A Forest in the Sahara Reading Answers

Nov 21, 2025

A Forest in the Sahara Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. A Forest in the Sahara Reading Answers has a total of 13 IELTS questions, such as Reading Passage 2 has seven paragraphs, A-G. Which paragraph contains the following information? Write the correct letter, A-G. Choose TWO letters, A-E. Which TWO of the following statements are true of the first census of the tarout trees? And choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR A NUMBER for each answer.

The IELTS Reading section is an essential part of the test that evaluates a candidate's comprehension and analysis of various passage types. You will work through a number of IELTS reading practice problems in this section that resemble actual test situations. These questions are designed to help you improve your ability to recognise essential concepts, extract particular facts, and make inferences. Practising these IELTS reading problems can help you get comfortable with the structure and increase your confidence for the exam, regardless of whether you are studying for the Academic or General Training module.

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Section 1

A FOREST IN THE SAHARA

A.Scientists have always thought that there might once have been a forest covering parts of what is now the Sahara Desert in North Africa. In 1863, the British explorer HB Tristam mentioned in his writings, The Great Sahara- Wanderings South of the Atlas, that the wood used by the local Tuareg people to make saddles for their horses must have come from a locally sourced hardwood similar to juniper. The western world would have to wait another 60 years, however, for confirmation and a botanical description of the tree in question, the Tarout. This came in 1924 when Captain Duprez, a French soldier posted to Fort Chalet near the foot of the plateau, wrote to a botanist friend in Paris to say that he had discovered a tree with very unusual foliage and habit at a place called Tamrit. That tree, it seems, was still alive and well.

B.Sadly, any forest had long since gone, but Duprez had located around 20 such trees strung out along a three-mile stretch of the Tamrit riverbed. This still represents one of the highest known densities of the species, whose population average is less than one tree per square

kilometer, and the trees are quite tricky to spot, with trunks often hidden in deep valleys cut long ago by the once surging rivers. From afar, these large trees could easily be mistaken for mere bushes. These survivors are the scattered remnants of a once great forest, tenaciously

clinging to life atop a two-thousand-meter-high plateau in the far southeastern corner of Algeria, in an area aptly named Tassili N'Ajjer, literally, 'The Plateau of Chasms'.

C.With scant visual references, scale is exceedingly difficult to judge, and it is only when one gets closer to the trees that their enormity becomes apparent. Most are huge, with girths in excess of three meters; many are even larger, up to a maximum recorded height of 22 meters. The trunks are covered in a thick, shaggy, rust coloured bark, with deep, longitudinal, sand-filled cracks. The branches are contorted, with the crowns of these giants often being mutilated. having been snapped by the fierce winds that rush across the plateau. These strong gales rush

to fill the void created by the hot, rising Saharan air some 2000 meters below. Roots lay exposed along the dry alluvial riverbeds, the uppermost surface blasted by sand to reveal the densely textured. twisting grey wood grain.

D.Originally, only a handful of the Tarout were known. Their seeds were thought to be sterile, and extinction was anticipated within just a few years. However, in the decades following their discovery, three cases of natural seedlings were reported by Maire (1952), Camus (1958), and

Debazac (1961). New trees keep being discovered, hidden in the labyrinth of the rockscapes. The first full census was carried out in 1972 by the Algerian Forester Said Grim, who set out on the greatest challenge of his career— he was determined to find every last one of the Tarout. It

took three months of trekking (there is no vehicular access to the plateau) to complete a tour of the three seedling sightings, following anecdotal evidence of locations from the Tuareg herdsmen he met along the way. In the last census, carried out in 2002, there were ten newly germinated trees, 13 newly discovered trees, and 20 deaths from flooding, cutting or burning.

E.The pollen record shows that at one time these trees would have had a natural distribution right across the Sahara, from the Atlas to the Nile. In a place where the inhospitable terrain is rivaled only by the equally inhospitable climate, and where humans have been cutting and grazing in the region for at least the past 3000 years, it is a marvel that there are any trees left at all. Yet despite all of this, here they are: a testament to nature's resilience. Not only that, but the tree has adapted well to current Saharan conditions. In coping with such extremes, these trees have developed some unusual strategies. The Tarout is the first plant known to produce offspring just from its pollen, a process known as apomixis. With such a small population, the tree would normally have to inbreed, leading to high rates of genetic disease. However, the Tarout Can clone itself from just the male pollen, using the female cone merely as an incubator that supplies no genetic material to the young seed.

F.Tarout is also capable of halting its growth, producing no growth rings for periods of several years. Conversely, studies at the University of Algiers have also shown that the trees can take quick advantage of extremely brief wet cycles- even winter frost and morning dew— sometimes adding more than one growth ring per year. To illustrate how adept these trees are at making the most of every last drop of available moisture. consider the juvenile trees, capable of adding radial growth at a rate of 2.23 kilometers per year. Compare this to the Moroccan Cypress, which enjoys between 400 and 500 millimeters of annual rain, yet only achieves a mean annual growth rate of 1.4 millimeters a year.

G.The varied growth patterns of the Tarout, dependent on fluctuations in the micro-climate, make it difficult to correlate rings to specific years, and therefore calculating the trees' age by 'counting rings' is simply not possible. Radiocarbon dating techniques have been used instead, on core samples and dead wood taken from trees most representative of the population. These reveal that those of average Width, at around three meters in circumference, are generally estimated to be around 600 years old, but that the age of those at around seven meters girth is often over 2000 years. As the trees get older, growth slows considerably. These relic conifers are listed as a critically endangered species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and are one of the twelve species chosen to highlight serious threats to species worldwide.

