IELTS General Training Reading: Cambridge 11 Test 4 Section 3; Understanding hares; with best solutions and best explanations

This General Training IELTS Reading post focuses on solutions to IELTS Cambridge 11 Reading Test 4 Section 3 that has a passage entitled ‘Understanding hares’. This is a targeted post for IELTS 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 trouble. Finding out IELTS Reading answers is a steady process, and this post will assist you in this respect.

IELTS Cambridge 11 Test 4: GT Reading Module

Section 3: Questions 28-40

The headline of the passage: Understanding hares

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 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. Most importantly, try to read the first and last few lines.]

Question no. 28: Paragraph A

Just read the last lines of paragraph A, “ . .. . and this could be the key to turning round the current decline in hare populations.”

Here, could be the key to turning round = possible solution, decline = falling, populations = numbers,

So, the answer is: v (A possible solution to falling numbers)

Question no. 29: Paragraph B

If you skim the paragraph, you will find out that the paragraph gives details about brown hares’ physical characteristics. Take a look at some phrases used to describe them, ‘a number of physical adaptations’ (line no. 1), ‘exceptionally large ears’ (line no. 2), ‘large golden eyes’ (line no. 4), ‘greatly enlarged heart’ and ‘higher volume of blood’ (line no. 6).

So, the answer is: ix (Useful physical features)

Question no. 30: Paragraph C

Paragraph C gives details about reproduction of brown hares. We find words and phrases like ‘birth’, ‘breeding’, ‘leverets’ (hare babies), ‘breeding season’, ‘females’, ‘pregnant’, etc.

So, the answer is: iii (Reproductive patterns)

Question no. 31: Paragraph D

Take a close look at lines 2-3, “… .. The reason is that hares have evolved such self-sufficient young. Unlike baby rabbits, leverets are born furry and mobile.” Then read line no. 4, “ .. .. and are immediately left to their own devices by their mothers.”

Here, self-sufficient, mobile, left to their own devices, all indicate to ‘lonely beginning’.

So, the answer is: vii (A rather lonely beginning)

Question no. 32: Paragraph E

First, take a look at the clause in line no. 2, ‘Hares are selective feeders at the best of times:’.

Then look at another clause in line no. 5, ‘This causes them problems . ..’

Here, selective feeders = fussy eater,

So, the answer is: ii (The problem with being a fussy eater)

Question no. 33: Paragraph F

Paragraph F is mainly divided into two parts: survival rates in the past and the present.

First, look at lines 3-5, where the writer gives information about survival of the hare in the past, “ . .. .. They certainly used to: studies show that hares evolved on the open plains and spread rapidly westward from the Black Sea after the last ice age (though they were probably introduced to Britain as a species to be hunted for the pot by the Romans).

Then, take a look at line no. 6 where the writer gives information about present survival, “ . .. But today’s hares are thwarted by the lack of rich farmland habitat.”

So, the answer is: viii (A comparison between past and present survival rates)

Questions 34-36: 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 no. 34: According to the writer, what is the ideal habitat for hares?

Keywords for the question: ideal habitat for hares,

In paragraph A the author says in lines 3-4, “ . .. .Wherever they live, hares appear to have a fondness for fields with a variety of vegetation, for example short as well as longer clumps of grasses.”

Here, a variety of vegetation = a range of vegetations,

So, the answer is: C (areas which include a range of vegetations)

Question no. 35: When leverets are living alone they are not visited often by their mother because –

Keywords for the question: when leverets, living alone, not visited, often, their mother, because,

We can find answer to this question in paragraph D in lines 8-9, “. .. . . This lack of family contact may seem harsh to us, but it is a strategy that draws less attention from predators.”

Here, draws less attention from predators = protect them from being eaten by other animals,

So, the answer is: A (this helps to protect them from being eaten by other animals)

Question no. 36: What does the writer suggest about the adult hares’ diet?

Keywords for the question: adult hares’ diet,  

In paragraph E, have a look at lines 4-6, “ . .. .. – they need high-energy herbs and other leaves in order to sprint. This causes them problems when faced with the smallest alterations in food availability and abundance.”

Here, this causes them problems = it is difficult for them, faced with the smallest alterations in food availability and abundance = to adapt to changes in vegetations,

So, the answer is: C (It is difficult for them to adapt to changes in vegetations.)

Questions 37-40: Summary completion (with ONE WORD only)

[In this kind of question 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.]

Headline for the summary: Brown hares

(Paragraph B talks about ‘a number of physical adaptations’. So, answers to these questions can be found in paragraph B, but in a reverse order, which is a rare case.)

Question no. 37: The brown hare is well known for its ability to run fast, at speeds of up to 70 kph, largely due to the length of its legs as well as the unusual size of its heart. An increased amount of blood also gives it the necessary _________ to continue running fast for some time.

Keywords for the question: 70 kph, due to, length, legs, unusual size, heart, increased amount of, blood, necessary, continue running fast, some time,

The answer is found at the end of paragraph B, “. . .. .Compared to mammals of a similar size, hares have a greatly enlarged heart and a higher volume of blood in their bodies, and this allows for superior speed and stamina. In addition, their legs are longer than those of a rabbit, enabling hares to run more like a dog and reach speeds of up to 70kph.”

Here, higher volume of blood = increased amount of blood, allows for = gives it,

So, the answer is: stamina

Question no. 38: A running hare resembles the _________ more closely than its relative, the rabbit.

Keywords for the question: running hare, resembles, than, rabbit,

Again, take a look at the very last line of paragraph B, “ . .. . enabling hares to run more like a dog and reach speeds of up to 70kph.”

Here, hares to run = running hare, like = resembles,

So, the answer is: dog

Question no. 39: The hare has some other characteristics that help it to avoid capture. The first is its excellent all-round ___________. This means that predators cannot easily creep up behind it.

Keywords for the question: some other characteristics, help it avoid, capture, the first, excellent all-round, predators, cannot, easily creep up, behind,    

The answer can be found in the middle of paragraph B, in lines 3-5, “ . .. Positioned high up on their heads, the hares’ large golden eyes give them 360⁰ vision, making it hard to take a hare by surprise.”

Here, 360⁰ = all-round, hard to take a hare by surprise = predators cannot easily creep up behind it,

So, the answer is: vision

Question no. 40: Another feature is its ability to position its massive _________ separately, to sense the slightest indication of danger.

Keywords for the question: another feature, ability to position, massive, separately, sense, slightest indication, danger,

The answer can be found at the beginning of paragraph B in lines 2-3, “ . .. They have exceptionally large ears that move independently, so that a range of sounds can be pinpointed accurately.”  

Here, exceptionally large = massive, move independently = position. .. . . separately, a range of sounds can be pinpointed accurately = sense the slightest indication of danger,

So, the answer is: ears

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 11 GT Test 4 Reading Section 1

Click here for solutions to Cambridge 11 GT Test 4 Reading Section 2