Going Back to Nature Reading Answers

Feb 3, 2026

Going Back to Nature Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. Going Back to Nature Reading Answers has a total of 13 IELTS questions, in total, such as

Choose the correct letter.
Look at the following statements. Match the statements to the correct place, A—E.
Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.

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Topic:

GOING BACK TO NATURE

As many natural environments are placed under pressure by the drive towards urbanisation, there has been a marked shift in focus in terms of approaching ecosystems that are affected by human activity. Greater attention is now being given to protecting existing wilderness areas and restoring any natural processes which may have been disrupted by agriculture or development. Large-scale conservation projects, known as rewilding, seek to protect and connect landscapes, reintroduce keystone species, and ultimately create a natural environment which requires little human-based ecological management in the long term.

First developed as a method to preserve functional ecosystems and reduce biodiversity loss, rewilding has become a high-profile, and often contentious, philosophy within current land management. A key principle of rewilding is that people, communities and livelihoods play a significant part in the success of the project. As a form of land management, rewilding is very much reliant upon local communities acting as stewards of the landscape, but their role should not be overstated. In its purest form, rewilding seeks to reinstate natural processes - meaning that the outcome is not determined by people, but nature itself. Human involvement should, theoretically. only go as far as supporting natural processes. In some circumstances, this may mean removing non-native plant or animal species to allow a greater biodiversity to thrive. In others, it may require the reintroduction of missing species to re-establish a balanced food chain. Once that process has been set in motion, human involvement should be kept to a minimum, allowing free movement of rivers and natural patterns of grazing. habitat succession and predation.

The most high-profile rewilding successes have followed such an approach, often overcoming opposition from neighbouring landowners. When grey wolves were reintroduced into the Yellowstone National Park in the 1990s, they had an immediate impact on both flora and fauna. With an apex predator controlling deer and elk populations. A more natural balance was achieved. Trees and shrubs began to grow in the valley floors, and the birds and beavers which had previously lived there returned too. As the beavers dammed rivers and newly established trees controlled erosion, the flow of water slowed, creating new habitats. In turn, bears, raptors and a range of other species found a place to thrive. Results of the trial have provided supporters of rewilding with much positive data; however, reintroducing carnivores is a controversial step which often fails without adequate support. Furthermore, rewilding in a confined, unconnected space or without bringing in an apex predator can also have disastrous outcomes. When herbivore populations get out of control, such as happened at the Oostvaardersplassen reserve in the Netherlands, there is a danger of overcrowding and animal

starvation. Such examples raise ethical concerns over natural land management.

From a socio-economic perspective, many critics of rewilding claim that, through various projects. productive farmland is being abandoned to nature at a time when global food needs are increasing. Their view is that in prioritising the support of these vulnerable ecosystems, Governments and local environmental agencies are avoiding the realities of supply and demand. However, it should be noted that globally, farming is being conducted by fewer farmers on a larger scale using the best available sites. Mountainous uplands, such as the Rocky Mountains, have long been avoided as they would require considerable initial investment to make farming there worthwhile. This is also true of marshlands and river deltas. It is these sites which are prime locations for longer-term ecological development. and supporters of rewilding would highlight the opportunities for diversification that such an approach offers. Many rural areas which have been returned to a wilderness state provide revenue streams that are more varied and better distributed than conventional farming.

For many advocates of rewilding, the end goal is both a revitalised natural and human ecosystem. Their overall aims include revitalising rural communities through the development of nature-based economies, which generate employment opportunities. They propose that such developments would ensure that young people are given the skill sets to stay in rural areas and thrive. Certainly, rewilding tends to increase tourism and recreational activities in rural areas, sustaining an economy for landowners and local inhabitants alike. Worldwide. the annual eight billion visits to national parks and nature reserves contribute in the region of £450 billion to local economies.

Nature-based adventure and ecotourism also plays a significant role in sustaining economies, as typically 65% of the total costs of a trip stay in local economies. Such is the case in Scotland's Moray Firth, where visits to see dolphins earn the community £9 million per year. While the economic value of the wilderness as a tourist destination is significant, it should also be noted that there are other projected long-term benefits that impact more widely. Naturally functioning forest and peatland ecosystems are shown to absorb more Co2 than commercial tree plantations, and forested uplands absorb large amounts of rainfall. ensuring that costly flooding is minimised. This has been demonstrated in England's Lake District, where reforestation has reduced the impact of winter storms on lower lying surroundings. A better natural balance also ensures that soil erosion is reduced, meaning that agricultural areas retain the best materials for more successful food production. At its core, rewilding offers an opportunity to improve landscapes and rural communities for the benefit of future generations. And that, it would seem, is a natural choice to make.

Choose the correct letter.

14. According to the text, the main purpose of rewilding is

A. to reverse the effects of environmental damage.

B. to improve survival rates among endangered animals.

C. to remove people from the process of land management.

D. to increase opportunities for nature tourism.

Answer: C

Supporting statement: Large-scale conservation projects, known as rewilding, seek to... create a natural environment which requires little human-based ecological management in the long term.

Keywords: rewilding, human-based, ecological management

Keyword Location: Para 1, Lines 5-7

Explanation: The text defines rewilding's ultimate goal as creating an environment that functions independently of human intervention.

15. The rewilding experiment conducted at Yellowstone

A. benefited one particular species.

B. resulted in increased prey species.

C. resulted in increased predator species.

D. benefited a wide range of species.

Answer: D

Supporting statement: In turn, bears, raptors and a range of other species found a place to thrive.

