The Tasmanian Tiger
Read The Tasmanian Tiger and check the IELTS Reading answers. The Tasmanian tiger, or thylacine, was a carnivorous marsupial (a meat-eating mammal which carries its young in a pouch). It was given the name ‘tiger’ because it had striped fur, and because it was ferocious. Between 24 million and 15 m…
Passage preview
The Tasmanian tiger, or thylacine, was a carnivorous marsupial (a meat-eating mammal which carries its young in a pouch). It was given the name ‘tiger’ because it had striped fur, and because it was ferocious. Between 24 million and 15 million years ago, many types of thylacine roamed across Australia, their powerful jaws playing a role in maintaining a balance in the ecosystems of their day. Some species were fox-sized, while others were barely the size of kittens.
Answers with explanations
- 14. striped
The summary needs an adjective to describe the animal's **coat** (fur). The text states it had **striped** fur, making 'striped' the correct descriptive word.
- 15. Australia
The summary mentions the animal was spread widely throughout the **mainland of** a location. The text confirms they roamed across **Australia**, providing the missing geographical name.
- 16. 12 million years
The summary notes a decrease in numbers **around** a specific time due to climate change. The passage provides the timeframe **12 million years** ago for this decline.
- 17. Tasmania
The text states the last remaining place they existed was a **large island**. The name of the island is **Tasmania**, which perfectly fills the gap.
- 18. Europeans
The summary links a drastic reduction in numbers to the **arrival of** a specific group and their farming practices. The text attributes their extinction to the arrival of **Europeans**.
- 19. B
**Randolph Rose** expresses that his dream of seeing a thylacine will go unfulfilled, reflecting a complete loss of **hope** in finding a survivor. This matches option B.
- 20. A
**Hans Naarding** argues that if thylacines survive, they are **better off right where they are** rather than being discovered or manipulated, matching the idea that it would be preferable not to **disturb** them (Option A).
- 21. D
**Nick Mooney** explains that people who report sightings are often driven by **blind optimism** or obsession rather than facts, which directly supports the statement that they are not **objective witnesses** (Option D).
- 22. C
**David Pemberton** uses the Florida panther to show that species can survive with very low population numbers, challenging the **expert estimates** that require large numbers for survival (Option C).
- 23. A
**Hans Naarding** describes being swarmed by television crews from Japan, the UK, Germany, New Zealand, and South America, proving there is a great deal of **international interest** in his story (Option A).
- 24. D
**Nick Mooney** comments on photos taken by a **tourist** (visitor) and describes them as one of the most **convincing** (credible) cases he has seen (Option D).
- 25. B
After Naarding's sighting, the text states that **government and private search parties combed the region**. This large-scale search effort perfectly matches the phrase 'an **extensive follow-up**' in option B.
- 26. D
The **coelacanth** is presented as an animal that was believed to be extinct for millions of years but was then discovered alive. This example serves to show that scientific **opinions regarding extinction can be mistaken** (Option D).