The dingo debate
Read The dingo debate and check the IELTS Reading answers. A plane flies a slow pattern over Carlton Hill station, a 3,600 square kilometre ranch in the Kimberley region in northwest Australia. As the plane circles, those aboard drop 1,000 small pieces of meat, one by one, onto the scrubland below,…
Passage preview
A plane flies a slow pattern over Carlton Hill station, a 3,600 square kilometre ranch in the Kimberley region in northwest Australia. As the plane circles, those aboard drop 1,000 small pieces of meat, one by one, onto the scrubland below, each piece laced with poison; this practice is known as baiting.
Vocabulary from this passage
11 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- abundance noun
A very large quantity of something; a state of having more than enough resources or prey
Fox and cat populations grow quickly in response to the abundance of rabbits in the region.
- arid adjective
Having little or no rain; too dry or barren to support significant vegetation or traditional agriculture
Australian mammals have developed adaptations to survive in the arid environment where food is often scarce.
- assertion noun
A confident and forceful statement of fact or belief, often made without providing immediate proof
The general manager of the firm was not convinced by the researcher's assertion regarding dingo behavior.
- biodiversity noun
The variety of all living things and their interactions; a metric for measuring the health of an ecosystem
Australia needs more dingoes to protect our biodiversity and ensure the survival of native species.
- counter-productive adjective
Having the opposite of the desired effect; defeating the purpose for which an action was intended
The aggressive baiting programs used against dingoes may actually be counter-productive for cattle graziers.
- deteriorate verb
To become progressively worse in quality, condition, or character over a specific period of time
Dingoes do not prey on calves unless their staple food source disappears due to deteriorating conditions.
- dwindle verb
To gradually diminish in size, amount, or strength until almost nothing remains of the original quantity
The dwindling but still large fox populations are left with little to eat besides native mammals.
- ecological benefits noun
Positive impacts on natural systems that support the survival and health of various indigenous species
Clifford remained unpersuaded of the dingo's supposed ecological benefits regarding the control of smaller predators.
- ensuing adjective
Happening after or following something else, especially as a direct consequence or result of a previous event
Throughout the ensuing millennia, these descendants of the wolf spread across the entire Australian continent.
- predominate verb
To be the strongest or main element; to be greater in number or power within a context
To the northwest of the fence, cattle predominate, while sheep fill the landscape to the southwest.
- recolonize verb
The process by which a species re-establishes its population in an area it previously inhabited
When dingoes are removed by baiting, the area is quickly recolonized by younger, more solitary animals.
Answers with explanations
- 14. E
The question asks for a description of a **barrier** that **divides two kinds of non-native animals**. Section E describes the world's longest **fence** which **separates the main types of livestock** (sheep and cattle). Therefore, E is the correct section.
- 15. D
The prompt asks how dingoes ensure **rival species do not dominate**. Section D explicitly explains that dingoes will kill smaller predators (foxes and cats) simply to **lessen competition**, showing exactly how they prevent rivals from dominating.
- 16. C
We are looking for a reference to a **widespread non-native species** that others feed on. Section C discusses how **rabbits** (unleashed in 1860) provide a **huge prey base** for feral cats and red foxes, effectively answering the prompt.
- 17. B
The question requires finding a mention of the **dingo's arrival**. Section B explicitly states that about 4,000 years ago, Asian sailors **introduced dingoes to Australia**, marking their arrival on the continent.
- 18. F
The prompt searches for **research** proving dingoes resorted to eating **young livestock**. The paragraph outlining Lee Allen's study notes that in their research, the highest rates of **calf predation** (eating young livestock) happened in baited areas, directly matching the prompt.
- 19. A
The prompt asks for a **method used to kill** dingoes. Section A details the practice of dropping pieces of meat **laced with poison**, a method known as **baiting**, which is explicitly designed to kill the animals.
- 20. D
We need to find how the **structure of dingo groups** affects their **population growth**. The text states that dingo packs generally have **only one fertile** individual, a pack structure that directly **limits their rate of increase**. Therefore, the answer is in this section.
- 21. D
The statement matches a person who believes dingoes **hunt native animals** over other non-native predators. **Mark Clifford** is cited in the text stating he is not convinced they catch cats, believing they are more likely to catch **small native animals instead**. Answer: D.
- 22. A
The claim is that dingoes put people's **income at risk**. The text explicitly mentions that **Stuart McKechnie** complains that graziers' **livelihoods are threatened** by dingoes. 'Livelihoods' corresponds perfectly to 'income'. Answer: A.
- 23. B
The statement claims dingoes had **little impact on the dying out of animal species**. The text quotes **Chris Johnson** stating that dingoes have contributed to **few, if any, extinctions**. Extinctions directly matches the 'dying out of animal species'. Answer: B.
- 24. Tasmanian tiger
The sentence requires the name of the animal the dingo **replaced**. The passage states that as the **Tasmanian tiger** disappeared, dingoes became the top predators. Grammatically and logically, 'Tasmanian tiger' fits the blank perfectly.
- 25. rabbit numbers
The blank requires a plural noun describing what decreases, causing foxes and cats to hunt native animals. The passage notes that when **rabbit numbers are significantly reduced**, predators are left with little to eat besides native mammals. Therefore, **rabbit numbers** is the correct answer.
- 26. overpopulation
The sentence needs a noun describing what slow reproduction naturally avoids. The text explains that slow reproduction is an adaptation to **prevent overpopulation**. Grammatically, **overpopulation** fits the blank and matches the meaning accurately.