The Awesome Banana- IELTS Reading Answers

The ‘The Awesome Banana’ Academic Reading passage is a good resource for anyone who is preparing for IELTS Academic Reading. 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 ‘The Awesome Banana’ 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:

• IELTS Reading Sentence Completion (Q. 1-4)
• IELTS Reading Matching Features (Q. 5-10)
• IELTS True/False/Not Given (Q. 11-13)

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

Reading Passage

The Awesome Banana

A. The world’s favorite fruit could disappear forever in 10 years time. The banana is among the world’s oldest crops. Agricultural scientists believe that the first edible banana was discovered around ten thousand years ago. It has been at an evolutionary standstill ever since it was first propagated in the jungles of Southeast Asia at the end of the last ice age. Normally the wild banana, a giant jungle herb called Musa acuminate, contains a mass of hard seeds that make the fruit virtually inedible. But now and then, hunter-gatherers must have discovered rare mutant plants that produced seedless, edible fruits. Geneticists now know that the vast majority of these soft-fruited plants resulted from genetic accidents that gave their cells three copies of each chromosome instead of the usual two. This imbalance prevents seeds and pollen from developing normally, rendering the mutant plants sterile. And that is why some scientists believe the world’s most popular fruit could be doomed. It lacks the genetic diversity to fight off pests and diseases that are invading the banana plantations of Central America and the small holdings of Africa and Asia alike.

B. In some ways, the banana today resembles the potato before blight brought famine to Ireland a century and a half ago. But “it holds a lesson for other crops, too”, says Emile Frison, top banana at the International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain in Montpellier, France. “The state of the banana”, Frison warns, “can teach a broader lesson that the increasing standardization of food crops around the world is threatening their ability to adapt and survive.”

C. The first Stone Age plant breeders cultivated these sterile freaks by replanting cuttings from their stems. And the descendants of those original cuttings are the bananas we still eat today. Each is a virtual clone, almost devoid of genetic diversity. And that uniformity makes it ripe for a disease like no other crop on Earth. Traditional varieties of sexually reproducing crops have always had a much broader genetic base, and the genes will recombine in new arrangements in each generation. This gives them much greater flexibility in evolving responses to disease – and far more genetic resources to draw on in the face of an attack. But that advantage is fading fast, as growers increasingly plant the same few, high-yielding varieties. Plant breeders work feverishly to maintain resistance in these standardized crops. Should these efforts falter, yields of even the most productive crop could swiftly crash. “When some pest or disease comes along, severe epidemics can occur,” says Geoff Hawtin, director of the Rome-based International Plant Genetic Resources Institute.

D. The banana is an excellent case in point. Until the 1950s, one variety, the Gros Michel, dominated the world’s commercial banana business. Found by French botanists in Asian the 1820s, the Gros Michel was by all accounts a fine banana, richer and sweeter than today’s standard banana and without the latter’s bitter aftertaste when green. However, it was vulnerable to a soil fungus that produced wilt known as Panama disease. “Once the fungus gets into the soil it remains there for many years. There is nothing farmers can do. Even chemical spraying won’t get rid of it,” says Rodomiro Ortiz, director of the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture in Ibadan, Nigeria. So plantation owners played a running game, abandoning infested fields and moving so “clean” land – until they ran out of clean land in the 1950s and Had to abandon the Gros Michel. Its successor and still the reigning commercial king is the Cavendish banana, a 19th-century British discovery from southern China. The Cavendish is resistant to Panama disease and, as a result, it literally saved the international banana industry. During the 1960s, it replaced the Gros Michel on supermarket shelves. If you buy a banana today, it is almost certainly a Cavendish. But even so, it is a minority in the world’s banana crop.

E. Half a billion people in Asia and Africa depend on bananas. Bananas provide the largest source of calories and are eaten daily. Its name is synonymous with food. But the day of reckoning may be coming for the Cavendish and its indigenous kin. Another fungal disease, black Sigatoka, has become a global epidemic since its first appearance in Fiji in 1963. Left to itself, black Sigatoka – which causes brown wounds on leaves and premature fruit ripening – cuts fruit yields by 50 to 70 per cent and reduces the productive lifetime of banana plants from 30 years to as little as 2 or 3. Commercial growers keep Sigatoka at bay by a massive chemical assault. Forty sprayings of fungicide a year is typical. But despite the fungicides, diseases such as black Sigatoka are getting more and more difficult to control. “As soon as you bring in a new fungicide, they develop resistance,” says Frison. “One thing we can be sure of is that the Sigatoka won’t lose in this battle.” Poor farmers, who cannot afford chemicals, have it even worse. They can do little more than watch their plants die. “Most of the banana fields in Amazonia have already been destroyed by the disease,” says Luadir Gasparotto, Brazil’s leading banana pathologist with the government research agency EMBRAPA. Production is likely to fall by 70 percent as the disease spreads, he predicts. The only option will be to find a new variety.

