Trees in Trouble Reading Answers

Feb 24, 2023

Trees in Trouble Reading Answers is an academic reading topic discussing in detail about the idea of saving trees. The given IELTS topic has been taken from the book named “Cambridge IELTS 10 Student's Book with Answers”. The topic named Trees in Trouble Reading Answers has a total 13 wide range of questions. The topic consists of two sorts of questions, which are, choose the correct paragraph, and no more than two words. The candidates should thoroughly read the IELTS reading passage in order to recognize the synonyms, identify the keywords, and answer the questions provided. IELTS reading practice papers can be taken into consideration by the candidates in order to gain a good band score in the reading section, in which, the similar topics like Trees in Trouble Reading Answers have been included.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Trees in Trouble Reading Answers

Big trees are incredibly important ecologically. For a start, they sustain countless other species. Q1 They provide shelter for many animals, and their trunks and branches can become gardens, hung with green ferns, orchids and bromeliads, coated with mosses and draped with vines. With their tall canopies* basking in the sun, they capture vast amounts of energy. This allows them to produce massive crops of fruit, flowers and foliage that sustain much of the animal life in the forest.
Only a small number of tree species have the genetic capacity to grow really big. The mightiest are native to Q8 North America, but big trees grow all over the globe, from the tropics to the boreal forests of the high latitudes. To achieve giant stature, Q2 a tree needs three things: the right place to establish its seedling, good growing conditions and lots of time with low adult mortality*. Disrupt any of these, and you can lose your biggest trees.
n some parts of the world, populations of big trees are dwindling because their seedlings cannot survive or grow. In southern India, for instance, an aggressive non-native shrub, Lantana camara, is invading the floor of many forests. Q3 Lantana grows so thickly that young trees often fail to take root. With no young trees to replace them, it is only a matter of time before most of the big trees disappear. Across much of northern Australia, gamba grass from Africa is overrunning native savannah woodlands. The grass grows up to four metres tall and burns fiercely, creating Q9 super hot fires that cause catastrophic tree mortality.
Without the right growing conditions trees cannot get really big, and there is Q4 some evidence to suggest tree growth could slow in a warmer world, particularly in environments that are already warm. Having worked for decades at La Selva Biological Station in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, David and Deborah Clark and colleagues have shown that tree growth there declines markedly in warmer years. “During the day, their photosynthesis* shuts down when it gets too warm, and at night they consume more energy because their metabolic rate increases, much as a reptile’s would when it gets warmer,” explains David Clark. With less energy produced in warmer years and more being consumed just to survive, there is even less energy available for growth.
The Clarks’ hypothesis, if correct, means tropical forests would shrink over time. The largest, oldest trees would progressively die off and tend not to be replaced. According to the Clarks, this might trigger a destabilisation of the climate; Q5 as older trees die, forests would release some of their Q10 stored carbon into the atmosphere, prompting a vicious cycle of further warming, forest shrinkage and carbon emissions.
Big trees face threats from elsewhere. The most serious is increasing mortality, especially of mature trees. Across much of the planet, forests of slow-growing ancient trees have been cleared for human use. In western North America, most have been replaced by monocultures of fast-growing conifers. Q6 Siberia’s forests are being logged at an incredible rate. Logging in tropical forests is selective but the timber cutters usually prioritise the biggest and oldest trees. In the Amazon, my colleagues and I found the mortality rate for the biggest trees had tripled in small patches of rainforest surrounded by pasture land. This happens for two reasons. First, as they grow taller, big trees become thicker and less flexible: when Q11 winds blow across the surrounding cleared land, there is nothing to stop their acceleration. When they hit the trees, the impact can snap them in half. Second, rainforest fragments dry out when surrounded by dry, hot pastures and the resulting Q12 drought can have devastating consequences: one four-year study has shown that death rates will double for smaller trees but will increase 4.5 times for bigger trees.
Particular enemies to large trees are insects and disease. Across vast areas of western North America, increasingly mild winters are causing massive outbreaks of bark Q13 beetle. Q7 These tiny creatures can kill entire forests as they tunnel their way through the inside of trees. In both North America and Europe, fungus-causing diseases such as Dutch elm disease have killed off millions of stately trees that once gave beauty to forests and cities. As a result of human activity, such enemies reach even the remotest corners of the world, threatening to make the ancient giants a thing of the past.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 1-7
Reading Passage 1 has seven paragraphs, A-G. Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below. Write the correct number, i-x, in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet.

