Favourite Time for Giving Birth Reading Answers

May 7, 2025

Favourite Time for Giving Birth Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. Favourite Time for Giving Birth Reading Answers has a total of 13 IELTS questions in total.

In the first question set, you have to choose which paragraph contains the given statement. In the next question set, you have to state whether the statement is yes, no or not given according to the passage. In the last question set, you have to fill in the blank with the correct answer, only with one word.

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 FAVORITE TIME FOR GIVING BIRTH

A. Does it ever seem like you're invited to an awful lot of summer birthday gatherings? For good reason. In the United States, most births occur between June and early November. Count back nine months, and you'll see that places most conceptions in the fall and winter. What's going on? Is the crisp autumn air, or the joy (or anxiety) of the holiday season, triggering more unprotected sexual intercourse? Or is it something else entirely?

B. It turns out reproduction is seasonal across all living organisms, from plants to insects. to reptiles. to birds and mammals - including human beings. The ultimate explanation for this phenomenon is an evolutionary one. Earth's environment is seasonal. Above or below the equator, the year is structured by the winter, spring, summer and fall. In equatorial regions, the wet and dry seasons punctuate the year. Organisms have evolved strategies to reproduce at the time of year that will maximize their lifetime reproductive success. Humans are no exception and maintain this evolutionary outcome: birth seasonality. Researchers, including us, have recently been working to understand more about why births are seasonal because these patterns can have a big impact on childhood disease outbreaks.

C. The monthly birth rate over time was per 1,000 people. Over the decades, it's not a smooth line because each year has an internal peak. The annual timing Of each state's peak in number Of births correlates with its latitude. More northern regions see a birth peak in June or July

while more southern areas have more births in October or November. The pattern holds even as the overall birth rate varies in different states.

D. The first studies demonstrating human birth seasonality date back to the early 1800s. In some countries, local customs can also explain birth seasonality. For example, in the 1990s, researchers showed that the traditional July-August wedding season in Catholic communities in Poland resulted in lots of births in the spring. But wedding season does not drive birth seasonality everywhere, and there is only a small correlation between weddings and births 9 to 15 months later in most locations. Thus, nuptial beds are not the full story.

E. Research shows that the seasonality of births correlates with changes in local temperature and day length. And regions with extreme temperatures typically have two peaks in births every year. For example, data from the early 1900s showed two pronounced birth peaks per year in West Greenland and Eastern Europe. Rural populations tend to have a more dramatic seasonal birth pulse than urban populations, probably because country dwellers may be more subject to environmental conditions, including changes in temperature and day length. Environmental factors like these could influence human sexual behavior.

F. Additionally. as in other animals, these environmental changes could drive seasonal changes in fertility. This means that, rather than just an increase in frequency of sexual intercourse, female and/or male fertility may change throughout the year, as an endogenous biological phenomenon, making people more likely to conceive at certain times - with the prerequisite Of sexual intercourse, Of course. Biologists know that the fertility of non-human mammals is influenced by day length, which may act like a reproductive calendar. For example, deer use the shortening days of autumn as a signal for timing reproduction. Females get pregnant in the fall and carry their pregnancy through winter. The goal is to give birth at a time when plenty of resources are available for newborns — being born in springtime is evolutionarily beneficial. Humans may not be so different from other mammals. Day-length has the potential to influence human fertility and it does seem to explain the patterns of birth seasonality in some places, but not others. In addition to the length of day, researchers have shown that social status and changes in the standard of living also affect birth seasonality. There seems to be no single driver for birth seasonality in people, with an array of social, environmental and cultural factors all playing a role.

G. However, people are starting to lose birth seasonality throughout the Northern Hemisphere. There are two pieces Of evidence to support this. First, the strength of the birth pulse - from June to November in the US. - has been decreasing for decades; and second, locations that had two birth peaks per year now only have one. This loss of birth seasonality may be partially due to social factors, such as pregnancy planning and the increasing disconnect humans have with the natural environment and, therefore, the seasons. The root Of this change is likely tied to industrialization and its downstream societal effects, including indoor work, fewer seasonal jobs, access to family planning. and modem housing and artificial light that obscures the natural day length that could influence fertility. Whatever the cause of birth seasonality, one thing remains clear, at least here in the U.S. - right now remains the prime time for conception.

