This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge 3 Reading Test 3 Reading Passage 2 titled ‘Secrets of the Forest’. This is a targeted post for IELTS candidates who have big problems finding out and understanding Reading Answers in the AC module. This post can guide you the best to understand every Reading answer without much trouble. Finding out IELTS Reading answers is a steady process, and this post will assist you in this respect.

IELTS Cambridge 3 Test 3: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 2: Questions 13-25

The headline of the passage: Secrets of the Forest 

Questions 13-15: List of headings 

[In this question type, IELTS candidates are provided with a list of headings, usually identified with lower-case Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, etc,). A heading will refer to the main idea of the paragraph or section of the text. Candidates must find out the equivalent heading to the correct paragraphs or sections, which are marked with alphabets A, B, C and so forth. Candidates need to write the appropriate Roman numerals in the boxes on their answer sheets. There will always be two or three more headings than there are paragraphs or sections. So, some of the headings will not be used. It is also likely that some paragraphs or sections may not be included in the task. Generally, the first paragraph is an example paragraph that will be done for the candidates for their understanding of the task.

TIPS: Skimming is the best reading technique. You need not understand every word here. Just try to gather the gist of the sentences. That’s all. Read quickly and don’t stop until you finish each sentence.]

Question no. 13: Section A 

The answer lies in the very first lines of Section A where the author of the text writes, “In 1942 Allan R Holmberg, a doctoral student in anthropology from Yale University, USA, ventured deep into the jungle of Bolivian Amazonia and searched out an isolated band of Siriono Indian … … .” 

Here, searched out = discovered, 

So, this means Allan R Holmberg was the first person to research on the Indian Amazons. 

So, the answer is: v (Early research among the Indian Amazons)

Question no. 14: Section B

Lines 5-7 of Section B say, “. .. . The apparent simplicity of Indian ways of life has been judged an evolutionary adaptation to forest ecology, living proof that Amazonia could not – and cannot – sustain a more complex society. .. ..” 

Here, could not – and cannot – sustain a more complex society = unable to sustain complex societies,

So, the answer is: i (Amazonia as unable to sustain complex societies)

Question no. 15: Section D

The final lines of Section D give us the answer to this question. Here, the writer says, “ . .. . The archaeological evidence shows that the natural history of Amazonia is to a surprising extent tied to the activities of its prehistoric inhabitants.” 

Here, tied = linked, 

This means there is a link or connection between Amazonian natural history and its prehistoric inhabitants.  

So, the answer is: vi (The influence of prehistoric inhabitants on Amazonian natural history)

Questions 16-21: YES, NO, NOT GIVEN

In this type of question, candidates are asked to find out whether:

The statement in the question matches with the claim of the writer in the text- YES
The statement in the question contradicts with the claim of the writer in the text- NO
The statement in the question has no clear connection with the account in the text- NOT GIVEN

[TIPS: For this type of question, you can divide each statement into three independent pieces and make your way through with the answer.] 

Question no. 16: The reason for the simplicity of the Indian way of life is that Amazonia has always been unable to support a more complex society.

Keywords for the question: reason, simplicity, Indian way of life, Amazonia, always been unable, support, more complex society, 

The answer can be found in Section B, in lines 5-6, “ . . . . The apparent simplicity of Indian ways of life has been judged an evolutionary adaptation to forest ecology, .. .. .” 

This means the simplicity of the Indian way of life is the evolutionary adaptation to forest ecology, NOT the inability to support a more complex society. 

So, the answer is: NO

Question no. 17: There is a crucial popular misconception about the human history of Amazonia.

Keywords for the question: crucial, popular misconception, human history, Amazonia, 

The first three lines of Section C mention, “The popular conception of Amazonia and its native residents would be enormously consequential if it were true. But the human history of Amazonia in the past 11,000 years betrays that view as myth. .. ..” 

Here, betrays that view as myth = crucial popular misconception, 

So, the answer is: YES 

Question no. 18: There are lessons to be learned from similar ecosystems in other parts of the world.

Keywords for the question: lessons, to be learned, similar ecosystems, other parts of the world, 

In this passage, there is no mention of any lessons to be learned from similar ecosystems in other parts of the world.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN 

Question no. 19: Most ecologists were aware that the areas of Amazonia they were working in had been shaped by human settlement.

