What if Everything Had a Barcode - IELTS Reading Sample with Explanation
The reading section of IELTS tests the candidate’s proficiency in reading through questions attached to a passage that requires much attention. The IELTS Reading test helps students in improving their skills which includes reading, understanding, accessing and analyzing. In this IELTS Reading Section - What if Everything Had a Barcode, there are few questions divided into sets, each demanding the performance of a different type of task.
- Answer using NO more than one word/ number
- Answer using NO more than three words/ number
- Select True, False, Not Given
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Section 1
Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions
What if Everything Had a Barcode IELTS Reading Sample
- Imagine going for a walk and spotting a wildflower. Its beauty and fragrance delight you, but the name eludes you. No problem. You whip out a hand-held scanner, about the size of a mobile phone, and pop a fragment of a leaf into the device. A few seconds, and the read-out tells you that you’re looking at a pyramidal orchid. Satisfied, you continue on your way.
- Sound far-fetched? Not at all. Scientists are currently creating a DNA barcode for every species of plant and animal on the planet. It won’t be long before everyone, from experts to amateurs, will be able to scan the world’s flora and fauna as if they were checking out groceries at a supermarket, to look up or confirm their identities.
- There are numerous practical uses too. Such a device would let you scan fish at the fishmonger’s to check if it’s been labelled properly, work out exactly what is in your mixed vegetable soup, and confirm whether a piece of furniture really has come from a renewable forest, as the retailer claims. It would also assist forensic science teams, who could quickly identify the pollen on a suspect, to link him to a particular location; customs officials, in their efforts to prevent disease-carrying pests being taken across national borders; and environmental inspectors assessing water quality, who need to work out what microbes are lurking in a particular sample.
- It was Professor Paul Hebert, a biologist from the University of Guelph in Canada, who came up with the idea of DNA barcoding the natural world. The inspiration came while he was walking up and down the aisles of a supermarket, marveling at the ability of the store to keep track of all the lines stocked and sold using the thick and thin lines that make up a barcode. Could scientists, he wondered, exploit a barcode system to record the millions of species on earth via their DNA?
- The compilation of a planetary inventory began more than 250 years ago, with the Swedish life classifier Carl Linnaeus. In 1758, he founded the science of taxonomy – a method of classifying living things – based on physical and behavioural characteristics. To date, scientists have classified about 1.7 million organisms, a small fraction of the total number of species, which has been estimated at anywhere between 5 and 30 million. But taxonomy is difficult and time-consuming. Many species, such as the different kinds of flies, look remarkably similar. Only an expert who has spent years examining a particular group can distinguish one from another. Even the experts may be stumped, however, when presented with an egg, an embryo, a seedling or a root. The next problem is that we are running out of time in which to complete the inventory. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature estimates that a quarter of the world’s population of mammals are threatened with extinction.
- So, Hebert’s idea centred on finding a fragment of DNA that would disclose the identity of a species without having to decode its entire genetic code. He envisaged a ‘DNA barcode reader’, similar to the scanners at retail checkouts. Outlining his idea in Scientific American, Hebert writes: ‘An inspector at a busy seaport, a hiker on a mountain trail, or a scientist in a lab could insert a sample containing DNA – a snippet of whisker, say, or the leg of an insect – into the device, which would detect the sequence of nucleic acids in the barcode segment. This information would be instantly relayed to a reference database, a public library of DNA barcodes. Anyone, anywhere, could identify species.’
- To create the barcode, Hebert proposed the use of a section of DNA, from the energy-producing units found in all cells. He selected a gene that gives rise to an enzyme known as CO1. This gene is small enough to be quickly and easily deciphered, but has sufficient variation for us to be able to tell most animal species apart. You and I, for instance, will have different versions of CO1, but they will be similar enough to show that we’re both humans and not chimpanzees.
- In 2003, Hebert and his team published their first results. They showed that the barcode system could identify the group an animal came from (for example, whether it was a vertebrate, a worm or an insect) and even the species when it was stored in the barcode library. After five more years of work, results indicate that animals can now be identified by their barcodes in 98 per cent of cases. Early results have confirmed the additional benefits of the new system: for example, caterpillars of the tropical butterfly Astraptes fulgerator, which was first recognised as a species in 1775, all look very similar, and were assumed to belong to a single species. Barcoding has shown there are 10 different kinds.