Questions 27-32

Reading Passage 3 has eight sections, A-H. Which paragraph contains the following information?

Write the correct letter, A-H.

27. A wise reaction of living species to increase their life span by giving birth at favorable times of year.

Answer: B

Supporting statement: Organisms have evolved strategies to reproduce at the time of year that will maximize their lifetime reproductive success.

Keywords: Organisms, reproduce

Keyword Location: Para B, Line 5

Explanation: According to the text, for the purpose of maximising their lifelong reproductive success, organisms have evolved methods to reproduce at certain times of the year.

28. A denial against the role of traditional events in determining the birth time of a region.

Answer: D

Supporting statement: But wedding season does not drive birth seasonality everywhere, and there is only a small correlation between weddings and births

Keywords: wedding season, correlation

Keyword Location: Para D, Lines 4-5

Explanation: According to the text, Early in the 19th century, research began to show that human births were seasonal. The seasonality of births can also be explained by local customs in some nations. However, wedding season does not always influence birth seasonality, and in most places, there is only a weak association between marriages and babies that occur nine to fifteen months later.

29. An evolutionary strategy of being pregnant to the advantage Of the baby animals.

Answer: F

Supporting statement:The goal is to give birth at a time when plenty of resources are available for newborns — being born in springtime is evolutionarily beneficial.

Keywords: resources, evolutionarily

Keyword Location: Para F, Line 9

Explanation: According to the text, the deer use the shortening autumn days as a hint to schedule reproduction; it's an evolutionary strategy to be pregnant for the benefit of the young. Fall is when females become pregnant, and they continue to be pregnant throughout the winter. The objective is to give birth when there are plenty of resources available because springtime births are advantageous for evolution.

30. Different extents of seasonal birth effects on residents in and outside the City.

Answer: E

Supporting statement: Rural populations tend to have a more dramatic seasonal birth pulse than urban populations,

Keywords: Rural populations, seasonal

Keyword Location: Para E, Line 4

Explanation: The text states that, according to research, variations in local temperatures and day duration are correlated with the seasonality of births. Additionally, there are usually two annual peaks in births in areas with extremely high temperatures. Compared to urban populations, rural communities typically experience a more pronounced seasonal birth pulse. This is likely due to the fact that countryside residents may be more susceptible to environmental factors like temperature and day duration variations.

31. A question if emotion during a certain time of year may lead to more birth given.

Answer: A

Supporting statement:What's going on? Is the crisp autumn air, or the joy (or anxiety) of the holiday season,

Keywords: crisp, anxiety

Keyword Location: Para A, Line 4

Explanation: According to the text, the question that the passage is asking is if the emotions of humans or other living organisms are affected by a certain season.

32. Differences in birth season based on different geographical locations.

Answer: C

Supporting statement: More northern regions see a birth peak in June or July while more southern areas have more births in October or November.

Keywords: northern regions, southern areas

Keyword Location: Para C, Lines 3-4

Explanation: According to the text, northern regions see a peak in births in June or July, whereas the southern regions have more births in October or November.

Questions 33-36

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage 3?

In boxes 33-36 in your answer sheet, write

YES - If the statement agrees with the claims of the writer

NO - If the statement contradicts with the claims of the writer

NOT GIVEN - If it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

33. Apart from humans, most animals are not likely to know how to choose a good time to reproduce.

Answer: NO

Supporting statement: For example, deer use the shortening days of autumn as a signal for timing reproduction

Keywords: deer, autumn

Keyword Location: Para F, Lines 6–7

Explanation: The text has a clear mention of animals knowing a good time to reproduce. Deers for instance, utilise the autumn's fading days as a sign to time the breeding period. Fall is when females become pregnant, and they continue to be pregnant throughout the winter. The objective is to give birth when there are many resources available for new babies.

