Pterosaurs Reading Answers

May 3, 2025

Pterosaurs Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic.Pterosaurs Reading Answers has a total of 13 IELTS questions in total. In the question set you have to choose which paragraph contains the given statement. In the next question set you have to Write the correct letter, A, B, C or D. from the List of People given. In the last question set you have to choose the correct answer in no more than three words or a number from the given passage.

The IELTS Reading section is an essential part of the test that evaluates a candidate's comprehension and analysis of various passage types. You will work through a number of IELTS reading practice problems in this section that resemble actual test situations. These questions are designed to help you improve your ability to recognize essential concepts, extract particular facts, and make inferences. Practicing these IELTS reading problems can help you get comfortable with the structure and increase your confidence for the exam, regardless of whether you are studying for the Academic or General Training module.

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Section 1 PTEROSAURS

Remains Of the pterosaur, a cousin Of the dinosaur, are found on every continent.

Richard Monastersky reports

A. Pterosaurs stand out as one of nature's great success stories. They first appeared during the Triassic period, 215 million years ago, and thrived for 150 million years before becoming extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period. Uncontested in the air, pterosaurs colonised all continents and evolved into a vast array of shapes and sizes.

B. Until recently, most scientists would not have put pterosaurs in the same class as birds in terms of flying ability. Because pterosaurs were reptiles, generations of researchers imagined that these creatures must have been cold-blooded, like modern snakes and lizards. This would have made flying awkward, as they would have lacked the endurance to power their muscles for long periods Of time.

C In the past three decades, however, a number of fossil* discoveries have prompted researchers to re-examine their views. The new picture of pterosaurs reveals that they were unlike any modern reptile. From a fossil discovered in Kazakhstan, scientists suspect that pterosaurs had a covering resembling fur. If so, this detail provides evidence of a warm-blooded body that could maintain the kind of effort needed to stay in the air. Indeed, scientists now believe that many pterosaurs were gifted air-borne predators, built to feed while in flight. And, in fact, such controversy has surrounded pterosaurs since the first discovery of one in the early 1700s.

D. Cosimo Alessandro Collini, the first natural historian to Study the fossil and describe it, was unable to classify it. It was not until 1791 that the great French anatomist Georges Cuvier deduced that the animal was, in fact, a flying reptile, whose fourth finger supported a wing. He named the fossil Pterodactylus, combining the Greek words for wing and finger. A few decades later, the name pterosaur, or winged reptile, was adopted to describe the growing list of similar fossils.

E. In 1873, a remarkable pterosaur specimen came to light that confirmed Cuvier's deduction. Unlike earlier fossils, this new find near the Bavarian town Of Solnhofen contained delicate wing impressions, establishing definitely that the extinct reptile was capable Of flight. Even though over a thousand pterosaur specimens are known today, such wing impressions remain rare. Normally only bones survive the fossilisation process.

F. But how pterosaurs learnt to fly remains a matter for disagreement. Most researchers conclude that pterosaurs are descended from a small tree-dwelling reptile that spent its life jumping between branches. This creature would have spread its limbs, and used flaps of skin attached to its limbs and body to help it to land gently on the ground. Over many generations the fourth finger on each of its front 'arms 'would have grown longer, making the skin surface larger and enabling the animal to glide farther. Meanwhile, the competing argument holds that pterosaurs developed from two-legged reptiles that ran along the ground, perhaps spreading their arms for balance. Through gradual growth, the front arms would then have evolved into wings. This difficult issue will only be resolved with the discovery of earlier forms of pterosaurs.

G. 'It's very difficult to say how pterosaurs changed over time because the earliest fossils we have are of pterosaurs whose fourth finger has already transformed into a wing, ' says Fabio Vecchio, an Italian researcher. In fact, the earliest known pterosaurs came from the mountains of northern Italy, where he has spent years searching for flying reptiles. These species have wings than later forms, but there is evidence that they were skilful fliers, capable of catching fish over open water. Proof of this has been found in the fossil of a Eudimorphodon 215-million-year-old pterosaur found near Bergamo, Italy. Under a microscope, several fish scales can be seen in the abdomen Of the specimen, the remains Of the pterosaur's last meal.

