Divided Opinions About Letting Farmland Return To Its Natural State — IELTS Reading Answers

“Neat fields of maize have been replaced with a landscape that resembles the typical grasslands of Africa”

The summary needs the crop replaced by wild grassland; the text says 'Neat fields of maize have been replaced'.

“Neat fields of maize have been replaced with a landscape that resembles the typical grasslands of Africa”

The new landscape 'resembles the typical grasslands of Africa', the place name needed.

“The estate boasts more of the unusual purple emperor butterflies than anywhere else in Britain”

The estate has 'more of the unusual purple emperor butterflies than anywhere else in Britain', the plural noun.

Some people are against rewilding as it reduces the amount of crops that could provide much needed nourishment.

“Other farmers may have a moral attitude towards it too - "why are you stopping food production?" Many criticise rewilding for abandoning productive farmland when the world's population is growing.”

A (Charlie Burrell) fits: the text notes criticism that rewilding abandons 'productive farmland when the world's population is growing', reducing food crops.

It may not be easy to get city residents to take part in rewilding.

“'The challenge is how to make rewilding an issue that people in their ordinary lives can take action on,' says Elaine Gilligan of Friends of the Earth. She thinks it is great for engaging people in nature but doubts whether it is seen as important in large urban areas like Birmingham”

G (Elaine Gilligan) doubts rewilding 'is seen as important in large urban areas like Birmingham', so city residents may be hard to engage.

Rewilding does not necessarily lead to a landscape thickly covered in trees.

“For decades, ecologists believed the end result of allowing a landscape to run wild would be dense forest and a mass extinction of sun-loving wild flowers and butterflies. But this belief has been demolished by Dutch ecologist Frans Vera.”

D (Frans Vera) proved that natural grazing creates 'a constantly changing pattern of open glades and wooded groves', not dense forest.

It is acceptable to turn fields which do not yield many crops into natural spaces for people to enjoy.

“Farming is being done by fewer and fewer farmers on a larger scale on the best soils. They leave the less profitable lands to become adventure land for an increasingly urban population”

F (Wouter Helmer) describes farmers leaving 'the less profitable lands to become adventure land for an increasingly urban population', accepting poor fields become nature spaces.

The support of people living in the area is needed to make the authorities take rewilding seriously.

“But David Balharry, former Scotland director of Rewilding Britain, cautions that rewilding in Scotland will only be championed by policymakers and politicians when it is led by local communities”

E (David Balharry) says rewilding 'will only be championed by policymakers and politicians when it is led by local communities', so local support is needed.

There is evidence that people get used to the idea of rewilding with time.

“Linnartz says that many Dutch objected to 'nature development' 30 years ago but rewilding principles are now mainstream”

B (Leo Linnartz) notes the Dutch objected 30 years ago but 'rewilding principles are now mainstream', evidence that attitudes change over time.

In the fifth paragraph, the writer points out that Burrell

1. Ahad clear financial reasons for rewilding his farm.correct
2. Bis worried that his land now looks extremely untidy.
3. Chas considerably increased the money he makes from his farm.
4. Dwas initially guided by other people who had let their land go wild.

“For Burrell, rewilding has been a pragmatic way to revive the struggling family farm. Ecotourism there makes as much profit as his conventional farm did. Knepp's unproductive soil meant Burrell could not compete with globalised food production.”

Option A fits: rewilding was 'a pragmatic way to revive the struggling family farm', and ecotourism 'makes as much profit as his conventional farm did'.

What does Helmer say about young people and the land?

1. AThey want to leave it and find work in the city.
2. BMany want to take over running their families’ farms.
3. CThey have developed new ways of interacting with it.correct
4. DMany are interested in building businesses on farmland.

“'They have a completely different relationship to nature to their parents or grandparents. They are not fighting with it on a daily basis. On one hand they are disconnected from nature but on the other hand they are becoming more relaxed with nature - it's hunting and gathering but hunting with a camera and gathering...”

Option C matches Helmer's view that young people have 'a completely different relationship to nature', interacting through 'hunting with a camera and gathering experiences'.

Ted Green is particularly concerned that

1. Athere are increasing problems with water pollution in cities.
2. Bmoney needs to be invested to create more dams across rivers.
3. Cmodern agricultural methods mean rain washes away productive soil.correct
4. Dmore barriers are needed to prevent rivers flooding domestic homes.

“Ted Green, founder president of the Ancient Tree Forum, believes that intensive farming can worsen flash flooding, and cause fertile earth to be swept downriver and out to sea”

Option C restates Ted Green's warning that 'intensive farming ... cause fertile earth to be swept downriver and out to sea', productive soil washed away.

In the final paragraph, what point is made about rewilding?

1. AIt will be very difficult to organise efficiently in large expanses of countryside.
2. BIt may attract so much public interest that smaller projects get forgotten.correct
3. CIt has caused problems for certain types of animals and insects in Britain.
4. DIt may be a trend that will lose its popularity quite quickly.

“Some conservationists worry, however, that rewilding could replace the traditional protection of rare species on small nature reserves. If rewilding really takes off, there's a risk people will say, "Oh we don't have to do any of that old stuff," says Matt Shardlow, chief executive of Buglife”

Option B fits the worry that if rewilding 'really takes off', people will say 'we don't have to do any of that old stuff', so smaller projects get forgotten.