Forest Management in Pennsylvania USA – IELTS Reading Answers

Forest Management in Pennsylvania USA is an Academic reading passage that is part of IELTS Cambridge 18 Test 1. Try to solve the questions to get an idea of the difficulty level of the passages in the actual reading test. If you want more passages to solve, try taking one of our IELTS reading practice tests.

There are 13 questions in total in the Reading Answers of Forest Management in Pennsylvania USA. You must comprehend the subject, identify important terms in the IELTS Academic Reading passages, and then respond in accordance with the instructions.

The question types found in this passage are:

• IELTS Reading Matching Information (Q. 1-5)
• IELTS Reading Matching Features (Q. 6-8)
• IELTS Reading Sentence Completion (Q. 9-13)

Reading Passage 

Forest Management in Pennsylvania USA

How managing low-quality wood (also known as low-use wood) for bioenergy can encourage sustainable forest management

A A tree’s ‘value’ depends on several factors including its species, size, form, condition, quality, function, and accessibility, and depends on the management goals for a given forest. The same tree can be valued very differently by each person who looks at it. A large, straight black cherry tree has high value as timber to be cut into logs or made into furniture, but for a landowner more interested in wildlife habitat, the real value of that stem (or trunk) may be the food it provides to animals. Likewise, if the tree suffers from black knot disease, its value for timber decreases, but to a woodworker interested in making bowls, it brings an opportunity for a unique and beautiful piece of art.

B In the past, Pennsylvania landowners were solely interested in the value of their trees as high-quality timber. The norm was to remove the stems of highest quality and leave behind poorly formed trees that were not as well suited to the site where they grew. This practice, called ‘high-grading’, has left a legacy of ‘low-use wood’ in the forests. Some people even call these ‘junk trees’, and they are abundant in Pennsylvania. These trees have lower economic value for traditional timber markets, compete for growth with higher-value trees, shade out desirable regeneration and decrease the health of a stand leaving it more vulnerable to poor weather and disease. Management that specifically targets low-use wood can help landowners manage these forest health issues, and wood energy markets help promote this.

C Wood energy markets can accept less expensive wood material of lower quality than would be suitable for traditional timber markets. Most wood used for energy in Pennsylvania is used to produce heat or electricity through combustion. Many schools and hospitals use wood boiler systems to heat and power their facilities, many homes are primarily heated with wood, and some coal plants incorporate wood into their coal streams to produce electricity. Wood can also be gasified for electrical generation and can even be made into liquid fuels like ethanol and gasoline for lorries and cars. All these products are made primarily from low-use wood. Several tree- and plant-cutting approaches, which could greatly improve the long-term quality of a forest, focus strongly or solely on the use of wood for those markets.

D One such approach is called a Timber Stand Improvement (TSI) Cut. In a TSI Cut, really poor-quality tree and plant material is cut down to allow more space, light, and other resources to the highest-valued stems that remain. Removing invasive plants might be another primary goal of a TSI Cut. The stems that are left behind might then grow in size and develop more foliage and larger crowns or tops that produce more coverage for wildlife; they have a better chance to regenerate in a less crowded environment. TSI Cuts can be tailored to one farmer’s specific management goals for his or her land.

E Another approach that might yield a high amount of low-use wood is a Salvage Cut. With the many pests and pathogens visiting forests including hemlock wooly adelgid, Asian longhorned beetle, emerald ash borer, and gypsy moth, to name just a few, it is important to remember that those working in the forests can help ease these issues through cutting procedures. These types of cut reduce the number of sick trees and seek to manage the future spread of a pest problem. They leave vigorous trees that have stayed healthy enough to survive the outbreak.

F A Shelterwood Cut, which only takes place in a mature forest that has already been thinned several times, involves removing all the mature trees when other seedlings have become established. This then allows the forester to decide which tree species are regenerated. It leaves a young forest where all trees are at a similar point in their growth. It can also be used to develop a two-tier forest so that there are two harvests and the money that comes in is spread out over a decade or more.

G Thinnings and dense and dead wood removal for fire prevention also center on the production of low-use wood. However, it is important to remember that some retention of what many would classify as low-use wood is very important. The tops of trees that have been cut down should be left on the site so that their nutrients cycle back into the soil. In addition, trees with many cavities are extremely important habitats for insect predators like woodpeckers, bats and small mammals. They help control problem insects and increase the health and resilience of the forest. It is also important to remember that not all small trees are low-use. For example, many species like hawthorn provide food for wildlife. Finally, rare species of trees in a forest should also stay behind as they add to its structural diversity.

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*Stand – An area covered with trees that have common features (e.g. size)

Questions 1-5

1 bad outcomes for a forest when people focus only on its financial reward

2 reference to the aspects of any tree that contribute to its worth

3 mention of the potential use of wood to help run vehicles

4 examples of insects that attack trees

5 an alternative name for trees that produce low-use wood

Questions 6-8

6 to remove trees that are diseased

7 to generate income across a number of years

8 to create a forest whose trees are close in age

List of Timber Cuts

A a TSI Cut

B a Salvage Cut

C a Shelterwood Cut

Questions 9-13

9 Some dead wood is removed to avoid the possibility of ………………. .

10 The ………………. from the tops of cut trees can help improve soil quality.

11 Some damaged trees should be left, as their ………………. provide habitats for a range of creatures.

12 Some trees that are small, such as ………………., are a source of food for animals and insects.

13 Any trees that are ………………. should be left to grow, as they add to the variety of species in the forest.

Check Out – Useful IELTS Reading Articles, Website Resources and Material for Academic and General Training

Answers for Forest Management in Pennsylvania USA Reading Answers with Location and Explanations

Let’s now review the answers to the questions from the passage in the reading section, Forest Management in Pennsylvania USA, and assess your improvement for a high IELTS Reading band score.

