The Big Cats at the Sharjah Breeding Centre Reading Answers

Feb 13, 2023

The Big Cats at the Sharjah Breeding Centre Reading Answers contains a write up about the Sharjah Breeding centre. The Big Cats at the Sharjah Breeding Centre Reading Answers comprising 13 different types of questions. Candidates in this IELTS Section will be shown various question types with clear instructions. The Big Cats at the Sharjah Breeding Centre Reading Answers comprises two types of questions: sentence completion, and Choose the correct option. In IELTS Reading passage, candidates need to thoroughly go through each passage. This topic has been taken from the book IELTS Masterclass - Volume 1. To gain proficiency, candidates can practice from IELTS reading practice test.

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Section 1

Read the passage to answer the following questions

The Big Cats at the Sharjah Breeding Centre Reading Answers

A It is one of the few places where you will be able to spot them all at the same time… the Arabian wolf, an African cheetah, an Arabian leopard, an oryx, a gazelle. These are just some of the animals, which, on the brink of extinction, are now getting a new lease of life thanks to the exemplary work being done at the Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife in Sharjah. Sharjah is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates. The Breeding Centre’s expertise and facilities have made it a prime destination for illegally imported animals confiscated by UAE and Sharjah authorities. In the last four years, more than 900 mammals and reptiles and 969 birds have arrived at the centre, including 25 North African cheetahs, Houbara bustard and falcons, lions, a baby Nile crocodile and a Burmese python that was left in a rental car at the airport.

B The 25 cheetahs were all imported illegally into the UAE and were intercepted at the UAE harbour and airport entry points. They nearly all arrived malnourished, dehydrated and highly stressed after long voyages stuffed into boxes, crates and suitcases. Now they are bright and full of energy. The Centre’s efforts have also been rewarded when the first cheetah mating took place at the end of 2002. Playing matchmaker with these beautiful creatures is no easy task – successful breeding requires considerable patience and intimate knowledge of each animal’s personality, and it is the result of intensive and expert management of each animal within the group as well as of the group as a whole.

C Because this group was still young and inexperienced in courtship matters, the keepers had to make the introductions only after careful planning and management, much like the lead role in a Jane Austen novel. The female cheetahs were initially intimidated by the presence of the male; however, as they advance to oestrus, the roles are reversed and the male cheetah becomes too wary to approach during the female’s most receptive phase of the cycle. It is the responsibility of the keeper therefore to monitor each individual and to be able to respond to any indication from the cheetahs that the time is right for introducing a pair. The close bond that invariably develops between the keeper and the cheetahs enables the keeper to spot even the most subtle signs from the animals in their care. The trust between keeper and animal has also allowed the opportunity to study cellular changes in the sexual organs of the females during the hormonal cycles that occur prior to reproduction.

D The Breeding Centre’s cheetahs are also participants in the European breeding programme, which aims to ensure that the genetic diversity of this endangered species is maintained and expanded by breeding as many founder animals as possible to introduce new bloodlines into the captive population. In this way, the group held at the centre plays a very important role in the future health of the international captive population, as they are potentially all new founders. Also very important for the Sharjah Breeding Centre is the leopard-breeding programme

E The Arabian leopard, Panthera pardus nimr, is critically endangered around the world and particularly in the Arabian peninsula, where it was once found throughout the coastal mountain ranges. Activities like hunting, trapping and habitat destruction has reduced their range to a few isolated and fragmented populations in Oman, Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

F In the 1980s, a captive breeding programme was established near Muscat with the capture of three leopards in southwestern Oman. The breeding programme in the UAE was initiated by the Arabian Leopard Trust and started with the arrival of two mature specimens: a male Arabian leopard from Yemen and a female on breeding loan from Oman in 1995. The arrival of these two animals led to the construction of the Breeding Centre in which the leopard has played the role of flagship species.

G Today there are twelve leopards at the Breeding centre, eight of which have been born at the centre since the first cub in 1998. Once more, the secret to the centre’s success is the close relationship between animal and keeper. The leopard is usually shy and secretive with people around, but here they react positively to the presence of their keepers, approaching the fence so they can be talked to or scratched behind an ear.

H The bond is particularly important during the breeding season when keepers decide to introduce pairs to each other. Male leopards are known to have killed their partners on introduction, so it is essential for the keeper to understand the leopards’ behaviour to decide when it is safe to do so. The trust is also important if keepers need to enter dens to check on and monitor the cub’s growth. Leopard females have been known to kill their cubs if the dens have been disturbed, but the centre’s leopards are quite comfortable with the staff handling the new generation of cubs.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 1- 8

Use the information in the text to match the statements (1 – 8) with the animals (A – D). Write the appropriate letter (A – D) in boxes 1 – 8 on your answer sheet.

Write:

if the statement refers to cheetahs at the Breeding Centre.
if the statement refers to leopards at the Breeding Centre.
if the statement refers to both cheetahs and leopards at the Breeding Centre.
If the statement refers to neither cheetahs nor leopards at the Breeding Centre.

These animals were smuggled into the UAE.

Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: The 25 cheetahs were all imported illegally into the UAE and were intercepted at the UAE harbour and airport entry points.”
Keyword : imported, illegally
Keyword location: Paragraph B, line 2 – line 3
Explanation: The supporting sentence indicates that the cheetahs in the breeding centre were smuggled into the UAE. Hence the answer is A since it refers only to cheetahs.

At first these animals did not adapt to life at the Sharjah Breeding Centre

Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: Today there are twelve leopards at the Breeding centre, eight of which have been born at the centre since the first cub in 1998.
Keyword : breeding centre, born, since
Keyword location: Paragraph G, line 1 – line 3
Explanation: As per the supporting sentence, there are twelve leopards. Eight of them were born and raised in the centre. However, the passage does not mention that the leopards did not adapt to life at the Sharjah Breeding Centre initially.
Hence the answer is D.

