Are These Two Reporters on the Same Planet IELTS Reading Answers

The Reading Module of the IELTS can be the top-scoring category with diligent practice. To achieve the best results in this section, you must understand how to approach and answer the different Question types in the Reading Module. The Academic passage, “Are These Two Reporters on the Same Planet,” is a passage that appeared in an IELTS Test. Try to find the answers to get an idea of the difficulty level of the passages in the actual reading test. This page contains – Are These Two Reporters on the Same Planet IELTS reading answers and its passage for you to practice.

The question types found in these passages are:

• Matching Features (Q. 28-33) & (Q. 34-36)
• Multiple-Choice Questions (Q. 37-40)

Reading Passage

Are These Two Reporters on the Same Planet? 

An essay by scientist, educator and environmentalist, Dr. David Suzuki

A A number of books, articles and television programs have disputed the reality of the claimed hazards of global warming, overpopulation, deforestation and ozone depletion. Two newspaper commentaries show the profound differences of opinion on critical issues affecting the planet.

B The first, by Robert Kaplan, has generated both fear and denial. Entitled The Coming Anarchy, the report paints a horrifying picture of the future for humanity. The author suggests that the terrible consequences of the conjunction between the exploding human population and surrounding environmental degradation are already visible in Africa and parts of Southeast Asia. As society is destabilised by the AIDS epidemic, government control evaporates, national borders crumble beneath the pressure of environmental refugees and local populations revert to tribalism to settle old scores or defend against fleeing masses and bands of stateless nomads on the move.

C Kaplan believes what he has seen in Africa and Southeast Asia is the beginning of a global pattern of disintegration of social, political and economic infrastructure under the impact of ecological degradation, population pressure and disease. As ecosystems collapse, this scenario could sweep the planet, first in Eastern Europe and then the industrialised countries. It is a frightening scenario, built on a serious attempt to project the aftermath of ecological destruction. It comes from a core recognition that the planet is finite and consumption has vast social, political and economic ramifications. It has also generated a great deal of discussion and controversy.

D Marcus Gee pronounces Kaplan’s vision ‘dead wrong’ in a major article headlined Apocalypse Deferred. Attacking the ‘doomsayers’, Gee counters with the statistics favoured by believers in the limitless benefits and potential of economic growth. Citing the spectacular improvements in human health, levels of education and literacy, availability of food and length of life even in the developing world, Gee pronounces the fivefold increase in the world economy since 1950 as the cause of this good news. He does concede that immense problems remain, from ethnic nationalism to tropical deforestation to malnutrition to cropland losses but concludes that Kaplan has exaggerated many of the crises and thus missed the broad pattern of progress.

E Focusing on statistics of the decline in child mortality and the rise in longevity, food production and adult literacy, Gee reaches the conclusion that things have never been better. Economic indicators, such as the rise in gross world product and total exports show ‘remarkable sustained and dramatic progress’. Life for the majority of the world’s citizens is getting steadily better in almost every category.

F Gee’s conclusions rest heavily on economic indicators. He points out the annual 3.9 per cent rise in the global economy and the more than doubling of the gross output per person, that has occurred for the past thirty years. World trade has done even better, growing by 6 per cent of a product’s price in 1947 to 5 per cent today.

G Gee skips lightly over such facts as third-world debt and the daily toll of 22,000 child deaths from easily preventable diseases. He also fails to mention that during this period the gulf between rich and poor countries has increased. He does acknowledge the threats of loss of topsoil and forests, pollution of the air and contamination of water. However, he concludes that there is little evidence they are serious enough to halt or even reverse human progress. Gee challenges the notion of a population crisis since there have never been as many people so well off. Furthermore, he suggests there will never be a limit to population because more people means more Einsteins to keep making life better.

H Gee’s outlook rests on a tiny minority of scientists who have faith in the boundless potential of science and technology to overcome the physical constraints of air, water and soil so that a much larger population can be sustained. His final proof? -the general rise in living standards along with population growth. However the relationship between changes in living standards and population is a correlation, not proof of causal connection. Gee is ignoring basic economic as well as scientific reality.

I If we inherit a bank account with a thousand dollars that earns 5% interest annually, we could withdraw fifty dollars or less each year forever. However, suppose we start to increase our withdrawals, say up to sixty dollars, then seventy dollars and more each year. For many years the account would yield cash. But it would be foolish to conclude that we could keep drawing more from the account indefinitely. Yet that is what Gee believes. As ocean fisheries around the world show, we are using up the ecological capital of the planet (biodiversity, air, water, soil) rather than living off the interest. It is a dangerous deception to believe that the human-created artifice called economies can keep the indicators rising as the life support systems of the planet continue to decline.

J The value system that dominates most of the popular media promotes the delusion that resources and the economy can continue to expand indefinitely. It also blinds the public to the urgency and credibility of warnings that an environmental crisis confronts us.

