The Global Quest for Edible Insects Reading Answers

The Global Quest for Edible Insects Reading Answers contains 13 questions and belongs to the assessment system of the IELTS General Reading test. The Global Quest for Edible Insects Reading Answers must be answered within 20 minutes. In this IELTS reading section, question types include: Do the following statements agree with the information given, and Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage.

The Global Quest for Edible Insects Reading Answers offers a comprehensive overview of edible insects, rich in protein and eco-friendly to farm, offering nutritional and economic benefits worldwide, though cultural resistance and regulatory challenges still limit their global acceptance. To practice similar reading tests, candidates can refer to the IELTS Reading Practice Test section.

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Topic:

For centuries, insects have been part of the human diet in many parts of the world. In countries such as Thailand, Mexico, and Uganda, beetles, crickets, and caterpillars are not seen as pests but as valuable sources of nutrition. The United Nations has even promoted insect consumption as a way to address global food shortages and reduce environmental damage caused by conventional livestock farming.

Insects are rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals. Crickets, for instance, contain nearly twice as much protein per gram as beef, along with essential amino acids. They also require significantly less water, feed, and land to raise. This makes them far more efficient to produce compared to cattle, pigs, or chickens. Additionally, farming insects emits fewer greenhouse gases, contributing to the fight against climate change.

Despite these benefits, insect eating—known as entomophagy—faces cultural barriers in many Western countries. In Europe and North America, most people view insects as dirty or unpleasant to eat. Food companies have tried to overcome this by producing cricket flour, which can be added to bread, pasta, or snack bars without obvious insect parts being visible. This approach has made the idea more acceptable to some consumers.

In some regions, edible insects are not just a novelty but an essential part of food security. In rural areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo, caterpillars are harvested during the rainy season and preserved for later use. They provide vital nutrition when other protein sources are scarce or too expensive. Similarly, in parts of Australia, Aboriginal communities have long consumed witchetty grubs as a traditional food.

There are also economic opportunities in insect farming. Small-scale producers can raise insects in limited spaces using inexpensive equipment. This makes it an attractive option for entrepreneurs in developing countries, where start-up costs for conventional livestock would be unaffordable. However, commercialising insect products for global markets requires meeting strict hygiene and safety regulations, which can be challenging for smaller operations.

Critics point out that large-scale insect farming could bring its own environmental problems, such as waste disposal and the spread of disease in insect populations. Scientists stress that further research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects of expanding insect farming worldwide. Still, many experts believe that edible insects will play an increasingly important role in the future of food.

Questions 1-7

Do the following statements agree with the information in the text? Write

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information.

FALSE if the statement contradicts the information.

NOT GIVEN if there is no information

1. Insects have been part of human diets for thousands of years.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: "For centuries, insects have been part of the human diet in many parts of the world."

Keywords: centuries, human diet, many parts

Keyword Location: Paragraph 1, line 1

Explanation: The phrase “for centuries” confirms that insects have been eaten for thousands of years.

2. Crickets require more land to raise than cattle.

Answer: FALSE

Supporting statement: "They also require significantly less water, feed, and land to raise."

Keywords: less land, raise, crickets

Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, line 3

Explanation: The text states crickets need less land, opposite to the statement.

3. Insects produce fewer greenhouse gases than livestock.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: "Additionally, farming insects emits fewer greenhouse gases…"

Keywords: insects, fewer greenhouse gases

Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, line 4

Explanation: The passage clearly states insects produce fewer greenhouse gases compared to livestock.

4. Most Europeans are open to eating whole crickets.

Answer: FALSE

Supporting statement: "In Europe and North America, most people view insects as dirty or unpleasant to eat."

Keywords: Europe, North America, unpleasant

Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, lines 1–2

Explanation: Europeans are not open to eating whole crickets; they generally find insects unpleasant.

5. Caterpillars in the Democratic Republic of Congo are eaten only in the dry season.

Answer: FALSE

Supporting statement: "…caterpillars are harvested during the rainy season and preserved for later use."

Keywords: caterpillars, rainy season, preserved

Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, line 2

Explanation: The text says rainy season, not dry season, so the statement is false.

6. Witchetty grubs are a traditional Aboriginal food.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: "…in parts of Australia, Aboriginal communities have long consumed witchetty grubs as a traditional food."

Keywords: Aboriginal, witchetty grubs, traditional food

Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, lines 3–4

Explanation: It directly states that witchetty grubs are a traditional Aboriginal food.

7. Small-scale insect farming requires large amounts of expensive equipment.

Answer: FALSE

Supporting statement: "Small-scale producers can raise insects in limited spaces using inexpensive equipment."

Keywords: small-scale, limited spaces, inexpensive

Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, line 1

Explanation: The passage says the opposite — equipment is inexpensive, not expensive.

Questions 8-13

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage.

8. What is the term for eating insects?

Answer: entomophagy

Supporting statement: "Despite these benefits, insect eating—known as entomophagy—faces cultural barriers…"

Keywords: insect eating, entomophagy

Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, line 1

Explanation: The text clearly gives the scientific term for eating insects as entomophagy. It is presented directly after mentioning the practice of insect eating, leaving no doubt about the answer.

9. Which product allows people to eat insects without seeing insect parts?

Answer: cricket flour

Supporting statement: "Food companies have tried to overcome this by producing cricket flour, which can be added…"

Keywords: food companies, cricket flour, added

Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, lines 3–4

Explanation: The passage specifies that cricket flour helps consumers eat insects without seeing visible insect parts, making it more acceptable in Western diets.

10. In which season are caterpillars harvested in the Democratic Republic of Congo?

Answer: rainy season

Supporting statement: "In rural areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo, caterpillars are harvested during the rainy season…"

Keywords: Congo, caterpillars, rainy season

Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, line 2

Explanation: The text directly states that caterpillars are collected in the rainy season, not in any other season.

11. What type of costs are too high for some livestock farmers in developing countries?

Answer: start-up costs

Supporting statement: "…where start-up costs for conventional livestock would be unaffordable."

Keywords: start-up costs, livestock, unaffordable

Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, line 3

Explanation: It highlights that high start-up costs prevent farmers in developing nations from raising conventional livestock, making insect farming a better option.

12. What possible issue of large-scale insect farming relates to leftover materials?

Answer: waste disposal

Supporting statement: "Critics point out that large-scale insect farming could bring its own environmental problems, such as waste disposal…"

Keywords: environmental problems, waste disposal

Keyword Location: Paragraph 6, line 1

Explanation: The issue of waste disposal is identified as a potential environmental problem of expanding insect farming.

13. What do scientists say is required before expanding insect farming globally?

Answer: further research

Supporting statement: "Scientists stress that further research is needed to fully understand…"

Keywords: scientists, further research, needed

Keyword Location: Paragraph 6, line 2

Explanation: The passage emphasizes that scientists believe further research is required before global expansion of insect farming.

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