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Trouble in Paradise Valley Reading Answers

Bhaskar Das

Jul 24, 2025

Trouble in Paradise Valley Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. Trouble in Paradise Valley Reading Answers has a total of 13 IELTS questions in total. In the question set, you have to choose the correct heading for the paragraph. In the next question set, you have to choose only five of the statements that are correct according to the passage. In the last question set, you have to fill in the blank with the correct answer, only with one word.

The IELTS Reading section is an essential part of the test that evaluates a candidate's comprehension and analysis of various passage types. You will work through a number of IELTS reading practice problems in this section that resemble actual test situations. These questions are designed to help you improve your ability to recognise essential concepts, extract particular facts, and make inferences. Practising these IELTS reading problems can help you get comfortable with the structure and increase your confidence for the exam, regardless of whether you are studying for the Academic or General Training module.

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Section 1

TROUBLE IN PARADISE VALLEY

A.On one side of the argument there are eagles, wolves and orchids; on the other side, there are endless heavy lorries and burgeoning economic growth. Welcome to Europe's new environmental battleground. The conflict is coming to a head for the first time in a pristine

valley in north-east Poland, crammed with spectacular wildlife, which has been earmarked as the route for a badly-needed motorway to the Baltic States. The clash of priorities has bitterly divided public opinion in Poland itself and has now set the country on collision course with the European Union. Yet the struggle to save the Rospuda valley is only the first of many conflicts likely to arise between economic development in the new EU member nations of Central and Eastern Europe, and their wildlife heritage.

B.Species which have long been rare or extinct in western European countries, such as lynx, elk, wolf and beaver, along with scores of uncommon bird species, from eagles to corncrakes, still have substantial populations in the ten central and eastern European nations which have recently joined the EU. In Poland and the other member states which joined in 2004 (the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary and the three Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), as well as in Bulgaria and Romania, which joined this year, two remarkable habitats in particular act as giant wildlife reservoirs for Europe as a whole. One is the vast extent of ancient forests, some of which are still primaeval, meaning they have never been cut down and replanted and the other is the great range of wetlands in river valleys, flood plains and deltas.

C.The Rospuda valley combines both. The Rospuda river flows through the ancient Augustow Forest near Poland's border with Lithuania, one of the most pristine forest regions in all of Europe, and the river's course is bracketed by a peat bog which is astonishingly rich in mammals, rare birds, plants and insects. In environmental terms, the valley is a jewel yet sits squarely astride the route for one of Europe's most ambitious road schemes, the so-called Via Baltica expressway from Warsaw to Helsinki, which will pass through the Baltic States. The section of the new road which is intended to be the bypass for the small town of Augustow, where two routes from Warsaw join, is planned to go right through the valley's heart

D.Environmentalists contend that the road will irreparably damage the valley, and insist an alternative route, further to the west, must be used; the Polish government, riding a wave of new prosperity with route' further to the west, must upgrade its transport links with its neighbours as quickly as possible, insists that the Rospuda route is the right one, wildlife or no wildlife. The people of Augustow, who are sick of the unending procession of heavy lorries through their town, heartily agree.

E.A survey carried out by the Polish Bird Protection Society, Otop, has found that within 50 metres each side of the centreline of the proposed express way as it passes through the valley, no fewer than 20 species of birds are breeding which are specifically protected, as rare or threatened, under European law. They represent a British birdwatcher's dream, ranging from the white-tailed, short-toed and lesser-spotted eagles, through the black grouse and the capercaillie, to the corncrake the crane and the great snipe. There is much more. Among a profusion of rare wild/flowers, there are 20 orchid species in the valley, including the last colony in Poland of the musk orchid Herminium monorchis, and mammals which are resident or pass through the forest and the marsh include lynx, wolf, elk, wild boar, otter and beaver.

F.The Polish centre-left national daily newspaper, Gazeta Wyborcza, has taken up the cause of saving Rospuda, and has given away green label ribbons for supporters to wear. An electronic petition on its website, to shift the road to an alternative route, has attracted 150,000 signatures, and last month, when it was thought the first tree-cutters were about to move in, a group of green activists from, all over Poland set up a camp in the snowy forest and climbed into the trees to stop them. Not everyone agrees with them. Two weeks ago last Sunday, several hundred people from Augustow, encouraged by local politicians, came out to confront the greens, shouting "Ecologists, murderers". They distributed wooden crosses, which they said represented the children knocked down and killed by the heavy lorries passing through the town. A heavy police presence was necessary to stop an ugly clash turning violent.

G.Now the conflict has intensified still further and moved on to an international level. The European Commission in Brussels is taking up the case, and the Polish government is finding that EU membership carries duties as well as benefits. Poland's membership of the European Union is giving the country an economic boost it has already received $14 billion in EU funding but it is its EU membership which means the government may have to think again about Rospuda. For when the country acceded in 2004, it was obliged under EU law to declare some of its best wildlife sites as protected areas in the EU's Europe-wide Natura 2000 network.

H.Rospuda is one of these, part of the Augustow primeval forest special protection area (SPA), declared under the EU's 1979 wild birds directive. This lays down that if a development is likely to harm a protected site, alternatives have to be explored. Polish environmentalists have complained to Brussels that this has not been. properly done with Rospuda, nor has it been done in four more SPAS that the Via Baltica is likely to damage. The EU environment commissioner, Stavros Dimas, has accepted their argument and asked the Polish government to refrain from pushing the road through the valley or face prosecution in the European Court of

Justice. Last week, Poland delivered its answer to Brussels, which, although it has not yet been published, is credibly rumoured to have been negative. It is hard not to feel some sympathy for the Poles who have been pushed around by stronger nations throughout their history; many Polish politicians feel this is happening with the EU now, and resent it strongly. Also, it is hard not to sympathise with the citizens of Augustow who have to live with an ever-increasing procession of heavy lorries.

