Mammoth Kills 2 Reading Answers
Mammoth Kills 2 Reading Answers contain 13 questions that have to be answered in 20 minutes. Mammoth Kills 2 IELTS Reading Answer comprises two types of questions: Summary completion and matching information provided. For the Matching information, candidates need to thoroughly go through each passage. For passage completion, candidates need to skim the passage for keywords and understand the concept. To choose the correct option, candidates must read the IELTS passage and understand the statement provided.
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Section 1
Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions
Mammoth Kills 2 IELTS Reading Answers
A mammoth is any species of the extinct genus Mammuthus, proboscideans commonly equipped with long, curved tusks and, in northern species, a covering of long hair. They lived from the Pliocene epoch (from around 5 million years ago) into the Holocene at about 4,500 years ago and were members of the family Elephantidae, which contains, along with mammoths, the two genera of modern elephants and their ancestors.
- Like their modern relatives, mammoths were quite large. The largest known species reached heights in the region of 4 m at the shoulder and weights of up to 8 tonnes, while exceptionally large males may have exceeded 12 tonnes. However, most species of mammoth were only about as large as a modern Asian elephant. Both sexes bore tusks. A first, small set appeared at about the age of six months, and these were replaced at about 18 months by the permanent set. Growth of the permanent set was at a rate of about 2.5 to 15.2 cm per year. Based on studies of their close relatives, the modern elephants, mammoths probably had a gestation period of 22 months, resulting in a single calf being born. Their social structure was probably the same as that of African and Asian elephants, with females living in herds headed by a matriarch, whilst bulls lived solitary lives or formed loose groups after sexual maturity.
- MEXICO CITY – Although it’s hard to imagine in this age of urban sprawl and automobiles, North America once belonged to mammoths, camels, ground sloths as large as cows, bear-sized beavers and other formidable beasts. Some 11,000 years ago, however, these large-bodied mammals and others – about 70 species in all – disappeared. Their demise coincided roughly with the arrival of humans in the New World and dramatic climatic change – factors that have inspired several theories about the die-off. Yet despite decades of scientific investigation, the exact cause remains a mystery. Now new findings offer support to one of these controversial hypotheses: that human hunting drove this megafaunal menagerie to extinction. The overkill model emerged in the 1960s when it was put forth by Paul S. Martin of the University of Arizona. Since then, critics have charged that no evidence exists to support the idea that the first Americans hunted to the extent necessary to cause these extinctions. But at the annual meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology in Mexico City last October, paleoecologist John Alroy of the University of California at Santa Barbara argued that, in fact, hunting-driven extinction is not only plausible, but it was also unavoidable. He has determined, using a computer simulation, that even a very modest amount of hunting would have wiped these animals out.
- Assuming an initial human population of 100 people that grew no more than 2 per cent annually, Alroy determined that if each band of, say, 50 people killed 15 to 20 large mammals a year, humans could have eliminated the animal populations within 1,000 years. Large mammals, in particular, would have been vulnerable to the pressure because they have longer gestation periods than smaller mammals and their young require extended care.
- Not everyone agrees with Alroy’s assessment. For one, the results depend in part on population-size estimates for the extinct animals – figures that are not necessarily reliable. But a more specific criticism comes from mammalogist Ross D. E. MacPhee of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, who points out that the relevant archaeological record contains barely a dozen examples of stone points embedded in mammoth bones (and none, it should be noted, are known from other megafaunal remains) – hardly what one might expect if hunting drove these animals to extinction. Furthermore, some of these species had huge ranges – the giant Jefferson’s ground sloth, for example, lived as far north as the Yukon and as far south as Mexico – which would have made slaughtering them in numbers sufficient to cause their extinction rather implausible, he says.
- MacPhee agrees that humans most likely brought about these extinctions (as well as others around the world that coincided with human arrival), but not directly. Rather he suggests that people may have introduced hyper lethal disease, perhaps through their dogs or hitchhiking vermin, which then spread widely among the immunologically naive species of the New World. As in the overkill model, populations of large mammals would have a harder time recovering. Repeated outbreaks of a hyper disease could thus quickly drive them to the point of no return. So far MacPhee does not have empirical evidence for the hyper disease hypothesis, and it won’t be easy to come by hyper lethal disease would kill far too quickly to leave its signature on the bones themselves. But he hopes that analyses of tissue and DNA from the last mammoths to perish will eventually reveal murderous microbes.
