CAMBRIDGE IELTS 1
PRACTICE TEST 1
READING
READING PASSAGE 2
You should spend about 20 minutes
on Questions 16-28 which are based on Reading Passage 2
below
Zoo conservation programmes
One of
London Zoo’s recent advertisements caused me some irritation, so patently did
it distort reality. Headlined “Without zoos you might as well tell these
animals to get stuffed”, it was bordered with illustrations of several endangered
species and went on to extol the myth that without zoos like London Zoo these
animals “will almost certainly disappear forever”. With the zoo world’s
rather mediocre record on conservation, one might be forgiven for being
slightly sceptical about such an advertisement.
Zoos were
originally created as places of entertainment, and their suggested involvement
with conservation didn’t seriously arise until about 30 years ago, when the
Zoological Society of London held the first formal international meeting on
the subject. Eight years later, a series of world conferences took place,
entitled “The Breeding of Endangered Species”, and from this point onwards
conservation became the zoo community’s buzzword. This commitment has now
been clearly defined in The World Zoo Conservation Strategy (WZGS, September
1993), which although an important and welcome document does seem to be based
on an unrealistic optimism about the nature of the zoo industry
The WZCS
estimates that there are about 10,000 zoos in the world, of which around
1,000 represent a core of quality collections capable of participating in
co-ordinated conservation programmes. This is probably the document’s first
failing, as I believe that 10,000 is a serious underestimate of the total
number of places masquerading as zoological establishments. Of course it is difficult
to get accurate data but, to put the issue into perspective, I have found
that, in a year of working in Eastern Europe, I discover fresh zoos on almost
a weekly basis.
The second
flaw in the reasoning of the WZCS document is the naive faith it places in
its 1,000 core zoos. One would assume that the calibre of these institutions
would have been carefully examined, but it appears that the criterion for
inclusion on this select list might merely be that the zoo is a member of a
zoo federation or association. This might be a good starting point,
working on the premise that members must meet certain standards, but
again the facts don’t support the theory. The greatly respected American
Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums (AAZPA) has had extremely
dubious members, and in the UK the Federation of Zoological Gardens of Great Britain
and Ireland has occasionally had members that have been roundly censured in
the national press. These include Robin Hill Adventure Park on the Isle of
Wight, which many considered the most notorious collection of animals in the
country. This establishment, which for years was protected by the Isle’s
local council (which viewed it as a tourist amenity), was finally closed down
following a damning report by a veterinary inspector appointed under the
terms of the Zoo Licensing Act 1981. As it was always a collection of dubious
repute, one is obliged to reflect upon the standards that the Zoo Federation
sets when granting membership. The situation is even worse in developing
countries where little money is available for redevelopment and it is hard to
see a way of incorporating collections into the overall scheme of the WZCS.
Even
assuming that the WZCS’s 1,000 core zoos are all of a high standard complete
with scientific staff and research facilities, trained and dedicated keepers,
accommodation that permits normal or natural behaviour, and a policy of
co-operating fully with one another what might be the potential for conservation?
Colin Tudge, author of Last Animals at the Zoo (Oxford University Press,
1992), argues that “if the world’s zoos worked together in co-operative breeding
programmes, then even without further expansion they could save around 2,000
species of endangered land vertebrates’. This seems an extremely optimistic
proposition from a man who must be aware of the failings and weaknesses of
the zoo industry the man who, when a member of the council of London Zoo, had
to persuade the zoo to devote more of its activities to conservation.
Moreover, where are the facts to support such optimism?
Today
approximately 16 species might be said to have been “saved” by captive
breeding programmes, although a number of these can hardly be looked upon as
resounding successes. Beyond that, about a further 20 species are being seriously
considered for zoo conservation programmes. Given that the international
conference at London Zoo was held 30 years ago, this is pretty slow progress,
and a long way off Tudge’s target of 2,000.
|
Questions 16-22
Do the following statements agree
with the views of the writer in Reading Passage 2? In boxes
16-22 write
YES
|
if the statement agrees with the
writer
|
NO
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if the statement contradicts the
writer
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NOT GIVEN
|
if it is impossible to say what
the writer thinks about this
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Example
London Zoo’s
advertisements are poorly presented.
|
Answer
NOT GIVEN
|
16
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London Zoo’s
advertisements are dishonest.
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17
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Zoos made an insignificant contribution
to conservation up until 30 years ago.
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18
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The WZCS document is not known in
Eastern Europe.
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19
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Zoos in the WZCS select list
were carefully inspected.
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20
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No-one knew how the animals were being
treated at Robin Hill Adventure Park.
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21
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Colin Tudge was dissatisfied with the
treatment of animals at London Zoo.
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22
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The number of successful zoo
conservation programmes is unsatisfactory.
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Questions 23-25
Choose the appropriate letters A-D
and write them in boxes 23-25 on your answer sheet.
23
|
What were the objectives of the WZCS
document?
|
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A
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to improve the calibre of zoos
world-wide
|
|
B
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to identify zoos suitable for
conservation practice
|
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C
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to provide funds for zoos in
underdeveloped countries
|
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D
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to list the endangered species of the
world
|
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24
|
Why does the writer refer to Robin Hill
Adventure Park?
|
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A
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to support the Isle of Wight local
council
|
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B
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to criticise the 1981 Zoo Licensing Act
|
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C
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to illustrate a weakness in the WZCS
document
|
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D
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to exemplify the standards in AAZPA
zoos
|
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25
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What word best describes the writer’s
response to Colin Tudges’ prediction on captive
breeding programmes? |
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A
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disbelieving
|
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B
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impartial
|
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C
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prejudiced
|
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D
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accepting
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Questions 26-28
The writer mentions a number oj
factors H hich lead him to doubt the value of the WZCS document
Which THREE of the following factors are mentioned? Write your answers (A-F)
in boxes 26-28 on your answer sheet.
List of Factors
|
|
A
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the number of unregistered zoos in the
world
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B
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the lack of money in developing
countries
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C
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the actions of the Isle of Wight local
council
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D
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the failure of the WZCS to
examine the standards of the “core zoos”
|
E
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the unrealistic aim of the WZCS in
view of the number of species “saved” to date
|
F
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the policies of WZCS zoo
managers
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ANSWER
KEY
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