The Accidental Rainforest Reading Answers

Taking practice tests is great, but only practicing effectively will not be effective for scoring a band 9. Besides practising IELTS Reading practice tests like ‘The Accidental Rainforest Reading Answers’, you need to learn from your mistakes and apply proven strategies. 

In this blog, we go beyond just giving you IELTS Reading tests. You will learn how to review your answers and adjust your approach based on performance and given tips. 

Reading Passage for Electroreception Reading Answers

Go through The Accidental Rainforest IELTS Reading Answers passage given below and prepare yourself for the reading section with similar IELTS Academic Reading test papers with answers.

The Accidental Rainforest

According to ecological theory, rainforests are supposed to develop slowly over millions of years. But now ecologists are being forced to reconsider their ideas.

A When Peter Osbeck. a Swedish priest, stopped off at the mid-Atlantic island of Ascension in 1752 on his way home from China, he wrote of ‘a heap of ruinous rocks’ with a bare, white mountain in the middle. All it boasted was a couple of dozen species of plant, most of them ferns and some of them unique to the island.

B And so it might have remained. But in 1843 British plant collector Joseph Hooker made a brief call on his return from Antarctica. Surveying the bare earth, he concluded that the island had suffered some natural calamity that had denuded it of vegetation and triggered a decline in rainfall that was turning the place into a desert. The British Navy, which by then maintained a garrison on the island, was keen to improve the place and asked Hooker’s advice. He suggested an ambitious scheme for planting trees and shrubs that would revive rainfall and stimulate a wider ecological recovery. And, perhaps lacking anything else to do, the sailors set to with a will.

C In 1845, a naval transport ship from Argentina delivered a batch of seedlings. In the following years, more than 200 species of plant arrived from South Africa, from England came 700 packets of seeds, including those of two species that especially liked the place: bamboo and prickly pear. With sailors planting several thousand trees a year, the bare white mountain was soon cloaked in green and renamed Green Mountain, and by the early twentieth century the mountain’s slopes were covered with a variety of trees and shrubs from all over the world.

D Modern ecologists throw up their hands in horror at what they see as Hookers environmental anarchy. The exotic species wrecked the indigenous ecosystem, squeezing out the island’s endemic plants. In fact. Hooker knew well enough what might happen. However, he saw greater benefit in improving rainfall and encouraging more prolific vegetation on the island.

E But there is a much deeper issue here than the relative benefits of sparse endemic species versus luxuriant imported ones. And as botanist David Wilkinson of Liverpool John Moores University in the UK pointed out after a recent visit to the island, it goes to the heart of some of the most dearly held tenets of ecology. Conservationists’ understandable concern for the fate of Ascension’s handful of unique species has, he says, blinded them to something quite astonishing the fact that the introduced species have been a roaring success.

F Today’s Green Mountain, says Wilkinson, is ‘a fully functioning man-made tropical cloud forest’ that has grown from scratch from a ragbag of species collected more or less at random from all over the planet. But how could it have happened? Conventional ecological theory says that complex ecosystems such as cloud forests can emerge only through evolutionary processes in which each organism develops in concert with others to fill particular niches. Plants eo-evolve with their pollinators and seed dispersers, while microbes in the soil evolve to deal with the leaf litter.

G But that’s not what happened on Green Mountain. And the experience suggests that perhaps natural rainforests are constructed far more by chance than by evolution. Species, say some ecologists, don’t so much evolve to create ecosystems as make the best of what they have. ‘The Green Mountain system is a man-made system that has produced a tropical rainforest without any co-evolution between its constituent species,’ says Wilkinson.

H Not everyone agrees. Alan Gray, an ecologist at the University of Edinburgh in the UK. argues that the surviving endemic species on Green Mountain, though small in number, may still form the framework of the new ecosystem. The new arrivals may just be an adornment, with little structural importance for the ecosystem.

I But to Wilkinson this sounds like clutching at straws. And the idea of the instant formation of rainforests sounds increasingly plausible as research reveals that supposedly pristine tropical rainforests from the Amazon to south-east Asia may in places be little more titan the overgrown gardens of past rainforest civilisations.