F. But how? Almost all edible varieties are susceptible to diseases, so growers cannot simply change to a different banana. With most crops, such a threat would unleash an army of breeders, scouring the world for resistant relatives whose traits they can breed into commercial varieties. Not so with the banana. Because all edible varieties are sterile, bringing in new genetic traits to help cope with pests and diseases is nearly impossible. Nearly, but not totally. Very rarely, a sterile banana will experience a genetic accident that allows an almost normal seed to develop, giving breeders a tiny window for improvement. Breeders at the Honduran Foundation of Agricultural Research have tried to exploit this to create disease-resistant varieties. Further backcrossing with wild bananas yielded a new seedless banana resistant to both black Sigatoka and Panama disease.

G. Neither Western supermarket consumers nor peasant growers like the new hybrid. Some accuse it of tasting more like an apple than a banana. Not surprisingly, the majority of plant breeders have till now turned their backs on the banana and got to work on easier plants. And commercial banana companies are now washing their hands of the whole breeding effort, preferring to fund a search for new fungicides instead. “We supported a breeding programme for 40 years, but it wasn’t able to develop an alternative to Cavendish. It was very expensive and we got nothing back,” says Ronald Romero, head of research at Chiquita, one of the Big Three companies that dominate the international banana trade.

H. Last year, a global consortium of scientists led by Frison announced plans to sequence the banana genome within five years. It would be the first edible fruit to be sequenced. Well, almost edible. The group will actually be sequencing inedible wild bananas from East Asia because many of these are resistant to black Sigatoka. If they can pinpoint the genes that help these wild varieties to resist black Sigatoka, the protective genes could be introduced into laboratory tissue cultures of cells from edible varieties. These could then be propagated into new, resistant plants and passed on to farmers.

I. It sounds promising, but the big banana companies have, until now, refused to get involved in GM research for fear of alienating their customers. “Biotechnology is extremely expensive and there are serious questions about consumer acceptance,” says David McLaughlin, Chiquita’s senior director for environmental affairs. With scant funding from the companies, the banana genome researchers are focusing on the other end of the spectrum. Even if they can identify the crucial genes, they will be a long way from developing new varieties that smallholders will find suitable and affordable. But whatever biotechnology’s academic interest, it is the only hope for the banana. Without banana production worldwide will head into a tailspin. We may even see the extinction of the banana as both a lifesaver for hungry and impoverished Africans and as the most popular product on the world’s supermarket shelves.

Question 1-3

1. The banana was first eaten as a fruit by humans almost …………………… years ago.
2. The banana was first planted in …………………….
3. Wild banana’s taste is adversely affected by its ……………………

Question 4-10

4. A Pest invasion may seriously damage the banana industry.
5. The effect of fungal infection in the soil is often long-lasting.
6. A commercial manufacturer gave up on breeding bananas for disease-resistant species.
7. The banana disease may develop resistance to chemical sprays
8. A banana disease has destroyed a large number of banana plantations.
9. Consumers would not accept genetically altered crops.
10. Lessons can be learned from bananas for other crops.

List of People

1. Rodomiro
2. David Mclaughlin
3. Emile Frison
4. Ronald Romero
5. Lauder Gasparotto
6. Geoff Hawtin

Questions 11-13

11. Banana is the oldest known fruit.
12. Gros Michel is still being used as a commercial product.
13. Banana is the main food in some countries.

Answer For The Awesome Banana IELTS Reading Answers with Location and Explanations

Check out the answer key for this IELTS Reading passage, The Awesome Banana, with detailed explanations.

1. Answer: ten-thousand

Question type: Sentence Completion

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 2

Answer explanation: The 2nd line of paragraph A states that agricultural scientists believe that the first edible banana was discovered around ten thousand years ago. These lines indicate that the first edible banana was discovered over 10 thousand years ago. As a result, the banana was first eaten as a fruit by humans almost ten thousand years ago. Thus, the answer is ten thousand.