- The third explanation for what brought on this North American extinction does not involve human beings. Instead, its proponents blame the loss on the weather. The Pleistocene epoch witnessed considerable climatic instability, explains palaeontologist Russell W. Graham of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. As a result, certain habitats disappeared, and species that had once formed communities split apart. For some animals, this change brought opportunity. For much of the megafauna, however, the increasingly homogeneous environment left them with shrinking geographical ranges – a death sentence for large animals, which need large ranges. Although these creatures managed to maintain viable populations through most of the Pleistocene, the final major fluctuation – the so-called Younger Dryas event – pushed them over the edge, Graham says. For his part, Alroy is convinced that human hunters demolished the titans of the Ice Age. The overkill model explains everything the disease and climate scenarios explain, he asserts, and makes accurate predictions about which species would eventually go extinct. “Personally, I’m a vegetarian,” he remarks, “and I find all of this kind of gross – but believable.”
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Section 2
Solution and Explanation
Questions 1-7:
Complete the following summary of the paragraphs of Reading Passage, using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the Reading Passage for each answer.
The reason why big size mammals became extinct 11,000 years ago is under hot debate. The first explanation is that 1. …………. human-made it happens. This so-called 2. ………….. began from the 1960s suggested by an expert, who however received criticism of lack of further information. Another assumption promoted by MacPhee is that deadly 3. …………….. from humans causes their demise. However, his hypothesis required more than 4. …………. to testify its validity. Graham proposed a third hypothesis that 5. ………….. in the Pleistocene epoch drove some species to disappear, reduced 6. ……………. posed a dangerous signal to these giants, and 7. …………. finally wiped them out.
Question 1.
Answer: Hunting
Supporting Sentence: The mammoths disappeared about some 11,000 years ago because of the arrival of human civilization. ‘The arrival of humans in the New World and dramatic climatic change – factors that have inspired several theories about the die-of.’ (Line 4-6)
Keywords: Human, Mammoths, and Disappeared.
Keyword Location: Section B, Line 4.
Explanation: In Mexico City, the arrival of human beings in the area has led to the disappearance of mammoths. As human civilization has started hunting in the area to establish their livelihood, hence, it led to the extinction of mammoths in the city.
Question 2.
Answer: Overkill model.
Supporting Sentence: The hypothesis of the ‘overkill model’ which emerged during the 1960s says that excessive human activity led to the extinction of mammoths. ‘That human hunting drove this megafaunal menagerie to extinction. The overkill model emerged in the 1960s.’ (Line 7-8)
Keywords: Extinction and Overkill model.
Keyword Location: Section B, Line 8.
Explanation: Paul S. Martin of the University of Arizona suggested the ‘overkill model.’ This model emerged during the 1960s, but due to a lack of scientific proves, this hypothesis could not be proved as a theory and was dismissed.
Question 3.
Answer: Hyper Lethal disease.
Supporting Sentence: Rose D.E. MacPhee argues that the cause of extinction of mammoths on the planet is due to the arrival of 'hyperlethal disease', which affects the immune system of mammals. ‘Rather he suggests that people may have introduced hyperlethal disease, perhaps through their dogs or hitchhiking vermin, which then spread widely among the immunologically naive species.’ (Line 2-3)
Keywords: Hyperlethal disease and Immunologically.
Keyword Location: Section E, Line 3.
Explanation: Rose D.E. MacPhee of the American Museum of Natural History in New York argued that the human species have introduced ‘hyperlethal disease’ maybe coincidently through their dogs or vermins among the mammals. This may be the cause that affects the immune system of the young mammals and became the cause of their extinction.
Question 4.
Answer: Empirical evidence.
Supporting Sentence: The hypothesis of ‘hyperdisease’ could not be proved due to a lack of empirical evidence. This could not be verified on the basis of observations. ‘So far MacPhee does not have empirical evidence for the hyperdisease hypothesis.’ (Line 7)
Keywords: Empirical evidence, Observations, and Hyperdisease.
Keyword Location: Section E, Line 7.
Explanation: The hypothesis ‘hyperlethal disease’ is the cause of the extinction of mammals could be verified and proved by Macphee. Lack of scientific proofs and observations does not support the theory of this hypothesis as there was no proof found on the bones of the mammals. Thus, this cause was too rejected.
Question 5.
Answer: Climatic instability
Supporting Sentence: Russell W. Graham explains the cause of extinction to be changed in the weather, which leads to their end. ‘Pleistocene epoch witnessed considerable climatic instability, explains paleontologist Russell W. Graham of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.’ (Line 3-4)
Keywords: Climatic instability, Pleistocene epoch, and Weather.
Keyword Location: Section F, Line 3.
