Endless Harvest — IELTS Reading Answers

The inhabitants of the Aleutian islands renamed their islands 'Aleyska'.

“The islands' native inhabitants called this land mass Aleyska, the 'Great Land'; today, we know it as Alaska”

The native inhabitants already 'called this land mass Aleyska'; they did not rename it, and the passage does not limit them to the Aleutian islands.

Alaska's fisheries are owned by some of the world's largest companies.

“Taking advantage of this rich bounty, Alaska's commercial fisheries have developed into some of the largest in the world”

The text says Alaska's fisheries are among 'the largest in the world' but never says who owns them, so ownership is not given.

Life in Alaska is dependent on salmon.

“'Salmon,' notes writer Susan Ewing in The Great Alaska Nature Factbook, 'pump through Alaska like blood through a heart, bringing rhythmic, circulating nourishment to land, animals and people.' The 'predictable abundance of salmon allowed some native cultures to flourish,' and 'dying spawners* feed bears, eagles,”

Salmon bring 'circulating nourishment to land, animals and people', like blood through a heart, so Alaskan life depends on them. TRUE.

Ninety per cent of all Pacific salmon caught are sockeye or pink salmon.

“All five species of Pacific salmon - chinook, or king; chum, or dog; coho, or silver; sockeye, or red; and pink, or humpback - spawn** in Alaskan waters, and 90% of all Pacific salmon commercially caught in North America are produced there”

The 90 per cent figure refers to Pacific salmon caught in North America that are produced in Alaska, not to the share taken by sockeye or pink species.

More than 320,000 tonnes of salmon were caught in Alaska in 2000.

“During 2000, commercial catches of Pacific salmon in Alaska exceeded 320,000 tonnes, with an ex-vessel value of over $US260 million”

'Exceeded 320,000 tonnes' means more than 320,000 tonnes, exactly as stated. TRUE.

Between 1940 and 1959, there was a sharp decrease in Alaska's salmon population.

“Between 1940 and 1959, overfishing led to crashes in salmon populations so severe that in 1953 Alaska was declared a federal disaster area”

'Crashes in salmon populations so severe' that Alaska became a disaster area confirms a sharp decrease between 1940 and 1959.

During the 1990s, the average number of salmon caught each year was 100 million.

“until, during the 1990s, annual harvests were well in excess of 100 million, and on several occasions over 200 million fish”

Harvests were 'well in excess of 100 million', so 100 million was not the average — the stated figure understates the catch. FALSE.

In Alaska, biologists keep a check on adult fish

“There are biologists throughout the state constantly monitoring adult fish as they show up to spawn The salmon season in Alaska is not pre-set. The fishermen know the approximate time of year when they will be allowed to fish, but on any given day,”

Biologists monitor adult fish so the season is set only when numbers allow fishing, matching ending G's guarantee of sufficient fish.

Biologists have the authority

“on any given day, one or more field biologists in a particular area can put a halt to fishing. Even sport fishing can be brought to a halt”

'Even sport fishing can be brought to a halt' gives biologists authority over sport fishing, which is ending E.

In-Season Abundance-Based Management has allowed the Alaska salmon fisheries

“It is this management mechanism that has allowed Alaska salmon stocks - and, accordingly, Alaska salmon fisheries - to prosper, even as salmon populations in the rest of the United States are increasingly considered threatened or even endangered”

'Allowed... Alaska salmon fisheries... to prosper' means the mechanism let them succeed, which is ending B.

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) was established

“The Council, which was founded in 1996, certifies fisheries that meet high environmental standards, enabling them to use a label that recognises their environmental responsibility”

The MSC 'certifies fisheries that meet high environmental standards', recognising 'their environmental responsibility' — ending A.

As a result of the collapse of the salmon runs in 1999, the state decided

“However, the state reacted quickly, closing down all fisheries, even those necessary for subsistence purposes”

After the 1999 collapse 'the state reacted quickly, closing down all fisheries, even those necessary for subsistence', so option K follows.

In September 2000, the MSC allowed seven Alaska salmon companies

“In September 2000, MSC announced that the Alaska salmon fisheries qualified for certification. Seven companies producing Alaska salmon were immediately granted permission to display the MSC logo on their products”

'Permission to display the MSC logo' on products is ending F, granted to seven Alaska salmon companies in September 2000.