Magy's English Edu. Club
Cambridge 17 Academic Reading Test Four Passage One
Bats to the rescue How Madagascar's bats are helping to save the rainforest
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?
Write TRUE, FALSE, or NOT GIVEN.
1. Many Madagascan forests are being destroyed by attacks from insects.
The answer is FALSE.
In paragraph one, much of this destruction is fueled by the cultivation of the country’s main staple crop: rice.
2. Loss of habitat has badly affected insectivorous bats in Madagascar.
The answer is FALSE.
In paragraph one, in fact, some of the island’s insectivorous bats are currently thriving and this has important implications for farmers and conservationists alike.
3. Ricardo Rocha has carried out studies of bats in different parts of the world.
The answer is NOT GIVEN.
In paragraph two, Rocha’s new study shows that several species of bats are giving Madagascar’s rice farmers a vital pest control service by feasting on plagues of insects.
4. Habitat modification has resulted in indigenous bats in Madagascar becoming useful to farmers.
The answer is TRUE.
In paragraph two, Rocha’s new study shows that several species of bats are giving Madagascar’s rice farmers a vital pest control service by feasting on plagues of insects.
5. The Malagasy mouse-eared bat is more common than other indigenous bat species in Madagascar.
The answer is NOT GIVEN.
In paragraph four, they include the Malagasy mouse-eared bat, Major’s long-fingered bat, the Malagasy white-bellied free-tailed bat, and Peters’ wrinkle-lipped bat.
6. Bats may feed on paddy swarming caterpillars and grass webworms.
The answer is TRUE.
In paragraph five, we found that six species of bats are preying on rice pests, including the paddy swarming caterpillar and grass webworm.
Complete the table.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Method
7. DNA analysis of bat …..
The answer is DROPPINGS.
In paragraph seven, they next used DNA barcoding techniques to analyze droppings collected from bats at different sites.
Findings
8. ate pests of rice, ……, sugarcane, nuts, and fruit
The answer is COFFEE.
In paragraph eight, while the findings indicated that rice farming benefits most from bats, the scientists also found indications that the bats were consuming pests of other crops, including the black twig borer (which infests COFFEE plants), the sugarcane cicada, the macadamia nut-borer, and the sober tabby (a pest of citrus fruits).
9. prevent the spread of disease by eating …. and blackflies
The answer is MOSQUITOES.
In paragraph ten, while the animal (the bat) is often associated with spreading disease, Rocha and his team found evidence that Malagasy bats feed not just on crop pests but also on mosquitoes – carriers of malaria, Rift Valley fever virus, and elephantiasis – as well as blackflies, which spread river blindness.
local attitudes to bats are mixed:
10. they provide food rich in ….
The answer is PROTEIN.
In paragraph eleven, when food is scarce, bats become a crucial source of protein.
11. the buildings where they roost become …….
The answer is UNCLEAN.
In paragraph eleven, as well as roosting in trees, the bats sometimes roost in buildings, but are not welcomed there because they make them unclean.
12. they play an important role in local …..
The answer is CULTURE.
In paragraph eleven, at the same time, however, they are associated with sacred caves and the ancestors, so they can be viewed as beings between worlds, which makes them very significant in the culture of the people.
Recommendation
13. farmers should provide special ….. to support the bat population.
The answer is HOUSES.
In paragraph eleven, Rocha says, ‘With the right help, we hope that farmers can promote this mutually beneficial relationship by installing bat houses.’