H. A different but equally impressive sight is the life-size model of Quetzalcoatlus northropi, which stares down at visitors in the Museum of Flying in Santa Monica, California, It has a beak the size of a man and wings wider than those of many of the planes exhibited nearby, This pterosaur had wings over 11 metres wide, making it the largest flying animal ever known.

I. Quetzalcoatlus represents the height of pterosaur evolution. 'Unlike smaller pterosaurs, it could use natural currents to stay in the air without having to move its wings continuously, ' said Paul MacCready, an aeronautical engineer. 'As pterosaurs got larger, they discovered the benefits Of gliding on air currents, making use of a free energy source. With their hollow bones, these pterosaurs had a very light construction, ideal for such activity. '

J. As we walked beneath the Quetzalcoatlus model in Santa Monica, MacCready pointed out its similarity to sailplanes, the most efficient kind of aeroplanes, Both have long slender wings designed to fly with minimum power. During the flight , sailplane pilots routinely search for places where heat rises from the sun-baked earth, creating hot air currents called thermals. Undoubtedly, Quetzalcoatlus would have used thermals as well, lazily circling over the river deltas that once covered parts of Texas.

K. The triumphant reign of pterosaurs ended with this giant flier. At the end of the Cretaceous period 65 million years ago, a meteorite or comet slammed into the Earth. That calamity - and other events-wiped out roughly three-quarters of all species, including all pterosaurs and dinosaurs. But before their disappearance, pterosaurs enjoyed unequalled success. They flew into sunny skies before any other vertebrate. For 150 million years they sailed the winds on the strength of a fragile finger. What a glorious ride they had.

Questions 28-34

Reading Passage "Pterosaurs" has eleven paragraphs, A-K.

Write the correct letter, A-K, in boxes 28-34.

28. similarities between pterosaurs and mechanical flight

Answer: J

Supporting statement:MacCready pointed out its similarity to sailplanes, the most efficient kind of aeroplanes, Both have long slender wings

Keywords: sailplanes, aeroplanes

Keyword Location: Para J, Line 2

Explanation: According to the text, its resemblance to sailplanes, the most efficient type of airplane, was noted by MacCready. Both have long, thin wings that are made to fly with the least amount of power. Sailplane pilots frequently look for locations during flight where heat rises from the sun-baked land, forming thermals, or hot air currents. Thermals, idly looping over the river deltas that previously covered portions of Texas, would have certainly been used by Quetzalcoatlus as well.

29. the identification of the type of creature a pterosaur actually was

Answer: D

Supporting statement: It was not until 1791 that the great French anatomist Georges Cuvier deduced that the animal was, in fact, a flying reptile,

Keywords: 1791, flying reptile

Keyword Location: Para D, Line 2

Explanation: According to the text, it wasn't until 1791 that the renowned French anatomist Georges Cuvier identified the animal as a flying reptile with a wing supported by its fourth finger. The Greek terms for wing and finger were combined to give the specimen the name Pterodactylus.

30. conflicting theories about how pterosaurs came to fly

Answer: F

Supporting statement:But how pterosaurs learnt to fly remains a matter for disagreement.

Keywords: fly, disagreement

Keyword Location: Para F, Line 1

Explanation: The text states that conflicts about its ability to fly have many theories, such as the majority of scientists conclude that pterosaurs are descended from a tiny reptile that lived in trees and hopped between branches. To help it land gently on the ground, the creature would have stretched its limbs and used skin flaps that were attached to its body and limbs. On the other hand, the opposing view believes that two-legged reptiles that ran along the ground, maybe spreading their arms for balance, gave rise to pterosaurs. The front arms would then have developed into wings through slow growth.

31. the cause of the widespread destruction of animal life on our planet

Answer: K

Supporting statement:65 million years ago, a meteorite or comet slammed into the Earth.

