Survivor From The Sky – IELTS Reading Answers

The ‘Survivor From The Sky’ Academic Reading Passage is a good resource for anyone who is preparing for the IELTS Reading test. This passage will help you understand what kind of reading passages you will encounter and the questions that you will be asked to solve.

By taking the ‘Survivor From The Sky’ IELTS Reading Answer, you can acquaint yourself with the types of questions that you will be asked and the level of difficulty that you can expect.

The question types in this Reading Passage include:

• Short Answer Questions (Q. 1-3)
• Multiple Choice Questions (Q. 4-10)
• Yes/No/Not Given (Q. 11-14)

For more IELTS Reading practice, take more IELTS reading practice tests.

Reading Passage

Survivor From The Sky

A In a remarkable documentary, Wings of Hope, German director Werner Herzog recounts the true story of an eighteen-year-old girl, the sole survivor of a plane crash in the Amazon jungle in 1971. Twenty-nine years later, Herzog returns to the jungle with Juliane Koepke, now a 46-year-old biologist, and she tells her amazing story on film.

B Juliane had just graduated from high school in Lima, Peru and, with her mother, was flying out to spend Christmas at her father’s research station in the jungle. A half hour into the flight they encountered a horrific storm. In the midst of wild turbulence, the plane was struck by lightning and fell into a nosedive. Passengers screamed as baggage flew around the compartment. Then the plane broke into pieces and suddenly Juliane found herself outside free-falling 30,000 feet. ‘I was suspended in mid-air, still in my scat. It wasn’t so much that I had left the plane but that the plane had left me. It simply wasn’t there anymore. I was all alone with my row of seats,’ says Juliane. ‘I sailed on through the air, then I tumbled into a fall. The seatbelt squeezed my stomach and I couldn’t breathe anymore.’ Before she lost consciousness, Juliane saw the dense jungle below, a deep green, like broccoli, with no clearings for hundreds of miles.

C Somehow, miraculously, Juliane survived that fall from the sky. In the film, she speculates on a number of factors that may have combined to save her. First, the storm had produced a strong updraft from the thunderclouds. Secondly, being strapped into a row of seats, she was aware of falling in a spiraling movement, like a maple seed pod. Then, hitting the canopy of trees, she tumbled through a maze of vines which slowed her landing in deep mud.

D But surviving the fall, though miraculous in itself, was just the beginning. When Juliane awoke hours later, wet and covered with mud, she was still strapped to her seat. Staggering to her feet, she assessed her injuries: a fractured bone in the neck, concussion, and deep cuts in her leg and back. She was also in shock, lost, and totally alone in the Amazon jungle.

E No doubt it was her familiarity with the wilderness that enabled her to cope. Her parents were biologists and Juliane had grown up in the jungle. She realized her only hope was to follow a little stream of water nearby, trusting that it would eventually lead to a larger river and rescue. With no provisions, dressed in the miniskirt she had worn on the plane and wearing just one shoe, she set off through the jungle. She passed broken fragments from the plane – a wheel, an engine. ‘Initially, I saw planes circling above me, but after a few days I realized the search had been called off,’ she said.

F Surprisingly she felt no hunger but as the days passed her health was deteriorating rapidly. The gash in her shoulder, where flies had laid their eggs was now crawling with maggots. ‘I knew I’d perish in the jungle so I stayed in the water.’ Walking in the stream, however, presented one risk more serious than any others. Before each step she had to poke ahead in the sand with a stick, to avoid treading on poisonous sting rays, lying hidden on the bottom.

G As the stream grew into a river, swimming was the only option. However, here in deeper water, there were new threats. Crocodiles basking on the shores slipped silently into the water as she passed. Juliane trusted that they feared humans and were entering the water to hide. She swam on. On the tenth day, starving and barely conscious, she spotted a hut and a canoe. They belonged to three woodcutters working nearby. The rescue was at hand.

H For this 46-year-old woman, reliving such a traumatic experience on film must have been a great challenge. But she shows little emotion. Flying back into the jungle, she sits in the same seat as on that fateful day. She is dispassionate, and unemotional in describing the flight. On the ground, when they finally locate the crash site, in a dense jungle, Juliane is scientific in her detachment, looking through the debris, now buried under dense vegetation. She examines a girl’s purse, the skeleton of a suitcase. Walking along the stream, she spots the engine which she remembers passing on the third day. Her arms and legs are covered with mosquitoes, but she seems to ignore all discomfort. Then, back in the town, standing in front of a monument erected in memory of the victims of the crash, entitled Alas de Esperanza (Wings of Hope), Juliane comments simply, T emerged, as the sole embodiment of hope from this disaster.

Questions 1-3

1 How old was Juliane at the time of the crash?

2 What is her occupation now?

3 What was the cause of the plane crash?

Questions 4-10

4 What happened to the plane?

A It broke apart in the air

B It hit trees and exploded.

C It crashed into a mountainside.

D It hit the ground and burst into flames.

5 Which of the following did NOT help to slow her fall?

A an updraft caused by storm clouds

B hitting vines

C the section of seats to which she was attached

D a parachute

6 Which of the following injuries did she sustain?

A a broken foot

B a broken arm

C concussion

D cuts on her head

7 Which of the following injuries did she sustain?

A Knowledge of the jungle

B a map showing the location of the river

C appropriate clothing and shoes

D food supplies from the plane

8 What was the biggest threat to her survival?

A infected wounds

B sting rays

C starvation

D Crocodiles

9 How long was she lost in the jungle?

A 3 days

B 5 days

C 10 days

D 15 days

10 How was she finally rescued?

A A search party found her in the jungle.

