Darwin's Theory of Evolution Reading Answers

Aug 14, 2024

The discussed topic is an academic reading answers topic. Darwin's theory of evolution Reading Answers have a total of 14 IELTS questions in total. In the questions, you have to fill in the blanks with the correct words. In the next section you have to tell whether the statement is true or false

Candidates should read the IELTS Reading passage thoroughly to recognize synonyms, identify keywords, and answer the questions below. IELTS Reading practice papers, which feature topics such as Darwin's theory of evolution Reading Answers. Candidates can use IELTS reading practice questions and answers to enhance their performance in the reading section.

Section 1

DARWIN'S THEORY OF EVOLUTION

Darwin's theory entails the fundamental ideas of evolution. Darwin's original contributions were the mechanism of natural selection and copious amounts of evidence for evolutionary change from many sources. He also provided thoughtful explanations of the consequences of evolution for our understanding of the history of life and modern biological diversity. Species (populations of interbreeding organisms) change over time and space. The representatives of species living today differ from those that lived in the recent past and populations in different geographic regions today differ slightly in form or behavior as they evolve. These differences extend into the fossil record which provides ample support for this claim. All organisms share common ancestors with other organisms. Over time, populations may divide into different species, which share a common ancestral population. Far enough back in time, any pair of For example, humans shared a common ancestor with organisms shares a common ancestor. Chimpanzees about eight million years ago, with whales about 60 million years ago, and with kangaroos over 100 million years ago. Shared ancestry explains the similarities of organisms that are classified together. Their similarities reflect the inheritance of traits from a common ancestor. Evolutionary change is gradual and slow in Darwin's view. This claim was supported by the long episodes of gradual change in organisms in the fossil record and the fact that no naturalist had observed the sudden appearance of a new species in Darwin's time. Since then biologists and paleontologists have documented a broad spectrum of slow to rapid rates of evolutionary change within lineages.

Darwin's process of natural selection has four components.

1. Variation- Organisms within populations exhibit individual variation in appearance and behavior. These variations may involve body size hair color, facial markings, voice properties or number of offspring. On the other hand, some traits show little to no variation among individuals for example, number of eyes in vertebrates.

2. Inheritance- Some traits are consistently passed on from parent to offspring. Such traits are heritable, whereas other traits are strongly influenced by environmental conditions and show weak heritability.

3. High rate of population growth- Most populations have more offspring each year than local resources can support leading to a struggle for resources. Each generation experiences substantial mortality.

4. Differential survival and reproduction- Individuals possessing traits well suited for the struggle for local resources will contribute more offspring to the next generation.

Galapagos finches are the famous example from Darwin's voyage. Each island of the Galapagos that Darwin visited had its own kind of finch (14 in all), found nowhere else in the world. Some had beaks adapted for eating large seeds, others for small seeds, some had parrot-like beaks for feeding on buds and fruits, and some had slender beaks for feeding on small insects. One used a thorn to probe for insect larvae in wood, like some woodpeckers do. Six were ground-dwellers and eight were tree finches. This diversification into different ecological roles is thought to be necessary to permit the coexistence of multiple species. To Darwin, it appeared that each was slightly modified from ar original colonist, probably the finch on the mainland of South America, some 600 miles to the east. It is probable that adaptive radiatior led to the formation of so many species because other birds were few or absent, leaving empty niches to fill and because the numerous islands of the Galapagos provided ample opportunity for geographic isolation.

These are the basic tenets of evolution by natural selection as defined by Darwin.

- More individuals are produced each generation that can survive.

- Phenotypic variation exists among individuals and the variation is heritable.

- Those individuals with heritable traits better suited to the environment will survive.

- When reproductive isolation occurs new species will form.

Variation is a feature of natural populations and every population produces more

progeny than what its environment can manage. The consequence of this overproduction is that those individuals with the best genetic fitness for the environment will produce offspring that car more successfully compete in that environment. Thus the subsequent generation will have a higher representation of these offspring and the population will have evolved. Darwin's general theory presumes the development of life from non-life and stresses a purely naturalistic undirected descent with modification. That is, complex creatures evolve from more simplistic ancestors naturally over time. In a nutshell as random genetic mutations occur within an organism's genetic code, the beneficial mutations are preserved because they aid survival a process known as natural selection. These beneficial mutations are passed on to the next generation. Over time, beneficial mutations cumulate and the result is an entirely different organism which is not just a variation of the original, but an entirely different creature.

Questions 27-34

Choose NO MORE THAN ONE WORD for each.

Darwin's theory points out that life of living

27.... is related and has descendents from a common 28. …………whether birds and

Answer: ORGANISMS

Supporting statement: “........All organisms share common ancestors with other organisms.......”

Keywords:organisms, life

Keyword Location: para 1, Line 5

Explanation:Darwin's theory suggests that all living beings (organisms) share common ancestors. This means that life of living organisms is interconnected through evolutionary lineage.