Keywords: bears, raptors, species

Keyword Location: Para 3, Line 8

Explanation: The introduction of wolves triggered a chain reaction that allowed birds, beavers, bears, and raptors to all benefit from the new ecosystem balance.

16. A number of people feel that rewilding is the wrong approach to land management

A. because it encourages population growth in dangerous animals.

B. because it prioritises nature over the needs of people.

C. because it costs vast amounts of money to support.

D. because its success is nearly impossible to determine.

Answer: B

Supporting statement: Their view is that in prioritising the support of these vulnerable ecosystems, Governments and local environmental agencies are avoiding the realities of supply and demand.

Keywords: prioritising, ecosystems, avoiding realities

Keyword Location: Para 4, Lines 3-4

Explanation: Critics argue that productive farmland is being "abandoned" to nature while global food needs (human needs) are ignored.

17. According to the text, nature-based economies are

A. beneficial to most Stakeholders.

B. unpredictable and seasonal.

C. unlikely to grow.

D. creating uneven wealth.

Answer: A

Supporting statement: rewilding tends to increase tourism and recreational activities in rural areas, sustaining an economy for landowners and local inhabitants alike

Keywords: sustaining, landowners, local inhabitants

Keyword Location: Para 5, Lines 5-6

Explanation: Nature-based economies benefit "most stakeholders" by providing varied revenue streams and employment opportunities for both the community and landowners

Questions 18 - 22

Look at the following statements. Match the statements to the correct place, A—E.

A. Yellowstone Park

B. Oostvaardersplassen

C. The Rocky Mountains

D. The Lake District

E. The Moray Firth

18. The revenue generated there stays locally.

Answer: E

Supporting statement: Such is the case in Scotland's Moray Firth, where visits to see dolphins earn the community £9 million per year.

Keywords: Moray Firth, £9 million per year

Keyword Location: Para 6, Line 3

Explanation: The text highlights that in the Moray Firth, the economic benefits of tourism stay within the local community.

19. There is little of agricultural benefit here.

Answer: C

Supporting statement: Mountainous uplands, such as the Rocky Mountains, have long been avoided as they would require considerable initial investment to make farming there worthwhile.

Keywords: Rocky Mountains, avoided, farming

Keyword Location: Para 4, Lines 6-7

Explanation: The Rocky Mountains are cited as a location where farming is not productive or worth the investment.

20. Reintroduction of carnivores was positive.

Answer: A

Supporting statement: When grey wolves were reintroduced into the Yellowstone National Park in the 1990s, they had an immediate impact on both flora and fauna.

Keywords: wolves, reintroduced, Yellowstone

Keyword Location: Para 3, Lines 2-3

Explanation: The reintroduction of wolves (carnivores) into Yellowstone is presented as a high-profile success story.

21. A lack of planning affected the rewilding process.

Answer: B

Supporting statement: Furthermore, rewilding in a confined, unconnected space or without bringing in an apex predator can also have disastrous outcomes... such as happened at the Oostvaardersplassen reserve

Keywords: confined, apex predator, Oostvaardersplassen

Keyword Location: Para 3, Lines 11-13

Explanation: The "disastrous outcomes" at this reserve were due to a lack of proper rewilding principles, like space and predators.

22. Work was done to reduce the amount of rain which falls on the land.

Answer: D

Supporting statement: This has been demonstrated in England's Lake District, where reforestation has reduced the impact of winter storms on lower lying surroundings.

Keywords: Lake District, reforestation, winter storms

Keyword Location: Para 6, Lines 8-9

Explanation: Reforestation in the Lake District was used to minimise the impact of storms and flooding on the surrounding areas.

Questions 23 - 26

Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.

The challenges of the reintroduction of apex predators

1. Local opposition

2. Ensuring a natural balance

Successes

Yellowstone

- Grey wolf returns to Yellowstone

- Deer / Elk population reduces

23……………. take hold in valleys

Answer: TREES AND SHRUBS

Supporting statement: Trees and shrubs began to grow in the valley floors

Keywords: valley floors, grow

Keyword Location: Para 3, Line 5

Explanation: According to the text, with wolves controlling herbivore numbers, vegetation in valley floors recovered and grew

- birds and beavers return

- damming occurs + new tree growth

- 24............. slows, making new habitats

Answer: FLOW OF WATER

Supporting statement: the flow of water slowed, creating new habitats.

Keywords: flow of water, slowed, habitats

Keyword Location: Para 3, Line 7

Explanation: Beaver dams and new trees reduced erosion and slowed the river's movement, creating new habitats.

Failures

Oostvaardersplassen

- Deer/Bison population grows

- No apex predator introduced

- Available space too small and 25….………..

Answer: UNCONNECTED

Supporting statement: Furthermore, rewilding in a confined, unconnected space... can also have disastrous outcomes

Keywords: unconnected space

Keyword Location: Para 3, Line 11

Explanation: The text mentions that this project suffered because it was located in a space that was both confined and lacked connections to other landscapes.

- Existing population becomes 26…………….

Answer: OUT OF CONTROL

Supporting statement: When herbivore populations get out of control, such as happened at the Oostvaardersplassen reserve

Keywords: populations, out of control

Keyword Location: Para 3, Line 12

Explanation: The text states that without an apex predator to manage them, herbivore populations grew too large, leading to starvation.

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