These animals are regarded as the most important animal at the Centre.

Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: The arrival of these two animals led to the construction of the Breeding Centre in which the leopard has played the role of flagship species.
Keyword : leopard, role, flagshi
Keyword location: Paragraph F, line 4 – line 6
Explanation: The author clearly indicates that the leopard is regarded as the most important animal at the Centre. This makes option B the correct answer. .

Half of these animals were born at the Breeding centre.

Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: In the last four years, more than 900 mammals and reptiles and 969 birds have arrived at the centre, including 25 North African cheetahs, Houbara bustard and falcons, lions, a baby Nile crocodile and a Burmese python
that was left in a rental car at the airport.”
Keyword : arrived, centre
Keyword location: Paragraph A, line 7 – line 10
Explanation: The passage talks about the animals which arrived in the centre. However, it is not mentioned in the passage that half of any of these animals were born at the Breeding centre. Hence the answer is D.

These animals can be dangerous to one another.

Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: Male leopards are known to have killed their partners on introduction, so it is essential for the keeper to understand the leopards’ behaviour to decide when it is safe to do so.
Keyword : killed, partners
Keyword location: Paragraph H, line 2 – line 3
Explanation: The author states that leopards killed their partners. This indicates that the leopards can be dangerous to one another. Hence the answer is B.

The role of the keeper is vital in the breeding programme of these animals.

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: Once more, the secret to the centre’s success is the close relationship between animal and keeper.
Keyword : centre, keeper, secret
Keyword location: Paragraph G, line 2 – line 3
Explanation: The supporting sentence suggests that the role of the keeper is vital in the breeding programme of the animals at the breeding centre. Hence the answer is C.

The first of these animals at the Breeding Centre was relatively young.

Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: Because this group was still young and inexperienced in courtship matters, the keepers had to make the introductions only after careful planning and management, much like the lead role in a Jane Austen novel.
Keyword : still, young, inexperienced
Keyword location: Paragraph C, line 1 – line 3
Explanation: We can see that Paragraph C is a continuation of Paragraph B. So, it can be concluded that the first cheetahs were young when they arrived. Hence the answer is A.

It is normally difficult for humans to approach these animals.

Answer: B
Supporting Sentence The leopard is usually shy and secretive with people around, but here they react positively to the presence of their keepers, approaching the fence so they can be talked to or scratched behind an ear.
Keyword : leopards, shy, secretive
Keyword location: Paragraph G, line 3 – line 5
Explanation: The supporting sentence means that the leopard is normally difficult for humans to approach. Since it talks about leopards, the answer is B.

Questions 9 – 13

Complete the summary below.

Choose your answers from the box below the summary and write them in boxes 9 – 12 on your answer sheet.

NB: There are more words than spaces, so you will not use them at all.

The Sharjah Breeding Centre now has a variety of animals including birds, mammals and (9) __________. As its name suggests, the Centre is primarily involved in breeding and (10) __________ the numbers of the species housed there whilst still maintaining the (11) _________ of bloodlines in order to retain genetic health. In spite of problems involving the complex (12) __________ of the animals, a fair amount of (13) __________ has been achieved with North African cheetahs and Arabian leopards.

Reptiles, variety, Behaviour, success, creating, expanding, difficulty, diversity, action, habitat, season, fish, change, working, Programme

Question 9

Answer: reptiles
Supporting Sentence: In the last four years, more than 900 mammals and reptiles and 969 birds have arrived at the centre, including 25 North African cheetahs, Houbara bustard and falcons, lions, a baby Nile crocodile and a Burmese python that was left in a rental car at the airport.
Keyword : reptiles, arrived, centre
Keyword location: Paragraph A, last sentence
Explanation: The author says various types of animals that are present at the centre. In those animals are reptiles. The question misses the reptiles making it the correct answer.

Question 10

Answer: expanding
Supporting Sentence: The Breeding Centre’s cheetahs are also participants in the European breeding programme, which aims to ensure that the genetic diversity of this endangered species is maintained and expanded by breeding as many founder animals as possible to introduce new bloodlines into the captive population.
Keyword : expand, breeding center
Keyword location: paragraph D, 1st sentence
Explanation: The author says that beside the breeding programs, the centre also focusses on expanding animals. Hence, expanding is the correct answer.

Question 11

Answer: diversity
Supporting Sentence: The Breeding Centre’s cheetahs are also participants in the European breeding programme, which aims to ensure that the genetic diversity of this endangered species is maintained and expanded by breeding as many
founder animals as possible to introduce new bloodlines into the captive population.
Keyword : expand, breeding centre
Keyword location: Paragraph D, 1st sentence
Explanation: The author says that beside the breeding programs, the center also focuses on expanding animals. This is by taking care that the diversity of bloodlines is intact. Hence, diversity is the correct answer.

Question 12

Answer: behavior
Supporting Sentence: Because this group was still young and inexperienced in courtship matters, the keepers had to make the introductions only after careful planning and management, much like the lead role in a Jane Austen novel.
Keyword : inexperienced
Keyword location: Paragraph C, 1st sentence
Explanation: The author clearly states that the group was inexperienced. This means that their behavior was complex. This makes behavior the correct answer.

Question 13

Answer: success
Supporting Sentence: Now they are bright and full of energy.
Keyword : now, full, energy
Keyword location: Paragraph B, 3rd sentence
Explanation: The author states the problems of the animals. Then the author states how the center has been able to solve it and the animals are bright and full of energy. This is a success and hence, it is the correct answer.