B Native hunters found her.

C She signaled to a plane from the river.

D She reached a campsite along the river.

Questions 11-14

11 Other survivors of the crash were found in the jungle.

12 Juliane was upset when she revisited the crash site.

13 Wings of Hope is the name given to a memorial statue.

14 Juliane suffered nightmares for many years as a result of her experience.

Survivor From The Sky IELTS Reading Answers with Location and Explanation

1 Answer: 18 years old

Question Type: Short Answer Questions
Answer Location: Paragraph A
Answer Explanation: According to the information in paragraph A, an 18-year-old girl emerged as the sole survivor of a plane crash that occurred in the Amazon jungle in 1971. Therefore, the accurate answer is indeed 18 years old, as explained in the text.

2 Answer: Biologist

Question Type: Short Answer Questions
Answer Location: Paragraph A
Answer Explanation: Paragraph A mentions that when someone visited the same girl 29 years later, she was no longer a biologist but was 46 years old. In a captivating and enthusiastic manner, she shared her incredible story on film. Therefore, the correct answer, as explained in the text, is not a biologist.

3 Answer: Storm/lightning

Question Type: Short Answer Questions
Answer Location: Paragraph B
Answer Explanation: According to paragraph B, this is the account of the only survivor. She describes how approximately half an hour into the flight, they encountered a terrifying storm with turbulent winds, and the plane was suddenly struck by lightning. This caused the plane to plummet into a nosedive. Therefore, as explained in the text, the correct answers are “storm” and “lightning.”

4 Answer: A

Question Type: Multiple Choice Question
Answer Location: Paragraph B
Answer Explanation: In accordance with paragraph B, when the plane was struck by lightning and caught in a severe storm, it disintegrated into multiple fragments. After a short interval, Juliane discovered herself in a free fall from an altitude of 30,000 feet. Thus, the accurate answer, as indicated in the text, is A.

5 Answer: D

Question Type: Multiple Choice Question
Answer Location: Paragraph C
Answer Explanation: Paragraph C explains that several factors contributed to slowing down Juliane’s fall. These factors included being attached to a row of seats, the influence of thunderclouds, and landing on a tangle of vines on the surface, which not only prevented severe injuries but also reduced her descent speed. Therefore, in accordance with the text, the correct answer is indeed D, as there was no mention of a parachute.

Tips for Answering the Question Types in Survivor From The Sky Reading Answers

Now let’s get started with the tips for each question type. It’ll help you understand how to approach the problem.

Short Answer Type Questions

1. Paraphrase and summarize: Rewrite the information from the passage in your own words while staying within the word limit. Be concise and accurate. Avoid copying entire sentences.
2. Scan the passage: Quickly skim through the passage to identify the relevant paragraph or section containing the information needed to answer the question. Pay attention to keywords and synonyms.
3. Read the instructions carefully: Start by reading the instructions for the short-answer questions. Ensure you understand the word limit and whether you need to use singular or plural forms.
4. Focus on question words: Look for question words like “who,” “what,” “when,” “where,” “why,” and “how.” These words will guide you in finding the specific information you need.
5. Check your spelling and grammar: Mistakes in spelling and grammar can cost you points, so review your answers for errors before moving on to the next question.

Multiple-Choice Questions

When we’re given a handful of options and each looks similar to each other then it might get tricky for one to answer it correctly. And, for that reason, we’ve outlined tips that’ll help you out for the same.

1. Pay attention to synonyms and paraphrasing: The answer choices may not use the exact same words as the passage but rather synonyms or paraphrases. Be on the lookout for these and be prepared to recognize them.
2. Skim the passage: Begin by skimming the passage to get a general idea of the content. Pay attention to headings, subheadings, and any formatting features that might signal the location of the answer.
3. Read the question first: Before you start reading the passage, quickly read the multiple-choice question. This will give you a specific focus as you read and help you identify relevant information more efficiently.
4. Eliminate wrong answers: Use the process of elimination to eliminate answer choices that are clearly incorrect. This can often be done by matching keywords from the question to the passage.
5. Don’t spend too much time on one question: If you’re struggling with a multiple-choice question, move on and come back to it later. It’s important to manage your time effectively to answer all questions within the allotted time.

Yes/No/Not Given

1. Focus on keywords: Identify the keywords in the statement and look for those exact words or synonyms in the passage.
2. Refer to the passage: For each statement, go back to the passage and carefully locate the relevant information. Pay close attention to the wording of the statement and compare it to the information in the passage.
3. Read the instructions carefully: Understand the difference between “YES,” “NO,” and “Not Given.” “True” means the information is directly stated in the passage, “False” means it contradicts the information in the passage, and “Not Given” means the information isn’t mentioned in the passage.
4. Beware of paraphrasing: Sometimes, the statement is paraphrased in the passage, so be vigilant about synonyms and rephrase sentences.
5. Watch out for distractors: The passage may contain information that seems related to the statement but isn’t directly addressing it. Don’t be tricked by these distractors; the answer should directly match the statement.

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