Explanation: Russell W. Graham rejected the hypothesis that humans are the cause of the extinction of mammoths. He further explains that extreme change in the climatic condition was the cause of the extinction of mammoths. As the mammoths were not able to cope up with the weather change and finally died and disappeared.
Question 6.
Answer: Geographical ranges.
Supporting Sentence: The lack of a heterogeneous environment is the cause of the extinction of large mammals in the area. ‘The increasingly homogeneous environment left them with shrinking geographical ranges – a death sentence for large animals.’ (Line 6-7)
Keywords: Geographical ranges, Homogenous environment, and Large animals.
Keyword Location: Section F, Line 6.
Explanation: Graham further explains that lack of a homogenous environment, i.e. lack of biodiversity in the area leads to shrinks of the geographical range for the large animals. As the large animals need more area to flourish their habitat, however, it proves to be a boon for some species too.
Question 7.
Answer: Younger Dryas event.
Supporting Sentence: Further, the beginning of Younger Dryas' event on the planet leads to the final climax of the large mammoths. ‘The so-called Younger Dryas event – pushed them over the edge, Graham says.’ (Line 9)
Keywords: Younger Dryas event, and Pleistocene.
Keyword Location: Section F, Line 9.
Explanation: Graham added that the beginning of the Younger Dryas event or ice age during the Pleistocene epoch leads to the final wipeout of the large population of the mammoths. This cooler average temperature in the climate affects the habitats of the mammoths as the large ice sheets form in the large landmasses.
Questions 8-13:
Use the information in the passage to match the people (listed A-C) with opinions or deeds below.
| A | John Alroy |
| B | Ross D.E. MacPhee |
| C | Russell W. Graham |
- Human hunting explained well which species would finally disappear.
- Further grounded proof needed to explain human’s indirect impact on mammals.
- Overhunting situations have caused the die-out of large mammals.
- Illness rather than hunting caused extensive extinction.
- Doubt raised through the study of several fossil records.
- Climate shift is the main reason for extinction.
Question 8. Human hunting explained well which species would finally disappear.
Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: Their demise coincided roughly with the arrival of humans in the New World and dramatic climatic change – factors that have inspired several theories about the die-off.
Keywords: coincided, demise
Keyword Location: Paragraph B , line 5
Explanation: John Alroy has explained that intervention of human species and repeated hunting activity leads to the extinction of mammoths.
Question 9. The further grounded proof is needed to explain human’s indirect impact on mammals
Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: MacPhee agrees that humans most likely brought about these extinctions (as well as others around the world that coincided with human arrival), but not directly.
Keywords: extinctions, agrees
Keyword Location: Paragraph E , First line
Explanation: Rose D.E. MacPhee fails to give further verified and tested proof to explain that humans have coincidently or indirectly affected the natural habitat of mammals on the planet.
Question 10. The overhunting situation has caused the die-out of large mammals.
Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: John Alroy of the University of California at Santa Barbara argued that, in fact, hunting-driven extinction is not only plausible, but it was also unavoidable. He has determined, using a computer simulation, that even a very modest amount of hunting would have wiped these animals out.
Keywords: hunting-driven, University of california
Keyword Location: Paragraph B, last 3- lines
Explanation: John Alroy has examined that if 50 humans have killed 15 out of 20 mammals, then it is evident that humans could have destroyed animal species within 1000 years.
Question 11. Illness rather than hunting caused extensive extinction.
Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: “he suggests that people may have introduced hyper lethal disease, perhaps through their dogs or hitchhiking vermin, which then spread widely among the immunologically naive species of the New World. “
Keywords: hyper lethal, hitchhiking
Keyword Location: Paragraph E, line 2-3
Explanation: MacPhee suggested that the 'hyperlethal disease' is the cause of the extinction of mammals from the planet rather than human hunting.
Question 12. Doubt was raised through the study of several fossil records.
Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: the relevant archaeological record contains barely a dozen examples of stone points embedded in mammoth bones (and none, it should be noted, are known from other megafaunal remains) – hardly what one might expect if hunting drove these animals to extinction.
Keywords: embedded, bones
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, line 5
Explanation: MacPhee after studying the fossil remains of the mammoths concluded that there is some doubt that hunting is the cause of their extinction. Further, he argues that the spread of 'hyperdisease' among mammals is the cause of their extinction.
Question 13. Climate shift is the main reason for extinction
Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: Certain habitats disappeared, and species that had once formed communities split apart. For some animals, this change brought opportunity.
Keywords: habitats, species
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, line 4
Explanation: Russell W. Graham explains the extreme climate change on the planet leads to the extinction of the mammoths. Also, the beginning of Ice-age too is the reason for the wipeout of mammals.
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