Termite Mounds
Read Termite Mounds and check the IELTS Reading answers. To most of us, termites are destructive insects which can cause damage on a devastating scale. But according to Dr Rupert Soar of Loughborough University’s School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, these pests may serve a useful pur…
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To most of us, termites are destructive insects which can cause damage on a devastating scale. But according to Dr Rupert Soar of Loughborough University’s School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, these pests may serve a useful purpose for us after all. His multidisciplinary team of British and American engineers and biologists has set out to investigate the giant mounds built by termites in Namibia, in sub-Saharan Africa, as part of the most extensive study of these structures ever taken.
Answers with explanations
- 27. iii
Paragraph A contrasts the common view of termites as **destructive pests** with the new finding that they **serve a useful purpose**, which is a clear example of **reconsidering their reputation** (Heading iii).
- 28. vii
Paragraph B focuses entirely on the extreme scale and depth of the mounds (up to eight metres high), directly matching Heading vii (**the astonishing physical dimensions** of the termite mound).
- 29. iv
Paragraph C describes what the mound *does*: drawing in air, expelling gas, regulating temperature, and controlling moisture. These are its **principal functions**, matching Heading iv.
- 30. ix
Paragraph D explains how termites and fungus survive together by helping each other (termites provide food, fungus provides sugar/energy). This is a perfect description of a **mutually beneficial relationship** (Heading ix).
- 31. ii
Paragraph E suggests that the mound functions like an organ outside the body, leading scientists to reconsider what a 'living' thing is. This maps to Heading ii (**challenging our assumptions about the nature of life**).
- 32. i
Paragraph F outlines the exact step-by-step **methods used to investigate** the mounds (plaster, slicing, photographing, and digital scanning), corresponding to Heading i.
- 33. vi
Paragraph G lists the future applications of this research for human architecture, matching Heading vi (**some potential benefits of understanding termite architecture**).
- 34. tunnels
The diagram illustrates the mound's ventilation system. A noun is needed for what forms a **network** that draws air. The text refers to a "complex system of **tunnels**".
- 35. air
The gap requires a noun describing what the termites are supplied with. The text notes the tunnels ensure a continuous (constant) provision of **air**.
- 36. moisture
The diagram note points to the **cellar** helping to **control** levels of something. The text confirms the cellar automatically regulates (controls) **moisture**.
- 37. evaporation
The diagram indicates that the **top of the mound permits** an action. The text explicitly links the top of the mound with **evaporation**.
- 38. YES
The writer claims that the waste (**refuse material**) never leaves the structure, acting as an **internal waste-recycling system**. This directly supports the statement, so the answer is YES.
- 39. NO
The statement claims the reconstruction uses a **single photograph**. The text directly contradicts this by stating they carve it into slices and take sequential photographs (**pictures**, plural). Thus, the answer is NO.
- 40. YES
The writer cites Soar's hope that the findings from the termite mounds will aid in building habitats suited for a world with rising temperatures and limited fuel (**future energy crises**). This aligns with the statement, making it YES.