Questions 28-33

Example: Environmental challenges will be met by technological advances – B

A R. Kaplan, author of The Coming Anarchy

B M. Gee, author of Apocalypse Deferred

C D. Suzuki, author of this passage

28 Our patterns of consumption are using up the ecological capital of the planet.

29 Crisis beginning in the Third World will spread to developed countries.

30 Scientific progress will enable the planet to sustain an increased population.

31 Social and political infrastructure worldwide could collapse.

32 Earth’s life support systems are at critical risk.

33 Environmental problems are not a threat to progress.

Questions 34-36

Choose ONE phrase from the list below (A-G) to complete each of the following sentences.

There are more phrases than questions so you will not use all of them.

34 The growth of world trade

35 The relationship between population and standard of living

36 Natural resources and the economy

List of Phrases

A have most benefited developing countries

B has led to a drop in the standard of living generally

C cannot continue to expand indefinitely

D have decreased third world debt

E shows a correlation, not cause and effect

F pose a threat to human progress

G has been accompanied by a fall in tariffs

Questions 37-40

37 Which of the following is NOT stated by Kaplan as a key contributing factor to potential global destabilisation?

A political corruption

B collapse of ecosystems

C population explosion

D malnutrition and disease

38 What is the main source of Gee’s optimism?

A scientific and technological advances

B decreasing Third World debt

C the rise in the standard of living worldwide

D economic growth

39 Which of the following can we infer about the views of the author of this passage?

A He disagrees with both Gee and Kaplan.

B He supports the views of Gee.

C His views are closer to those of Kaplan.

D He thinks both Gee and Kaplan are right.

40 The main purpose of the author in this passage is …

A to alert us to an environmental crisis.

B to educate the media.

C to create uncertainty about the future.

D to challenge current economic theory.

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Are These Two Reporters on the Same Planet Reading Answers With Explanation 

Read further for the explanation part of the reading answer.

28 Answer: C

Question type: Matching Features

Answer location: Paragraph 9, line 6

Answer explanation: In the given location, it is given that “As ocean fisheries around the world show, we are using up the ecological capital of the planet (biodiversity, air, water, soil) rather than living off the interest.”. From the previous lines, it is clear that Gee believes that humans could keep drawing more from the earth indefinitely. But the quoted line points out that the author of the passage, D. Suzuki, takes the example of the global ocean fisheries and states that the pattern of consumption of humans is using up the available natural resources (ecological capital) of the planet, i.e., biodiversity, air, water and soil, instead of living on the excess or the interest. Hence, the answer is C (D. Suzuki, author of this passage).

29 Answer: A

Question type: Matching Features

Answer location: Paragraph 3, line 1- line 2

Answer explanation: In the specified paragraph, it is given that “Kaplan believes what he has seen in Africa and Southeast Asia is the beginning of a global pattern of disintegration of social, political and economic infrastructure under the impact of ecological degradation, population pressure and disease. As ecosystems collapse, this scenario could sweep the planet, first in Eastern Europe and then the industrialised countries.”. It proves that Kaplan, the author of The Coming Anarchy, relates that the global disintegration noticed in Third World countries like Africa, and Southeast Asia will spread to developed countries like Eastern Europe and other industrialised countries. Hence, the answer is A (R. Kaplan, author of The Coming Anarchy).

30 Answer: B

Question type: Matching Features

Answer location: Paragraph 8, line 1

Answer explanation: In the mentioned location, it is stated that “Gee’s outlook rests on a tiny minority of scientists who have faith in the boundless potential of science and technology to overcome the physical constraints of air, water and soil so that a much larger population can be sustained.”. In some of the previous paragraphs where Gee’s outlook is clearly defined, and finalized in the above-quoted lines, it can be concluded that Gee is of the opinion that scientific progress (boundless potential of science and technology) can sustain an increased (large) population. Hence, the answer is B (M. Gee, author of Apocalypse Deferred).

31 Answer: A

Question type: Matching Features

Answer location: Paragraph 3, line 1

Answer explanation: In the indicated line, it is stated that “Kaplan believes what he has seen in Africa and Southeast Asia is the beginning of a global pattern of disintegration of social, political and economic infrastructure under the impact of ecological degradation, population pressure and disease.”. Based on this reference, it can be inferred that Kaplan opines that a global disintegration of social, political and economic infrastructure that has begun in the Third World countries will lead to a collapse. Hence, the answer is A (R. Kaplan, author of The Coming Anarchy).

32 Answer: A & C

Question type: Matching Features

Answer location: Paragraph 3, line 2 & Paragraph 10, line 2

Answer explanation: In the mentioned lines, it is stated that “As ecosystems collapse, this scenario could sweep the planet, first in Eastern Europe and then the industrialised countries.” and “It also blinds the public to the urgency and credibility of warnings that an environmental crisis confronts us.”. From the first quoted sentence, it is clear that Kaplan informs about the global crisis that will affect the Earth’s life support system. Similarly, the concluding line of the passage tells us that the author of the passage hints at a similar ecological (environmental) crisis that the public is unaware of. Hence, the answer is A (R. Kaplan, author of The Coming Anarchy) and C (D. Suzuki, author of this passage).

