Issues Affecting the Southern Resident Orcas Reading Answers

Dec 17, 2022

Issues affecting the Southern Resident Orcas Reading Answers have 10 questions. These IELTS Reading questions have to be answered in 20 minutes. Issues affecting the Southern Resident Orcas Reading Answers comprises question types, namely-. Write the appropriate letter, and complete the table. Similar topics that can help the candidates prepare are available at the IELTS Reading practice test. It is important for the candidates to read the passage thoroughly before attempting the questions. This IELTS Reading topic was taken from the book: Cambridge IELTS 10 Student's Book with Answers.

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Section 1

Reading the Passage to answer the following Questions

Issues affecting the Southern Resident Orcas Reading Answers

Orcas, also known as killer whales, are opportunistic feeders, which means they will take a variety of different prey species. J, K, and L pods (specific groups of orcas found in the region) are almost exclusively fish eaters. Do studies show that up to 90% of their diet is salmon, with Chinook? Salmon being far and away from their favourite. During the last 50 years, hundreds of wild runs of salmon have become extinct due to habitat loss and overfishing of wild stocks. Many of the extinct salmon stocks are the winter runs of chinook and coho. Although the surviving stocks have probably been sufficient to sustain the resident pods, many of the runs that have been lost were undoubtedly traditional resources favoured by the resident orcas. This may be affecting the whales’ nutrition in the winter and may require them to change their patterns of movement in order to search for food.

Other studies with tagged whales have shown that they regularly dive up to 800 feet in this area. Researchers tend to think that during these deep dives the whales may be feeding on Bottomfish. Bottomfish species in this area would include halibut, rockfish, lingcod, and greenling. Scientists estimate that today’s lingcod population in northern Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia is only 2% of what it was in 1950. The average size of rockfish in the recreational catch has also declined by several inches since the 1970s, which is indicative of overfishing. In some locations, certain rockfish species have disappeared entirely. So even if Bottomfish is not a major food resource for the whales, the present low numbers of available fish increase the pressure on orcas and all marine animals to find food. (For more information on Bottomfish see the San Juan County Bottomfish Recovery Program.)

Toxic substances accumulate in higher concentrations as they move up the food chain. Because orcas are the top predator in the ocean and are at the top of several different food chains in the environment, they tend to be more affected by pollutants than other sea creatures. Examinations of stranded biller whales have shown some extremely high levels of lead, mercury, and polychlorinated hydrocarbons. Abandoned marine toxic waste dumps and present levels of industrial and human refuse pollution of the inland waters probably presents the most serious threat to the continued existence of this orca population. Unfortunately, the total remedy to this huge problem would be broad societal changes on many fronts. But because of the fact that orcas are so popular, they may be the best species to use as a focal point in bringing about the many changes that need to be made in order to protect the marine environment as a whole from further toxic poisoning.

The waters around the San Juan Islands are extremely busy due to international commercial shipping, fishing, whale watching, and pleasure boating. On a busy weekend day in the summer, it is not uncommon to see numerous boats in the vicinity of the whales as they travel through the area. The potential impacts from all this vessel traffic with regard to the whales and other marine animals in the area could be tremendous.

The surfacing and breathing space of marine birds and mammals is a critical aspect of their habitat, which the animals must consciously deal with on a moment-to-moment basis throughout their lifetimes. With all the boating activity in the vicinity, there are three ways in which surface impacts are most likely to affect marine animals：(a) collision, (b) collision avoidance, and (c) exhaust emissions in breathing pockets.

The first two impacts are very obvious and don’t just apply to vessels with motors. Kayakers even present a problem here because they’re so quiet. Marine animals, busy hunting and feeding under the surface of the water, may not be aware that there is a kayak above them and actually hit the bottom of it as they surface to breathe.