Answer: ANCESTOR

Supporting statement: “........All organisms share common ancestors with other organisms........”

Keywords: ancestors, related

Keyword Location: para 1, Line 5

Explanation: The passage clearly states that all organisms share common ancestors, meaning they have descended from a common ancestor.

bananas, fishes and flowers, all are related. Darwin's theory also says that , complex creatures 29...... from more simplistic ancestors naturally over the time. Therefore,

Answer: EVOLVE

Supporting statement: “.......complex creatures evolve from more simplistic ancestors naturally over time........”

Keywords: creatures, evolve

Keyword Location: para 1, Line 7

Explanation: The text explains that, according to Darwin, complex creatures develop or evolve from simpler ancestors through natural processes over time.

we can say that genetic 30……..

Answer: MUTATIONS

Supporting statement: “.......random genetic mutations occur within an organism's genetic code........”

Keywords: genetic, mutations

Keyword Location: para last, Line 3

Explanation: The passage discusses how random genetic mutations happen within an organism's genetic code. It contributes to evolutionary changes.

• randomly occur with an organism's genetic code and the mutation that is benefited is 31…………. Because they aid survival and this process is known as

Answer: PRESERVED

Supporting statement: “.......the beneficial mutations are preserved because they aid survival........”

Keywords: mutation, preserved

Keyword Location: para Last, Line 4

Explanation: Beneficial genetic mutations are preserved as they help the organism survive and reproduce, as described in the passage.

32…….... selection. Also, these beneficial mutations are 33..... to

Answer: NATURAL

Supporting statement: “........because they aid survival a process known as natural selection. These beneficial mutations are passed on to the next generation. Over time, beneficial mutations .......”

Keywords: natural, selection

Keyword Location: para last, Line 4

Explanation: The process of preserving beneficial mutations is referred to as natural selection, which is a core concept in Darwin's theory. Hence natural is the correct answer.

Answer: PASSED

Supporting statement: “......These beneficial mutations are passed on to the next generation..........”

Keywords: passed, future

Keyword Location: para last,Line 5

Explanation: The passage indicates that these beneficial mutations are transmitted to future generations. Hence the correct answer would be passed.

the future generation. With the 34.………..... the mutation that is benefited

Answer: TIME

Supporting statement: “......Over time, beneficial mutations cumulate and the result is an entirely different organism.........”

Keywords: time, mutation

Keyword Location: para last, Line 6

Explanation: The passage states that over a period of time, beneficial mutations accumulate, leading to the evolution of a new organism. Hence time is the correct answer.

accumulates and a different organism is formed. According to Darwin, natural selection acts to preserve and accumulate minor advantageous genetic mutations,

Questions 35-40

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text above?

In boxes 35-40 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE - if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE - if the statement contradicts the information

NOT GIVEN - if there is no information on this

35. The coexistence of multiple species in nature requires diversification into different ecological roles.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: “.......This diversification into different ecological roles is thought to be necessary to permit the coexistence of multiple species........”

Keywords: species, ecological

Keyword Location: para 5, Line 3

Explanation: The passage clearly states that for multiple species to coexist, they need to diversify into different ecological roles, which supports the statement. Hence statement is true.

36. The contemporaneous naturalists were already working on the 'species problem'

when Darwin began his research.

Answer: NOT GIVEN

Explanation: There is no information provided in the passage about whether contemporaneous naturalists were working on the 'species problem' when Darwin began his research.

37. The fact that no naturalist had observed the sudden appearance of a new species upheld Darwin's theory.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: “......the fact that no naturalist had observed the sudden appearance of a new species in Darwin's time.........”

Keywords: appearance, new species

Keyword Location: para 1, Line 8

Explanation: The text mentions that no naturalist had observed the sudden appearance of a new species, which supports Darwin's theory of gradual evolutionary change, thus making the statement true.

38. The fossil records do not buttress the indagation of the Darwin's theory of natural

selection.

Answer: FALSE

Supporting statement: “.......These differences extend into the fossil record which provides ample support for this claim........”

Keywords: support, Darwin's

Keyword Location: para 1, Line 4

Explanation: The passage states that fossil records provide ample support for Darwin's claims, contradicting the statement, so the answer is false.

39. Each generation experiences prodigious mortality due to ebbing food

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: “.......Most populations have more offspring each year than local resources can support leading to a struggle for resources. Each generation experiences substantial mortalit........”

Keywords: mortality, resources

Keyword Location: para 2, Line 4

Explanation: The passage explains that populations produce more offspring than the available resources can support, leading to substantial mortality each generation, making the statement true.

40. Geographic isolation-was-noi the variation in finches on the islands of Galapagos.

Answer: FALSE

Supporting statement: “.......because the numerous islands of the Galapagos provided ample opportunity for geographic isolation.........”

Keywords: finches, geographic

Keyword Location: para 5, Line 5

Explanation: The passage indicates that geographic isolation contributed to the variation in finches on the Galapagos Islands, making the statement false.

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