Paragraph A

Answer: vi) How wildlife benefits from big trees
Supporting Sentence: With their tall canopies basking in the sun, they capture vast amounts of energy. This allows them to produce massive crops of fruit, flowers and foliage that sustain much of the animal life in the forest.
Keyword: wildlife, benefits, big trees
Keyword Location: Paragraph A, 2nd line
Explanation: Paragraph A explains the advantages of trees to animals by providing both shelter and sustenance in the form of fruits and leaves, making this the accurate choice.

Paragraph B

Answer: xi) Factors that enable trees to grow to significant heights
Supporting Sentence: To achieve giant stature, a tree needs three things: the right place to establish its seedling, good growing conditions and lots of time with
low adult mortality.
Keyword: trees, grow, significant, heights
Keyword Location: Paragraph B, 3rd line
Explanation: To attain significant growth, trees must satisfy three crucial requirements, which are discussed in the paragraph. These conditions comprise a suitable location for the tree to thrive, appropriate climatic conditions, and a period with minimal deforestation, making this the accurate selection.

Paragraph C

Answer: ii) How other plants can cause harm
Supporting Sentence: In southern India, for instance, an aggressive non-native shrub, Lantana Camara, is invading the floor of many forests. Lantana grows
so thickly that young trees often fail to take root. With no young trees to replace them, it is only a matter of time before most of the big trees disappear.
Keyword: plants, cause, harm
Keyword Location: Paragraph C, 2nd line
Explanation: The paragraph specifies that certain trees grow at an astonishing rate, covering vast expanses of land and preventing the growth of other trees. The passage cites Lantana in southern India and Gamba Grass in northern Australia as examples, making this the correct option.

Paragraph D

Answer: ix) How higher temperatures slow the rate of tree growth
Supporting Sentence: Without the right growing conditions trees cannot get really big, and there is some evidence to suggest tree growth could slow in a
warmer world, particularly in environments that are already warm.
Keyword: higher, temperature, slow, rate, tree growth
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, 1st line
Explanation: The passage explains that during warmer years, the growth of trees diminishes as photosynthesis halts during the daytime, while energy consumption increases at night due to elevated metabolic rates. This information establishes the validity of the selected option.

Paragraph E

Answer: iv) Impact of big tree loss on the wider environment
Supporting Sentence: According to the Clarks, this might trigger destabilisation of the climate; as older trees die, forests would release some of their stored
carbon into the atmosphere, prompting a vicious cycle of further warming, forest shrinkage and carbon emissions.
Keyword: impact, big tree, loss, environment
Keyword Location: Paragraph E, 2nd line
Explanation: The passage discusses the potential consequences of losing large trees, which could destabilize the environment. Clark's hypothesis is cited, suggesting that the death of these trees would release stored carbon into the atmosphere, resulting in several environmental issues. Therefore, this option is deemed correct.

Paragraph F

Answer: i) How deforestation harms isolated trees
Supporting Sentence: First, as they grow taller, big trees become thicker and less flexible: when winds blow across the surrounding cleared land, there is
nothing to stop their acceleration. When they hit the trees, the impact can snap them in half.
Keyword: deforestation, harms, isolated trees
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, 8th line
Explanation: The passage highlights the detrimental impact of human-induced deforestation on large trees. The cleared land is unable to provide wind protection, making it easier for big trees to fall and break. Thus, this option is considered correct.

