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,…
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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
10 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- arid environment noun
A habitat characterized by a severe lack of available water, preventing much plant growth
Cacti have evolved specialized thick stems to store water and survive in an arid environment.
- assertion noun
A confident and forceful statement of fact or belief, often made without initial proof
The scientist's bold assertion that the virus had mutated was met with widespread skepticism.
- bane noun
A cause of great distress, annoyance, or ruin to a person or entity
The invasive weed has become the bane of local farmers trying to maintain healthy crops.
- counter-productive adjective
Having the opposite of the desired effect; hindering rather than helping progress
Imposing strict curfews proved counter-productive, as it drove the protesters into deeper secrecy.
- deteriorate verb
To become progressively worse in quality, condition, value, or strength over time
If the ancient manuscripts are exposed to humidity, their delicate pages will deteriorate rapidly.
- ecological benefits noun
Positive effects or advantages that organisms or conservation practices bring to an ecosystem
Preserving wetlands offers significant ecological benefits, including natural flood control and improved water filtration.
- ensuing adjective
Happening or occurring afterward or as a direct result of a previous event
The sudden stock market crash and the ensuing economic depression affected millions of households worldwide.
- predation noun
The preying of one animal on others for food as a primary biological interaction
Introduced predators can disrupt native ecosystems by increasing the rate of predation on vulnerable species.
- predominate verb
To be the strongest or most main element; to be much greater in number
In this particular ecosystem, oak trees predominate, forming a dense canopy that limits low-lying vegetation.
- recolonize verb
To re-establish a population of a species in an area it previously inhabited
After the forest fire, pioneer plant species were the first to recolonize the scorched landscape.
Answers with explanations
- 14. E
The prompt asks for a paragraph describing a **barrier** to stop dingoes that also divides **two kinds of non-native animals**. Section **E** describes the world’s longest '**fence**' (the barrier) built to keep dingoes out, which separates different types of **livestock** (non-native cattle and sheep), matching perfectly.
- 15. D
The statement requests information on how dingoes ensure **rival species** do not dominate. Section **D** details how dingoes keep smaller predators (introduced cats and foxes) '**under control**' by eating them or killing them to '**lessen competition**'. This makes **D** the correct paragraph.
- 16. C
The prompt asks for a reference to a **widespread non-native species** that other animals feed on. Section **C** introduces the '**rabbit**', which covered most of the mainland (widespread) and became a huge '**prey base**' (food source) for wild cats and red foxes. Thus, **C** is the correct match.
- 17. B
The prompt asks for a mention of the **dingo's arrival** in Australia. Section **B** explicitly states that Asian sailors '**introduced dingoes to Australia**' about 4,000 years ago, which is the exact reference to their initial arrival, making **B** the correct answer.
- 18. F
The prompt asks for **research** showing dingoes **resorted to eating** young livestock. Section **F** describes a Queensland study showing dingoes '**prey heavily on newborn calves**' (young livestock) when their regular staple prey disappears. Further, the study co-authored by Lee Allen confirms dingoes 'turn to calves' in baited areas. Thus, **F** is the correct section.
- 19. A
The prompt asks for a description of a **method used to kill dingoes**. Section **A** describes an aerial operation dropping pieces of meat '**laced with poison**', which is defined as '**baiting**'. This matches the description of a lethal control method, making **A** the correct paragraph.
- 20. D
The statement looks for how the **structure of dingo groups** affects **population growth**. Section **D** (which contains Paragraph 6) explains that **dingo packs** typically have '**only one fertile female**' (group structure), which directly '**limits their rate of increase**' (growth rate). Hence, **D** is the correct match.
- 21. D
The statement asserts that dingoes hunt **native animals** rather than **non-native predators**. **Mark Clifford** (Option **D**) expresses skepticism about the dingo's ecological role, stating he believes dingoes are '**more likely to catch small native animals**' rather than catching cats (non-native predators). This directly matches his views.
- 22. A
The statement links dingo presence to putting the **income** of some people **at risk**. **Stuart McKechnie** (Option **A**) explicitly complains that graziers' '**livelihoods are threatened**' when dingoes prey on cattle. 'Livelihoods' represents their source of income, connecting directly to McKechnie's statement.
- 23. B
The statement asserts that dingoes have had **little impact** on the **extinction** of animal species. **Chris Johnson** (Option **B**) is cited directly stating that dingoes '**have contributed to few, if any, extinctions**' in their 4,000-year history, making **B** the correct match.
- 24. ["Tasmanian Tiger","Tasmanian tiger"]
The sentence requires the name of the predator the dingo **replaced** to become the top predator. The text states that dingoes became top predators as the '**Tasmanian tiger**' (or '**Tasmanian Tiger**') disappeared. This is a noun phrase that perfectly completes the sentence grammatically and semantically.
- 25. rabbits
The sentence asks what there is **fewer** of when foxes and cats resort to eating native animals. The text explains that when '**rabbit numbers are significantly reduced**', foxes and cats are left with little to eat except native mammals. Therefore, '**rabbits**' is the correct plural noun.
- 26. ["overpopulation","Overpopulation"]
The sentence asks what Australian animals avoid by **reproducing slowly**. The passage states that slow reproduction is an adaptation to '**prevent overpopulation**'. Therefore, '**overpopulation**' (or '**Overpopulation**') is the correct noun.