Sea Dragon Search - IELTS General Reading Sample With Explanation

IELTS Reading section evaluates the candidates reading proficiency through passages and questions based on the given passage. The candidates are required to answer 40 questions of different types. The understanding ability of the candidates is tested through the reading section. This IELTS Reading Sample- Sea Dragon Search is a General Training topic, and contains three question types:

1. Identifying Information
2. Choosing correct Answer
3. Multiple Choice Questions

IELTS Reading practice papers help the candidates improve their reading skills which eventually helps them in scoring good marks.

Sea Dragon Search - IELTS Reading Sample

In appearance, they are unmistakably dragons, but in other ways these delicate creatures of the sea bear little resemblance to their fierce, mythical namesake. They are only 45 cm long, fragile, harmless and vulnerable. Belonging to the same family as seahorses, seadragons come in two different species: ‘weedy’ (resembling blades of brown seaweed) and the more showy and more endangered ‘leafy’ (looking like aquatic leaves). They are found only in coastal southern Australian waters and because they resemble swaying seaweed can be difficult to find in their natural habitat.

Though well camouflaged, their brilliant colours are visible in sun-dappled waters. Both species inhabit rocky reefs, seaweed beds and seagrass meadows colonised by seaweed. They are most often seen in shallow coastal waters. Camouflage is their only protection. Otherwise, sea dragons are poorly equipped for fleeing from pursuers. Their outer skin is composed of solid bony plates, which limit mobility. The only way they can propel themselves along is through rapidly oscillating their ventral and dorsal fins. Like seahorses they possess an internal air bladder, used for vertical motion. With little effort, they can rise or settle to another depth simply by changing the air volume within the bladder. Because they blend easily with the background, sea dragons are agile enough to hunt down tiny shrimps, their main quarry.

Perhaps, the most extraordinary thing about sea dragons is that it is actually the male of the species which carries the young. During mating, the female lays 100-250 eggs onto the underside of the male’s tail, where they are attached and fertilized. After a period of about four to six weeks from conception the male gives birth to miniature juvenile versions of itself. As soon as a baby sea dragon leaves the safety of its father’s tail, it is independent and receives no further help from its parents.

There is increasing concern about the future of these vulnerable and fragile creatures. Both sea dragons and their close relatives, sea horses, are threatened globally by habitat destruction. The inshore areas of seagrass they inhabit are threatened by pollution and excessive fertiliser runoff. Each year, an estimated 20 million seahorses ( but not sea dragons) are taken for traditional Asian medicines. The international trade in seahorses involves more than 30 countries and is growing. Fortunately, sea dragons are currently not used for the medicine trade; however they have been targeted by the aquarium fish trade. Unscrupulous ‘collectors’ have denuded the more accessible sea grass areas of this amazing creature.

Keeping live sea dragons is extremely difficult and collectors often target males with eggs, hatching out and selling the young. Removing breeding animals from the wild populations may have an impact on local populations of sea dragons. To date, no successful closed cycle captive breeding program has occurred. There has not yet been a generation of captive sea dragons which has bred. Economically and environmentally it makes sense to limit collection and export of this species until more is known about them. Because sea dragons require live food and an exact water temperature, most die quickly in captivity. It is illegal to take or export them without a permit. Concerned by the rapidly decreasing numbers of the sea dragon, the department of fisheries declared it a totally protected species in 1991.

It is for these reasons that Dragon search has been initiated. The community based monitoring programs involve nearly 20 organizations around Australia. The project encourages members of the community to provide information on sea dragon sightings. Recreational divers and snorkelers are invited to record sightings of sea dragons in their dive logs and to transfer relevant information to Dragon search sighting sheets. Likewise, anyone who visits the beach and spots either live sea dragons in water or their remains washed up on shore may also participate. The information submitted is entered into a confidential database and is used to encourage the protection of these wonderful creatures and to promote the establishment of marine reserves. It is hoped that increased awareness and involvement of local communities will help prevent poaching of sea dragons and encourage the protection of both species and their habitat.

Questions 28-33

Look at the following statements.

