When and Why Did We Learn to Stand on Our Own Two Feet? Reading Answers

Jul 4, 2025

When and Why Did We Learn to Stand on Our Own Two Feet? Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. When and Why Did We Learn to Stand on Our Own Two Feet? Reading Answers has a total of 13 IELTS questions in total. In the question set you have to choose which paragraph contains the given statement. In the next set, you have to fill in the blank with the correct answer in no more than three words. In the last set, you have to match each statement with the correct researcher.

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 WHEN AND WHY DID WE LEARN TO STAND ON OUR OWN TWO FEET?

We may never know for exactly how long humans have walked on two legs, and the debate about why we do it continues, but evidence and research give us plenty of clues.

A.For many years, scientists and anthropologists disagreed about whether early humans started walking on two legs before or after their brain had increased. The predominant view was that brain size was important, and until our brains had reached a particular size and mass, bipedal movement would have been impossible. Then, in 1974, two scientists, Donald Johanson and Tom Gray, were mapping a remote area of Ethiopia when by chance they came across some fossilised bones which appeared to be from an early human, Australopithecus afarensis. Excavation of the site led to the discovery of several hundred more bones and bone fragments, all from a single skeleton. Scientific research of the bones later that year showed that they were 3.2 million years old and belonged to a young female hominid whom the scientists nicknamed 'Lucy'. Most remarkably, however, the research showed that while Lucy had a very small brain compared with humans today, she was also bipedal.

B.How did the scientists know this? Lucy's leg bones were angled relative to the condyles (knee joint surfaces), which allow bipeds to balance on one leg at a time when walking. There was also a prominent lip in the knee to prevent the patella (the knee cap) from dislocating due to this angle. Evidence was also found in Lucy's pelvis, which was able to accommodate an upright stance and the need to balance on only one limb with each stride. The shape of her ankle also showed that her big toes would have aligned with her other toes, which would have sacrificed manipulative abilities for efficiency in bipedal locomotion. Her feet, therefore, would have been used almost exclusively for getting around rather than for holding things. Finally, her backbone showed evidence of the spinal curvature necessitated by a permanent upright stance.

C.Lucy's discovery was exciting for two reasons. Not only was she bipedal in spite of her brain size, but she was also believed to be our oldest ancestor. However, a discovery over thirty years later changed all that. In 2005, Professor Yohannes Haile-Selassie, head of Physical Anthropology at Cleveland Museum of Natural History, led an international team that discovered and analysed a 3.6-million-year-old fossilised partial male skeleton. It was found in the Woranso-MiIIe area of Ethiopia's Afar region, and it took Professor HaileSeIassie's team over five years to excavate. The team recovered the most complete clavicle and one of the most complete shoulder blades ever found in the human fossil record. A significant portion of the rib

cage was also found.

D.It was a significant find because this early hominid, also a member of Australopithecus afarensis, is 400,000 years older than Lucy, and significantly larger in size. Research on the new specimen revealed that advanced, human-like bipedalism occurred much earlier than previously thought. The specimen was nicknamed 'Kadanuumuu', which means 'big man' in the Afar language and reflects its large size. The male hominid stood between 1.5 and 1.7 metres tall, while Lucy stood only 1.1 metres tall. This individual was fully bipedal and had the ability to walk almost exactly like modern humans.

E.Kadanuumuu's discovery was important for another reason. Despite all the research, there were still some in the scientific world who felt there was insufficient proof that Lucy walked fully upright. 'As a result of our discovery,' said Haile-Selassie, ‘we can now confidently say that Lucy and her relatives were almost as proficient walking on two legs as we are, and that the elongation of our legs came earlier in our evolution than previously thought. Until now, all of our understanding of Australopithecus afarensis' locomotion has been dependent on Lucy. Unfortunately, because she was an exceptionally small female with very short legs, this gave some researchers the impression that she was not fully adapted to upright walking. This new skeleton falsifies that impression because if Lucy's frame had been as large as this specimen, her legs would also have been proportionally longer.'

F.Professor Haile-Selassie's research goes a long way to explain when humans began walking upright. However, one tantalising question remains: why did we start walking upright? There are several schools of thought, but two are particularly compelling. One is that bipedal activity is linked to the need to carry as much as possible. 'Something as simple as carrying, an activity we engage in every day, might have, under the right conditions, led to upright walking,' says Dr Brian Richmond, who carried out research on bipedal movement in apes. 'Standing on two legs allowed early humans to carry more at one time because it freed their hands.' It is possible to observe this in apes. While many are capable of short bursts of bipedal movement, they only choose to do it when they need to carry something. And, interestingly, the more valuable the object is to them, the more they are prepared to walk on just two legs in order to carry it.

G.However, another group of researchers working at the University of Arizona has conducted a study which suggests that walking upright is more beneficial because it saves energy. 'For decades now, researchers have debated the role and evolution of bipedalism,' said David Raichlen, Assistant Professor of Anthropology. 'However, the big problem in the study of bipedalism was that there was little data out there.' Under his guidance, a group of researchers at the University trained five chimpanzees to walk on an exercise machine while wearing masks that allowed measurement of their oxygen consumption. The chimps were measured both while walking upright and while moving on their legs and knuckles. That measurement of the energy needed to move around was analysed alongside results from similar tests on humans. Raichlen discovered that humans walking on two legs use only one-quarter of the energy that chimpanzees use while knuckle-walking on four limbs. And of course using less energy means you need to eat less, which leaves more time for other things

Questions 14-18

The Reading passage has seven paragraphs, A-G. Which paragraph contains the following information?