33 Answer: B

Question type: Matching Features

Answer location: Paragraph 7, line 4

Answer explanation: Through a reference line like, “However, he concludes that there is little evidence they are serious enough to hall or even reverse human progress.”, it can be concluded that Gee believes that even though there are certain environmental problems like threats of loss of topsoil and forests, pollution of the air and contamination of water, they will not hinder or reverse (a threat to) human progress. Hence, the answer is B.

34 Answer: G

Question type: Matching Features

Answer location: Paragraph 6, line 3

Answer explanation: In the mentioned lines, it is reported that “World trade has done even better, growing by 6 per cent of a product’s price in 1947 to 5 per cent today.”. It can be concluded that world trade is doing better since there is a decrease/fall in the price of the product (tariffs) from 6 per cent in 1947 to 5 per cent at present. Hence, the answer is G (which has been accompanied by a fall in tariffs).

35 Answer: E

Question type: Matching Features

Answer location: Paragraph 8, line 3

Answer explanation: In the cited line, it is stated that “But the relationship between changes in living standards and population is a correlation, not proof of causal connection.”. The keyword in the statement clearly indicates that the relationship between population and standard of living is a correlation and not cause and effect (a causal connection). Hence, the answer is E (shows a correlation, not cause and effect).

36 Answer: C

Question type: Matching Features

Answer location: Paragraph 10, line 1

Answer explanation: In the concluding paragraph, it is noted that “The value system that dominates most of the popular media promotes the delusion that resources and the economy can continue to expand indefinitely.”. Based on the reference, it can be said that the author states that it is misunderstood (delusion) that natural resources and the economy will continue to expand indefinitely. In other words, the reality is that they will not expand indefinitely. Hence, the answer is C (cannot continue to expand indefinitely).

37 Answer: A

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Paragraph 3, line 1

Answer explanation: In Paragraph 3, it is mentioned that “Kaplan believes what he has seen in Africa and Southeast Asia is the beginning of a global pattern of disintegration of social, political and economic infrastructure under the impact of ecological degradation, population pressure and disease.”. It shows that according to Kaplan, the factors responsible for the global social, political and economic disintegration are ecological degradation (collapse of ecosystems), population pressure (population explosion) and disease (malnutrition and disease). Hence, the answer is A (political corruption).

38 Answer: D

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Paragraph 4, line 2

Answer explanation: In Paragraph 4, it is noted that “Attacking the ‘doomsayers’, Gee counters with the statistics favoured by believers in the limitless benefits and potential of economic growth.”. In other words, Gee believes that the benefits and potential of economic growth will solve all global problems and is therefore the source of his optimism. Hence, the answer is D (economic growth).

39 Answer: C

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Whole Passage

Answer explanation: Throughout the passage, we find the author commenting that “He also fails to mention that during this period the gulf between rich and poor countries has increased.”, “Gee is ignoring basic economic as well as scientific reality.”, “But it would be foolish to conclude that we could keep drawing more from the account indefinitely. Yet that is what Gee believes”. This proves that the author is not supporting, but rather criticizing Gee’s outlook. On the other hand, in the last line of the passage, the author agrees with Kaplan that there is an ecological crisis that people are unaware of through the line “It also blinds the public to the urgency and credibility of warnings that an environmental crisis confronts us.”. Hence, the answer is C (His views are closer to those of Kaplan).

40 Answer: A

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Paragraph 10, line 2

Answer explanation: In the indicated line, it is given “It also blinds the public to the urgency and credibility of warnings that an environmental crisis confronts us.”. It is clear from the statement that the author is trying to spread awareness among the public about the impending ecological crisis which people are blind to. Hence, the answer is A (to alert us to an environmental crisis.).

Tips for Answering the Question Types in the above Reading Passage

Let us check out some quick tips to answer the types of questions in the, “Are These Two Reporters on the Same Planet” IELTS Reading Answers passage.

Matching Features: 

Matching Features is a type of IELTS reading question that requires you to match a list of features to the correct people, places, or things in a passage.

To answer matching features questions, you can use the following strategies:

• Read the features first: This will give you an idea of the types of information that you are looking for in the passage.
• Read the passage quickly: This will give you a general understanding of the content of the passage.
• Match the features to the people, places, or things: As you read the passage, look for the information that matches each feature.
• Check your answers: Once you have matched all of the features, double-check your answers to make sure that they are correct.

Multiple Choice Questions:

You will be given a reading passage followed by several questions based on the information in the paragraph in multiple choice questions. Your task is to understand the question and compare it to the paragraph in order to select the best solution from the available possibilities.

• Before reading the passage, read the question and select the keywords. Check the keyword possibilities if the question statement is short on information.
• Then, using the keywords, read the passage to find the relevant information.
• To select the correct option, carefully read the relevant words and match them with each option.
• You will find several options with keywords that do not correspond to the information.
• Try opting for the elimination method mostly.
• Find the best option by matching the meaning rather than just the keywords.

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