eggs, young ones, and woodpeckers. Calcium has a significant role in the reproductive health of birds, which in turn influences the population of woodpeckers.

Questions 10-13 

Do the following assertions correspond with the information presented in Reading Passage 1? 

In boxes 10-13 on your response sheet, write  

TRUE if the assertion corresponds with the information 

FALSE if the assertion contradicts the information 

NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this 

 10) The scarce distribution of longleaf pine trees leads to the most extensive variety of species. 

 11) It is simpler to recover forests converted to farms than forests converted to plantations. 

 12) The expense of recovering forests has soared significantly. 

 13) Few may survive to see the regenerated woodland attain its maturity. 

Answers with Explanation (10 – 13) 

10. True 

Reference 

Paragraph J: Bringing back Longleaf is not for the short-sighted, however. Few of us will live when the planted pines become mature woods in 70 to 80 years. 

Explanation  

The text indicates that bringing back Longleaf is not for the short-sighted. It also shows that few of us will be living when the pines planted now become mature woods in 70 to 80 years. Therefore, the answer is true. 

11. False 

Reference  

Paragraph J: Interest among private landowners is expanding across the South, but recovering Longleaf is a complex process. 

Explanation 

The paragraph adds thatPrivate landowners are becoming increasingly interested in restoring Longleaf, but the process is more complicated. Therefore, the assertion presented is False. 

12. Not provided 

Reference  

Paragraphs A to Paragraph J

Explanation  

The answer needs to be given since no information in the paragraph will tell us if the cost of recovering forests has risen. 

13. True 

Reference

Paragraph J: Few of us will survive when the pines planted now become mature woods in 70 to 80 years. 

Explanation

The answer is accurate because the text implies that few of us will be living when the pines planted now become mature woods in 70 to 80 years.

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 1. Skim and Scan Efficiently

• Quickly read through the passage to understand the main ideas. 
• Use searching methods to find specific information quickly.

 2. Manage Your Time

• Allocate a specific amount of time to each part. 
• Don't get stuck on a single question; move on and return if necessary.

 3. Understand Question Kinds

• Familiarise yourself with different questions (multiple-choice, matching, true/false/not given). 
• Tailor your method based on the unique needs of each question.

 4. Highlight Keywords 

• Identify keywords in both questions and sections. 
• Highlighting important terms helps in the quick recall of information.

 5. Develop Looking Skills

• Practice looking for the main idea of a piece. 
• Focus on the first and last lines to catch crucial information.

 6. Watch for Synonyms

• Be alert to similar words or sentences used in questions and texts. 
• Synonyms can lead you to the correct answer.

 7. Prioritise Easy Questions

• Begin with questions that seem easy to answer. 
• Build confidence and save time for more difficult ones.

 8. Guess Strategically

• If you need help, make intelligent guesses. 
• Eliminate wrong choices to improve the chance of a correct guess.

 9. Practice with Various Texts

• Read a range of texts to familiarise yourself with different writing styles. 
• Practice with varied topics to improve flexibility.

 10. Review Instructions Carefully 

• Understand detailed guidelines for each type of question. 
• Follow the rules regarding word limits and forms.

 11. Improve Vocabulary

• Enhance your vocabulary to understand complex meanings. 
• Understanding context becomes easy with a rich word bank.

 12. Model Test Conditions

• Practice under set conditions to model the actual test situation. 
• Enhance your ability to handle time efficiently.

 13. Stay Calm and Focused

• Maintain calm during the test. 
• Stay focused on each question without getting distracted.

 14. Utilise Reading Techniques

• Employ reading techniques such as skimming, scanning, and thorough reading per the question's requirement. 
• Adapt your method based on the situation.

 15. Revise Regularly

• Review IELTS practice tools regularly. 
• Identify flaws and work on improving particular skills.

Mastering these tips will improve your speed in the IELTS Reading Test and boost your general confidence when facing various question forms and text types.

In revealing the secrets enclosed within The Forgotten Forests IELTS during the IELTS Reading test, a profound journey of discovery arises. The careful study of reading answers shines a light on the complex details hidden within the text and underscores the significance of environmental preservation. As the answers to the questions within The Forgotten Forests reading answers are uncovered, a heartbreaking warning appears – these ecosystems' critical role in supporting our world. The IELTS reading task becomes a gateway to heightened awareness, stressing the importance of protecting these delicate settings. The mutual dance of questions and answers mirrors the delicate balance we must strike in cherishing and protecting our Earth. Through the view of The Forgotten Forests IELTS, the IELTS trip becomes more than an intellectual exercise; it becomes a call to action, asking us to remember, respect, and defend the priceless treasures of our natural world.

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