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Wildlife in South Atlantic Reading Answers

Bhaskar Das

Jul 3, 2025

Wildlife in South Atlantic Reading Answers contains 13 questions and belongs to the assessment system of the IELTS General Reading test. Wildlife in South Atlantic reading section must be answered within 20 minutes. In this IELTS reading passage, you'll encounter question types like Write one word only and Choose the correct letter.

Also, Wildlife in South Atlantic Reading Answers contains detailed information about Lucy Grewcock on her unforgettable journey to South Georgia, where she encounters thousands of penguins, curious seal pups, and the untouched beauty of a remote wilderness. To practice reading comprehension passages like this one, candidates are encouraged to explore the IELTS Reading Practice Test section.

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Topic:

Lucy Grewcock on her trip to South Georgia

'Act like a penguin and you'll be accepted as a penguin,' Frank Todd, an expert in birds and our expedition leader, briefed us as we put on our life jackets and prepared to go ashore. Dropping anchor in South Georgia's Bay of Isles, we walked down the gangway into eight-person inflatable boats. Mine was the first to fill and we sped away with the engine revving loudly, leaving a swell of icy water in our wake.

Cold air filled our lungs as we raced towards the shore, which came alive with frantic fur seals splashing in the surf and wriggling up the beach beyond. It was like a holiday resort for the creatures and everyone in the boat was taking photographs.

Having embarked in Argentina, I'd spent over a week rocking and rolling across the Scotia Sea on board the M/S Expedition with 100 other passengers. And now, South Georgia seemed set to exceed expectations.

As we entered the shallows, the engine of the boat was cut and the air filled with the noises made by seal pups - a constant murmur beneath the barks and snorts of their parents, who moved awkwardly along the water's edge. Swinging our wellie-booted ong the waters ease Suing our selle ooted feet onto the beach, we pulled the inflatables ashore as a squad of seals shuffled over on their front flippers and cautioned us with sharp yellow teeth and low growls.

As I shook a trekking pole in defence, a party of well-dressed penguins paraded through a crowd of seal pups and waddled down the beach to welcome us, just as though they were human beings. One particularly smart adult stepped forward and casually waved a wing at the scene behind him. As I followed his gesture, was astonished. While I knew we would see penguins, I had had no idea of the reality: they adorned the dunes in their thousands, packed out the plain beyond, and sprawled up the hillside until Mere Shan 1500,000 oshe populated e he sizone, and were bathe in a po to golden tet that radiated actoss taem like a warm glow. But searching the sky for a break in the clouds, I saw nothing but a solid mass of grey mist over the bay. I think they look better in poor light,' Frank commented from behind me. They really shine, don't they?' I nodded in agreement, suddenly realising it was their yellow-tinged chins that were giving off the glow. Mesmerised, I picked my way across the pebble beach towards the colony, taking care not to squash the seal pups that fidgeted about my feet and doing my best to avoid their pugnacious parents.

Like a busy market, the penguin colony was in a constant state of murmur and mutter. Every few minutes, the hubbub was cut through by groups of adults, who would stretch their throats skywards, raise their beaks above the throng, and maintain contact with their chicks with a chorus of trumpet calls. Their calls were answered by the squeak of indignant chicks, who sat in thick fur coats, awaiting their next feed of fish. These infants take more than fourteen months to go from fur ball to fully watertight and, until then, are beach-bound and at the mercy of the petrels and skuas - predatory birds circling above and waiting for the opportunity to carry off a chick.

Distancing themselves from their squeaking siblings, adolescents waddled around in various stages of losing their juvenile feathers. In contrast, their parents stood in perfect penguin plumage, their coats acting as natural wetsuits, and each appeared to be wearing on its head a set of carrot-coloured earmuffs over a velvet-black hood - handsome markings which seemed to give them inner confidence.

Seeing the next lot of tourists arrive on the beach, I set off to find a quiet spot to take it all in. But as I clambered across the dunes, I had the feeling I was being followed and turned to find a penguin following me. Up to my waist in height, he wobbled along with his head down, his feet slipping across the stones. 'They are prone to being groupies,' Frank had warned us during our briefing.

South Georgia's penguins have little reason to fear us. They have never been hunted by human beings, and their only visitors these days are groups of tourists and a scattering of scientists. Consequently, it appears, fear has been replaced with fascination.

Finding a patch of rough grass, I sat down and sighed contentedly. The beauty of this unspoilt wilderness was almost too much to take in.Gazing out across the bay at the immense glaciers and peaks beyond, I heard a shuffle of stones behind me and soon found my feathered follower standing by my shoulder. His eyes level with mine, the penguin followed my gaze out to sea, nodding his head as we took in the scene together. The pair of us stayed like that for a while, listening to the whimper of seal pups and watching the tide tickle the shoreline. 'Act like them, and you'll be accepted by them,' I smiled to myself. I'm sure he was thinking the same.

Questions 28-32

Choose ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.

LANDING IN SOUTH GEORGIA

The expedition was led by Frank Todd, a specialist in the study of 28………

Answer: birds

Supporting statement: "Frank Todd, an expert in birds and our expedition leader..."

Keywords: expert, birds, expedition leader

Keyword Location: Paragraph 1, line 1

Explanation: Frank Todd is introduced as an expert in birds, which clearly answers the question about his specialty.

The journey began in 29………….

Answer: Argentina

Supporting statement: "Having embarked in Argentina, I'd spent over a week..."