34. Some animals are noticed to give birth upon a reduction in the length Of the day, especially in fall.

Answer: YES

Supporting statement: Females get pregnant in the fall and carry their pregnancy through winter. The goal is to give birth at a time when plenty of resources are available for newborns

Keywords: pregnancy, newborns

Keyword Location: Para F, Lines 7-8

Explanation: The text states that some animals prefer to breed in the fall as they will be giving birth in the spring, when there will be enough resources to take care of the child.

35. Changes in social status affect birth seasonality to the same degree as changes in living standard.

Answer: NOT GIVEN

Explanation: The text has no information about the changes in social status affecting the birth seasonality to the same degree as changes in living standard.

36. Human fertility is also negatively influenced by modem lifestyles and inventions devised in

recent centuries.

Answer: YES

Supporting statement: The root Of this change is likely tied to industrialization and its downstream societal effects, including indoor work, fewer seasonal jobs,

Keywords: industrialization, indoor work

Keyword Location: Para G, Lines 6-7

Explanation: According to the text, social reasons like pregnancy planning and people's growing disconnection from the natural world and, consequently, the seasons may be partly to blame for this decline in birth seasonality. Modern housing and artificial light that masks the natural day length, which could affect fertility, indoor labour, fewer seasonal occupations, access to family planning, and other secondary social effects of urbanisation are probably the main cause of this change.

Questions 37-40

Choose ONE WORD ONLY.

Evolution is seen as the main cause of birth seasonality. Geographically, regions that are far from the (37)..................have four seasons, while equatorial regions have two. Animals have to choose the optimal season to give birth for higher chances of survival. Although some people believe more children are born in spring than other seasons of their parents is possibly because the (38)...................... traditionally and religiously held in the summer, the(39)..............between

such an event and later birth is not strong enough to account for this phenomenon. Additionally, changes in temperature and day length can also be a cause of birth seasonality to which urban residents are believed to be less susceptible because they are less affected by such changes than their (40).................counterparts. There are other suggested factors possibly influencing breeding patterns of species but it is sure that we are losing this evolutionary feature.

(37)..............

Answer: EQUATOR

Supporting statement: Above or below the equator, the year is structured by the winter, spring, summer and fall. In equatorial regions, the wet and dry seasons punctuate the year.

Keywords: equator, year

Keyword Location: Para B, Line 4

Explanation: According to the text, Birth seasonality is thought to be mostly caused by evolution. Geographically, the winter, spring, summer, and fall seasons define the year in areas that are far away from the equator. The rainy and dry seasons alternate throughout the year in tropical locations. Giving animals the choice to give birth in the optimal season to give birth.

(38)..............

Answer: WEDDING

Supporting statement: For example, in the 1990s, researchers showed that the traditional July-August wedding season in Catholic communities

Keywords: 1990s, wedding

Keyword Location: Para D, Lines 2-3

Explanation: According to research conducted in the 1990s, It's possible that the July-August wedding season, which is customarily and religiously held in the summer, explains why some people think that more children are born in the spring than in other seasons of their parents' lives.

(39)..............

Answer: CORRELATION

Supporting statement: and there is only a small correlation between weddings and births 9 to 15 months later in most locations. Thus, nuptial beds are not the full story.

Keywords: correlation, 9 to 15 months

Keyword Location: Para D, Lines 5-6

Explanation: The text states that there is a small correlation between weddings and birth, and the birth after 9 to 15 months later is not strong enough evidence to prove the theory.

(40)..............

Answer: RURAL

Supporting statement: Rural populations tend to have a more dramatic seasonal birth pulse than urban populations,

Keywords: populations, birth

Keyword Location: Para E, Line 4

Explanation: According to the text, day duration and temperature variations can also contribute to birth seasonality, to which people living in cities are thought to be less prone because they are not as impacted by those variations as their rural counterparts.

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