Zoo Conservation Programmes – IELTS Reading Answers

16 Answer: YES

Question Type: Yes/ No/Not Given Questions

Answer location: Paragraph 1, line 1

Answer explanation: In the first paragraph, the writer brings up the fact that “London Zoo’s recent advertisements” – ‘Without zoos, you might as well tell these animals to get stuffed’ – ‘distort reality’ (gives a misleading idea of the real issue) about conservation of endangered species of animals, and thereby, are ‘dishonest’. Hence, the answer is that the statement agrees with the views of the author.

17 Answer: YES

Question Type: Yes/ No/Not Given Questions

Answer location: Paragraph 2, line 1

Answer explanation: In the second paragraph it is mentioned that zoos were originally created as ‘places of entertainment.’ As a result, their serious ‘suggested involvement’ (insignificant contribution) with conservation did not arise ‘until about 30 years later.’ Hence, the answer is that the statement agrees with the views of the author.

18 Answer: NOT GIVEN

Question Type: Yes/ No/Not Given Questions

Answer location: Paragraph 2, last line

Answer explanation: The only mention of Eastern Europe in the passage is in the third paragraph when the writer says ‘I found that, in a year of working in Eastern Europe, I discover fresh zoos on almost a weekly basis.’ So, any discussion relating to the WZCS document and Eastern Europe is not given.

19 Answer: NO

Question Type: Yes/ No/Not Given Question

Answer location: Paragraph 4, line 2

Answer explanation: The fourth paragraph discusses the second flaw of the WZCS, which is a ‘naive faith it places in its1,000 zoos.’ It is stated that WZCR is an important document (second paragraph), and so one would ‘assume that the calibre of the zoos’ would have been ‘carefully examined’ (inspected). But the reality is that ‘a member of a zoo federation or association’ can become a part of the ‘select list’. So, there is a doubt if the zoos are carefully inspected before placing them on the list. Hence, the statement contradicts the writer.

20 Answer: NO

Question Type: Yes/No/Not Given Question

Answer location: Paragraph 5, line 1

Answer explanation: The first sentence of the fifth paragraph begins with the idea that sometimes members of the WZCS are ‘roundly censured in the national press.’ One such example is the Robin Hill Adventure Park on the Isle of Wight (second sentence). For many years, it was protected by the local council in spite of having a ‘notorious’ reputation, until it was closed ‘following a damning report by a veterinary inspector appointed under the terms of the Zoo Licensing Act, 1981’ (sixth sentence). So, people knew about the condition of the animals in the Robin Hill Adventure Park. Hence, the statement contradicts the writer.

21 Answer: NO

Question Type: Yes/No/Not Given Question

Answer location: Paragraph 6, line 3

Answer explanation: In the sixth paragraph, it is said that Colin Tudge argues ‘if the zoos worked together in cooperative breeding programmes, then even without further expansion they could save around 2,000 species of endangered land vertebrates.’ According to the writer of this passage, this argument of Tudge seems to be ‘an extremely optimistic proposition’, and there is no sense of dissatisfaction. Hence, the statement contradicts the writer.

22 Answer: YES

Question Type: Yes/No/Not Given Questions

Answer location: Paragraph 7, line 1

Answer explanation: In the seventh paragraph, the writer informs that saving ‘approximately 16 species’ (successful) by the captive breeding programme ‘can hardly be looked upon as resounding successes’ (unsatisfactory). Moreover, it is added that, given that the international zoo conference at London Zoo was held 30 years ago, it is ‘a pretty slow progress’ and ‘had a long way off Tudge’s target of 2000’.

23 Answer: B

Question Type: Multiple Choice Questions

Answer location: Paragraph 3, line 1

Answer explanation: In the third paragraph, the estimate of the WZCR is given, which ‘identifies’ 1,000 zoos out of 10,000 zoos in the world, which represent ‘a core quality collections’ and are capable of participating in ‘coordinated conservation programmes.’ Here, ‘identifies’, ‘zoo’ and ‘conservation’ are the keywords.

24 Answer: C

Question Type: Multiple Choice Questions

Answer location: Paragraph 4, line 1

Answer explanation: If you read through, a line in the said paragraph discusses the second flaw (weakness) of the WZCR document, which is ‘naive faith it places in its 1,000 core zoos’. So, in spite of being in the ‘select list’, the Robin Hill Adventure Park, had a ‘notorious’ reputation and was closed ‘following a damning report by a veterinary inspector appointed under the terms of the Zoo Licensing Act, 1981’. Hence, the example of Robin Hill Adventure Park shows a weakness in the document.

25 Answer: A

Question Type: Multiple Choice Questions

Answer location: Paragraph 7, line 1

Answer explanation: Few lines in the said paragraph convey that, the writer informs that saving ‘approximately 16 species’ by the captive breeding programme ‘can hardly be looked upon’ (disbelieving) as ‘resounding successes’. Moreover, he added that, given that the international zoo conference at London Zoo was held 30 years ago, it is ‘a pretty slow progress’ and ‘had a long way off Tudge’s target of 2000’. Here, the writer is uncertain about the slow progress compared to what Tudge had targeted.

26 Answer: A (A/D/E: in any order)

Question Type: Multiple Choice Questions

Answer location: Paragraph 6, line 3

Answer explanation: In the sixth paragraph, the writer mentions that there are 1,000 core zoos that are ‘of high standard’ but even asks what is their ‘potential for conservation.’ He further mentions that Tudge’s argument – ‘if the zoos worked together in cooperative breeding programmes,’ then even without further expansion they could save around 2,000 species of endangered land vertebrates- points out that there is a lack of cooperation among the zoos. As a result, the zoos remain unregistered. Tudge argues about this even when he is ‘aware of failings and weaknesses of the zoo industry’ and had to persuade the London Zoo ‘to devote more of its activities to conservation.’

27 Answer: D (A/D/E: in any order)

Question Type: Multiple Choice Questions

Answer location: Paragraph 4, line 1

Answer explanation: The fourth paragraph discusses the second flaw of the WZCS, that is a ‘naive faith it places in its 1,000 zoos’. It is stated that WZCR is an important document and welcome document, one would ‘assume that the calibre of the zoos would have been carefully examined’. But the reality is that only ‘a member of a zoo federation or association’ can become a part of the ‘select list’ and the facts mentioned in the document ‘don’t support the theory.’ There are some ‘dubious members’ like the Robin Hill Adventure Park. Thus, the author highlights that the WZCS had failed to examine the standards of the ‘core zoos.’

28 Answer: E (A/D/E: in any order)

Question Type: Multiple Choice Questions

Answer location: Paragraph 7, last line

Answer explanation: In the seventh paragraph, the writer informs that saving ‘approximately 16 species’ (number of species saved to date) by the captive breeding programme ‘can hardly be looked upon’ as ‘resounding successes.’ Moreover, he added that, given that the international zoo conference at London Zoo was held 30 years ago, it is ‘a pretty slow progress’ and ‘had a long way off Tudge’s target of 2000’ (unrealistic aim). So, the aim mentioned in the WZCS seems to be unrealistic now when compared to the actual number of species (16) that have been saved.