Keywords: 65 million, meteorite or comet

Keyword Location: Para K, Line 2

Explanation: According to the text, a meteorite or comet struck the Earth 65 million years ago, toward the end of the Cretaceous perio,d causing a catastrophe, along with other occurrences, that killed almost seventy percent of all species living on the planet, including all pterosaurs and dinosaurs.

32. the fact that pterosaurs once existed all over the world

Answer: A

Supporting statement: colonised all continents and evolved into a vast array of shapes and sizes.

Keywords: continents, evolved

Keyword Location: Para A, Lines 3-4

Explanation: According to the text, pterosaurs first showed up 215 million years ago during the Triassic period, and they lived for a duration of 150 million years before going extinct. Unchallenged in the air, it expanded to every continent and evolved into an infinite number of kinds.

33. The first clear proof that pterosaurs could fly

Answer: E

Supporting statement: establishing definitely that the extinct reptile was capable Of flight

Keywords: establishing, extinct reptile

Keyword Location: Para E, Line 3

Explanation: The text states the discovery of an exceptional pterosaur fossil in 1873 was one of its kind, supporting Cuvier's theory about the possibility of the reptile's ability to fly. In contrast to previous fossils, this recent discovery near the Bavarian town of Solnhofen included exquisite wing impressions, conclusively proving that the prehistoric reptile could fly.

34. concrete evidence that pterosaurs hunted their food from the air

Answer: G

Supporting statement: but there is evidence that they were skilful fliers, capable of catching fish over open water.

Keywords: evidence, catching

Keyword Location: Para G, Line 5

Explanation: According to the text, the pterosaurs hunted their food from the air as they were skillful fliers, and evidence regarding this was found in the fossil of an Eudimorphodon a 215-million-year-old pterosaur found near Bergamo, Italy, having several fish scales in its abdomen as seen under a microscope.

Questions 35-38

Write the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

35. He refers to the difficulty of determining how pterosaurs evolved without further evidence.

Answer: C

Supporting statement: ' It's very difficult to say how pterosaurs changed over time

Keywords: difficult, changed

Keyword Location: Para G, Line 1

Explanation: According to the tex,t it is extremely difficult to determine how they changed over time, according to Italian researcher Fabio Vecchio, as all the fossils we have show pterosaurs with a fourth finger that had already turned into a wing

36. He failed to interpret the evidence before him.

Answer: A

Supporting statement:Cosimo Alessandro Collini, the first natural historian to Study the fossil and describe it, was unable to classify it.

Keywords: Cosimo Alessandro Collini, historian

Keyword Location: Para D, Line 1

Explanation: According to the text, despite studying and describing the fossil, Cosimo Alessandro Collini, the first natural historian, was unable to categorize it as the fossil.

37. He gave an appropriate name to the first pterosaur that was discovered.

Answer: B

Supporting statement: He named the fossil Pterodactylus, combining the Greek words for wing and finger.

Keywords: Pterodactylus, Greek

Keyword Location: Para D, Line 4

Explanation: According to the text, the French anatomist Georges Cuvier who identified that the animal was, in fact, a flying reptile gave the fossil its appropriate name by combining two Greek words finger and wing.

38. He mentions the ability of pterosaurs to take advantage of their environment.

Answer: D

Supporting statement:As pterosaurs got larger, they discovered the benefits Of gliding on air currents, making use of a free energy source.

Keywords: discovered, gliding

Keyword Location: Para I, Lines 3-4

Explanation: According to Paul MacCready, an aeronautical engineer, the pterosaurs discovered the ability to use the environment to their benefit to glide on the air currents, as it was a source of free energy which helped them to use less power to fly in air.

List of People

A Cosimo Alessandro Collini

B. Georges Cuvier

C. Fabio dalla Vecchio

D. Paul MacCready

Questions 39 and 40

THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

39. So far, evidence of a total of……….. pterosaurs has been discovered.

Answer: (OVER) A THOUSAND

Supporting statement:Even though over a thousand pterosaur specimens are known today,

Keywords: thousand, specimens

Keyword Location: Para E, Line 4