What Lucy Taught Us
Read What Lucy Taught Us and check the IELTS Reading answers. On a Sunday morning in late November 1974, a team of scientists were digging in an isolated spot in the Afar region of Ethiopia. Surveying the area, palaeoanthropologist Donald Johanson spotted a small piece of bone. Straight away, he re…
Passage preview
On a Sunday morning in late November 1974, a team of scientists were digging in an isolated spot in the Afar region of Ethiopia. Surveying the area, palaeoanthropologist Donald Johanson spotted a small piece of bone. Straight away, he recognised it as coming from the elbow of a human ancestor. And there were plenty more, ‘As I looked up the slopes to my left, I saw bits of the skull, a chunk of jaw, a couple of vertebrae,’ says Johanson.
Vocabulary from this passage
7 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- bipedal adjective
Using only two legs for walking, which is a defining evolutionary characteristic of human beings
The transition to bipedal movement fundamentally changed how early humans navigated natural environments.
- derived feature noun
A biological trait that has evolved and differs significantly from the ancestral form of the organism
Upright walking is a derived feature that distinguishes early human ancestors from other great apes.
- forage verb
To systematically search over a wide geographical area to obtain food resources and provisions
Early human populations were required to forage extensively across the changing African savannah landscapes.
- gait noun
A specific manner or pattern of walking, stepping, or running observed in terrestrial animals
The structural changes in the pelvis indicated a fully upright gait rather than knuckle-walking.
- palaeoanthropologist noun
A scientist who studies human evolution through the fossil and archaeological records of our ancestors
The palaeoanthropologist carefully excavated the site to uncover remains of early human ancestors.
- selective pressure noun
External environmental factors or conditions that influence the evolutionary changes and survival of a species
Climate change acted as a selective pressure, forcing early humans to adapt their foraging habits.
- vertebrae noun
The individual series of small interlocking bones that form the backbone or spinal column
The archaeologists discovered several fossilized vertebrae that belonged to an ancient bipedal hominid.
Answers with explanations
- 1. FALSE
The statement claims that Johanson was **uncertain** about the bone. However, the text says that he **recognised it** as a human ancestor's elbow **straight away**, which clearly means he was very certain. Because the text directly contradicts the statement, the answer is FALSE.
- 2. TRUE
The text states that there were **plenty more** pieces found, listing **bits of the skull**, a **jaw**, and a **couple of vertebrae**. This directly supports the statement that **several bones** were discovered at the same site. Therefore, the answer is TRUE.
- 2-3: A
2: The text states that there were **plenty more** pieces found, listing **bits of the skull**, a **jaw**, and a **couple of vertebrae**. This directly supports the statement that **several bones** were discovered at the same site. Therefore, the answer is TRUE.
3: The word **significant** means important. The text clearly states it was **immediately obvious** to the researchers that the skeleton was a **significant find**, which exactly matches the claim that experts **realised the importance** of the discovery. Thus, the answer is TRUE.
- 3. TRUE
The word **significant** means important. The text clearly states it was **immediately obvious** to the researchers that the skeleton was a **significant find**, which exactly matches the claim that experts **realised the importance** of the discovery. Thus, the answer is TRUE.
- 3-4: NOT GIVEN
3: The word **significant** means important. The text clearly states it was **immediately obvious** to the researchers that the skeleton was a **significant find**, which exactly matches the claim that experts **realised the importance** of the discovery. Thus, the answer is TRUE.
4: The text mentions that **40% of the skeleton** had been preserved, but it does not specify whether the **upper part** or the lower part suffered the **least damage**. Since there is no information comparing the condition of different parts of the skeleton, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
- 4. NOT GIVEN
The text mentions that **40% of the skeleton** had been preserved, but it does not specify whether the **upper part** or the lower part suffered the **least damage**. Since there is no information comparing the condition of different parts of the skeleton, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
- 5. TRUE
The statement says the skeleton's **measurements** helped decide if it was **male or female**. The text confirms this by stating they believed it was **female due to its size** (which relates to measurements). Therefore, the answer is TRUE.
- 6. branches
The gap requires a noun describing where upright movement started. The text states that **upright walking evolved** as a way to walk along the **branches** of trees. The word fits both the grammatical need and meaning of the sentence.
- 7. ground
The notes state she probably **moved to** a certain place in **search of food**. The text confirms she was **hunting for food** and this was the reason for **heading to the ground**. Therefore, **ground** is the correct answer.
- 8. teeth
The sentence needs a noun related to where the **food** was analysed. The text explicitly mentions that food remains were found trapped on preserved human **teeth**, and studying this showed an expansion in **diet**. Thus, the answer is **teeth**.
- 9. fruit
The notes mention that meat and grasses were **substituted for** something. The text says that **instead of** eating **fruit**, they began to include grasses and meat. This means fruit was what they originally ate before the substitution.
- 10. eggs
The gap requires a plural noun that was **located close to** Lucy. The text notes that fossilised crocodile and turtle **eggs** were **found near her skeleton** and were likely part of her diet since she was **foraging for them**. The answer is **eggs**.
- 11. bones
The question asks what was **found** with **marks** on them from tools used for **eating**. The text reveals that animal **bones** had **scratches** (marks) made by **stone tools** used to **eat meat**. The correct word is **bones**.
- 12. childhood
The notes compare modern humans to Lucy, stating we have a **longer** phase. The passage says Lucy's **childhood** was **much briefer** (shorter) than ours, meaning ours is longer. The word **childhood** completes the gap accurately.
- 13. brains
The gap requires a noun belonging to modern humans that **develop later** than Lucy's. The passage explains that early human **brains matured much earlier** than ours, which means modern human **brains** mature (develop) later. Thus, **brains** is correct.