J The most surprising thing of all is that no ecologists have thought to conduct proper research into this human-made rainforest ecosystem. A survey of the island’s flora conducted six years ago by the University of Edinburgh was concerned only with endemic species. They characterised everything else as a threat. And the Ascension authorities are currently turning Green Mountain into a national park where introduced species, at least the invasive ones, are earmarked for culling rather than conservation.

K Conservationists have understandable concerns, Wilkinson says. At least four endemic species have gone extinct on Ascension since the exotics started arriving. But in their urgency to protect endemics, ecologists are missing out on the study of a great enigma.

L As you walk through the forest, you see lots of leaves that have had chunks taken out of them by various insects. There are caterpillars and beetles around.’ says Wilkinson. ‘But where did they come from? Are they endemic or alien? If alien, did they come with the plant on which they feed or discover it on arrival?’ Such questions go to the heart of how- rainforests happen.

The Green Mountain forest holds many secrets. And the irony is that the most artificial rainforest in the world could tell us more about rainforest ecology than any number of natural forests.

Questions for The Accidental Rainforest Reading Answers 

There are 14 questions in The Accidental Rainforest IELTS Reading Answers, which showcase three different IELTS Reading question types. They are:

• IELTS Reading True/False/Not Given (Q. 1-6)
• IELTS Reading Matching Endings (Q. 7-11)
• IELTS Reading Multiple-Choice Questions (Q. 12-14)

Set a timer and complete these questions within the allotted time!

Questions 1-6

1 When Peter Osbeck visited Ascension, he found no inhabitants on the island.

2 The natural vegetation on the island contained some species which were found nowhere else.

3 Joseph Hooker assumed that human activity had caused the decline in the island’s plant life.

4 British sailors on the island took part in a major tree planting project.

5 Hooker sent details of his planting scheme to a number of different countries.

6 The bamboo and prickly pear seeds sent from England were unsuitable for Ascension.

Questions 7- 11

7  The reason for modern conservationists’ concern over Hooker’s tree planting programme is that

8  David Wilkinson says the creation of the rainforest in Ascension is important because it shows that

9  Wilkinson says the existence of Ascension’s rainforest challenges the theory that

10  Alan Gray questions Wilkinson’s theory, claiming that

11  Additional support for Wilkinson’s theory comes from findings that

A other rainforests may have originally been planted by man.

B many of the island’s original species were threatened with destruction.

C the species in the original rainforest were more successful than the newer arrivals.

D rainforests can only develop through a process of slow and complex evolution.

E  steps should be taken to prevent the destruction of the original ecosystem.

F  randomly introduced species can coexist together.

G  the introduced species may have less ecological significance than the original ones.

Questions 12-14

12 Wilkinson suggests that conservationists’ concern about the island is misguided because

A it is based on economic rather than environmental principles.

B it is not focusing on the most important question.

C it is encouraging the destruction of endemic species.

D it is not supported by the local authorities.

13 According to Wilkinson, studies of insects on the island could demonstrate

A the possibility of new ecological relationships.

B a future threat to the ecosystem of the island.

C the existence of previously unknown species.

D a chance for the survival of rainforest ecology.

14 Overall, what feature of the Ascension rainforest does the writer stress?

A the conflict of natural and artificial systems

B the unusual nature of its ecological structure

C the harm done by interfering with nature

D the speed and success of its development

The Accidental Rainforest IELTS Reading Answers with Location and Explanation

Use the answer key below to verify your answers for The Accidental Rainforest IELTS Reading passage. Make sure to create customized strategies from the feedback from the practice of this IELTS Reading recent actual test.

1 Answer: Not Given

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: N.A.

Answer explanation: Although there is a mention that Peter Osbeck visited Ascension in the first paragraph, there is no reference to whether he found no inhabitants on the island or not. Hence, the answer is Not Given.

2 Answer: True

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 2

Answer explanation: In the quoted line of Paragraph A, it is said that “All it boasted was a couple of dozen species of plant, most of them ferns and some of them unique to the island.” This points to the fact that the natural vegetation (a couple of dozen species of plant, most of them ferns) on the island contained some species which were found nowhere else (some of them unique to the island). Hence, the answer is True.