Question 14-17

The text has 8 paragraphs (A-H). Which paragraph does each of the following headings best fit?

14. Habitats in new EU countries.

Answer: B

Supporting statement: still have substantial populations in the ten central and eastern European nations which have recently joined the EU.

Keywords: European, EU

Keyword Location: Para B, Lines 3-4

Explanation: This paragraph describes the biodiversity of new EU member countries, particularly highlighting habitats such as ancient forests and wetlands, which serve as vital wildlife reservoirs.

15. Birds, flowers, mammals.

Answer: E

Supporting statement: “.........20 species of birds are breeding which are specifically protected,........”

“................. Among a profusion of rare wild/flowers, there are 20 orchid species in the valley, ..........”

“.........and mammals which are resident or pass through the forest and the marsh include lynx, wolf, elk, wild boar, otter and beaver…………”

Keywords: 20 species, wild/flowers, 20 orchid species, mammals

Keyword Location: Para E, Lines 3-8

Explanation: This paragraph focuses specifically on the wide variety of rare and protected birds, flowers (especially orchids), and mammals such as the lynx, wolf, elk, wild boar, otter and beaver found in the Rospuda Valley.

16. Special forest-prime location.

Answer: C

Supporting statement: The Rospuda river flows through the ancient Augustow Forest near Poland's border with Lithuania, one of the most pristine forest regions in all of Europe, Keywords: Rospuda river, Augustow

Keyword Location: Para C, Lines 1-2

Explanation: This paragraph highlights the special status and natural value of the forest where Rospuda Valley is located, emphasising its untouched and pristine character.

17 Emotional issue.

Answer: F

Supporting statement: a group of green activists from, all over Poland set up a camp in the snowy forest and climbed into the trees to stop them.

Keywords: green activists, Poland

Keyword Location: Para F, Lines 4-5

Explanation: This paragraph illustrates how emotionally charged the issue has become, with intense local protests, symbolism, and confrontations between environmentalists and residents.

Questions 18-22

According to the text, FIVE of the following statements are true.

A. The fight over the Rospuda valley is the biggest wildlife issue in Europe.

B. Primeval forests have not been destroyed by people.

C. The Via Baltica has almost been completed.

D. The Polish government is emphasising policies that aid transport links.

E. There are no musk orchids outside Poland.

F. A recent protest almost became violent.

G. Several Polish wildlife sites are protected under the Natura scheme.

H. Via Baltica may damage other protected areas.

18……………….

Answer: B

Supporting statement: ancient forests, some of which are still primaeval, meaning they have never been cut down and replanted

Keywords: ancient forests, primaeval

Keyword Location: Para B, Line 8

Explanation: The statement confirms that these forests remain untouched by human activity.

19……………..

Answer: D

Supporting statement: the Polish government, riding a wave of new prosperity with route' further to the west, must upgrade its transport links with its neighbours as quickly as possible,

Keywords: route, transport links

Keyword Location: Para D, Lines 2-3

Explanation: According to the statement, it is clear that the government prioritises transport and economic growth over environmental concerns.

20………………

Answer: F

Supporting statement: A heavy police presence was necessary to stop an ugly clash turning violent

Keywords: police, violent

Keyword Location: Para F, Line 10

Explanation: According to the text, tension escalated between the several hundred people from Augustow and the tree-cutters nearly resulted in violence.

21……………..

Answer: G

Supporting statement: declare some of its best wildlife sites as protected areas in the EU's Europe-wide Natura 2000 network.

Keywords: wildlife, protected

Keyword Location: Para G, Line 7

Explanation: According to the text, Poland was required to list multiple areas under Natura 2000 under the obligation of EU law.

22……………..

Answer: H

Supporting statement: nor has it been done in four more SPAs that the Via Baltica is likely to damage.

Keywords: SPAs, Via Baltica

Keyword Location: Para H, Line 5

Explanation: According to the text, Rospuda isn't the only Natura 2000 site at risk; others are also threatened.

Question 23-26

Choose ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.

23. The newspaper____________ supported the campaign to save Rospuda by distributing ribbons and raising awareness.

Answer: GAZETA

Supporting statement: The Polish centre-left national daily newspaper, Gazeta Wyborcza, has taken up the cause of saving Rospuda

Keywords: Polish, Gazeta Wyborcza

Keyword Location: Para F, Line 1

Explanation: The newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza publicly supported the environmental cause to save Rospuda.

24. Some locals in Augustow accused the ecologists of being__________ because of the accidents caused by lorries.

Answer: MURDERERS

Supporting statement: shouting "Ecologists, murderers". They distributed wooden crosses,

Keywords: Ecologists, murderers

Keyword Location: Para F, Line 8

Explanation: Locals used this word to blame ecologists for road deaths caused by lorry traffic delays.

25. The Rospuda Valley is part of the___________ 2000 network, which includes EU-protected nature sites.

Answer: NATURA

Supporting statement: as protected areas in the EU's Europe-wide Natura 2000 network.

Keywords: EU's Europe, Natura

Keyword Location: Para G, Line 7

Explanation: Rospuda is included in this EU conservation initiative.

26. The European Commission warned Poland that it might face legal action in the European Court of_____________

Answer: JUSTICE

Supporting statement: or face prosecution in the European Court of Justice.

Keywords: prosecution, Justice

Keyword Location: Para H, Lines 7-8

Explanation: The EU warned of possible legal action in its highest court.

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*The article might have information for the previous academic years, please refer the official website of the exam.

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