The return of monkey life
Read The return of monkey life and check the IELTS Reading answers. Hacienda La Pacifica, a remote working cattle ranch in Guanacaste province of northern Costa Rica, has for decades been home to a community of mantled howler monkeys. Other native primates- white-faced capuchin monkeys and spider m…
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Hacienda La Pacifica, a remote working cattle ranch in Guanacaste province of northern Costa Rica, has for decades been home to a community of mantled howler monkeys. Other native primates- white-faced capuchin monkeys and spider monkeys were once common in this area, too, but vanished after the Pan-American Highway was built nearby in the 1950s and most of the surrounding land was cleared for cattle-raising. At Hacienda La Pacifica, however, an enlightened ranch owner chose to leave some strips of native trees growing. He used these as windbreaks to protect both cattle and their food crops from dry-season winds. In the process, the farmer unwittingly founded a unique laboratory for the study of monkeys.
Vocabulary from this passage
12 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- adaptable adjective
Able to adjust to new conditions; versatile and capable of being modified for different uses.
Successful entrepreneurs must remain adaptable in order to survive in the rapidly changing global market.
- designate verb
To officially choose someone or something to do a specific job or have a particular purpose.
The authorities plan to designate the forest as a protected area to prevent further deforestation.
- devastating adjective
Causing severe shock, distress, or grief; highly destructive or damaging in impact.
The hurricane had a devastating effect on the coastal community, destroying hundreds of local homes.
- disperse verb
To distribute or spread over a wide area; to go in different directions or scatter.
Wind-pollinated plants rely on air currents to disperse their seeds across vast distances for reproduction.
- enlightened adjective
Having or showing a rational, modern, and well-informed outlook; free from ignorance or prejudice.
The company adopted an enlightened approach to employee welfare, prioritizing mental health and balance.
- human-modified landscape noun
An environment that has been significantly altered by human activities such as agriculture or urbanization.
Conservationists are developing new strategies to protect biodiversity within the human-modified landscape.
- neutralize verb
To render something ineffective or harmless by applying an opposite force or effect.
The company implemented new security measures to neutralize potential threats to their digital infrastructure.
- protective canopy noun
The uppermost layer in a forest, formed by the crowns of trees, providing shelter to life below.
The dense protective canopy of the rainforest regulates temperature and moisture levels for smaller plants.
- regenerate verb
To regrow or be replaced; to bring new and more vigorous life to an area or system.
The local council launched a project to regenerate the abandoned industrial district into a park.
- thrive verb
To grow or develop well; to flourish and be successful in a particular environment.
Many local businesses continue to thrive despite the economic challenges faced by the surrounding region.
- underappreciated adjective
Not valued or highly enough; failing to receive the recognition or gratitude that is deserved.
Despite their vital role, many essential workers remain underappreciated in the current economic system.
- unwittingly adverb
Without being aware of the consequences; unintentionally or in an unknowing manner.
The tourist unwittingly violated local customs by wearing inappropriate clothing to the sacred temple.
Answers with explanations
- 14. C
The question looks for a **reason** why **newer forests** are better for feeding. Paragraph C explains that in **younger forests**, trees expend energy on growing rather than defense, meaning they **produce much lower levels of toxin** than **old-growth trees**, making them significantly more 'howler-friendly'.
- 15. G
The prompt asks for a **change in farmers' attitudes**. Paragraph G quotes Estrada noting a shift, stating that people are **moving away from that vision** of conflict and now **consider ways in which commercial activities may become a tool for the conservation** of primates.
- 16. C
We need a **description of the means** howlers use to **select** their diet. Paragraph C details this process, describing how the monkeys **keep their systems primed by sampling a variety of plants** before **focusing on a small number of the most nutritious food items**.
- 17. B
The question requires **figures relating to the reduction** of habitat. Paragraph B provides specific historical statistics, noting that while forests once covered most of Central America, **by the 1980s less than two percent remained undisturbed, and less than one percent was protected**.
- 18. REPRODUCTION
The blank requires a noun describing what happens at a **more rapid rate**. The passage directly states that **Howler reproduction is faster than that of other native monkey species**, making **reproduction** the exact matching word for the completion.
- 19. FRUIT
The blank requires a noun identifying what howlers can **survive without eating**. The text explains that they eat it when available, but **unlike capuchin and spider monkeys, do not depend on large areas of fruiting trees**, indicating they can survive without **fruit**.
- 20. TOXINS
The summary states they tolerate leaves with **high levels** of something. The passage highlights their unique **ability to thrive on leaves loaded with toxins**, pointing directly to the word **toxins** for the completion.
- 21. DROUGHT
The blank needs a noun describing what howlers **survive** better. The text explains their water-rich leaf diet gives them an advantage over other monkeys which have **suffered during the long, ongoing drought**, meaning howlers handle **drought** better.
- 22. B
The question asks which location saw the **return of native tree species**. Paragraph D details how in **Santa Rosa National Park** (Location B), after it was protected, **species of Indigenous trees which had been absent for decades began to invade the abandoned pastures**.
- 23. A
The prompt asks for the location that **supports only one species** of monkey. Paragraph A explains that at **Hacienda La Pacifica** (Location A), other native primates **were once common in this area, too, but vanished**, leaving only the community of howler monkeys.
- 24. C
The question matches a location where monkeys **help agriculture**. Paragraph G (referencing the Cholula Cacao Farm in F) states the monkeys bring **benefits to such plantations** by **dispersing the seeds... and fertilizing the soil**.
- 25. B
We need the location housing **all three local monkey species**. Paragraph D discusses **Santa Rosa National Park**, stating that first **Capuchins** arrived, **followed by howlers**, and **Eventually, even spider monkeys... returned**, confirming all three are present.
- 26. A
The statement asks about a landscape **altered** by a **transport link**. Paragraph A states that monkeys vanished from **Hacienda La Pacifica** after the **Pan-American Highway was built nearby in the 1950s** and the land was cleared.