Pine Trees Reading Answers

Jan 30, 2023

Pine Trees Reading Answers is a academic topic in the IELTS Reading section. This has been taken from the book: Cambridge IELTS. The IELTS reading section helps candidates increase their reading skills with the help of passages. Candidates need to read the passage and then answer the questions. There are 14 questions in this topic: Pine Trees Reading Answers. The IELTS reading questions are divided into two sections: no more than two words, choose the appropriate option, and true/false/not given. There are more topics like In search of the Pine Trees Reading Answers available online. Candidates can practice from IELTS Reading practice papers to help them excel in the IE:LTS exam.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Pine Trees Reading Answers

I am looking at a very thick twisted trunk, rising to medium height, at which point appears a stumpy canopy of spiky needles. It's a tree, but a very special one. Ron Simonson, a park ranger explains. "It's a bristlecone pine, and it's been given the name, Methuselah". I ask the obvious question, and Ron replies, "Because like Methuselah from the bible, this tree is very old, one of the oldest living things on Earth in fact." I ask the next obvious question, and Ron replies, "Basically Methuselah has existed throughout virtually all of recorded human history." I look again at this quiet and unassuming tree, beginning to realise it is worthy of great respect.

Being in a cold climate, facing limited summer seasons, rooted in nutrient poor and dry soil, and subject to high winds and withering winters, bristlecone pines mature very slowly indeed. Yet mature they do, as with all pines becoming fractionally thicker every year as another growth ring is added to their truck. By counting these, we can accurately state that, as of 2011, Methuselah was 4,842 years old, meaning that it sprouted as a seedling in 2832 BC, centuries before the ancient Egyptians began building their pyramids. And that's just one fascinating fact about that well-known species of tree - the pine.

Pines trees are native to most of the Northern Hemisphere. Several species have adapted to the harsh conditions of high elevations and latitudes, including Methuselah himself, growing among the peaks of the White Mountains of Northern California.

Pines can be small, such as the Siberian Dwarf Pine, or huge, such as the Ponderosa Pine in the wilds of Oregon, and there are over 100 varieties in all. They have been introduced in to the more temperate portions of the Southern Hemisphere, where they are now grown widely, becoming a familiar feature in parks and gardens. It would not be too much of an exaggeration to say that almost everyone knows pines.

These trees certainly have many telltale characteristics. They are evergreen, usually with needle-like foliage and a sharp pleasant 'pine smell. They are often large and imposing, with thick scaly bark, and always produce their signature pine cones. These formations are certainly not simple. They can be male (small, inconspicuous, and shedding pollen) or female (large, woody, and containing seeds), even when appearing on the same tree. They have numerous scales arranged in a spiral, with seeds (on the female) tucked within. As the cone opens, the seeds eventually fall out, mostly to be dispersed by the wind, or sometimes by birds. In some varieties, the cones remain closed until their binding resin is melted by forest fires.

This last fact - the need for wildfires for regeneration - is another fascinating aspect of many pine species. In fire-prone areas, it can result in extensive stands of pines, a good example being in 'pine barrens'. These are eco-regions of sandy nutrient-poor soil dominated by pines, since the frequency of natural (usually lightning-induced) fires weeds out the less fire-tolerant species. It is perhaps sad that modern fire prevention methods have resulted in the decline of many pine species in the wild, and most ancient pine barrens are now being taken over by other forest vegetation.

However, the situation is very different for home and commercial use, which has seen pines become a very common sight. As these trees grow fast, can be planted in dense arrays, and produce attractive and easily moulded wood, they are favourites for commercial plantations. The wood is fragrant, but prone to decay, so it is most suitable for indoor or dry carpentry, rather than outdoors, where more durable varieties are necessary. As for other uses of pines, their branches are valued as Christmas trees, and their wood is also pulped in factories for paper and chipboard production. Pine resin is a byproduct, and this is collected for distillation into turpentine, an important industrial solvent.

In a more homely sense, perhaps what people most like are the cones, the largest of which are regularly used by children and craft enthusiasts. With the widespread distribution of pines across the Northern Hemisphere, cones form part of the many traditional cultures there, where they are used for decorative purposes, fire starters, bird feeders, or just intriguing natural playthings for young children. Many people lament that modern manufactured toys in the more affluent of these countries have displaced cones, although some Nordic communities still teach traditional 'cone-craft' in high schools.

For some reason, I always come back to Methuselah. Ron tells me a story. In 1964, a student was taking a coring sample from another bristlecone pine in the area. His coring toll broke, so the tree was cut down to allow dating by an examination of a cross-section of its trunk. Upon doing this, to the astonishment of all, 4,844 rings were counted, signifying that the tree was even older than Methuselah. Ron smiles wryly at the thought. 'We deliberately killed the oldest life on Earth. That's one reason why we keep the location of Methuselah a secret. This tree is precious, and must be kept free from all human interference.'

Section 2

Solution and Explanation
Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions
Questions 1-4:
Complete the sentences.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Every year, pine trees gain another 1

Answer: growth ring
Supporting Sentence: Yet mature they do, as with all pines becoming fractionally thicker every year as another growth ring is added to their truck.
Keywords: pines, fractionally, growth ring
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, lines 2-4
Explanation: As explained in the supporting sentence; Pines mature over time, growing thicker each year as new growth rings are added to their trunks.

The pyramids were built hundreds of years after 2

Answer: Methuselah sprouted
Supporting Sentence: Methuselah was 4,842 years old, meaning that it sprouted as a seedling in 2832 BC, centuries before the ancient Egyptians began building their pyramids. And that's just one fascinating fact about that well-known species of tree - the pine.
Keywords: Methuselah, 4,842, sprouted, 2832 BC
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, lines 6-9
Explanation: By counting the growth rings, it is possible to determine that Methuselah, a tree, was 4,842 years old as of 2011. This means that it germinated as a seedling in 2832 BC, which predates the construction of the ancient Egyptian pyramids.

