Haast’s Eagle Reading Answers

Dec 19, 2022

Haast’s Eagle Reading Answers is the topic discussing about the evolution of the Haast’s Eagle and how it is different from the other species of birds. The given IELTS topic has been taken from the book called “Direct to IELTS Student's book with key”. There are 13 total wide range of questions in the topic called Haast’s Eagle Reading Answers , which should be answered within the time span of 20 minutes by the candidates. The topic includes three sorts of questions, which are, choose the correct paragraph, choose the correct letter, and choose the best answer. The candidates should read thoroughly the IELTS reading passage in order to recognize the synonyms and identify the keywords and for answering the questions below. Similar kinds of topics like Haast’s Eagle Reading Answers are included in the IELTS reading practice papers, which the candidates can take into their consideration for performing a good score in this section.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Haast’s Eagle Reading Answers

‘Tiger of the skies’

A. As a result of being separated for tens of millions of years from other mainland ecosystems such as Australia or continental Asia, the biota of New Zealand evolved to include some of the most unique plants and animals on earth. Until the arrival of humans and their associated introduced species, such as rats and dogs, New Zealand was not home to a single ground mammal, and this encouraged bird-life to prevail. Another common feature of island ecosystems, whereby some species significantly outgrow their mainland relatives, also occurred in New Zealand. From these twin forces – the dominance of birds, and the tendency toward larger body sizes in island ecosystems – emerged one of the most formidable flying predators known on earth: the Haast’s eagle.

B. The largest known eagle ever documented, this fearsome creature weighed up to fifteen kilograms and sported wings spanning two to three metres in diameter. Although this wingspan is comparatively small (the Wandering Albatross and Andean Condor, for instance, each have wing spans in excess of three metres), the Haast’s eagle possessed a much larger body mass to wing ratio. While stubbier wings made the eagle ill-suited to prolonged flight, they did enable the Haast’s eagle to nimbly and swiftly manoeuvre its large frame around trees, which would have been vital for pursuing prey through New Zealand’s dense forest and scrubland.

C. The most impressive aspect of the bird’s anatomy, however, was its enormous talons. At almost 23 centimetres in length, these are comparable to those of some wild cats and have justifiably earned the Haast’s eagle the nickname ‘Tiger of the Skies’. With these talons the eagle would attack its prey in the only way it knew how -grasping the animal’s pelvis with one talon while crushing its skull with the other in a strike that, according to New Zealand researcher Richard Holdaway, is akin to that of a 15 kilogram concrete block dropping from an eight-storey building. This force was enough to bring down very large animals, and indeed the Haast’s eagle preyed primarily on the moa -a clumsy, flightless bird nearly fifteen times its size. Once immobilised, a large catch could feed the eagle over several days. With no other large predators, the Haast’s eagle could afford to take its time with the carcass of its prey until ready to return to the hunt.

D. This leads to an important question: How did such a ferocious predator fall from the top of the food chain and rapidly become extinct around AD 1500? The answer is that, like many other extinct animals, the Haast’s eagle could not diversify its behaviours and adapt to changing circumstances quickly enough to survive. Moa, an easy source of prey for the eagle, were likewise an easy source of food for Maori tribes people when they began to settle in New Zealand around AD 1200, These settlers quickly drove the moa to extinction, and with it went the primary food supply of the Haast’s eagle. This enormous predator then faced a scarcity of food. Undoubtedly, the horror stories of human encounters with the eagle in Maori legend are true to some extent; if the Haast’s eagle could take down a two-hundred-kilogram moa, some Maori tribesmen would have fallen prey to its massive claws at some point. The occasional human victim was insufficient to sustain the dietary requirements of a creature its size, however, and when the moa disappeared, the Haast’s eagle soon followed.

E. Mythology surrounding the existence of the Haast’s eagle has been passed down through Maori tradition for centuries, but due to a lack of physical evidence (only three full skeletons have ever been recovered), much about this bird remains a mystery. Artists have depicted the plumage of the Haast’s eagle in different ways; for example, some see it as more of a muted brown, in line with other large forest eagles still in existence today, whereas others envision it displaying extravagant hues of green, red and purple. All of this is speculation, however; recovered bones and further DNA evidence can tell us about the genealogy of the Haast’s eagle and its size and skeletal structure, but the colour of its feathers, along with many other specifications, will forever be guesswork.