2. Answer: South-East Asia

Question type: Sentence Completion

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 3

Answer explanation: Paragraph A states that the first banana eaten by humans was almost ten thousand years ago. In the 3rd line, it is mentioned that it has been at an evolutionary standstill ever since it was first propagated in the jungles of South-East Asia at the end of the last ice age. We can deduce from these lines that the first bananas were spread and promoted in the jungles of South-East Asia at the end of the ice age. Thus, the banana was first planted in South-East Asia. So, the answer is Southeast Asia.

3. Answer: hard seeds

Question type: Sentence completion

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 4

Answer explanation: Paragraph A reveals that the banana was first eaten as a fruit by humans almost ten thousand years ago, and it was first planted in SouthEast Asia. In the 4th line, it is stated that normally the wild banana, a giant jungle herb called Musa acuminata, contains a mass of hard seeds that make the fruit virtually inedible. These lines indicate that the wild banana contains a mass of hard seed due to which it becomes inedible. Thus, the taste of wild bananas is adversely affected by their hard seeds. So, the answer is hard seeds.

4. Answer: F

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph C, last line

Answer explanation: The last line of paragraph C illustrates Geoff Hawtin, director of the Rome-based International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, saying that when some pest or disease comes along, severe epidemics can occur. These lines indicate that it was Geoff Hawtin who claimed that the pest invasion may seriously damage the banana industry. Thus, the answer is F. Geoff Hawtin.

5. Answer: A

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph D, line 4

Answer explanation: In the 4th line of paragraph D, Rodomiro Ortiz, director of the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture in Ibadan, Nigeria, states that once the fungus gets into the soil it remains there for many years. There is nothing farmers can do. Even chemical spraying won’t get rid of it. These lines reveal Rodomiro saying that the farmers cannot do anything when the fungus gets into the soil as it remains for many years and even chemical spraying will not be helpful. Thus, the effect of fungal infection in the soil is often long-lasting as Rodomrio claimed. So, the answer is A.

6. Answer: D

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph G, line 2

Answer explanation: The 2nd line of paragraph G illustrates that the majority of plant breeders have turned their backs on the banana and got to work on easier plants. And commercial banana companies are now washing their hands of the whole breeding effort, preferring to fund a search for new fungicides instead. “We supported a breeding program for 40 years, but it wasn’t able to develop an alternative to Cavendish. It was very expensive and we got nothing back,” says Ronald Romero. These lines suggest that nobody liked the new hybrid. They accused the hybrid bananas of tasting more like an apple. The majority of breeders turned their back on bananas, while the commercial companies washed their hands of the breeding effort, preferring to fund a search for new fungicides. Thus, Ronald Romero states that commercial manufacturers gave up on banana breeding for disease-resistant species. Thus, the answer is D.

7. Answer: C

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph B, last line

Answer explanation: The last line of paragraph B illustrates Emile Frison, who works at the International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain in Montpellier, France. “The state of the banana”, Frison warns, “can teach a broader lesson: the increasing standardization of food crops around the world is threatening their ability to adapt and survive.” We can deduce from these lines that Emile Frison who works at the International Network for the improvements of banana and plantain states that resistance can be seen due to the banana disease against the chemical sprays. Thus, the answer is C.

8. Answer: E

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph E, line 8

Answer explanation: In the 8th line of paragraph E, Luadir Gasparotto, Brazil’s leading banana pathologist with the government research agency EMBRAPA, stated that one thing they can be sure of is that the Sigatoka won’t lose in this battle.” Poor farmers, who cannot afford chemicals, have it even worse. They can do little more than watch their plants die. “Most of the banana fields in Amazonia have already been destroyed by the disease. These lines suggest Luadir saying that the majority of banana fields have already died in Amazonia and the disease has already caused decay in numerous banana plantations in Amazonia. Thus, Luadir revealed that a banana disease destroyed a large number of banana plantations. So, the answer is E.

9. Answer: B

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph I

Answer explanation: In paragraph I, David McLaughlin, Chiquita’s senior director for environmental affairs, says that biotechnology is extremely expensive and there are serious questions about consumer acceptance. We can understand from these lines that David said that the customers will not accept genetically modified crops and GM research is thus scared to involve in research. So, the answer is B.

