Cambridge IELTS 16 Test 1 Reading Passage 1 là bài tập mở đầu cho cả bài thi Reading trong Test 1 của Cambridge IELTS 16. Hãy cùng ISE xem qua và giải đáp những câu hỏi hóc búa của bài nhé.

1. Phần thi Cambridge IELTS 16 Test 1 Reading Passage 1 là gì?

1.1. Thông tin bộ sách Cambridge IELTS 16

Cambridge IELTS là một bộ sách được xuất bản bởi Cambridge với mục đích luyện đề thi IELTS và được ra mắt vào tháng 5 hàng năm.

Các đề từ Cambridge IELTS nhìn chung bám khá sát với đề thi thực tế và đã được thí sinh trên toàn thế giới thêm vào danh sách các bộ đề luyện thi IELTS uy tín.

Nội dung sách bao gồm các phần thi của cả 4 kỹ năng trong bài thi IELTS Academic bao gồm: Reading, Listening, Speaking và Writing.

1.2. Tổng quan Cambridge IELTS 16 Test 1 Reading Passage 1

Bài đọc Cambridge IELTS 16 Test 1 Reading Passage 1 có tên là “Why we need to protect polar bears” giải thích tầm quan trọng của việc bảo vệ gấu Bắc Cực do vai trò quan trọng của chúng trong hệ sinh thái Bắc Cực. Đoạn văn nhắc đến tác động của biến đổi khí hậu, cũng như các hoạt động của con người như săn bắn và du lịch, đối với quần thể gấu Bắc Cực. 

Bài đọc kết thúc bằng cách nhấn mạnh nhu cầu cấp thiết phải hành động để bảo vệ gấu Bắc Cực bằng cách giảm phát thải khí nhà kính, bảo tồn môi trường sống của chúng và điều tiết các hoạt động của con người ở Bắc Cực.

Phần Passage 1 sẽ bao gồm 13 câu hỏi từ câu 1 đến 13 của phần Reading Test 1.

2. Bài đọc và đề bài Cambridge IELTS 16 Test 1 Reading Passage 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13 which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.

Why we need to protect polar bears

Polar bears are being increasingly threatened by the effects of climate change, but their disappearance could have far-reaching consequences. They are uniquely adapted to the extreme conditions of the Arctic Circle, where temperatures can reach -40°C. (Câu 1) One reason for this is that they have up to 11 centimetres of fat underneath their skin. Humans with comparative levels of adipose tissue would be considered obese and would be likely to suffer from diabetes and heart disease. Yet the polar bear experiences no such consequences.

(Câu 2 + 3) A 2014 study by Shi Ping Liu and colleagues sheds light on this mystery. They compared the genetic structure of polar bears with that of their closest relatives from a warmer climate, the brown bears. This allowed them to determine the genes that have allowed polar bears to survive in one of the toughest environments on Earth. (Câu 4) Liu and his colleagues found the polar bears had a gene known as APoB, which reduces levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) – a form of ‘bad’ cholesterol. In humans, mutations of this gene are associated with increased risk of heart disease. Polar bears may therefore be an important study model to understand heart disease in humans.

The genome of the polar bear may also provide the solution for another condition, one that particularly affects our older generation: osteoporosis. This is a disease where bones show reduced density, usually caused by insufficient exercise, reduced calcium intake or food starvation. Bone tissue is constantly being remodelled, meaning that bone is added or removed, depending on nutrient availability and the stress that the bone is under. (Câu 5) Female polar bears, however, undergo extreme conditions during every pregnancy. Once autumn comes around, these females will dig maternity dens in the snow and will remain there throughout the winter, both before and after the birth of their cubs. This process results in about six months of fasting, where the female bears have to keep themselves and their cubs alive, depleting their own calcium and calorie reserves. Despite this, their bones remain strong and dense.

Physiologists Alanda Lennox and Allen Goodship found an explanation for this paradox in 2008. (Câu 6) They discovered that pregnant bears were able to increase the density of their bones before they started to build their dens. In addition, six months later, when they finally emerged from the den with their cubs, there was no evidence of significant loss of bone density. Hibernating brown bears do not have this capacity and must therefore resort to major bone reformation in the following spring. (Câu 7) If the mechanism of bone remodelling in polar bears can be understood, many bedridden humans, and even astronauts, could potentially benefit.

The medical benefits of the polar bear for humanity certainly have their importance in our conservation efforts, but these should not be the only factors taken into consideration. (Câu 8) We tend to want to protect animals we think are intelligent and possess emotions, such as elephants and primates. Bears, on the other hand, seem to be perceived as stupid and in many cases violent. And yet anecdotal evidence from the field challenges those assumptions, suggesting for example that polar bears have good problem-solving abilities. (Câu 9 + 10) A male bear called GoGo in Tennoji Zoo, Osaka, has even been observed making use of a tool to manipulate his environment. The bear used a tree branch on multiple occasions to dislodge a piece of meat hung out of his reach. Problem-solving ability has also been witnessed in wild polar bears, although not as obviously as with GoGo. (Câu 11) A calculated move by a male bear involved running and jumping onto barrels in an attempt to get to a photographer standing on a platform four metres high.