Write:

TRUE if the statement is true according to the passage
FALSE if the statement is false according to the passage
NOT GIVEN if there is no information about this in the passage

(Guide: Candidates need to study the questions and identify the facts as True or False or Not Given)

[28] Sea dragons are found all around the Australian coast.

Answer: No

Supporting answer: Sea dragons are graceful members of Syngnathidae family (including seahorses & pipefishes). Wild sea dragons are only found around the southern coast of Australia. Presently, there are three known species: The leafy sea dragon, the weedy (common ones) sea dragon & the latest discovered ruby sea dragon.

Keyword: Australia, southern coast, coastal waters

Keyword location: 1st paragraph, 4th line (last line)

Explanation: The last line of the first paragraph mentions that they are found only in coastal southern Australian waters and because they resemble swaying seaweed can be difficult to find in their natural habitat.

Also check:

[29] Weedy Sea dragons are more common than leafy sea dragons.

Answer: Yes

Supporting answer: Common Sea dragons consist of red-brown bodies, most of it covered with yellow dots and can be found across Australia’s whole southern coast from north Perth to Sydney, including Tasmania. Leafy sea dragons are mostly yellow-brown, and have more elaborative appendages and stripey body pattern with white coloured markings on their faces.

Keyword: Endangered, weedy sea dragon, leafy sea dragon.

Keyword location: 1st paragraph, 3rd line

Explanation: The first paragraph third line mentions two different species: ‘weedy’ (resembling blades of brown seaweed) and the showier and more endangered ‘leafy’ (looking like aquatic leaves)

[30] Body armour gives sea dragons effective protection from predators.

Answer: No

Supporting answer: They are slow moving, they depend heavily on camouflage for survival. Also, they are equipped with several long sharp spines along the side of the body which are said to be used to defend themselves against attacking fish. They are also capable of changing colour to match their surroundings.

Keyword: Camouflage, mobility, seaweed

Keyword location: 2nd paragraph. 4th line

Explanation: The Second paragraph mentions that Camouflage is their only protection. Otherwise, sea dragons are poorly equipped for fleeing from pursuers. Their outer skin is composed of solid bony plates, which limit mobility.

[31] The air bladder enables sea dragons to move with great speed.

Answer: No

Supporting answer: The only way they can propel themselves along is through rapidly oscillating their ventral and dorsal fins. they blend easily with the background, sea dragons are agile enough to hunt down tiny shrimps, their main quarry.

Keyword: air bladder, air volume, fins, motion

Keyword location: 2nd paragraph, 8th line

Explanation: The second paragraph mentions that they possess an internal air bladder, used for vertical motion. With little effort, they can rise or settle to another depth simply by changing the air volume within the bladder.

[32] Eggs are laid by the male sea dragon.

Answer: No

Supporting answer: The male of the species carries the young. After a period of about four to six weeks from conception the male gives birth to miniature juvenile versions of itself.

Keyword: fertilized, eggs, female sea dragon, male sea dragon.

Keyword location: 3rd paragraph, 2nd line.

Explanation: The third paragraph mentions that During mating, the female lays 100-250 eggs onto the underside of the male’s tail, where they are attached and fertilized.

[33] The male and female stay together to look after the eggs.

Answer: Not given

Explanation: As soon as a baby sea dragon leaves the safety of its father’s tail, it is independent and receives no further help from its parents.

Questions 34-38

Choose the correct letter from A-D.

(Guide: Candidates need to select the correct answer choice from the list of A to D when answering the questions)

[34] Which of the following is NOT a threat to the survival of sea dragons?

1. habitat destruction
2. difficulty of breeding in captivity
3. use in Chinese medicine
4. the aquarium trade

Answer: C

Supporting sentence: Unscrupulous ‘collectors’ have denuded the more accessible sea grass areas of this amazing creature. Every year, an estimated 20 million seahorses ( not sea dragons) are taken for traditional Asian medicines.

Keyword: medicine, trade, fish trade.

Keyword location: 4th paragraph, 6th line

Explanation: The fourth paragraph mentions that sea dragons are currently not used for the medicine trade; however they have been targeted by the aquarium fish trade.