10. Answer: C

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph B

Answer explanation: The initial lines of paragraph B states that in some ways, the banana today resembles the potato before blight brought famine to Ireland a century and a half ago. But “it holds a lesson for other crops, too”, says Emile Frison, who works at the International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain in Montpellier, France. These lines indicate Emilie saying that lessons can be learned from bananas for other crops (potato). Thus, the answer is C.

11. Answer: Not Given

Question type: True/False/ Not Given

Answer location: NA

Answer explanation: Paragraph A states that the world’s favorite fruit could disappear forever in 10 years’ time. The banana is among the world’s oldest crops. Although these lines reveal that the banana is among the world’s oldest crops, it’s not mentioned anywhere that the banana is the oldest known fruit. Thus, the answer is Not Given.

12. Answer: False

Question type: True/False/ Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph D

Answer explanation: The initial lines of Paragraph D states that the banana is an excellent case in point. Until the 1950s, one variety, the Gros Michel, dominated the world’s commercial banana business. Found by French botanists in Asia in the 1820s, the Gros Michel was by all accounts a fine banana, richer and sweeter than today’s standard banana and without the latte’s bitter aftertaste when green. But it was vulnerable to a soil fungus that produced wilt known as Panama disease. We can understand from these lines that Gros Michel was used as a commercial product only until the 1950s. As a result, the statement contradicts the information as Gros Michel is not being used as a commercial product. So, the answer is False.

13. Answer: True

Question type: True/False/Not Given

Answer location: Paragraph E

Answer explanation: The introductory lines of paragraph E reveals that half a billion people in Asia and Africa depend on bananas. Bananas provide the largest source of calories and are eaten daily. Its name is synonymous with food. These lines indicate that the banana is the main food in some countries (Asia and Africa) as it is a rich source of nutrition and is one of the oldest known crops. Thus, the statement agrees with the information, so, the answer is True.

Tips for Answering the Question Types in The Awesome Banana Reading Answers

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

Summary Completion

Fill in the sentences with keywords hidden in the reading passages with the following tips as they’ll come in handy for your preparation.

• Read the sentence carefully: Begin by reading the sentence with the gap or blank. Try to understand the context and the type of word that should fit the gap (e.g., noun, verb, adjective).

• Look for clues: Scan the surrounding sentences for clues that can help you determine the missing word. Sometimes, the sentence structure or the words nearby can provide hints.

• Identify grammatical clues: Pay attention to the grammar of the sentence. If the sentence requires a verb, make sure you choose a verb form that fits the context. The same goes for nouns, adjectives, and other parts of speech.

• Use your vocabulary: Draw on your vocabulary to come up with a suitable word for the gap. Ensure that the word you choose makes sense in the context of the sentence.

• Check for coherence: After you’ve filled in the gap, read the entire sentence to ensure that it flows naturally and makes sense. The completed sentence should be grammatically correct and logically coherent.

Matching Information

Retrieve the required information from the reading passages with the help of these invaluable tips that you can leverage to get a better score in IELTS exam. Check out the tips below:

• Read the instructions carefully: Before you start, make sure you understand what you need to match. Sometimes, you’ll be asked to match headings to paragraphs or statements to sections, so be clear on the task.

• Skim the passage: Quickly read through the passage to get a general sense of the content and layout. This will help you identify where the information you need might be located.

• Use keywords: Look for keywords or key phrases in the question and the passage. These words are often repeated or paraphrased in the text and can guide you to the correct answer.

• Underline or highlight: As you find information that matches the question, underline or highlight it in the passage. This will make it easier to refer back to when answering the questions.

• Check for synonyms: Be aware of synonyms and paraphrases. Sometimes, the exact words from the question may not appear in the passage, but similar words or phrases will. Keep an eye out for these.

True/False/Not Given

Check whether the given sentences are real or not in nature. Do a thorough reading to find out the necessary information. Below mentioned are some important pointers that’ll help you achieve a high IELTS reading band score:

• Read the instructions carefully: Understand the difference between “True,” “False,” 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.

• 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.

• Beware of paraphrasing: Sometimes, the statement is paraphrased in the passage, so be vigilant about synonyms and rephrase sentences.

• Focus on keywords: Identify the keywords in the statement and look for those exact words or synonyms in the passage.

• 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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