Table of Contents
BEST IELTS Academic Reading Test 489
IELTS ACADEMIC READING TEST 489 – PASSAGE – 1
IELTS ACADEMIC READING TEST – 489
READING PASSAGE – 1
THE RING TAILED LEMUR
A. One of the most loved animals found in zoos is the ring-tailed lemur, noted for its long, black and white ringed tail. The popularity of the animal soared after it was featured as a main character in a series of animated films that have appeared in cinemas globally since 2005. Known scientifically as lemur catta, with the latter half of its scientific name referring to its supposed resemblance to the domestic cat, the species hails from the island of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.
In the local language of Malagasy, the ring- tailed lemur is also known as the maky or hira. Although thriving in captivity, the lemur wild population numbers are experiencing a downward trend, as is the case with other species endemic to the island.
IELTS Academic Reading Test
B. The ring-tailed lemur’s most distinctive feature is its tail, which can grow up to 60cm long and can have as many as 13 alternately coloured rings of fur. The lemur’s face, hands, and feet are predominantly white, but the face is characterised by dark triangular patches surrounding the eyes and nose. The body of the ring-tailed lemur is usually grey or dark brown in colour , with white undersides, completing the recognisable look, whereas the exposed skin, which can be easily seen on the feet, hands, and face, is dark, almost black, in colour.
The ring-tailed lemur is fairly small in comparison to many mammals, weighing in at around 2.2kg, but this is relatively large compared to other lemur species. The ring-tailed lemur is mostly spotted during the day, as this is when it is most active and it can often be seen sunbathing.
IELTS Academic Reading Test
C. Due to the isolated geographical location of Madagascar, the island is home to a rich diversity of unique animal and plant species and the ring-tailed lemur has made the island, as well as a few neighbouring islands, its home. The lemur appears to have settled in the south-eastern corner of the island and tends to prefer forested areas, but has been known to explore wider, open spaces. The animal strongly prefers gallery forests, which are those that form along riverbanks, but rainforests and tropical forests also provide habitats.
D. Communication between ring-tailed lemurs has provided a rich topic for study, as it is one of the most vocal primates. Scientists have classified a variety of calls used for different purposes. For example, a barking sound alerts the group to danger, whereas a howl, which can be heard kilometres away, represents a marking of territory.
In addition to auditory communication, the ring-tailed lemur communicates with facial expressions, and again, scientists have been able to identify different functions. These include different ways of baring the teeth, or the movement of eyebrows to indicate friendliness or aggression. Lemurs also communicate through scent marking, and the ring-tailed lemur is no different. Scent is sprayed either to show dominance over a territory or in aggression during a fight.
IELTS Academic Reading Test
E. Fights over territory are most often performed by dominant females within the group, which is also known as a troop. In fact, the troop is largely controlled by females, who take hierarchical precedence when feeding or leading the group. The social group generally consists of between 3 and 25 lemurs, averaging around 17 animals, usually headed by one dominant female.
However, this does not mean that males have no ranking; the male hierarchy relies on age, whereas female hierarchy is usually based on dominant fighting ability. This means that daughters of the dominant females are not automatically promoted to a higher position but will have to fight to reach the top. Females tend to stay in the group into which they are born, but males change troops on a regular basis and it is not unusual for male lemurs to return to troops they have left.
IELTS Academic Reading Test
F. Intelligence in primates has long been a focus of studies, especially their ability to use and create tools. Observations of ring-tailed lemurs in the wild have not revealed any evidence of tool use or tool making, but studies carried out at the Myakka City reserve in Madagascar found that lemurs were able to use some tools if they were trained to do so. Research continues into the cognitive ability of the ring-tailed lemur, but attempts are being hampered by the challenges of studying animals in isolation from their social groups.
G. While the ring-tailed lemur is surviving well in captivity, its wild population is suffering. According to research, 95% of the wild population has disappeared since 2000. In 2017, it was reported that there were around 2,000 lemurs left in the wild. The species has been listed as endangered since 1977, but now it is likely to be listed as critically endangered because of the decline in numbers. The main reason for this population loss is habitat destruction and deforestation by humans.
IELTS Academic Reading Test
It has been estimated that 90% of original forests in Madagascar have been lost due to logging, mining, and conversion to agricultural land. In addition to this, drought severely affects parts of the island and this has devastated the lemur population, with infants and females particularly at risk. Another reason for the decline in population is the hunting of the species for food or for the illegal pet trade. However, with the increase in popularity of ecotourism, essential knowledge is being provided to local residents, enabling them to care for this species and other unique animals and plants.
Questions 1-6
Reading Passage 1 has seven paragraphs, A-G.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A-G, in boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
1. A change in conservation classification
2. A reference to the role of smell in lemur behaviour
3. A reason why lemurs are popular
4. An explanation of noises made by the lemur
5. A description of lemurs’ chosen living spaces
6. A summary of how the ring-tailed lemur society functions
IELTS Academic Reading Test
Questions 7-10
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
7. What other animal do ring-tailed lemurs look like?
8. In addition to its limbs, where else can dark skin be observed on the lemur?
9. Where are the lemur-preferred forests located in south-eastern Madagascar?
10. What sounds do lemurs make to mark their territory?
IELTS Academic Reading Test
Questions 11-13
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
11. According to the passage, one of the reasons lemurs spray scent is to
A. be friendly to other animals.
B. recognise members of their own family.
C. show they are fierce fighters.
D. alert the group to danger.
IELTS Academic Reading Test
12. The social group, known as a troop,
A. is a democracy with many leaders.
B. uses different hierarchical systems.
C. does not need to contain males.
D. has a consistent membership.
13. According to the final paragraph,
A. wild lemur populations are increasing.
B. there are no original forests left in Madagascar.
C. ecotourism has eradicated the illegal pet trade.
D. there are several reasons for the declining numbers of lemurs.
IELTS Academic Reading Test
IELTS Academic Reading Test
ANSWERS
1. G
2. D
3. A
4. D
5. C
6. E
7. (DEMESTIC) CAT
8. (THE) FACE
9. (ALONG) RIVER BANKS
10. A HOWL
11. C
12. B
13. D
IELTS Academic Reading Test