Paragraph G

Answer: vii) Risk from pests and infection
Supporting Sentence: Particular enemies to large trees are insects and disease.
Keyword: risk, pests, infection
Keyword Location: Paragraph G, 1st line\
Explanation: The passage describes the significant threat that certain pests, such as the bark beetle, pose to the forests of western North America. Additionally, various types of fungus-induced diseases have caused the death of numerous tree species. As a result, these pests are a severe threat to trees, making this option the correct choice.

Questions 8-13

Complete the sentences below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

The biggest trees in the world can be found in……………..

Answer: North America
Supporting Sentence: The mightiest are native to North America, but big trees grow all over the globe, from the tropics to the boreal forests of the high
latitudes.
Keyword: biggest, trees, world, found
Keyword Location: Paragraph B, 1st line
Explanation: The passage explicitly states that while large trees grow worldwide, the largest trees can be found in North America. Hence, selecting this option is considered correct.

Some trees in northern Australia die because of………………… made worse by gamba grass.

Answer: (super-hot) fires
Supporting Sentence: The grass grows up to four metres tall and burns fiercely, creating super-hot fires that cause catastrophic tree mortality.
Keyword: northern Australia, trees, die, gamba grass
Keyword Location: Paragraph B, last line
Explanation: According to paragraph B, Gamba grass has caused the destruction of trees in northern Australia through wildfires that spread to neighboring trees, resulting in the demise of savannah woodlands. Therefore, "superhot fires" is the appropriate answer.

The Clarks believe that the release of………………… from dead trees could lead to the death of more trees.

Answer: (stored) carbon
Supporting Sentence: According to the Clarks, this might trigger destabilisation of the climate; as older trees die, forests would release some of their stored
carbon into the atmosphere, prompting a vicious cycle of further warming, forest shrinkage and carbon emissions.
Keyword: Clarks, release, dead trees, death
Keyword Location: Paragraph E, 2nd line
Explanation: As per the second sentence of paragraph B, Clark's hypothesis suggests that the passing of older trees would prompt the discharge of stored carbon into the atmosphere, causing the death of additional trees and leading to environmental issues. Therefore, "stored carbon" is the correct answer.

Strong…………………………… are capable of damaging tall trees in the Amazon.

Answer: winds
Supporting Sentence: First, as they grow taller, big trees become thicker and less flexible: when winds blow across the surrounding cleared land, there is
nothing to stop their acceleration
Keyword: strong, damaging, tall trees, Amazon
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, 7th line
Explanation: The passage explains that in the Amazon, deforestation has made older trees, which lack flexibility and strength, vulnerable to strong winds. As
there are no neighboring trees to slow down or act as barriers to the blowing wind, the older trees are unable to remain standing and are prone to breaking easily. Thus, "winds" is the correct answer.

………………………… has a worse impact on tall trees than smaller ones.

Answer: drought
Supporting Sentence: rainforest fragments dry out when surrounded by dry, hot pastures and the resulting drought can have devastating consequences: one
four-year study has shown that death rates will double for smaller trees but will increase 4.5 times for bigger trees.
Keyword: impact, tall trees, smaller ones
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, third last line
Explanation: The passage highlights the detrimental impact of drought on large trees, as rainforests cannot thrive in hot, dry conditions. Additionally, a four-year study indicated that the mortality rate for larger trees is significantly higher than that of smaller trees due to the effects of drought and wind acceleration. Therefore, "drought" is the correct answer.

In western Northern America, a species of…………………………… has destroyed many trees.

Answer: beetle
Supporting Sentence: These tiny creatures can kill entire forests as they tunnel their way through the inside of trees.
Keyword: western Northern America, species, destroyed, trees
Keyword Location: Paragraph G, 2nd line
Explanation: The passage explains that bark beetles have proliferated in significant numbers in western North America and pose a significant threat to trees by tunneling inside them and causing damage. Therefore, "beetle" is the correct answer.

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