The third impact is one most people don’t even think of. When there are numerous boats in the area, especially idling boats, there are a lot of exhaust fumes being spewed out on the surface of the water. When the whale comes up to take a nice big breath of “fresh” air, it instead gets a nice big breath of exhaust fumes. It’s hard to say how greatly this affects the animals, but think how breathing polluted air affects us (i.e., smog in large cities like Los Angeles, breathing the foul air while sitting in traffic jams, etc).

Similar to surface impacts, a primary source of acoustic pollution for this population of orcas would also be derived from the cumulative underwater noise of vessel traffic. For cetaceans, the underwater sound environment is perhaps the most critical component of their sensory and behavioural lives. Orcas communicate with each other over short and long distances with a variety of dicks, chirps, squeaks, and whistles, along with using echolocation to locate prey and to navigate. They may also rely on passive listening as a primary sensory source. The long-term impacts from noise pollution would not likely show up as noticeable behavioural changes in habitat use, but rather as sensory damage or gradual reduction in population health. A new study at The Whale Museum called the SeaSound Remote Sensing Network has begun studying underwater acoustics and its relationship to orca communication.

Section 2

Solution with Explanation
Questions 31 – 32:
For each question, choose the appropriate letter A-D and write it in boxes 31 and 32 on your Answer Sheet

Killer whales (orcas) in the J, K, and L pods prefer to eat

halibut.
a type of salmon.
a variety of animals.
fish living at the bottom of the sea.

Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: J, K, and L pods (specific groups of orcas found in the region) are almost exclusively fish eaters.
Keywords: orcas, fish eaters, diet, chinook salmon
Keywords Location: Paragraph A, 2nd sentence
Explanation: The author states that J, K, and L pods are certain groups of orcas present in the area. they are almost entirely fish eaters. The author also goes on to explain that studies show that up to 90 percent of their diet is salmon. Among these, Chinook salmon is their favourite. Hence, they prefer to eat one type of fish. This makes b the correct answer.

Some groups of salmon have become extinct because

they have lost places to live.
whales have eaten them.
they don’t get good nutrition.
The winters in the area are too cold.

Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: During the last 50 years, hundreds of wild runs of salmon have become extinct due to habitat loss and overfishing of wild stocks.
Keywords: 50 years, salmon, habitat loss, overfishing, wild stocks
Keywords Location: Paragraph A, line 5
Explanation: The passage directly states that during the last 50 years, many salmons have become extinct due to the loss of habitat. A habitat is a location where natural species grow and thrive. It means their home or place to live. This makes A the correct answer.

Questions 33 – 40:
Complete the table below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 33-40 on your Answer Sheet

Cause	Effect
Scientists believe some whales feed 33…………..	These whales dive very deep.
Scientists believe that the area is being overfished.	Rockfish caught today is 34……………. than rockfish caught in the past.
Orcas are at the top of the ocean food chain.	35……………. affects orcas more than it does other sea animals.
Orcas are a 36 ……. species.	We can use orcas to make society aware of the problem of marine pollution.
People enjoy boating, fishing, and whale watching in the San Juan Islands.	On weekends there are 37……………. near the whales
Kayaks are 38…………….	Marine animals hit them when they come up for air.
A lot of boats keep their motors running.	Whales breathe 39…………….
Boats are noisy.	Whales have difficulty 40…………….

Question 33:

Answer: on bottomfish
Supporting Sentence: "researchers tend to think that during these deep dives the whales may be feeding on bottomfish.
Keywords: researchers, deep dives, whales, feeding, bottomfish
Keywords Location: Paragraph A, 2nd part, 2nd line
Explanation: The second section of paragraph A mentions that deep-diving whales must feed on bottomfish. Researchers and scientists are similar. Therefore, experts think that bottomfish is what whales eat. Hence, bottomfish is the correct answer.

Question 34:

Answer: Smaller
Supporting Sentence: the average size of rockfish in the recreational catch has also declined by several inches since the 1970s, which is indicative of overfishing.
Keywords: average size, rockfish, decline, several inches, overfishing
Keywords Location: Paragraph A, 2nd part, 5th line
Explanation: The average size of rockfish has decreased by several inches since the 1970s, which is symptomatic of overfishing. The passage also states that because of the effects on the water bodies, rockfish taken in the 1970s were bigger than those caught now. As a result, we can easily say that the rockfish that were caught today are smaller.