- Of course, the value of the system depends on a comprehensive reference library of the DNA (CO1) barcodes of established species. The Barcode of Life Data (Bold) systems is an enormous international collaboration supported by 150 institutions in 45 countries. To date, it has compiled more than 500,000 records from 50,000 species. The consortium is hoping that the world’s birds will be barcoded by 2011. ‘People have watched birds for so long that they might think every different tweet has been heard, every different colour observed, but barcoding may prove otherwise,’ says Professor Mark Stoeckle, professor of the human environment at Rockefeller University, New York, who works with Hebert. He estimates that out of the world’s 10,000 bird species, DNA barcoding will distinguish at least 1,000 new ones.
Section 2
Solution and Explanation
Questions 1-3
Choose NO MORE THAN ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet
- Only________ species have been classified so far
Answer: 1.7 million
Supporting Sentence: To date, scientists have classified about 1.7 million organisms, a small fraction of the total number of species, which has been estimated at anywhere between 5 and 30 million.
Keyword: to date, fraction, total number
Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, 5th line
Explanation: the information regarding the number of species classified so far has been clearly given in paragraph 5. It says that scientists have identified about 1.7 million organisms, which is a small number of the total number of species. Hence, the correct answer is 1.7 million.
- difficult to distinguish between species of certain creatures, for example ________
Answer: flies
Supporting Sentence: But taxonomy is difficult and time-consuming. Many species, such as the different kinds of flies, look remarkably similar.
Keyword: difficult, time consuming, different kinds
Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, 8th line
Explanation: Paragraph 5 says that in taxonomy it is difficult to identify clearly between species of certain creatures and it gives the example of flies that look similar but are different. Therefore, flies is the correct answer.
Read More IELTS Reading Related Samples
- possibility of a large number of species of __________ dying out soon
Answer: mammals
Supporting Sentence: The International Union for the Conservation of Nature estimates that a quarter of the world’s population of mammals are threatened with extinction.
Keyword: quarter of world’s population, extinction, threatened,
Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, 14th line
Explanation: the phrases ‘threatened with extinction’ and ‘dying out soon’ are synonyms of each other. Paragraph 5 clearly mentions that a quarter of the world’s population of mammals, which is quite a large number, is threatened with extinction, which means they will die soon. Thus, mammals is the right answer.
Questions 4 - 8
Complete the flow-chart below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 4-8 on your answer sheet.
- Hebert’s system decided to create a device called a __________, like ones used in shops.
Answer: DNA barcode reader
Supporting Sentence: So, Hebert’s idea centered on finding a fragment of DNA that would disclose the identity of a species without having to decode its entire genetic code. He envisaged a ‘DNA barcode reader’, similar to the scanners at retail checkouts.
Keyword: idea, centred, envisaged, retail checkouts
Keyword Location: Paragraph 6, Lines 1-4
Explanation: Hebert thought of a ‘DNA barcode reader’, which were similar to the scanners used in shops. The word ‘envisaged’ means to think of an idea or decide to do something. The question states about Hebert deciding to create a device like those used in shops or retail checkouts. He thought of a device similar to a scanner and called it a DNA barcode reader. Therefore, DNA barcode reader is the right answer.
- chose a 5 _____________ that produces a substance called CO1
Answer: Gene
Supporting Sentence: He selected a gene that gives rise to an enzyme known as CO1.
Keyword: selected, gives rise, enzyme
Keyword Location: Paragraph 7, 3rd line
Explanation: ‘Gives rise and produce’ as well as ‘chose and selected’ are synonyms. In paragraph 7, it is stated that Hebert chose a gene that created the substance CO 1. Hence, gene is the right answer.
- samples of CO1 read by the device and matched with those kept in the _______
Answer: Comprehensive reference library
Supporting Sentence: Of course, the value of the system depends on a comprehensive reference library of the DNA (CO1) barcodes of established species. The Barcode of Life Data (Bold) systems is an enormous international collaboration supported by 150 institutions in 45 countries. To date, it has compiled more than 500,000 records from 50,000 species
Keyword: value, depends
Keyword Location: Paragraph 9, 1st line
Explanation: The comprehensive reference library maintains the DNA (CO1) barcodes of established species. From this, it can be concluded that the samples of CO1 read by the device and matched with those are kept in the reference library. Hence, comprehensive reference library is the answer.
- current results show that _________ of animal species can be identified in this way
Answer: 50,000
Supporting Sentence: To date, it has compiled more than 500,000 records from 50,000 species.