Typical of all pines are their 3

Answer: (pine) cones
Supporting Sentence: They are often large and imposing, with thick scaly bark, and always produce their signature pine cones.
Keywords: large, imposing, thick scaly bark
Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, lines 3-4
Explanation: Pines are typically large and impressive, with thick, scaly bark and are known for producing their distinctive pine cones.

The wood from pines is not very 4

Answer: durable
Supporting Sentence: The wood is fragrant, but prone to decay, so it is most suitable for indoor or dry carpentry, rather than outdoors, where more durable varieties are necessary.
Keywords: fragrant, indoor, dry carpentry, durable
Keyword Location: Paragraph 7, lines 4-7
Explanation: Pine wood has a pleasant aroma. But it is susceptible to decay, making it more suitable for indoor or dry carpentry projects. Rather than outdoor construction where more durable types of wood are required.

Questions 5-8:
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage One?
Choose TRUE if the statement agrees with the information given in the passage
Choose FALSE if the statement contradicts the information, or
Choose NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

Ponderosa pines are the largest.

Answer: Not given
Explanation: No relevant information has been prpovided in the reading passage associated with the given question.

Pines are familiar to most people

Answer: True
Supporting Sentence: In a more homely sense, perhaps what people most like are the cones, the largest of which are regularly used by children and craft enthusiasts.
Keywords: homely sense, cones, craft enthusiasts
Keyword Location: Paragraph 8, lines 1-3
Explanation: In a more familiar context, people often appreciate the pine cones, with the larger ones commonly used by children and those who enjoy crafting.

Birds usually spread pine seeds.

Answer: False
Supporting Sentence: As the cone opens, the seeds eventually fall out, mostly to be dispersed by the wind, or sometimes by birds.
Keywords: cone, fall out
Keyword Location: paragraph 5, lines 8-10
Explanation: As the pine cone opens, the seeds within will eventually fall out and be dispersed by either the wind or birds.

Lightning storms benefit pine barrens.

Answer: True
Supporting Sentence: This last fact - the need for wildfires for regeneration - is another fascinating aspect of many pine species. In fire-prone areas, it can result in extensive stands of pines, a good example being in 'pine barrens'.
Keywords: wildfires, regeneration, fire-prone
Keyword Location: Paragraph 6, lines 1-3
Explanation: Another interesting aspect of many pine species is the requirement of wildfires for regeneration. In areas where wildfires are common, this can lead to the formation of large stands of pines, such as in 'pine barrens' areas.

Questions 9-11:
Choose THREE answers from the list, and write the correct letter, A-F, next to the questions.
Which THREE groups of people, A-F, particularly like pine trees?

plantation owners
outdoor carpenters
people interested in craft
certain native communities
factory owners
users of turpentine

Question 9.

Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: As these trees grow fast, can be planted in dense arrays, and produce attractive and easily moulded wood, they are favourites for commercial plantations.
Keywords: grow fast, dense arrays
Keyword Location: Paragraph 7, lines 3-4
Explanation: Due to their rapid growth rate, ability to be planted in close proximity to one another. And the attractive and versatile wood they produce, these trees are often used in commercial plantations.

Question 10.

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: In a more homely sense, perhaps what people most like are the cones, the largest of which are regularly used by children and craft enthusiasts.
Keywords: homely sense, cones,
Keyword Location: Paragraph 8, lines 1-2
Explanation: In a more domestic setting, people often appreciate the tree's cones, with the larger ones being popular among children and those who enjoy crafting.

Question 11.

Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: Many people lament that modern manufactured toys in the more affluent of these countries have displaced cones, although some Nordic communities still teach traditional 'cone-craft' in high schools.
Keywords: lament, affluent, Nordic
Keyword Location: Paragraph 8 lines 5-7
Explanation: Many people express disappointment that in more affluent countries, traditional cones have been replaced by manufactured toys. However, some communities in the Nordic region still incorporate traditional cone-crafting in their high school curriculum.

Questions 12-13:
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.

Pine cones are

complicated
male
mostly the same size.
often used as toys in affluent countries.

Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: These formations are certainly not simple.
Keywords: formations, simple
Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, lines 3-4
Explanation: To determine the correct answer for this question, we can use the process of elimination. By reading the passage, we can eliminate options B, C, and D as they contradict information provided in the passage. This leaves us with option A, which aligns with the information in the passage that pine cones formations are not simple. Therefore, the answer to Q12 is "complicated."

Methuselah is

4,842 years old.
the oldest tree ever.
visited by tourists.
not subject to much sunshine.

Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: That's one reason why we keep the location of Methuselah a secret. This tree is precious, and must be kept free from all human interference.'
Keywords: location, Methuselah, precious, human interference
Keyword Location: Paragraph 9, lines 6-7
Explanation: To solve this question, we can use the process of eliminating incorrect options while reading the passage. After reading, we can eliminate option A. It states that Methuselah was 4,842 years old in the past, which does not match with the information provided in Q13 that Methuselah is 4,842 years old now. Option B is also eliminated as the passage states that another tree is older than Methuselah. We can eliminate option C as it's stated in the passage that the location of Methuselah is kept secret to protect it from human interference. This leaves us with option D. This aligns with the passage's figurative use of the phrase "not subject to much sunshine" to indicate that the location of Methuselah is secret. Therefore, the answer to Q13 is "not subject to much sunshine".

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