[35] Seadragons do NOT do well in captivity because…

1. they require warm water.
2. they are difficult to catch without injury.
3. they die quickly when stressed.
4. they only eat live food.

Answer: D

Supporting sentence: Due to Economical and environmental factors it makes sense to limit collection and export of these elegant species until more is known about them. The department of fisheries declared it a totally protected species in 1991 due to the rising concern of decrease in sea dragon population.

Keyword: Temperature, captivity, export

Keyword location: 5th paragraph, 6th line

Explanation: The fifth paragraph mentions that sea dragons require live food and an exact water temperature, most die quickly in captivity. It is illegal to take or export them without a permit.

[36] Breeding of captive sea dragons has been..

1. against the law.
2. unsuccessful.
3. limited.
4. a growing industry.

Answer: B

Supporting sentence: Studies suggest that keeping live sea dragons is wildly difficult and collectors often target males with eggs, hatching out and selling the young. Removing breeding animals from the wild populations might impact the domestic populations of sea dragons.

Keyword: captive, sea dragons, breeding

Keyword location: 5th paragraph, 3rd line.

Explanation: The fifth paragraph mentions that there has been no successful closed-cycle captive breeding program has occurred. There has not yet been a generation of captive sea dragons which has bred.

[37] It is illegal to…

1. capture leafy sea dragons.
2. trade in sea dragons.
3. keep sea dragons in aquariums.
4. export sea dragons.

Answer: A

Supporting sentence: Due to Economical and environmental factors it makes sense to limit collection and export of these elegant species until more is known about them. It is illegal to take or export them without a permit.

Keyword: decreasing sea dragons, illegal export.

Keyword location: 5th paragraph, last line

Explanation: The fifth paragraph mentions that Concerned by the rapidly decreasing numbers of the sea dragon, the department of fisheries declared it a totally protected species in 1991.

[38] One purpose of Dragon Search is…

1. to capture live sea dragons.
2. to help divers locate sea dragons.
3. to move sea dragons to safer areas.
4. to increase public awareness of sea dragons.

Answer: D

Supporting sentence: The community organized monitoring system consist of around 20 establishments around Australia. The project encourages members of the community to offer information on sea dragon sightings. Anybody visiting the beach and spots either live sea dragons in water or their remains washed up on shore can participate. The information submitted gets entered into a confidential database.

Keyword: awareness, local communities, sightings, sea dragons

Keyword location: 6th paragraph, last line

Explanation: The sixth paragraph mentions that the decreasing population of sea dragons due to economical & illegal captivity factors, dragon search was initiated. It is hoped that increased awareness and involvement of local communities will help prevent poaching of sea dragons and encourage the protection of both species and their habitat.

Questions 39 and 40

Answer the following using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS FROM THE PASSAGE.

(Guide: Candidates need to answer the questions by taking not more than two words from the passage)

[39] What can public involvement in Dragon Search help to stop?

Answer: Poaching (Sea dragons)

Supporting sentence: It is hoped that increased awareness and involvement of local communities will help prevent poaching of sea dragons and encourage the protection of both species and their habitat.

Keyword: poaching, dragon search, community awareness

Keyword location: 6th paragraph, last line

Explanation: The sixth paragraph mentions that it is because of reasons like illegal captivity, export, and poaching activities, the dragon search community program has been initiated: involving around 20 organizations across Australia. The project encourages members of the community to provide information on sea dragon sightings.

[40] What do the organizers of Dragon Search hope to set up?

Answer: Marine reserves

Supporting sentence: Recreational divers and snorkelers are invited to record sightings of sea dragons in their dive logs and people who visit the beach can also provide with required essential information to Dragon search sighting sheets.

Keyword: sightings, divers, beach visit

Keyword location: 6th paragraph, 6th line.

Explanation: The Dragon search community program consists of 20 organizations across Australia, encouraging people to offer information upon sea dragon sightings. The information submitted is entered into a confidential database and is used to encourage the protection of these wonderful creatures and to promote the establishment of marine reserves.