Question 35:

Answer: Pollution
Supporting Sentence: because orcas are the top predator in the ocean and are at the top of several different food chains in the environment, they tend to be more affected by pollutants than other sea creatures.
Keywords: food chain, environment, affected, sea creatures, pollutants
Keywords Location: Paragraph B, line 2
Explanation: The author directly mentions that orcas tend to be more harmed by pollutants than other sea creatures. This is because they are the top predator in the ocean and are at the top of numerous distinct food chains in the environment. Hence, they also face more pollution. This sentence demonstrates how contaminants have the greatest impact on otters, the top predator. Hence, pollution is the correct answer.

Question 36:

Answer: Popular
Supporting Sentence: but because of the fact that orcas are so popular, they may be the best species to use as a focal point in bringing about the many changes that need to be made in order to protect the marine environment as a whole from further toxic poisoning.
Keywords: species, focal point, marine environment, toxic poisoning, protect
Keywords Location: Paragraph B, last line
Explanation: As per the last sentence of paragraph B orcas are the best species to use as a focal point in bringing about the many adjustments needed to preserve the marine environment. This suggests that orcas are a quite popular species since they are required for a major study. The popularity of Orcas is supported by this line. Hence, popular is the correct answer.

Question 37:

Answer: Numerous boats and vessels
Supporting Sentence: on a busy weekend day in the summer, it is not uncommon to see numerous boats in the vicinity of the whales as they travel through the area.
Keywords: weekend day, summer, uncommon, vicinity, whales, travel, sea
Keywords Location: Paragraph C, 2nd line
Explanation: The author in the 2^nd line of paragraph C states that it is not unusual to observe multiple boats in the vicinity of the whales. This happens because they travel through areas on a busy weekend. Since weekends are popular, most or numerous boats and vessels travel.

Question 38:

Answer: quiet
Supporting Sentence: Kayakers even present a problem here because they're so quiet.
Keywords: problem, kayakers, quiet
Keywords Location: Paragraph C, 3rd part, 2nd line
Explanation: Paragraph C says, "Kayakers even pose a difficulty here because they're so silent.". Since the kayak is silent, marine life gets hit by its surface because they are unaware that it is above them. They are unable to hear the sound because kayaks are quite. Hence, quite is the correct answer.

Question 39:

Answer: exhaust fumes
Supporting Sentence: when there are numerous boats in the area, especially idling boats, there are a lot of exhaust fumes being spewed out on the surface of the water. When the whale comes up to take a nice big breath of "fresh" air, it instead gets a nice big breath of exhaust fumes.
Keywords: numerous boats, surface of water, big breath, fresh air
Keywords Location: Paragraph C, 2nd last line
Explanation: The author mentions that the whale gets a great large breath of exhaust fumes instead of a wonderful big breath of "fresh" air when it comes up. This is because there are so many boats on the water's surface, and a lot of exhaust fumes are generated. Hence, when the whales come to the surface to breathe, they end up ingesting or breathing these fumes.

Question 40:

Answer: communicating
Supporting Sentence: Orcas communicate with each other over short and long distances with a variety of dicks, chirps, squeaks, and whistles, along with using echolocation to locate prey and to navigate.
Keywords: short, long, distance, orcas, chrps, squakes, echolocation, prey, navigate
Keywords Location: Paragraph D, 3rd line
Explanation: The passage states that Orcas use a variety of clicks, chirps, squeaks, and whistles to communicate with one another over short and large distances. The author also mentions that long-term effects of noise pollution would probably manifest as sensory impairment or a steady decline in population health. This shows that killer whales like orcas have had short-distance communication capabilities. However, the communication of orcas is hampered by noise pollution. Hence, communicating is the correct answer.