This General Training IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge 11 Reading Test 3 Section 3 that has two texts entitled ‘Efforts to save a special bird — the spoon-billed sandpiper‘. This is an aimed post for candidates who have big problems finding out and understanding Reading Answers in the GT module. This post can guide you the best to understand every Reading answer without much difficulty. Finding IELTS Reading answers is a gradual process, and I can confidently say that this post will help you in this respect.

IELTS Cambridge 11 Test 3: GT Reading Module

Section 3: Questions 28-40

The headline of the passage: Efforts to save a special bird — the spoon-billed sandpiper

Questions 28-33:  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 beginning of Section A, in lines 2-3, “ . .. . But it is the only one to have developed a flattened bill that flares out into a ‘spoon’ at the end, and that makes it special.”  

Here, only one & special = very unusual feature,

The unusual feature is the ‘flattened bill that flares out into a ‘spoon’ at the end’.

So, the answer is: vii (A very unusual feature of these birds)

Question 29: Section B 

Lines 6-10 of section B give us answer to this question. The writer explains the stages of the expedition here, “ … . . . The primary aim of the two-and-a-half month expedition, however, was to collect eggs from wild sandpipers; those eggs would then be hatched in captivity nearby. Later, the chicks would be flown to the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) headquarters at Slimbridge in the UK, in order to establish a small, self-sustaining population there.”

Here, the main stages are:

1. collect eggs from wild sandpipers,
2. those eggs .. . be hatched in captivity nearby &
3. the chicks would be flown to the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.

So, the answer is: iv (The main stages of the plan)

Question 30: Section C 

In section C, take a look at the last half part of the section where the writer explains why the birds go for this long journey, “… .. . from the birds’ point of view it is worth it. Though they often arrive to find hostile, wintry weather while they are finding their mates and making their nests, there are relatively few predators there, and the abundance of insects that emerge during the brief but intense Arctic summer creates ideal conditions for raising their chicks.”

Here, it is worth it = it is worth taking this long flight,

So, the answer is: ii (Reasons for continuing to make the long journey)

Question 31: Section D 

Section D mainly talks about the threats/ main reasons behind the rapid decline of sandpipers. The writer says in the beginning, “Two main factors are responsible for the sandpiper’s recent rapid decline: the ongoing destruction of stopover habitat on its migration route and hunting on its wintering grounds.”

The threats are ongoing destruction of stopover habitat on its migration route and hunting on its wintering grounds.

So, the answer is: vi (Increasing threats)

Question 32: Section E

Section E has two parts. In the first part, the last lines say, “. .. . … In total nine nests were found. The first one was lost to a predator, along with the female attending it. This was a stark reminder of the vulnerability of a tiny population to natural events, such as storms or predation.”

Here, In total nine nests were found = desirable outcomes, The first one was lost to a predator, along with the female attending it = disappointment,

So, the answer is: iii (A disappointment followed by desirable outcomes)

Question 33: Section F

Section F talks about the hope for the rescue of the sandpipers. Then, the last lines of Section F say, “. . .. . It’s a gamble, but when the survival of a species this special is at stake, you have to try.”

Here, gamble means you can be optimistic but there is no guarantee that it will work. So, it’s a cautious optimism.  

So, the answer is: viii (Cautious optimism)

Questions 34-37: 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 to previous questions gives you a good idea about the title.]

Question 34: What was the main purpose of the international expedition?

Keywords for this question: main purpose, international expedition,

The answer to this question is found in section B. The writer says in lines 5-10, “ . .. . I joined the international expedition to one of the species’ last breeding strongholds in North-East Russia. The primary aim of the two-and-a-half-month expedition, however, was to collect eggs from wild sandpipers; those eggs would then be hatched in captivity nearby. Later, the chicks would be flown to the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) headquarters at Slimbridge in the UK, in order to establish a small, self-sustaining population there.”

Here, establish a small, self-sustaining population = maintain a small group of sandpipers for future generations,

So, the answer is: B (to maintain a small group of sandpipers for future generations.)

Question 35: What do we learn about the drop in the sandpiper population?

Keywords for this question: drop in, sandpiper population,

The answer can be traced in Section D. Here, the author states in lines 1-4, “Two main factors are responsible for the sandpiper’s recent rapid decline: the ongoing destruction of stopover habitat on its migration route and hunting on its wintering grounds. The development of new industrial cities is destroying former tidal areas, where sandpipers and other migratory birds used to rest and refuel.”

Here, rapid decline = drop, development of new industrial cities = economic growth,

So, the answer is: D (Economic growth is one of the underlying causes of the decline.)

Question 36: Which feeling did the writer express when the sandpiper chicks hatched?

Keywords for this question: feeling, sandpiper chicks, hatched,   

The answer can be found in the last lines of section E, “. .. .. But my joy was tempered by concern. Difficulties on their migration route and in their wintering areas meant that other tiny creatures like these faced immense dangers.”

Here, concern = worry, other tiny creatures like these = birds of the same species,

So, the answer is: C (worry about birds of the same species.)

Question 37: The writer describes the sandpipers’ unit at WWT Slimbridge to emphasise –

Keywords for this question: sandpipers’ unit, WWT Slimbridge, emphasise,   

Take a look at the first and last lines of section F,

“The complex rescue plan does give some grounds for hope. Young chicks were flown to WWT Slimbridge. .. ..”

“ . .. .. . It’s a gamble, but when the survival of a species this special is at stake, you have to try.”

Here, It’s a gamble, but. .. .. you have to try = the amount of care being devoted to sandpipers’ welfare,  

So, the answer is: A (how much care is being devoted to their welfare.)

Questions 38-40: Summary completion:

[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 for fill in the gaps.]

Question 38: In early spring, spoon-billed sandpipers return to their breeding grounds in Russia in the area known as __________.

Keywords for this question: early spring, spoon-billed sandpipers, return, breeding grounds, Russia, area known as,  

The answer to this question should be found in Section C where we come to know about the reasons of long flights by sandpipers. The writer says, “You might wonder why birds like the spoon-billed sandpiper travel such great distances, about 8,000 km in total, from their wintering grounds on the tropical coasts of Bangladesh, Burma and Vietnam in South-East Asia to breed on the low land, commonly called tundra, in North-East Russia, . .. .”

Here, commonly called = area known as,

So, the answer is: tundra

Question 39: Although the weather there is often very harsh, to begin with, there are obvious advantages to the sandpipers. There is above all a plentiful supply of _____________ , and this makes it possible for the sandpiper chicks to develop well. 

Keywords for this question: weather, harsh, obvious advantages, plentiful supply of, makes, possible, sandpiper chicks, develop well,   

To find this answer we have to look at section C in lines 5-8, “.. . .. Though they often arrive to find hostile, wintry weather while they are finding their mates and making their nests, there are relatively few predators there, and the abundance of insects that emerge during the brief but intense Arctic summer creates ideal conditions for raising their chicks.”

Here, hostile, wintry weather = harsh weather, abundance of = plentiful supply of,  

So, the answer is: insects

Question 40: The lack of ___________ is another definite advantage. As a result, a good proportion of the chicks grow up to face the long flight to the South-East Asian coasts.

Keywords for this question: lack of, another, definite advantage, good proportion, chicks, grow up, face, long flight, South-East Asian coasts,   

Again, if we look at lines 6-8 of section C, the writer says, “ . .. . , there are relatively few predators there, and the abundance of insects that emerge during the brief but intense Arctic summer creates ideal conditions for raising their chicks.”

Here, relatively few = lack of,

So, the answer is: predators

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 11 GT Test 3 Reading Section 1

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 11 GT Test 3 Reading Section 2