The Taipan IELTS Reading Answers

Sep 25, 2023

The Taipan IELTS Reading Answers is a general reading subject that explores The Taipan.The Taipan IELTS reading answers have a total of thirteen questions. The specified topic generates a single type of question: True/False/Not Given. Candidates should read the IELTS Reading passage thoroughly in order to recognize synonyms, identify keywords, and answer the questions below. IELTS reading practice papers, which feature topics such as Research Committed a Crime IELTS Reading Answers. Candidates can use IELTS reading answers to enhance their performance in the reading section.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

The Taipan

Taipans have the unenviable reputation of being Australia's most deadly snakes. There are three types of taipan: the inland taipan, the coastal taipan and the central range taipan. The longest venomous snake in Australia, the coastal taipan reaches an average length of 2.5 meters, with a maximum length of 3.35 meters. The head of a coastal taipan is large, rectangular-shaped and distinct from its narrow neck. The eye is a reddish color.

Adult coastal taipans have a uniformly light or dark-brown coloration above with a creamy-yellow belly that usually has reddish or pink spots towards the front. The inland taipan is olive-coloured in the summer and dark brown in winter, with dark, smooth scales arranged in diagonal rows. The color change is an adaptation that allows it to absorb more heat in winter and less heat in summer. The central range taipan is the third type of taipan, but it was only discovered in 2007. Dr Mark Hutchinson, reptile and amphibian curator at the South Australian Museum, caught an immature female taipan while it was crossing a dirt track.
He said the reptile was about one meter long, but, because it was one of the most venomous snakes in the world, he did not inspect the creature on site. It was not until two weeks later that the snake was studied and the new species was confirmed. It is similar in size and coloring to the western brown snake, with which it is often confused. The different taipans have not been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature; however, they are considered as 'Near Threatened' or 'Rare' in Queensland. They are protected by law and a special permit is required to capture them, as well as a separate special license to own them.
Although all three types of taipan are extremely venomous, they do not kill many people. For example, in spite of the toxicity of its venom, there has been no single fatality recorded from the bite of an inland taipan. On average, only one bite is recorded per year and sometimes none at all. This is because inland taipans live far away from people and are usually only active in the early morning.

Also, inland taipans are shy snakes and when encountered by humans, they flee and hide rather than fight. The coastal taipan is more of a naturally hostile snake, although if disturbed, it will generally retreat. Humans are rarely bitten but, if a taipan is cornered or attacked, it will viciously defend itself, striking repeatedly with speed and accuracy. Coastal taipans are found around human habitations, so they are commonly encountered by people in sheds, farm buildings and waste heaps.
The taipan is particularly dangerous to humans, because it is a mammal specialist, feeding almost exclusively on mammals, which is quite uncommon. As a result of this specialism, the taipan's venom has evolved to be extremely lethal for all mammals, including humans. The snake's venom is so potent because it combines two types of toxic components that start affecting the human body very soon after entering the person's system.

The poison has a conglomerate of neurotoxins and haemotoxins, which attack the body on multiple levels. Neurotoxins affect a person's ability to control his or her body. Within an hour of being bitten, a person will start experiencing symptoms such as slurred speech, seizures, difficulty breathing or an inability to control his or her limbs. Haemotoxins affect the blood's ability to clot, leading to internal bleeding and organ damage.
Like other snakes, the taipan is an ambush predator that silently stalks its prey and then strikes when the time is right. Unlike other venomous snakes, though, the taipan doesn't just deliver a single bite and then wait for the animal to die from the venom. Rather, the inland taipan delivers up to eight bites in a single strike, and then holds its prey. Now this may seem dangerous, since prey usually fight back, but not for the inland taipan.

The venom is so potent that the prey has no chance to put up a fight and the inland taipan swallows it whole without a fuss. Although the different taipans are all fearsome predators, they do have predators of their own. Newly-hatched and immature taipans have a number of natural enemies, including various birds of prey and goannas. Adult taipans are eaten by the king brown snake, which is immune to its venom, and the perentie, the fourth largest living lizard which can grow over 8 feet long. Humans still routinely kill coastal taipans on sight, as they are the ones who can live near human habitations.
Taipans are among the oviparous snakes, which means they lays egg, usually in burrows abandoned by mammals or in deep, wide cracks in the soil. They can lay as many as 20 eggs or as few as 11, the average being 16. They can produce two clutches of eggs in a year, especially if there is a lot of food. The eggs hatch after 9 to 11 weeks and the newly hatched snakes are around 18 inches long.

They do not receive any parental care, but already possess a deadly dose of venom with which to hunt and defend themselves. Taipans hatched in captivity grow incredibly fast, and can reach over a meter in their first year. Growth rates for taipans not in captivity are not known; however, the lack of small specimens in museum collections may suggest that the species grows rapidly under natural conditions as well.

Section 2

Questions 1 - 5
The text on the previous pages has 5 paragraphs A - E.
Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number (i - viii) in boxes 1 - 5 on your answer sheet.

Specially Adapted
Government Protection for All Species
A New Addition to a Familiar Pairing
Eating and Being Eaten
Flee not Fight, but not Always
Habitat Degradation For the Coastal Taipan
Propagation and Proliferation
Genetic Diversification Protected by Zoo Programs

Paragraph A

Answer: iii
Supporting statement: “...It was not until two weeks later that the snake was studied and the new species was confirmed...”
Keywords: until, species
Keyword location: para A, line 16-17
Explanation: The third kind of snake, the central range taipan is the third most venomous snake and was discovered very late in 2007. Hence it was a new addition.