F. It is difficult to say whether the demise of the Haast’s eagle was tragic or fortuitous. No doubt the sight of this majestic bird swooping down swooping down from its perch at eighty kilometres per hour would have been an awe-inspiring sight, and it is easy to see why some early Maori settlers exalted the eagle in their imaginations as some kind of ‘Bird God’. If it were still around, however, there is no doubt that hiking, camping or even just taking a leisurely stroll through the woods in New Zealand would be a far more dangerous activity. With a force of impact powerful enough to knock an adult male unconscious, many people would never know what had hit them.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation
Questions 28 – 34
The Reading Passage has six paragraphs, A-F.
Which Paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct number, A-F, in boxes 28-34 on your answer sheet.

A discussion about whether the Haast’s Eagle killed humans

Answer: Paragraph D
Supporting Sentence: The occasional human victim was insufficient to sustain the dietary requirements of a creature its size, however, and when the moa disappeared, the Haast's eagle soon followed.
Keywords: discussion, Haast's Eagle, killed, humans
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, line 6
Explanation: The sixth line of paragraph D explains that the moa's diet was insufficient to support a creature of its size, however, and the Haast's eagle soon followed the moa when it vanished because there weren't enough human victims to meet its nutritional needs.

An explanation of how the body proportions of the Haast’s eagle made it an efficient hunter

Answer: Paragraph B
Supporting Sentence: While stubbier wings made the eagle ill-suited to prolonged flight, they did enable the Haast's eagle to nimbly and swiftly manoeuvre its large frame around trees, which would have been vital for pursuing prey through New Zealand's dense forest and scrubland.
Keywords: explanation, body, proportions, efficient, hunter
Keyword Location: Paragraph B, last line
Explanation: The concluding part of paragraph B implies that while the eagle's shorter wings rendered it unsuited to sustained flight, they did allow the Haast's eagle to quickly and nimbly manoeuvre its huge frame around trees, which would have been essential for following food through New Zealand's dense forest and scrubland.

The mental image that the Maori people had of the Haast’s eagle

Answer: Paragraph F
Supporting Sentence: No doubt the sight of this majestic bird swooping down from its perch at eighty kilometres per hour would have been an awe-inspiring sight, and it is easy to see why some early Maori settlers exalted the eagle in their imaginations as some kind of 'Bird God'.
Keywords: mental image, Maori people
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, line 2
Explanation: Line 2 of paragraph F explains that it is understandable that some early Maori settlers exalted the eagle in their imaginations as some type of "Bird God," as the sight of this mighty bird swooping down from its perch at eighty miles per hour would have been an amazing sight.

Facts about the early ecology of New Zealand

Answer: Paragraph A
Supporting Sentence: As a result of being separated for tens of millions of years from other mainland ecosystems such as Australia or continental Asia, the biota of New Zealand evolved to include some of the most unique plants and animals on earth.
Keywords: Facts, early, ecology, New Zealand
Keyword Location: Paragraph A, line 2-3
Explanation: Lines 2-3 of paragraph A implies that the biota of New Zealand has developed to include some of the most distinctive plants and animals on earth as a result of being cut off from other mainland ecosystems for tens of millions of years, such as Australia or continental Asia.

Conflicting views on the appearances of the Haast’s eagle

Answer: Paragraph E
Supporting Sentence: Artists have depicted the plumage of the Haast's eagle in different ways; for example, some see it as more of a muted brown, in line with other large forest eagles still in existence today, whereas others envision it displaying extravagant hues of green, red and purple.
Keywords: Conflicting views, appearances
Keyword Location: Paragraph E, line 2
Explanation: The second line of paragraph E states that the artists have portrayed the Haast's eagle's plumage in a variety of ways; for instance, some picture it as more of a muted brown, in keeping with other great forest eagles that are still in existence today, while others imagine it displaying flamboyant hues of green, red, and purple.

A comparison between the Haast’s eagle and other birds

Answer: Paragraph B
Supporting Sentence: Although this wingspan is comparatively small (the Wandering Albatross and Andean Condor, for instance, each have wing spans in excess of three metres), the Haast's eagle possessed a much larger body mass to wing ratio.
Keywords: Comparison, between, other birds
Keyword Location: Paragraph B, line 2
Explanation: The second line of paragraph B describes that the Wandering Albatross and Andean Condor, for example, both have wing spans over three metres, therefore despite this wingspan's relative diminution, the Haast's eagle had a significantly higher body mass to wing ratio.