Keywords: embarked, Argentina

Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, line 1

Explanation: Lucy mentions they started their journey in Argentina, identifying it as the place where the expedition began.

and when the ship reached South Georgia, the passengers transferred into small boats. As they approached the shore, they all wanted 30…………

Answer: photographs

Supporting statement: "...everyone in the boat was taking photographs."

Keywords: taking photographs

Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, line 3

Explanation: As they approached the shore, passengers were photographing the seals, indicating their desire to capture the scene.

of the seals on the beach. When the noise from the 31………….

Answer: engine

Supporting statement: "As we entered the shallows, the engine of the boat was cut and the air filled with the noises made by seal pups..."

Keywords: engine, was cut, noises

Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, line 1

Explanation: Once the engine stopped, they could hear the seal pups, highlighting the contrast in sound.

stopped, they could hear the young seals. As the group landed, some seals approached and showed their 32…………. as a warning.

Answer: teeth

Supporting statement: "...cautioned us with sharp yellow teeth and low growls."

Keywords: sharp yellow teeth, growls

Keyword Location: Paragraph 4, line 3

Explanation: The seals showed their teeth as a sign of warning when the group landed on the beach.

Questions 33-35

Choose the correct letter.

33. According to the fifth paragraph, Lucy was surprised by

A. the lack of human beings.

B. the reaction of the seals.

C. the number of penguins.

D. the distance to the horizon.

Answer: C. the number of penguins

Supporting statement: "While I knew we would see penguins, I had had no idea of the reality: they adorned the dunes in their thousands..."

Keywords: thousands, penguins, no idea

Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, lines 4-5

Explanation: Lucy expresses surprise at the sheer number of penguins, more than she expected.

34. What do Lucy and Frank agree about the penguins' appearance?

A. The dull light made part of them seem bright.

B. The sunshine made them shine.

C. Light was reflected onto them from the sea.

D. The mist made their white parts hard to see.

Answer: A. The dull light made part of them seem bright.

Supporting statement: "'I think they look better in poor light,' Frank commented... I nodded in agreement... it was their yellow-tinged chins that were giving off the glow."

Keywords: poor light, glow, yellow-tinged chins

Keyword Location: Paragraph 5, lines 6-7

Explanation: The subdued lighting enhanced the glow of the penguins’ features, particularly the yellow areas.

35. Lucy mentions a market to emphasise

A. the range of colours on the penguins and seals.

B. the noise made by the penguins.

C. the difference in behaviour between the penguins and the seals.

D. the contrast between the penguins' territory and surrounding areas.

Answer: B. the noise made by the penguins

Supporting statement: "Like a busy market, the penguin colony was in a constant state of murmur and mutter."

Keywords: busy market, murmur, mutter

Keyword Location: Paragraph 6, line 1

Explanation: The comparison to a market highlights the continuous noise of the penguins, not visual elements or location.

Questions 36-40

Choose the correct letter.

36. Why did groups of adult penguins give 'trumpet calls'?

A. to frighten the birds away

B. to make sure they all kept close together

C. to warn other penguins to keep away

D. to communicate with their young

Answer: D. to communicate with their young

Supporting statement: "...maintain contact with their chicks with a chorus of trumpet calls."

Keywords: maintain contact, chicks, trumpet calls

Keyword Location: Paragraph 6, line 3

Explanation: The adult penguins use trumpet calls to stay in touch with their chicks, confirming the purpose of the sound.

37. In the eighth paragraph, what does Lucy imagine about adult penguins?

A. Those with damaged feathers stayed away from the others.

B. They were more likely to move around than adolescents.

C. They preferred to keep separate from adolescents.

D. Their appearance influenced the way they felt.

Answer: D. Their appearance influenced the way they felt.

Supporting statement: "...each appeared to be wearing on its head a set of carrot-coloured earmuffs... markings which seemed to give them inner confidence."

Keywords: markings, inner confidence

Keyword Location: Paragraph 7, line 4

Explanation: The visual description implies that the penguins’ distinguished appearance gives them a sense of confidence.

38. Why did Lucy want to find a quiet spot?

A. to look around her without being disturbed by other people

B. to get away from the noise of the penguins and seals

C. to look for a penguin that had become separated from the others

D. to find somewhere suitable for the tourists to gather

Answer: A. to look around her without being disturbed by other people

Supporting statement: "Seeing the next lot of tourists arrive on the beach, I set off to find a quiet spot to take it all in."

Keywords: quiet spot, next lot of tourists, take it all in

Keyword Location: Paragraph 8, line 1

Explanation: Lucy sought solitude to enjoy the scenery, away from the incoming crowd of tourists.

39. What did Lucy learn in the briefing about the penguins of South Georgia?

A. Their habitat has been damaged by the number of visitors.

B. They are very interested in people.

C. They are protected so that scientists can carry out research.

D. They will not allow people to come close to them.

Answer: B. They are very interested in people.

Supporting statement: "Fear has been replaced with fascination."

Keywords: fascination, visitors, fear replaced

Keyword Location: Paragraph 9, line 3

Explanation: The penguins’ behaviour shows curiosity rather than fear toward people, indicating their interest.

40. What did Lucy decide about the penguin that followed her?

A. He had similar thoughts and feelings to her.

B. He was more interested in the young seals than in her.

C. He was a more suitable height for the terrain than her.

D. He had more difficulty walking than she did.

Answer: A. He had similar thoughts and feelings to her.

Supporting statement: "The penguin followed my gaze out to sea, nodding his head... I smiled to myself. I'm sure he was thinking the same."

Keywords: followed my gaze, thinking the same

Keyword Location: Paragraph 10, lines 3-5

Explanation: Lucy imagines the penguin sharing her thoughts and feelings as they silently enjoy the view together.

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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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