3 Answer: False

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 2

Answer explanation: In the highlighted line of Paragraph B, it is said that “Surveying the bare earth, he concluded that the island had suffered some natural calamity…” This proves the fact that the statement contradicts the information that the island had suffered a natural calamity and not human activity that had caused the decline in the island’s plant life. Hence, the answer is False.

4 Answer: True

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 3 – line 4

Answer explanation: Paragraph B explains that “The British Navy, which by then maintained a garrison on the island, was keen to improve the place and asked Hooker’s advice. He suggested an ambitious scheme for planting trees…”. It is clear from Paragraph B that British sailors on the island took part in a major tree planting project following Hooker’s advice. Hence, the answer is True.

5 Answer: Not Given

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: N.A.

Answer explanation: Since there is no information about Hooker sending his planting scheme to different countries, the answer is Not Given.

6 Answer: False

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph C, line 2 – line 3

Answer explanation: The quoted lines say that “…more than 200 species of plant arrived from South Africa, from England came 700 packets of seeds, including those of two species that especially liked the place: bamboo and prickly pear. With sailors planting several thousand trees a year, the bare white mountain was soon cloaked in green …”. As it is clear that the bamboo and prickly pear seeds changed the bare mountain into green,which proves that these seeds were suitable, the answer is False.

7 Answer: B

Question type: Matching Sentence Endings

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 1- line 2

Answer explanation: The selected lines say that “Modern ecologists throw up their hands in horror at what they see as Hookers environmental anarchy. The exotic species wrecked the indigenous ecosystem, squeezing out the island’s endemic plants.” This tells us that modern conservationists’ reaction (throw up their hands in horror) over Hooker’s tree planting programme is that the introduction of the exotic species had destroyed the original (indigenous) species of the island. Hence, the answer is B (many of the island’s original species were threatened with destruction).

8 Answer: F

Question type: Matching Sentence Endings

Answer location: Paragraph E, line 2 – line 3

Answer explanation: In the quoted lines of Paragraph E, it is said that “And as botanist David Wilkinson of Liverpool John Moores University in the UK pointed out after a recent visit to the island, … astonishing the fact that the introduced species have been a roaring success.” This points to the fact that David Wilkinson says the creation of the rainforest in Ascension is important because it shows that randomly introduced species can coexist together and made the process a roaring success). Hence, the answer is F (randomly introduced species can coexist together).

9 Answer: D

Question type: Matching Sentence Endings

Answer location: Paragraph F, line 3

Answer explanation: In the highlighted line of Paragraph F, it is said that “Conventional ecological theory says that complex ecosystems such as cloud forests can emerge only through evolutionary processes in which each organism develops in concert with others to fill particular niches.” This proves the fact that according to conventional theory, rainforests develop through a process of slow and complex evolution and since Wilkinson mentions that Green Mountain is a fully functioning man-made forest, it means that he is opposing the conventional theory. Hence, the answer is D (rainforests can only develop through a process of slow and complex evolution).

10 Answer: G

Question type: Matching Sentence Endings

Answer location: Paragraph H, line 2 – line 3

Answer explanation: In the emphasized lines of Paragraph F, it is explained that “Alan Gray, an ecologist at the University of Edinburgh in the UK. … surviving endemic species on Green Mountain, though small in number, may still form the framework of the new ecosystem. The new arrivals may just be an adornment, with little structural importance for the ecosystem.” It is clear Alan Gray is of the opinion that the original species of the island is the framework, while the new ones have less ecological significance than the original ones (adornments). Hence, the answer is G (the introduced species may have less ecological significance than the original ones).

11 Answer: A

Question type: Matching Sentence Endings

Answer location: Paragraph I, line 2

Answer explanation: In Paragraph I, it is said that “…research reveals that supposedly pristine tropical rainforests from the Amazon to south-east Asia may in places be little more titan the overgrown gardens of past rainforest civilisations.”. In this way, it is shown that the rainforests in Amazon and south-east Asia are actually ‘overgrown gardens of past rainforest civilisations’, i.e., they have originally been planted by man. Hence, the answer is A (other rainforests may have originally been planted by man).