Paragraph B

Answer: v
Supporting statement: “...Also, inland taipans are shy snakes and when encountered by humans, they flee and hide rather than fight...”
Keywords: taipans, flee
Keyword location: para B, line 6-7
Explanation: It is clearly mentioned that inland taipans are shy in nature. They generally flee and go away rather than facing the enemy. Hence the title “Flee not Fight, but not Always” is the correct option.

Paragraph C

Answer: i
Supporting statement: “...As a result of this specialism, the taipan's venom has evolved to be extremely lethal for all mammals, including humans....”
Keywords: specialism, evolved
Keyword location: para C, line 3-4
Explanation: The taipan’s venom has been evolved to be lethal for mammals, including humans. The venom is so toxic that it starts affecting the body as soon as the venom gets into its nervous system.

Paragraph D

Answer: iv
Supporting statement: “...Adult taipans are eaten by the king brown snake, which is immune to its venom, and the perentie, the fourth largest living lizard which can grow over 8 feet long...”
Keywords: taipans, venom
Keyword location: para D, line 10-11
Explanation: Adult taipan are very much venomous and the venom works as soon as it enters the body. Adult taipan snakes are eaten by the king brown snake. The brown snake is immune to the venom.

Paragraph E

Answer: vii
Supporting statement: “...They can produce two clutches of eggs in a year, especially if there is a lot of food. The eggs hatch after 9 to 11 weeks and the newly hatched snakes are around 18 inches long....”
Keywords: clutches, hatched
Keyword location: para E, line 3-4
Explanation: This paragraph discusses the hatching and the growth of their eggs. The snakes lay 20 eggs and as low as 11 eggs.

Questions 6 - 9
Look at the information regarding different taipans (questions 6 - 9)
and match them to the appropriate taipan (A - D).
Write your answers in boxes 6 - 9 on your answer sheet.
Information Regarding Different Taipans

This snake adapts its color according to the seasons.

Answer: B
Supporting statement: “... The color change is an adaptation that allows it to absorb more heat in winter and less heat in summer....”
Keywords: color, adaptation
Keyword location: para A, line 10-11
Explanation: The inland taipan has a different kind of skin. The snake absorbs more heat in winter and less heat in summer. According to the heat absorbed the snake changes its temperature.

It is illegal to kill this snake.

Answer: D
Supporting statement: “...Humans still routinely kill coastal taipans on sight, as they are the ones who can live near human habitations....”
Keywords: routinely, coastal
Keyword location: para D, line 12 - 14
Explanation: It is illegal to kill these snakes. These snakes are very rare species and earlier humans have been constantly killing these coastal taipans. Hence later it became illegal to kill these species.

This snake is more aggressive.

Answer: A
Supporting statement: “...The longest venomous snake in Australia, the coastal taipan reaches an average length of 2.5 meters,...”
Keywords: venomous, coastal
Keyword location: para A, line 4-5
Explanation: It is clearly mentioned in the A paragraph that the coastal taipan is the most venomous snake in Australia. It is very attacking in nature.

This snake is often mistakenly identified as a different snake.
Taipans

Answer: C
Supporting statement: “...It was not until two weeks later that the snake was studied and the new species was confirmed. It is similar in size and coloring to the western brown snake, with which it is often confused...”
Keywords: snake, western
Keyword location: para A, line 17-18
Explanation: After the two weeks of identifying the central ranges taipan a new species is discovered. The new species was similar in color and size. Hence it was confused with the brown snake and the central ranges.

The Coastal Taipan
The Inland Taipan
The Central Ranges Taipan
All Three Taipan Species

Questions 10 - 13
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text? In boxes 10 – 13 on your answer sheet write:
TRUE - if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE - if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN - if there is no information on this

The central ranges taipan was immediately identified as a new species on discovery.

Answer: FALSE
Supporting statement: “...The central range taipan is the third type of taipan, but it was only discovered in 2007. Dr Mark Hutchinson, reptile and amphibian curator at the South Australian Museum...”
Keywords: taipan, amphibian
Keyword location: para A, line 11-12
Explanation: The central range taiwan was discovered in 2007 in Australia. After it was discovered they found a new species that looked just like the central range taipan. Hence we can conclude that the central ranges taipan was not the new species on discovery.

The taipan's highly toxic venom does not protect it from being eaten by other snakes.

Answer: TRUE
Supporting statement: “...For example, in spite of the toxicity of its venom, there has been no single fatality recorded from the bite of an inland taipan...”
Keywords: spite, fatality
Keyword location: para B, line 3-4
Explanation: The taipan is highly toxic. But still these snakes are eaten by other snakes. There are no cases of death found when eaten by other snakes.

Ancestors of taipans can be found on the relatively nearby Malay archipelago.

Answer: NOT GIVEN
Explanation: There has been no statement of ancestors of taipan in the whole passage. Also there has been no mention of a place named Malay archipelago

Wild taipans are known to grow rapidly after birth.

Answer: FALSE
Supporting statement: “...Growth rates for taipans not in captivity are not known; however, the lack of small specimens in museum collections may suggest that the species grows rapidly under natural conditions as well...”
Keywords: museum, specimens
Keyword location: para E, line 7-8
Explanation: The discussions of wild taipans are not given in the context. It is not given in the passage that they are known to grow rapidly. It is stated that they might grow rapidly under some natural conditions.

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