An explanation of why the Haast’s eagle could eat its kills slowly

Answer: Paragraph C
Supporting Sentence: Once immobilised, a large catch could feed the eagle over several days. With no other large predators, the Haast's eagle could afford to take its time with the carcass of its prey until ready to return to the hunt.
Keywords: Explanation, eat, kill, slowly
Keyword Location: Paragraph C, line 5-6
Explanation: The fifth and sixth lines of paragraph C enhances that eagle may survive for several days on a sizable capture after becoming immobile. The Haast's eagle could afford to spend its time with the carcass of its prey until it was ready to return to the hunt because there were no other huge predators.

Questions 35 – 36
Choose two letters A-E
Which TWO of the following are given as reasons why the Haast’s eagle originally evolved?

New Zealand has many unusual birds and plants.
New Zealand had no natural bird predators.
New Zealand has no native mammals.
New Zealand settlers brought over creatures with them.
New Zealand is an isolated island.

35.

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: Until the arrival of humans and their associated introduced species, such as rats and dogs, New Zealand was not home to a single ground mammal, and this encouraged bird-life to prevail.
Keywords: New Zealand, native, mammals
Keyword Location: Paragraph A, line 2
Explanation: The author clarifies in the second sentence of the first paragraph that native mammals did not inhabit New Zealand before humans arrived.

36.

Answer: E
Supporting Sentence: As a result of being separated for tens of millions of years from other mainland ecosystems such as Australia or continental Asia, the biota of New Zealand evolved to include some of the most unique plants and animals on earth.
Keywords: New Zealand, isolated island
Keyword Location: Paragraph A, line 1
Explanation: According to the first line of paragraph A in the passage, New Zealand is home to some of the most unusual plants and creatures because it was an isolated island for millions of years.

Question 37:
Choose the best answer.
Write the correct letter A-D in box 37 on your answer sheet.
Which of the following is NOT true?

The Haast’s eagle could only fly for short distances.
The Haast’s eagle was adapted to flying through forests.
The Haast’s eagle’s wings were shorter than other large birds.
The Haast’s eagle had small but very efficient claws.

Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: The occasional human victim was insufficient to sustain the dietary requirements of a creature its size, however, and when the moa disappeared, the Haast's eagle soon followed.
Keywords: small, efficient, claws
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, line 6
Explanation: The sixth line of paragraph D imposes that the occasional human victim was insufficient to meet the moa's nutritional needs, and the Haast's eagle soon followed the moa into extinction.

Questions 38 – 39
Choose TWO letters A-E from the given paragraph.
Which TWO of the following are given as reasons why the Haast’s eagle died out very quickly?

The first settlers ate all the moa.
The eagle was hunted by the first settlers.
The eagle could not survive by eating people.
The settlers destroyed the eagle’s habitat.
The eagle flew slowly and was caught easily.

38.

Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: Moa, an easy source of prey for the eagle, were likewise an easy source of food for Maori tribes people when they began to settle in New Zealand around AD 1200.
Keywords: First, settlers, ate, moa
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, line 6
Explanation: The sixth line of paragraph D summarises that when the Maori tribespeople first arrived in New Zealand around AD 1200, moa, which are an accessible supply of prey for eagles, were also an easy source of food.

39.

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: The occasional human victim was insufficient to sustain the dietary requirements of a creature its size, however, and when the moa disappeared, the Haast's eagle soon followed.
Keywords: Eagle, not survive, eating, people
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, last line
Explanation: The concluding part of paragraph D clarifies that the odd human victim was not enough to meet the moa's nutritional needs, and the Haast's eagle soon followed the moa into extinction.

Question 40:
Choose the best answer.
Which of the following is NOT the author’s opinion?

If the Haast’s eagle had not died out it would have attacked people.
It is sad that Haast's eagle died out because it was beautiful.
We can understand why the first settlers worshipped Haast's eagle.
The Maori people should have preserved the Haast’s eagle.

Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: For eliminating option A - With a force of impact powerful enough to knock an adult male unconscious, many people would never know what had hit them.
Keyword: For eliminating option A: Haast’s Eagle, not died, attacked people
Keyword Location: For eliminating option A: Paragraph F, last line
Explanation: The ending portion of paragraph F states that many individuals would not be aware of what hit them if it struck with a force sufficient to render an adult guy unconscious. Hence, option D is eliminated as it is not an opinion of the author.