This Academic IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge 5 Reading Test 4 Reading Passage 1 entitled ‘The Impact of Wilderness Tourism’. This is a target post for IELTS candidates who have huge problems finding out and understanding Reading Answers in the AC module. This post can help you the best to comprehend every Reading answer very easily. Finding out IELTS Reading answers is a steady process, and this post will assist you in this respect.

IELTS Cambridge 5 Test 4: AC Reading Module

Reading Passage 1: Questions 1-13

The headline of the passage: The Impact of Wilderness Tourism

Questions 1-3: 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. 1: Section A

Section A contains two paragraphs. In the first paragraph, take a look at line no. 7, “ . .. these regions are fragile (i.e. highly vulnerable to abnormal pressures). . .”

Then, in the second paragraph, the author of the passage says, “Tourists are drawn to these regions by their natural landscape beauty and the unique cultures of their indigenous people. And poor governments in these isolated areas have welcomed the new breed of ‘adventure tourist’, grateful for the hard currency they bring. For several years now, tourism has been the prime source of foreign exchange in Nepal and Bhutan. Tourism is also a key element in the economies of Arctic zones such as Lapland and Alaska and in desert areas such as Ayers Rock in Australia and Arizona’s Monument Valley.”

Here, Tourists are drawn to these regions by their natural landscape beauty and the unique cultures of their indigenous people, poor governments in these isolated areas have welcomed the new breed of ‘adventure tourist’, grateful for the hard currency they bring = the reason for the expansion of tourism there,

So, the answer is: iii (Fragile regions and the reasons for the expansion of tourism there)

Question no. 2: Section B

Section B explains how wilderness tourism has negatively affected areas such as mountains, deserts and arctic regions. Look at these lines from the first paragraph, “ .. ..  When hill-farmers, for example, can make more money in a few weeks working as porters for foreign trekkers than they can in a year working in their fields, . .. .. .. . In some hill-regions, this has led to a serious decline in farm output and a change in the local diet, because there is insufficient labour to maintain terraces and irrigation systems and tend to crops. The result has been that many people in these regions have turned to outside supplies of rice and other foods.”

Then, in the second paragraph, the writer talks about the effects in the Arctic region, “ .. . However, as some inhabitants become involved in tourism, they no longer have time to collect wild food; this has led to increasing dependence on bought food and stores. … . .”

So, the answer is: v (Some of the disruptive effects of wilderness tourism)

Question no. 3: Section C

In section C, the first few lines of the second paragraph indicate the answer to this question, “In the Swiss Alps, communities have decided that their future depends on integrating tourism more effectively with the local economy. .. ..”

Here, integrating tourism more effectively with the local economy = How local communities can balance their own needs with the demands of wilderness tourism,

Also, in the third paragraph, in lines 3-4, the writer talks more about the integration, “ . . . But some Arctic communities are now operating tour businesses themselves, thereby ensuring that the benefits accrue locally. … ..”

Here, Arctic communities are now operating tour businesses themselves = How local communities can balance their own needs with the demands of wilderness tourism,

So, the answer is: ii (How local communities can balance their own needs with the demands of wilderness tourism)

Question 4-9: 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. 4: The low financial cost of selling up wilderness tourism makes it attractive to many countries.

Keywords for the question: low financial cost, selling up, wilderness tourism, makes, attractive, many countries,

The answer lies in section A, in beginning of the first paragraph, “ .. . . Countries all across the world are actively promoting their ‘wilderness’ regions – such as mountains. Arctic lands, deserts, small islands and wetlands – to high-spending tourists. The attraction of these areas is obvious: by definition, wilderness tourism requires little or no initial investment. . …”

Here, wilderness tourism requires little or no initial investment = low financial cost of selling up wilderness tourism,

So, the answer is: YES

Question no. 5: Deserts, mountains and Arctic regions are examples of environments that are both ecologically and culturally fragile.

Keywords for the question: Deserts, mountains and Arctic regions, examples of environments,

The answer is in the first paragraph of section A in lines 7-8, “ .. .. these regions are fragile (i.e. highly vulnerable to abnormal pressures) not just in terms of their ecology, but also in terms of the culture of their inhabitants. . ..”

Here, not just in terms of their ecology, but also in terms of the culture of their inhabitants = both ecologically and culturally,

So, the answer is: YES

Question no. 6: Wilderness tourism operates throughout the year in fragile areas.