Keywords for the question: most ecologists, aware, areas of Amazonia, working, had been shaped by, human settlement,  

Take a look at lines 1-3 of Section D, “ . .. . Ecologists have assumed that tropical ecosystems were shaped entirely by natural forces and they have focused their research on habitats they believe have escaped human influence. .. .. .” 

The lines suggest that ecologists guessed that the areas of Amazonia they were working in had been shaped by natural forces, NOT by human settlement.  

So, the answer is: NO 

Question no. 20: The indigenous Amazonian Indians are necessary to the well-being of the forest.

Keywords for the question: indigenous Amazonian Indians, necessary, well-being of the forest,      

The answer to this question can be found in the final lines of Section D where the writer says, “ . .. . . The archaeological evidence shows that the natural history of Amazonia is to a surprising extent tied to the activities of its prehistoric inhabitants.” 

Here, prehistoric inhabitants = indigenous Amazonian Indians, tied to = linked, or, necessary to, 

So, the answer is: YES

Question no. 21: It would be possible for certain parts of Amazonia to support a higher population.

Keywords for the question: would be possible, certain parts of Amazonia, support, higher population,  

In Section F, lines 6-7 say, “ .. .. . Archaeology makes clear that with judicious management selected parts of the region could support more people than anyone thought before. .. ..” 

Here, selected parts = certain parts, support more people = support a higher population, 

So, the answer is: YES 

Questions 22-25: Multiple choice questions 

[This type of question asks you to choose a suitable answer from the options using the knowledge you gained from the passage. Generally, this question is set found as the last question set in most passages so you should not worry much about it. Finding all the answers for previous questions gives you a good idea about these questions.]

Question no. 22: In 1942 the US anthropology student concluded that the Siriono – 

Keywords for the question: 1942, US anthropology student, concluded, Siriono, 

Take a look at the first three lines of Section A, “In 1942 Allan R Holmberg, a doctoral student in anthropology from Yale University, USA, ventured deep into the jungle of Bolivian Amazonia and searched out an isolated band of Siriono Indians. The Siriono, Holmberg later wrote, led a ‘strikingly backward’ existence. .. ..” 

Here, Holmberg later wrote = the US anthropology student concluded, ‘strikingly backward’ = extremely primitive, 

So, the answer is: C (were an extremely primitive society) 

Question no. 23: The author believes recent discoveries of the remains of complex societies in Amazonia – 

Keywords for the question: author, believes, recent discoveries, remains of complex societies, Amazonia,  

In Section C, lines 3-6 say, “ . . . . Evidence gathered in recent years from anthropology and archaeology indicates that the region has supported a series of indigenous cultures for eleven thousand years; an extensive network of complex societies – some with populations perhaps as large as 100,000 – thrived there for more than 1,000 years before the arrival of Europeans. .. ..” 

Here, a series of indigenous cultures for eleven thousand years = early indigenous communities, 

So, the answer is: A (are evidence of early indigenous communities)  

Question no. 24: The assumption that the tropical ecosystem of Amazonia has been created solely by natural forces – 

Keywords for the question: assumption, tropical ecosystem of Amazonia, been created, solely, by natural forces, 

In Section D, lines 2-5 say, “ .. .. Ecologists have assumed that tropical ecosystems were shaped entirely by natural forces and they have focused their research on habitats they believe have escaped human influence. But as the University of Florida ecologist, Peter Feinsinger, has noted, an approach that leaves people out of the equation is no longer tenable. .. .. .” 

Here, Ecologists have assumed = the assumption, were shaped entirely by natural forces = created solely by natural forces, no longer tenable = to be incorrect by recent research, 

So, the answer is: B (has been shown to be incorrect by recent research)  

Questions no. 25: The application of our new insights into the Amazonian past would – 

Keywords for the question: application, our new insights, Amazonian past, would, 

In Section F, the author of the text writes in lines 5-8, “ . .. .. The new understanding of the pre-history of Amazonia, however, points toward a middle ground. Archaeology makes clear that with judicious management selected parts of the region could support more people than anyone thought before. The long buried past, it seems, offers hope for the future.” 

Here, The new understanding = our new insights, the pre-history of Amazonia = the Amazonian past, with judicious management selected parts of the region could support more people than anyone thought before = change present policies on development in the region, 

So, the answer is: C (change present policies on development in the region)

© All the texts with inverted commas used in this post are taken from Cambridge IELTS Series 3 AC Test book