Manatees — IELTS Reading Answers

“However, the manatee has a broad, rounded tail, whereas the dugong’s is fluked, like that of a whale”

The manatee has 'a broad, rounded tail' unlike the dugong's fluked one, so the gap is 'tail'.

“a manatee must turn its entire body, steering with its flippers”

A manatee 'must turn its entire body, steering with its flippers', so the gap is 'flippers'.

“They also have some hairs covering their bodies which help them sense vibrations in the water around them”

They have 'some hairs covering their bodies which help them sense vibrations', so the gap is 'hairs'.

“Seagrasses and other marine plants make up most of a manatee's diet”

'Seagrasses and other marine plants make up most of a manatee's diet', so the gap is 'seagrasses'.

“Instead of having incisors to grasp their food, manatees have lips which function like a pair of hands to help tear food away from the seafloor”

Instead of incisors, manatees 'have lips which function like a pair of hands', so the gap is 'lips'.

“It's thought that manatees use their muscular diaphragm and breathing to adjust their buoyancy”

Manatees 'use their muscular diaphragm and breathing to adjust their buoyancy', which is the noun needed.

West Indian manatees can be found in a variety of different aquatic habitats.

“It moves between fresh water and salt water, taking advantage of coastal mangroves and coral reefs, rivers, lakes and inland lagoons”

It moves between fresh and salt water, using 'coastal mangroves and coral reefs, rivers, lakes and inland lagoons', varied habitats.

The Florida manatee lives in warmer waters than the Antillean manatee.

“In winter, the Florida manatee is typically restricted to Florida. When the ambient water temperature drops below 20°C, it takes refuge in naturally and artificially warmed water, such as at the warm-water outfalls from powerplants”

The Florida manatee's winter range and warm-water refuges are described, but its water temperature is never compared with the Antillean's.

The African manatee’s range is limited to coastal waters between the West African countries of Mauritania and Angola.

“The African manatee is also about 3.5 metres long and found in the sea along the west coast of Africa, from Mauritania down to Angola. The species also makes use of rivers, with the mammals seen in landlocked countries such as Mali and Niger”

The species 'also makes use of rivers', being seen in landlocked Mali and Niger, so its range is not limited to coastal waters.

The extent of the loss of Amazonian manatees in the mid-twentieth century was only revealed many years later.

“It is estimated that 140,000 Amazonian manatees were killed between 1935 and 1954 for their meat, fat and skin”

The 140,000 deaths between 1935 and 1954 are estimated, but nothing says this only became known many years later.

It is predicted that West Indian manatee populations will fall in the coming decades.

“Both are also expected to undergo a decline of 20% over the next 40 years”

Both are 'expected to undergo a decline of 20% over the next 40 years', a predicted fall in numbers.

The risk to manatees from entanglement and plastic consumption increased significantly in the period 2009-2020.

“A review of almost 1,800 cases of entanglement in fishing nets and of plastic consumption among marine mammals in US waters from 2009 to 2020 found that at least 700 cases involved manatees”

The review counted 700 manatee cases from 2009-2020 but never says the risk increased significantly in that period.

There is some legislation in place which aims to reduce the likelihood of boat strikes on manatees in Florida.

“However, laws in certain parts of Florida now limit boat speeds during winter, allowing slow-moving manatees more time to respond”

'Laws in certain parts of Florida now limit boat speeds during winter', giving slow manatees time to respond.