Keyword: compiled, species
Keyword Location: Paragraph 9, 5th line
Explanation: The barcode system has assembled more than 500,000 records from 50,000 species. From this statement, it can be inferred that presently 50,000 species have been identified using this system. Therefore, 50,000 is the right answer.
- results show different species being identified, eg of .......
Answer: Birds
Supporting Sentence: ‘People have watched birds for so long that they might think every different tweet has been heard, every different colour observed, but barcoding may prove otherwise,’ says Professor Mark Stoeckle, professor of the human environment at Rockefeller University, New York, who works with Hebert. He estimates that out of the world’s 10,000 bird species, DNA barcoding will distinguish at least 1,000 new ones.
Keyword: barcoding may prove otherwise, distinguish, new ones
Keyword Location: Paragraph 9, Lines 7 to 13
Explanation: The paragraph talks about how barcoding has been able to identify new species. Taking the example of birds, it shows that the system can identify 1000 different species from the existing 10,000 bird species. Since an example of birds has been given, the answer is birds.
Questions 9 - 13
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?
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 writer believes that the barcode system will be widely used by the general public
Answer: True
Supporting Sentence: It won’t be long before everyone, from experts to amateurs, will be able to scan the world’s flora and fauna as if they were checking out groceries at a supermarket, to look up or confirm their identities.
Keyword: everyone, amateurs, look up
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, Lines 3 to 6
Explanation: The writer says that everyone will be able to scan the plants and animals. Amateurs belong to the general category of people as they are not experts. Therefore, these statements from the passage confirm the fact that the writer believes that the barcode system will be used by the general public. Hence, the statement agrees with the information in the passage and the answer is true.
- It is likely that the barcode device will show that many foods and goods have not been correctly described.
Answer: True
Supporting Sentence: Such a device would let you scan fish at the fishmonger’s to check if it’s been labelled properly, work out exactly what is in your mixed vegetable soup, and confirm whether a piece of furniture really has come from a renewable forest, as the retailer claims.
Keyword: labelled, properly, exactly, confirm
Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, Lines 1 to 4
Explanation: It is stated in the paragraph that the barcode device would be able to check the labels of the food to check if they are correct or not. It will accurately show the ingredients that are mixed in the food. This will tell if the foods and goods have been correctly described or not. Thus, the statement agrees with the information in the passage and the answer is True.
- Hebert got the idea for DNA barcoding from someone who worked at a supermarket.
Answer: True
Supporting Sentence: The inspiration came while he was walking up and down the aisles of a supermarket, marvelling at the ability of the store to keep track of all the lines stocked and sold using the thick and thin lines that make up a barcode.
Keyword: walking up and down, supermarket, ability of the store, keep track
Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, Lines 2-4
Explanation: the paragraph clearly mentions that Hebert was once walking in a supermarket and he saw how people working at the store had the ability to keep track of all the lines kept and sold using barcodes. This means that Hebert got the idea of DNA barcode in the supermarket from someone who was using the barcode scanner. Thus, the statement agrees with the information provided in the passage and the answer is true.
- The number of organisations supporting Hebert’s barcoding project is growing all the time.
Answer: True
Supporting Sentence: The Barcode of Life Data (Bold) systems is an enormous international collaboration supported by 150 institutions in 45 countries.
Keyword: enormous, supported, institutions, countries
Keyword Location: Paragraph 9, 3rd line
Explanation: Paragraph 9 mentions that the system of DNA barcode is a huge collaboration that is supported by many institutions in many countries. This large number of institutions supporting the system suggests that the number of organizations accepting Hebert’s barcoding project is growing all the time. Therefore, the answer is true as the statement agrees with the information in the passage.
- A large number of new bird species have already been identified by the DNA barcode system.
Answer: True
Supporting Sentence: To date, it has compiled more than 500,000 records from 50,000 species. The consortium is hoping that the world’s birds will be barcoded by 2011….He estimates that out of the world’s 10,000 bird species, DNA barcoding will distinguish at least 1,000 new ones.
Keyword: world’s birds, bird species,
Keyword Location: Paragraph 9, 12th line
Explanation: As per the paragraph, the DNA barcode system has compiled more than 500,000 records from 50000 species. Professor Stoeckle has also mentioned 10,000 species of birds. These statements signify that barcode has already identified these large numbers of birds. Thus, the statement agrees with the information in the passage. Hence, the answer is true.
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