Keywords for the question: wilderness tourism, operates, throughout the year, fragile areas,

The last lines of paragraph no. 1 in section A gives us the answer, “ . .. . Consequently, most human activities, including tourism, are limited to quite clearly defined parts of the year.”

Here, limited to quite clearly defined parts of the year = tourism does not operate throughout the year in fragile areas,

So, the answer is: NO

Question no. 7: The spread of tourism in certain hill-regions has resulted in a fall in the amount of food produced locally.

Keywords for the question: spread of tourism, certain hill-regions, resulted, fall in the amount of food, produced locally,

In section B, lines 2-8 of the first paragraph says, “. . .. When hill-farmers, for example, can make more money in a few weeks working as porters for foreign trekkers than they can in a year working in their fields, it is not surprising that many of them give up their farm-work, which is thus left to other members of the family. In some hill-regions, this has led to a serious decline in farm output and a change in the local diet, because there is insufficient labour to maintain terraces and irrigation systems and tend to crops. .. ..”

Here, the lines suggest that many farming communities have left their jobs of farming as they can earn more money by selling pottery to the travellers due to the spread of tourism. This has resulted in a serious decline in farm output (resulted in a fall in the amount of food produced locally).

So, the answer is: YES

Question no. 8: Traditional food-gathering in desert societies was distributed evenly over the year.

Keywords for the question: traditional food-gathering, desert societies, distributed evenly, over the year,

In section B, in the second paragraph, take a look at the first few lines, “In Arctic and desert societies, year-round survival has traditionally depended on hunting animals and fish and collecting fruit over a relatively short season. . .. .”

Here, hunting animals and fish and collecting fruit = traditional food-gathering, over a relatively short season = NOT distributed evenly over the year,

So, the answer is: NO

Question no. 9: Government handouts do more damage than tourism does to traditional patterns of food-gathering.

Keywords for the question: government handouts, do more damage, than, tourism does, traditional patterns, food-gathering,

We find the mention of ‘government handouts’ in line no. 6 in the second paragraph of section B. However, we find NO COMPARISON on whether ‘government handouts’ do more damage to traditional patterns of food-gathering than tourism does.

So, the answer is: NOT GIVEN

Question 10-13: Completing table: ONE WORD ONLY

[In this type of question, candidates need to fill in the gaps in a table with ONE WORD ONLY. Skimming and scanning, both reading skills are essential for this question-type.]

Title of the table: The positive ways in which some local communities have responded to tourism

Question no. 10:

People/Location: Swiss Pays d’Enhaut

Activity: Revived production of ___________.

Keywords for the question: Swiss Pays d’Enhaut, revived, production,

Take a look at section C. In paragraph no. 2, the writer says, “ . .. .. Local concern about the rising number of second home developments In the Swiss Pays d’Enhaut resulted in limits being imposed on their growth. There has also been a renaissance in communal cheese production in the area, providing the locals with a reliable source of income that does not depend on outside visitors.”

Here, renaissance in communal cheese production = revived production of cheese,

So, the answer is: cheese

Question no. 11:

People/Location: Arctic communities

Activity: Operate ___________ businesses.

Keywords for the question: Arctic communities, operate, businesses,   

Again, in section C, take a look at paragraph no. 3. In lines 3-4, the writer says, “ . .. But some Arctic communities are now operating tour businesses themselves, thereby ensuring that the benefits accrue locally. … .”

So, the answer is: tourism/tourist/tour

Question no. 12:

People/Location: Acoma and San Ildefonso

Activity: Produce and sell ___________.

Keywords for the question: Acoma and San Ildefonso, produce, sell,

In paragraph no. 4 of section C, the author says in lines 3-4, “ .. . The Acoma and San Ildefonso pueblos have established highly profitable pottery businesses, ….”

Here, businesses = produce and sell,

So, the answer is: pottery  

Question no. 13:  

People/Location: Navajo and Hopi

Activity: Produce and sell ___________.

Keywords for the question: Navajo and Hopi, produce, sell,   

In paragraph no. 4 of section C, the author says in lines 4-5, “ .. . while the Navajo and Hopi groups have been similarly successful with Jewellery.”

Here, similarly successful = successful in producing and selling,

So, the answer is: jewelry/ jewellery  

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 5 AC Test 4 Reading Passage 2

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 5 AC Test 4 Reading Passage 3