(Câu 12) In other studies, such as one by Alison Ames in 2008, polar bears showed deliberate and focused manipulation. For example, Ames observed bears putting objects in piles and then knocking them over in what appeared to be a game. The study demonstrates that bears are capable of agile and thought-out behaviours. These examples suggest bears have greater creativity and problem-solving abilities than previously thought.

(Câu 13) As for emotions, while the evidence is once again anecdotal, many bears have been seen to hit out at ice and snow – seemingly out of frustration – when they have just missed out on a kill. Moreover, polar bears can form unusual relationships with other species, including playing with the dogs used to pull sleds in the Arctic. Remarkably, one hand-raised polar bear called Agee has formed a close relationship with her owner Mark Dumas to the point where they even swim together. This is even more astonishing since polar bears are known to actively hunt humans in the wild.

If climate change were to lead to their extinction, this would mean not only the loss of potential breakthroughs in human medicine, but more importantly, the disappearance of an intelligent, majestic animal.

Questions 1-7

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?

In boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE               if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE              if the statement contradicts the information

NOT GIVEN    if there is no information on this

1   Polar bears suffer from various health problems due to the build-up of fat under their skin.

2   The study done by Liu and his colleagues compared different groups of polar bears.

3   Liu and colleagues were the first researchers to compare polar bears and brown bears genetically.

4   Polar bears are able to control their levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol by genetic means.

5   Female polar bears are able to survive for about six months without food.

6   It was found that the bones of female polar bears were very weak when they came out of their dens in spring.

7   The polar bear’s mechanism for increasing bone density could also be used by people one day.

Questions 8-13

Complete the table below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 8-13 on your answer sheet.

Reasons why polar bears should be protected

People think of bears as unintelligent and 8 ………………. .

However, this may not be correct. For example:

•   In Tennoji Zoo, a bear has been seen using a branch as a 9 ………………. . This allowed him to knock down some 10 ………………. .
•   A wild polar bear worked out a method of reaching a platform where a 11 ………………. was located.
•   Polar bears have displayed behaviour such as conscious manipulation of objects and activity similar to a 12 ………………. .

Bears may also display emotions. For example:

•   They may make movements suggesting 13 ………………. if disappointed when hunting.
•   They may form relationships with other species.

3. Đáp án và giải thích chi tiết cho Cambridge IELTS 16 Test 1 Reading Passage 1

3.1. Câu 1 – 7 – TRUE, FALSE, NOT GIVEN – Cambridge IELTS 16 Test 1 Reading Passage 1

Lưu ý: Dạng bài này sẽ có khuynh hướng đánh vào tâm lý thấy từ được paraphrase là thấy đáp án nên khi làm bài, bạn phải nhớ kiểm tra kỹ ngữ nghĩa của câu để không bị mắc bẫy.

3.2. Câu 8 – 13 – Gap Filling (Table Completion) – Cambridge IELTS 16 Test 1 Reading Passage 1

Lưu ý: vì bài chỉ yêu cầu điền duy nhất một từ nên tất cả các đáp án trên một từ hoặc có số đều là đáp án sai

TỔNG KẾT VỀ CAMBRIDGE IELTS 16 TEST 1 READING PASSAGE 1

Vậy là chúng ta đã cùng nhau đi qua những câu hỏi tuy không quá khó nhưng cũng có thể dễ dàng đánh lừa thí sinh. Bài đọc này được ISE đánh giá là vừa sức với các bạn thi IELTS do chủ đề không quá hàn lâm và từ vựng cũng không quá cao cấp. Vì vậy, việc đạt được điểm tối đa ở bài đọc Cambridge IELTS 16 Test 1 Reading Passage 1 là hoàn toàn có thể nếu bạn có một chiến thuật làm bài hợp lý.

Tham khảo thêm về bài thi IELTS:

Hãy nhớ những mẹo này để tăng điểm IELTS Reading của bạn

Bạn có thể liên hệ ISE để đăng ký tư vấn lộ trình học IELTS phù hợp tại:

Chi nhánh 1: 02 Nguyễn Huy Lượng,Phường 14, Quận Bình Thạnh, TP.HCM

Chi nhánh 2: 393 Điện Biên Phủ,Phường 4, Quận 3, TP.HCM

Hotline:

(+84) 898 898 646

Facebook: facebook.com/iseistudyenglish

Website: https://ise.edu.vn/lien-he/#content-kh