This General Training IELTS Reading post deals with a solution package for IELTS Cambridge 11 Reading Test 1 Section 3 that has one passage entitled ‘The Zebras’ long walk across Africa‘. This is an aimed post for candidates who have major problems searching for and understanding Reading Answers. This post can guide you the best to understand every Reading answer easily and without much difficulty. Finding IELTS Reading answers is a step-by-step process, and I can confidently say that this post will help you in this respect.

IELTS Cambridge 11 Test 1: GT Reading Module

Section 3: Questions 28-40

The headline of the passage: The Zebras’ long walk across Africa

Questions 28-34:  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 which 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 28: Section A  

The answer to this question can be found at the end of the section in lines 5-6, “ . . . . – making it second only to the great trek undertaken by the zebra herds in the Serengeti National Park. .. .. .”

Here, making it second only = nearly a record,

As the main record of the great trek is held by zebras in the Serengeti National Park (situated in Tanzania), the zebras of Botsowana come second. So, it’s almost a record.  

So, the answer is: vi (Nearly a record in the zebra world)

Question 29: Section B  

The first lines of section B give us the answer to this question. At first, the writer says, “Hattie Bartlam, a researcher, discovered this migration while she was tracking zebra groups, officially known as harems, by the Okavango River for her PhD.”

Here, for her PhD = the original of the work,

So, the original aim of the work was Hattie Bartlam’s PhD.

So, the answer is: viii (The original aim of the work)

Question 30: Section C  

In section C, take a look at the last few lines, “. . ..  .. This raised the question: why, despite a plentiful supply of food and water, were the zebras being drawn eastwards to the salt pans? Even more difficult to understand was what made six of the groups travel so far, while the other five remained by the Okavango.”

Here, This raised the question: & Even more difficult to understand = some confusing information,

So, the answer is: iv (Some confusing information)

Question 31: Section D  

Section D mainly talks about putting up giant fences to stop the spread of diseases among wild and domestic animals.

Here, ‘giant fences’ in lines 4-5 and ‘the fence’ in line no. 9 means an obstruction on the traditional route,  

So, the answer is: ii (An obstruction on the traditional route)

Question 32: Section E

Section E raises the question about how the information was passed on from one generation of zebras to the other. Take a look at these lines, “. . .. . … This prompts another question: it has always been assumed that the young of social herbivores like zebras learn migratory behaviour from their parents, so how did the latest generation learn when and where to go? Not from their parents, who were prevented from migrating. Did they follow another species, such as elephants?”

So, the answer is: ix (How was the information passed on?)

Question 33: Section F

Section F talks about three ways of living and adopting different behaviours.

In lines 2-3 we find about the first group.

In lines 3-7 we find about the second group and

In lines 7-10 we find about the last group of zebras.

So, the answer is: vii (Three different ways of living)

Question 34: Section G

Two different parts in this section point us to the answer.

Firstly, take a look at lines 2-4, “. .. . . Zebras are a vital part of the food chain: understanding their migration, in turn, helps us to interpret the movements of their predators, . .. . .”

Secondly, take a look at line no. 7, “ . .. . . she believes that herbivores like zebras are key to understanding any ecosystem.”

Here, the words vital and key indicate the importance.

So, the answer is: x (Why it is important to study zebras)

Questions 35-37 Summary completion: (with ONE WORD only)

[In this kind of questions candidates are given a summary for one, two or three paragraphs with some fill in the blanks questions. Candidates need to find out the related paragraphs by correctly studying the keywords form the questions. Then, they should follow the steps of finding answers to fill in the gaps.]

Title of the summary: Social behaviour in zebras

Question 35: Zebras tend to live together in small units, which experts call ___________ . 

Keywords for this question: Zebras, tend to live together, small units, experts call,    

The answer is found in the first lines of section B. The writer says here, “Hattie Bartlam, a researcher, discovered this migration while she was tracking zebra groups, officially known as harems, . . . .. ”

Here, officially known = experts call,

So, the answer is: harems

Question 36: Here, a male zebra has charge of a number of adult ____________ and their young. 

Keywords for this question: male zebra, charge of, a number of adult, their young,  

The answer can be traced in lines 2-3 of section B, “Each harem consists of a stallion and his seven or eight mares with juvenile foals.”

As we know that zebra is a kind of horse, here stallion means male zebra, their young means juvenile foals,

So, the answer is: mares

Question 37: These units sometimes assemble in bigger groupings or ____________, but it is still clear that the zebras’ loyalty only extends to the small unit they live in.

Keywords for this question: sometimes assemble, bigger groupings, or, still clear, zebras’ loyalty, extends to, small unit, live in,

To find the answer to this question, we should look at lines 4-6 of section B, “ . .. . There is no loyalty between zebras beyond this social group, though harems often gather together into so-called herds.”

Here, loyalty only extends to the small unit = no loyalty between zebras beyond this social group, often gather = sometimes assemble,

So, the answer is: herds

Questions 38-40: 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 found as the last question so you should not worry much about it. Finding all the answers for previous questions gives you a good idea about the title.]

Question 38: How did Hattie feel when she heard some of the zebras had travelled so far?

Keywords for this question: how, Hattie feel, heard, some of the zebras, travelled so far,

The answer to this question is found in Section C where we come to know about the unexpected migration of zebras. The writer says here, “In December, when the annual rains had transformed the roads into rivers, Hattie was, therefore, more than a little surprised when she checked the data sent by the radio collars she fits to the zebras she is tracking to find that six of the harems were 270 km away on the edge of the Makgadikgadi, . .. .”

And then take a look at the last lines of the same section, “ . .. .. This raised the question: why, despite a plentiful supply of food and water, were the zebras being drawn eastwards to the salt pans? Even more difficult to understand was what made six of the groups travel so far, while the other five remained by the Okavango.”

So, Hattie was not so sure why the zebras were so motivated for this migration.

So, the answer is: D (unsure as to their real motivation for going)

Question 39: When describing the different Botswana zebra populations, the writer indicates –

Keywords for this question: describing, different Botsowana zebra populations, writer indicates,

The last lines of section F give us the answer to this question. In this section the writer talks about three different Botsowana zebra populations. And in the last lines, the writer comments about the third group, which migrate the furthest distance, “ . .. . By moving between the Okavango and the salt pans, they enjoy the best of both worlds. But the price they pay is an extraordinary journey across Botswana.”

Here, the price they pay is an extraordinary journey across Botswana = the writer’s admiration,

So, the answer is: A (his admiration for the ones who migrate the furthest distance.)

Question 40: What does the writer suggest in the final paragraph?

Keywords for this question: writer suggest, final paragraph,

The final lines of Section G says, “ … .. . . The scientific community is fortunate that people like Hattie are willing to take the hard option.”

Here, take the hard option = go against the trend / traditional ways in research matters. So, the scientific community feels lucky that researchers like Hattie are taking the risk and going beyond the norm of general research, which is sometimes necessary.

So, the answer is: B (it is sometimes necessary to go against the trend in research matters.)

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 11 Test 1 GT Reading Section 1

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 11 Test 1 GT Reading Section 2