Amateur Naturalists IELTS Reading Answers

Questions 1 – 7

The Amateur Naturalists Reading Passage has eight paragraphs A - H. Which paragraph contains the following information? Write the correct letter A - H in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet.

1. The definition of phenology

Answer: B

Explanation: The author concisely defines phenology in Line 2 of Paragraph B, stating it to be a study of cyclic biological or natural events. While the definition is not expansive, it is further supported by an example in Lines 3 and 4, where the author explains how seasonal timing can be affected by temperature changes.

2. How Sparks first became aware of amateur records

Answer: C

Explanation: The answer to this question is in Line 1, Paragraph C of the Amateur Naturalists Reading Passage. Specifically, the author reveals that Tim Sparks was made aware of amateur phenological records when a colleague presented him with the Marshams’ generational notes.

3. How people reacted to their involvement in data collection

Answer: H

Explanation: According to Terry Root, an ecologist from the University of Michigan, most people are excited about getting involved in data collection. As such, Root believes that supplementing scientific information with amateur phenological notes empowers the average person as it makes them feel that their hobby is helping a greater cause.

4. The necessity to encourage amateur data collection

Answer: G

Explanation: The entirety of Paragraph G in the Amateur Naturalists Reading Passage answers this question. Lines 1 and 2, for example, reveal how amateur phenological notes are fundamentally based on scientific observation, thereby making them valuable. And while there can be improvements made in the process, in the end, the author explains how it is almost only possible to gather massive volumes of data by enlisting the aid of the masses.

5. A description of using amateur records to make predictions

Answer: E

Explanation: The answer to this question lies in the example in Lines 6, 7 and 8 of Paragraph E. The author clearly states that Terry Root used the notes of amateur birdwatchers and combined them with additional records and predictive climate models. From there, Root surmised that the North American waterfowl count would drop due to global warming. 

6. Records of a competition providing clues to climate change

Answer: D

Explanation: The author mentions how Rafe Sagarin studied the results of an annual betting contest that was held since 1917 on the Tenana River, Alaska. Lines 3, 4 and 5 shed more light on how Sagarin analyzed the historical records to conclusively identify the signs of climate change based on the river thawing earlier than it previously did.

7. A description of a very old record compiled by generations of amateur naturalists

Answer: A

Explanation: According to the author, Robert Marsham began recording phenological data from his estate grounds in the 1700s. Following his passing, his descendants continued to add to his notes up until the mid-1900s. This is stated explicitly in Line 6, Paragraph A of the Amateur Naturalist Reading Passage.

Questions 8-10

Complete the sentences below with NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 8-10 on your answer sheet.

Guidelines To Answer These Questions: These are relatively simple types of Amateur Naturalists Reading Answers. The trick here is to identify contextual keywords in the question. For example, Question 8 begins by mentioning Walter Coates. So, candidates can skim through the passage for the first mention of Coates. From there, they need to look for the secondary keyword, which would be 'records'.

8. Walter Coates’s records largely contain the information of ___.

Answer: beekeeping

Explanation: Line 1 in Paragraph A of the Amateur Naturalists Reading Passage explicitly states that Walter Coates made notes on beekeeping between 1941 to 1969. The author uses this information to kickstart the core theme of the passage, highlighting how such records are still being used in modern ecological studies.

9. Robert Marsham is famous for recording the ___ of animals and plants on his land.

Answer: life cycles

Explanation: Line 4 in Paragraph A mentions Robert Marsham’s habit of studying and recording cyclical biological events on his estate grounds. The author also states how Marsham’s descendants kept up with their ancestor’s hobby for approximately two centuries, adding to his notes for the entirety of it.

10. According to some phenologists, global warming may cause the number of waterfowl in North America to drop significantly due to increased ___.

Answer: droughts

Explanation: The answer to this question is in Paragraph E, Lines 6 and 7 of the Amateur Naturalists Reading Passage. Specifically, Terry Root’s experiment, involving the notes of amateur birdwatchers and predictive climate models, helped reveal how the waterfowl count in North America would be significantly reduced due to the increasing number of droughts.

Questions 11-14

Choose the correct letter A, B, C or D. Write your answers in boxes 11-14 on your answer sheet.

Guidelines To Answer These Questions: These are some of the more challenging Amateur Naturalists Reading Answers because they require a thorough comprehension of the passage. A tip here is to understand the core idea behind the question/statement. For instance, Question 11 is related to why amateur records are problematic. From here, candidates need to identify specific parts of the reading sample that elaborates on the issues of using such data.

11. Why do a lot of scientists discredit the data collected by amateurs?

Answer: C

Explanation: As stated in Paragraph F, amateur records, though based on observational skills, are often subjective. There is also the issue of such information being problematic due to how they were recorded. As such, these notes are usually made by individuals who are unfamiliar with scientific methods of data collection.

12. Mark Schwartz used the example of leaves to illustrate that ___.

Answer: D

Explanation: Line 4 in Paragraph F has a direct quote from Mark Schwartz, where he mentions how it is not sufficient to merely state a phenomenon, such as leaves blooming. Instead, the focus should be on conveying the study's objective, what it is meant to achieve and the object of examination. Only the inclusion of such specifics makes information valuable.

13. How do the scientists suggest amateur data should be used?

Answer: D

Explanation: Lines 5 to 9 in Paragraph G of the Amateur Naturalists Reading Passage state how Arnold van Vliet, an environmental scientist, is pursuing the development of statistical methods of data collection alongside his colleagues. Their objective is to help eliminate the subjective errors in amateur phenological records. Meanwhile, other researchers are trying to introduce standardized schemes for recording information in the hopes that it will lead to the generation of massive volumes of data.

14. What’s the implication of phenology for ordinary people?

Answer: D

Explanation: The answer to this is in the first line of Paragraph H. The author quotes Tim Sparks, introduced at the beginning of the passage, to convey how the masses easily understand and accept phenological data. As such, the results of these studies directly reveal the adverse effects of climate change and, thus, raise awareness about it.

*Grammarly score at 97 because the app suggests changes in the reading passage. Didn’t want to tamper with the sample itself, so left it as it is.