New Agriculture in Oregon, US- IELTS Reading Answer

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. By solving and reviewing Sample Reading Questions from past IELTS papers, you can ensure that your Reading skills are up to the mark.

Reading Passage

New Agriculture in Oregon, US

Questions 1-8

A Tony Brown E Art Pimms

B Patrick Leahy F Steve Black

C Bill Bowler G Rick Hilton

D Paul Jepson

1 There is a double advantage to the new techniques.

2 The work on developing these alternative techniques is not finished.

3 Eating food that has had chemicals used in its production is dangerous to our health.

4 Changing current farming methods into a new one is not a cheap process.

5 Results have exceeded the anticipated goal.

6 The research that was done should be translated into practical projects.

7 The U.S. produces the best food in the world nowadays.

8 Expectations of end-users of agricultural products affect the products.

Questions 9-13

9 Integrated Pest Management has generally been regarded as a success across the US.

10 Oregon farmers of apples and pears have been promoted as successful examples of Integrated Pest Management.

11 The IPPC uses scientists from different organizations globally

12 Straw mulch experiments produced unplanned benefits.

13 The apple industry is now facing a lot of competition from abroad.

1 Answer: E

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph G

Answer explanation: Paragraph G, line 2 states, that Art Pimms, one of the researchers at Malheur comments: “Growers are finding that when they adopt more environmentally benign practices, they can have excellent results. The new practices benefit the environment and give the growers their success.” We can understand from these lines that there’s a double advantage to the new techniques. Hence, the answer is E.

2 Answer: D

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph C, last line

Answer explanation: In the last line of paragraph C. It is stated, “We must continue to develop effective alternative practices that will reduce environmental hazards and produce high-quality products,” said Paul Jepson, a professor of entomology at OSU. These lines indicate that the work on developing these alternative techniques is not finished. Hence, the answer is D.

3 Answer: C

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph C, last line

Answer explanation: The last line of paragraph C states that there is no way that habitual consumption of foodstuffs grown using toxic chemicals of the nature found on today’s farms can be healthy for consumers,” noted Bill Bowler, spokesman for Green Action, one of many lobbyists interested in this issue. These lines indicate that eating food that has had chemicals used in its production is dangerous to our health was said, Bill Bowler. Thus, the answer is C.

4 Answer: A

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 5

Answer explanation: Paragraph B, line 5 states that wholesale changes in the way that farmers control the pests on their farms are an expensive business.” Tony Brown, of the National Farmers Association, says. These lines indicate that changing current farming methods into a new one is not a cheap process as said by Tony Brown. Thus, the answer is A.

5 Answer: F

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph H, last line

Answer explanation: The last line of paragraph H states, “I would never have believed that we could replace the artificial pest controls that we had before and still keep our good results,” commented Steve Black, a commercial onion farmer in Oregon. These lines indicate that the results have exceeded the anticipated goal, as suggested by Steve Black. Thus, the answer is F.

6 Answer: D

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph C, last line

Answer explanation: The last line of paragraph C stated, “We must continue to develop effective alternative practices that will reduce environmental hazards and produce high-quality products,” said Paul Jepson, a professor of entomology at OSU. These lines suggest that the research done should be translated into practical projects as said by Paul Jepson. Hence, the answer is D.

7 Answer: B

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 9

Answer explanation: The 9th line of paragraph B states, “Our food supply remains the safest and highest quality on Earth but we continue to overdose our farmland with powerful and toxic pesticides and to under-use the safe and effective alternatives,” charged Patrick Leahy, who commissioned the report.” These lines suggest that the U.S. produces the best food in the world nowadays, as suggested by Patrick. Hence, the answer is B.

8 Answer: G

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph I

Answer explanation: Paragraph I illustrates Rick Hilton, saying that the consumers are rightly putting more and more pressure on the industry to change its reliance on chemical pesticides, but they still want a picture-perfect product. Hilton is an entomologist at OSU’s Southern Oregon Research and Extension Centre. These lines suggest that the expectations of end-users of agricultural products affect the products suggested by Rick Hilton. Thus, the answer is G.

9 Answer: No

Question type: Yes/No/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 3

Answer explanation: The 3rd line of paragraph B states that a recent U.S General Accounting Office (GAO) report indicates that while integrated pest management can result in dramatically reduced pesticide use, the federal government has been lacking in effectively promoting that goal and implementing IPM. These lines indicate that Integrated Pest Management was not really a success across the US. Hence, the statement contradicts the information, so, the answer is No.

10 Answer: Yes

Question type: Yes/ No/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph C

Answer explanation: The initial lines of paragraph C states that the GAO report singles out Oregon’s apple and pear producers who have used the new IPM techniques with growing success. These lines suggest that the huge growth of apples and pears is an example of the effectiveness of integrated pest management. Thus, the statement agrees with the information, so, the answer is Yes.

11 Answer: No

Question type: Yes/No/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph D

Answer explanation: The introductory lines of paragraph D states that the IPPC brings together scientists from OSU’s Agricultural Experiment Station, OSU Extension service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Oregon farmers to help develop agricultural systems that will save water and soil, and reduce pesticides. These lines suggest that the IPPC did not bring different organizations globally, but it brought scientists from OSU’s Agricultural Experiment Station, OSU extension service, the US Department of Agriculture, and Oregon Farmer. Thus, the statement contradicts the information, so, the answer is No.

12 Answer: Yes

Question type: Yes/ No/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph H, last line

Answer explanation: The last line of paragraph H states, “I would never have believed that we could replace the artificial pest controls that we had before and still keep our good results,” commented Steve Black, a commercial onion farmer in Oregon, “but instead we have actually surpassed expectations.” We can deduce from these lines that the mulched experiment has given results that are beyond the scientist’s expectations. Thus, the statement agrees with the information, so, the answer is Yes.

13 Answer: Not Given

Question type: Yes/ No/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph C

Answer explanation: We find a reference for apple in the introductory lines of paragraph C, which states that the GAO report singles out Oregon’s apple and pear producers who have used the new IPM techniques with growing success. Although Oregon is clearly ahead of the nation, scientists at OSU are taking the Government Accounting Office’s criticisms seriously. However, it is not mentioned anywhere in the passage that the apple industry is now facing a lot of competition from abroad. Thus, the answer is Not Given.