Questions 14-21

Reading Passage 2 has seven paragraphs, A-G. Which paragraph contains the following information? Write the correct letter, A-G.

NB You may use any answer more than once.

14. The discovery of an untypical concentration of tarout trees in one place

Answer: B

Supporting statement: Duprez had located around 20 such trees strung out along a three-mile stretch of the Tamrit riverbed. This still represents one of the highest known densities of the species...

Keywords: three-mile, highest known densities

Keyword Location: Para B, Line 2

Explanation: Paragraph B notes the discovery of approximately 20 trees in a concentrated three-mile stretch, contrasting it with the average density of less than one tree per square kilometer.

15. A prediction about tarout trees that proved to be incorrect

Answer: D

Supporting statement: Originally, only a handful of the Tarout were known. Their seeds were thought to be sterile, and extinction was anticipated within just a few years. However, in the decades following their discovery, three cases of natural seedlings were reported

Keywords: sterile, extinction

Keyword Location: Para D, Lines 1-2

Explanation: The prediction that the species would face extinction because its seeds were sterile proved incorrect when natural seedlings were reported.

16. an unique feature that may help to explain the tarout's survival

Answer: E

Supporting statement: The Tarout is the first plant known to produce offspring just from its pollen, a process known as apomixis... the Tarout can clone itself from just the male pollen

Keywords: Tarout, produce offspring

Keyword Location: Para E, Lines 7-8

Explanation: The ability to clone itself from male pollen (apomixis) is described as an unusual strategy developed to cope with a small population and avoid genetic disease, thus aiding survival.

17. evidence of how the tarout trees are adapted to their climatic environment

Answer: F

Supporting statement: Tarout is also capable of halting its growth... Conversely, studies... have also shown that the trees can take quick advantage of extremely brief wet cycles— even winter frost and morning dew.

Keywords: halting its growth, quick advantage

Keyword Location: Para F, Lines 1-3

Explanation: This paragraph details the tree's unique ability to stop growing during dry periods and rapidly accelerate growth during brief wet cycles, demonstrating its adaptation to the harsh climate.

18. an explanation for why Individual trees are not easy to find

Answer: B

Supporting statement: the trees are quite tricky to spot, with trunks often hidden in deep valleys cut long ago by the once surging rivers.

Keywords: tricky to spot, hidden in deep

Keyword Location: Para B, Line 4

Explanation: Paragraph B explains that the difficult terrain (deep valleys) conceals the trunks, making the trees hard to spot.

19. An observer who showed a previous assumption to be valid

Answer: A

Supporting statement: In 1863, the British explorer HB Tristam mentioned... that the wood used by the local Tuareg people... must have come from a locally sourced hardwood similar to juniper. The western world would have to wait another 60 years... for confirmation and a botanical description of the tree in question

Keywords: Tristam, Tuareg people, 60 years

Keyword Location: Para A, Lines 2-5

Explanation: Tristam's initial assumption that a hardwood similar to juniper grew locally was later confirmed by Captain Duprez's discovery and description of the Tarout.

20. details of the tallest known tree in the species

Answer: C

Supporting statement: Most are huge, with girths in excess of three meters; many are even larger, up to a maximum recorded height of 22 meters.

Keywords: huge, 22 meters

Keyword Location: Para C, Line

Explanation: Paragraph C provides the specific measurement for the tallest tree ever recorded in the species.

21. proof that the tarout trees are still reproducing

Answer: D

Supporting statement: three cases of natural seedlings were reported... In the last census, carried out in 2002, there were ten newly germinated trees

Keywords: natural seedlings, newly germinated

Keyword Location: Para D, Lines 3 & 10

Explanation: The documented sightings of seedlings and "newly germinated trees" confirm that the species is still reproducing.

Questions 22-23

A. It tried to find all the tarout trees in existence.

B. It included a number of individual trees thought to be dead.

C. It relied heavily on local people for information.

D. It discovered a new subspecies of tarout tree.

E. It was carried out by a team of researchers.

Answer: A

Supporting statement: the Algerian Forester Said Grim, who set out on the greatest challenge of his career— he was determined to find every last one of the Tarout.

Keywords: Algerian Forester, every last one

Keyword Location: Para D, Lines 5-6

Explanation: The text explicitly states Grim was "determined to find every last one of the Tarout," confirming the comprehensive goal of the census.

Answer: C

Supporting statement: following anecdotal evidence of locations from the Tuareg herdsmen he met along the way.

Keywords: evidence, Tuareg herdsmen

Keyword Location: Para D, Lines 8-9

Explanation: Grim conducted the census following anecdotal evidence of locations from the Tuareg herdsmen he met, showing he depended on local knowledge from the herdsmen to complete his task.

Questions 24-26

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR A NUMBER for each answer.

24. Young tarout trees can grow by as much as ……………… annually.

Answer: 2.23 KILOMETERS

Supporting statement: consider the juvenile trees, capable of adding radial growth at a rate of 2.23 kilometers per year

Keywords: juvenile trees, radial growth

Keyword Location: Para F, Line 6

Explanation: The text gives the exact rate of radial growth for juvenile trees.

25. The method used to establish the age of the tarout trees is called…………….

Answer: RADIOCARBON DATING

Supporting statement: Radiocarbon dating techniques have been used instead, on core samples and dead wood.

Keywords: Radiocarbon, dead wood