12 Answer: B

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Paragraph K, line 3

Answer explanation: The specified line of Paragraph K says that “But in their urgency to protect endemics, ecologists are missing out on the study of a great enigma.”. As it is clear that Wilkinson believes that the conservationists (ecologists) are not focusing on the most important question (missing out on the study of a great enigma) and is therefore misguided, the answer is B.

13 Answer: A

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Paragraph L, line 2 – line 6

Answer explanation: The given lines of Paragraph L say that “There are caterpillars and beetles around.’ says Wilkinson. … Such questions go to the heart of how- rainforests happen.”. It is clear that the questions asked about the insects in these lines by Wilkinson can help us learn about the rainforests and the possibility of new ecological relationships. Hence, the answer is A.

14 Answer: D

Question type: Multiple Choice Question

Answer location: Whole passage

Answer explanation: Even though all the points given in the questions are discussed in the passage, the lines – According to ecological theory, rainforests are supposed to develop slowly over millions of years. But now ecologists are being forced to reconsider their ideas. – in the beginning of the passage, the writer stresses on the speed and success of the development of the rainforest. In other words, in this passage the conventional idea that rainforests grow slowly has been opposed and proved with the example of the Green Mountain forests. Hence, the answer is D.

Tips for Answering the Question Types in The Accidental Rainforest Reading Answers

Now that you have the answers to The Accidental Rainforest Reading Answers with location, here are some IELTS exam preparation tips for band score of 8+ and for answering questions from the passage.

True/False/Not Given

Unlike IELTS Reading Yes/No/Not Given questions in IELTS Reading, the ‘True, False, Not Given’ questions are based on facts, not opinions. Several factual statements will be provided to you, and it is up to you to determine whether or not they are accurate by reading the text.

To answer this type of question, you can use the following strategies:

• Read the question and identify the keywords - Before reading the material, have a look at your list of True, False, and Not Given questions. 
• Scan the passage for synonyms or paraphrased words of the keywords - When you have highlighted the keywords, swiftly read the text to look for paraphrases or synonyms.
• Match the highlighted words in the questions with their synonyms in the text - Once you find both sets of keywords, cross-check them to find the answer.
• Identify the answer - If the facts match, the answer is TRUE, and in case it doesn’t match, it is FALSE. If you are unable to find the answer or unsure of it, mark it NOT GIVEN.

Matching Sentence Endings

• Read the Sentence Beginnings Carefully First: Focus on grammar and meaning. Understand what kind of information is needed to complete the sentence logically. Identify keywords in the beginnings that you can scan for in the text.
• Skim the Passage for General Context: Before looking at endings, skim the passage to get a general idea of where each topic is discussed. Note that sentence beginnings usually follow the same order as the passage (i.e., top to bottom).
• Use Keywords to Locate the Relevant Part of the Text: Return to the passage and scan for the keywords (or synonyms/paraphrased versions) from the sentence beginnings. Focus on the surrounding sentences to understand the full meaning.
• Read All Sentence Endings Before Matching: Read through all the options before matching. Eliminate endings that are grammatically incorrect or don’t make sense when added to certain beginnings. 
• Be aware of distractors: Some endings may sound grammatically right but don’t match the logic or facts in the passage.
• Match Meaning, Not Just Vocabulary: The beginning and ending must match in meaning, not just in words. Avoid being tricked by repeated words from the passage that are out of context.
• Test Each Pair for Grammar and Logic: After identifying a possible match, read the full sentence out loud (in your head).
• Avoid Guessing Based on Familiar Phrases: IELTS often includes plausible-sounding phrases that are actually incorrect. Only choose an ending if you can prove it from the passage.
• Eliminate Obvious Wrong Options: Start by crossing out any endings that clearly cannot fit any beginning (grammatically or contextually). Narrowing down choices makes matching easier.

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. So, while practicing, learn how to ace IELTS Reading with keyword technique.
• Try opting for the elimination method mostly.
• Find the best option by matching the meaning rather than just the keywords.

To learn more, check how to solve Multiple Choice Question types in IELTS Reading.

In summary, consistent practice with IELTS Reading passages helps you become more familiar with question types, improves your reading speed, and strengthens your ability to locate key information, all of which are essential for achieving a high IELTS band score.

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