1 Answer: B

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph B

Answer explanation: The selected paragraph reveals, “In the past, Pennsylvania landowners were solely interested in the value of their trees as high-quality timber…This practice, called ‘high-grading’, has left a legacy of ‘low-use wood’ in the forests. Some people even call these ‘junk trees’, and they are abundant in Pennsylvania.”. This tells us that the second paragraph informs us about how focus on financial awards (high-quality timber) has resulted in a bad outcome for the forest in Pennsylvania where cutting of the high grade timber had led to a forest of low-quality timber or junk trees only. Hence, the answer is B.

2 Answer: A

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph A, Line 3

Answer explanation: In the quoted line of Paragraph A, it is declared, “A large, straight black cherry tree has high value as timber to be cut into logs or made into furniture…the real value of that stem (or trunk) may be the food it provides to animals.”. This points to the fact that the first paragraph discusses the aspects of any tree that contribute to its worth. Hence, the answer is A.

3 Answer: C

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph C, Line 4

Answer explanation: In the highlighted line of Paragraph C, it is reported that “Wood can also be gasified for electrical generation and can even be made into liquid fuels like ethanol and gasoline for lorries and cars.”. This proves the fact that the third paragraph specifies the use of wood to run vehicles. Hence, the answer is C.

4 Answer: E

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph E, Line 2

Answer explanation: In the quoted line of Paragraph E, it is said that “With the many pests and pathogens visiting forests including hemlock wooly adelgid, Asian longhorned beetle, emerald ash borer, and gypsy moth, to name just a few, it is important to remember that those working in the forests can help ease these issues through cutting procedures.”. It is clear from the above-mentioned line that the fifth paragraph mentions the different types of insects that attack trees. Hence, the answer is E.

5 Answer: B

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph B, Line 3- Line 4

Answer explanation: In the specified lines of Paragraph B, it is communicated that “This practice, called ‘high-grading’, has left a legacy of ‘low-use wood’ in the forests. Some people even call these ‘junk trees’…”. In this way, it is shown that the alternative name for trees that produce low-quality is junk trees. Hence, the answer is B.

6 Answer: B

Question type: Matching Features

Answer location: Paragraph E, Line 1 & Line 3

Answer explanation: The mentioned lines of Paragraph E say that “Another approach that might yield a high amount of low-use wood is a Salvage Cut…These types of cut reduce the number of sick trees and seek to manage the future spread of a pest problem.”. These lines point out that the Salvage Cut is mainly used to remove trees that are diseased (sick). Hence, the answer is B (a Salvage Cut).

7 Answer: C

Question type: Matching Features

Answer location: Paragraph F, Line 4

Answer explanation: The given line of Paragraph F describes, “It can also be used to develop a two-tier forest so that there are two harvests and the money that comes in is spread out over a decade or more.”. It is clear that the Shelterwood Cut is used to create a two-tier forest that will have two harvests and generate income across a number of years (a decade or more). Hence, the answer is C (a Shelterwood Cut).

Tips to Solve the Question Types in Forest Management in Pennsylvania USA IELTS Reading Answers

Since now you know the answers to the Forest Management in Pennsylvania USA Reading Answers with explanation, let us check out some quick IELTS exam preparation tips to answer the three types of questions in the Reading Answers of Forest Management in Pennsylvania USA.

Matching Information:

In this sort of question, you will be given a list of three to six statements, and you will need to match the information in each statement to the matching idea in a paragraph in the reading passage.

• You will get an idea of the main idea of each statement by reading the instructions, followed by the list of statements. Also, figure out the keywords from each statement.
• Use IELTS Reading keyword techniques to go through the text and find out which paragraph or section contains the relevant information of the statements.
• While one statement corresponds to one passage, some passages may not have any answer. Remember this to avoid repetition or wasting your time.
• Once you identify the keywords and find the corresponding paragraph that contains the information, follow this process for the others.

Matching Features:

In this type of question, you will have to match a list of options with the relevant set of statements. Some tips to answer matching features questions and obtain a high band in the IELTS exam are given below:

• Read questions and underline or circle keywords. This will help you find out where you would have to read and find later. Also, focus on how often every detail or name is appearing in the passage.
• Scan the passage and look for information given in the features and questions.
• Skim through the areas that are surrounded by keywords and features in the passage.
• Don’t get confused in case the text has synonyms of the information that is originally present in the question.
• Keep in mind that answers will not be in an order as questions.

Sentence Completion:

In the sentence completion of IELTS Reading, you will be asked to fill in the blanks in incomplete phrases with the relevant words or numbers.

• Read the instructions carefully. It will help you determine the word limit (no more than two, one word, etc) and important terms like ‘using words from the text’ or ‘from the text’. You have to follow these strictly.
• Read the incomplete sentences first. Also, think about keywords and how they could be represented by synonyms or paraphrasing.
• Locate where the information is by scanning quickly. If you can’t, move on.
• Study the reading text by using the skimming and scanning techniques. It will help to establish the answer quickly. When scanning for your answer, make sure you are thinking about paraphrasing and synonyms.
• The answers appear in the same order as the questions.Also, check your spelling and remember that your answer should be grammatically correct.

Also Check: 

• The Forgotten Forests- IELTS Reading Answers
• IELTS Exam Reading Answer Sheet (PDF)
• Secrets of The Forest Reading Answers
• The Effects of Deforestation- IELTS Reading Answers
• IELTS Academic Reading Practice Question with Answers
• Trees in trouble Reading Answers
• Sosus: Listening to the Ocean, Monkeys and Forests, Age-proofing Our Brains Reading Answers