14. The circumstances under which some animals walk upright.

Answer: F

Supporting statement: Standing on two legs allowed early humans to carry more at one time because it freed their hands.' It is possible to observe this in apes.

Keywords: humans, hands

Keyword Location: Para F, Line 7

Explanation: In para F, it is mentioned that some animals might have started walking upright to use their front limbs to carry something.

15. An experiment to test a theory.

Answer: G

Supporting statement: Under his guidance, a group of researchers at the University trained five chimpanzees to walk on an exercise machine while wearing masks that allowed measurement of their oxygen consumption.

Keywords: researchers, trained

Keyword Location: Para G, Lines 5-6

Explanation: According to paragraph G, under his guidance, David Raichlen, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, a group of researchers at the University conducted an experiment where five chimpanzees were trained to walk on an exercise machine while wearing masks that allowed measurement of their oxygen consumption.

16. A lucky find which contributed to the debate about the way humans developed.

Answer: A

Supporting statement: 'Lucy'. Most remarkably, however, the research showed that while Lucy had a very small brain compared with humans today, she was also bipedal.

Keywords: Lucy, bipedal

Keyword Location: Para A, Lines 10-11

Explanation: According to the text, in paragraph A, the discovery of Lucy, an early human, Australopithecus afarensis, made it possible to find more about how humans developed.

17. A new discovery compels scientists to reconsider how long humans have been walking on two legs.

Answer: D

Supporting statement: Research on the new specimen revealed that advanced, human-like bipedalism occurred much earlier than previously thought.

Keywords: bipedalism, earlier

Keyword Location: Para D, Line 3

Explanation: The discovery of Kadanuumuu, a member of Australopithecus afarensis, 400,000 years older than Lucy, compelled the scientist to reconsider the early findings of human walking on two legs, as this newly found fossil was also bipedal, as mentioned in para D.

18. The combined physical evidence which indicated the existence of bipedalism in early humans.

Answer: B

Supporting statement: Lucy's leg bones were angled relative to the condyles (knee joint surfaces), which allow bipeds to balance on one leg at a time when walking.

Keywords: angled, bipeds

Keyword Location: Para B, Lines 1-2

Explanation: In para B, physical evidence of Lucy being bipedal is given, such as her leg bones being angled relative to the condyles, her pelvis and ankles all indicating that bipedalism existed in early humans.

Questions 19-22

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.

19. Lucy was different from modern human beings because of, among other things, her……………

Answer: VERY SMALL BRAIN

Supporting statement: While Lucy had a very small brain compared with humans today, she was also bipedal.

Keywords: small brain, humans

Keyword Location: Para A, Lines 10-11

Explanation: According to the text, Lucy differed from modern humans as she had a very small brain.

20. The positioning of her……………. shows that Lucy would only have used her feet for

walking

Answer: BIG TOES

Supporting statement: The shape of her ankle also showed that her big toes would have aligned with her other toes.

Keywords: ankle, toes

Keyword Location: Para B, Line 6

Explanation: Lucy's ankle shape made it clear that her big toes aligned with the other toes, making it clear that she used her feet for walking.

21. It took scientists more than……………. after Lucy's discovery to find a bipedal

hominid that predated her.

Answer: 30/THIRTY YEARS

Supporting statement: but she was also believed to be our oldest ancestor. However, a discovery over thirty years later changed all that.

Keywords: oldest ancestor, thirty years

Keyword Location: Para C, Line 2

Explanation: According to the text, the discovery of another fossil thirty years after Lucy made it clear that Lucy was not the oldest ancestor who was bipedal, as the newly found hominid was nearly 400,000 years older than Lucy.

22. The skeleton that Professor Haile-Selassie's team discovered was given its name

because of………………

Answer: ITS LARGE SIZE

Supporting statement: The specimen was nicknamed 'Kadanuumuu', which means 'big man' in the Afar language and reflects its large size.

Keywords: Kadanuumuu, large size

Keyword Location: Para D, Line 4

Explanation: Because of its size, the skeleton found by Professor Haile-Selassie's team was named Kadanuumuu, as the word literally means big man in the Afar language.

Questions 23-26

Match each statement with the correct researcher.

23. The need to perform a basic function that we do on a regular basis may have resulted in bipedal movement.

Answer: B

Supporting statement: Something as simple as carrying, an activity we engage in every day, might have, under the right conditions, led to upright walking,' says Dr Brian Richmond,

Keywords: carrying, upright walking

Keyword Location: Para F, Lines 4-5

Explanation: According to Dr Brian Richmond, the early humans might have started to walk on two legs as they needed to use their front limbs for daily tasks such as carrying things.

24. It's much easier to carry heavy objects when you can move on two legs.

Answer: D

Explanation: The above-mentioned statement is not associated with any of the researchers mentioned in the passage.

25. People have been talking about why humans walk on two legs for a long time.

Answer: C

Supporting statement: For decades now, researchers have debated the role and evolution of bipedalism,' said David Raichlen,

Keywords: debated, evolution

Keyword Location: Para G, Line 3

Explanation: According to David Raichlen, the debate about humans walking on two legs has been going on for quite some time.

26. We have further evidence that confirms something we already knew.

Answer: A

Supporting statement: As a result of our discovery,' said Haile-Selassie, ‘we can now confidently say that Lucy and her relatives were almost as proficient walking on two legs as we are

Keywords: Haile-Selassie, walking

Keyword Location: Para E, Line 3

Explanation: According to Professor Yohannes Haile-Selassie, the new findings from the male fossil and Lucy make it clearer that early humans were capable of walking on their two legs, similar to humans nowadays.

A. Professor Yohannes Haile-Selassie

B. Dr Brian Richmond

C. David Raichlen

D. None of the above

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