Preventing The Theft Of Turtle Eggs — IELTS Reading Answers

Section A

“Today, all but one of the world's seven species of sea turtles are considered threatened according to the IUCN* Red List”

Section A matches heading iv: 'all but one' of seven turtle species are 'considered threatened', so the section is about species at risk.

Section B

“One major problem is that every year millions of sea turtle eggs are illegally taken by poachers for sale on the black market. The situation is particularly serious in Nicaragua, in Central America, which is home to four sea turtle species”

Section B fits heading vi: 'millions of sea turtle eggs are illegally taken by poachers for sale on the black market'.

Section C

“'If one poacher decides to stop, another one will just step into his place ... we need to know more about the middlemen and people higher up in the distribution chain,' she said”

Section C matches heading vii: stopping one poacher just lets 'another one ... step into his place', so attention must move up the distribution chain.

Section D

“Paso Pacifico's solution is the creation of high-tech sea turtle eggs: fake eggs convincingly crafted to look like the real thing, but which contain GPS tracking devices”

Section D fits heading i: 'fake eggs ... contain GPS tracking devices', a technological answer to the theft.

Section E

“Experts believe most of the stolen eggs eventually make their way out of Nicaragua, possibly to El Salvador or Guatemala”

Section E suits heading v: the stolen eggs 'make their way out of Nicaragua, possibly to El Salvador or Guatemala', crossing borders.

Section F

“Knowing where the eggs go will allow conservationists and law enforcement agents to focus their resources on the right places – whether it be through awareness-building campaigns or crackdowns on illegal sellers”

Section F matches heading iii: knowing 'where the eggs go' lets conservationists and law enforcement 'focus their resources on the right places'.

What does the writer suggest about the flatback turtle?

1. AIt could be as severely threatened as other turtles.correct
2. BIt has been neglected by scientists in the past.
3. CIt is in less danger than some other species.
4. DIt should be removed from the IUCN Red List.

“the flatback turtle – is listed as data deficient, which means scientists simply don't know how it's doing”

A: the flatback is 'listed as data deficient', meaning 'scientists simply don't know how it's doing', so it might be as threatened as others.

Williams-Guillen says that the poaching of sea turtle eggs in Nicaragua

1. Ais mainly carried out by local people.
2. Bmay be encouraged by the presence of tourists.
3. Csometimes has a highly organised structure.correct
4. Dcan only be controlled by the use of armed guards.

“'Although many poachers are locals with limited resources, during these arribadas there are influxes of gangs of poachers from larger cities outside local communities”

C: alongside local poachers there are 'influxes of gangs of poachers from larger cities', showing an organised element to the trade.

In Section E, Williams-Guillen says that one way to encourage poachers to take the fake eggs is to

1. Amake fake nests and put the eggs into them.
2. Bput them in nests with just a few real eggs.
3. Cdistract the poachers after the fake eggs have been put in the nests.
4. Dput them in nests that the poachers have started to dig up.correct

“'It would be pretty easy to drop an egg in the dark into a nest they have been digging up,' she said”

D: an egg can be dropped 'in the dark into a nest they have been digging up', so poachers are given fake eggs in nests already being robbed.

It is planned to use a large number of fake eggs at the beginning because

1. Asome of the fake eggs may be missed by the poachers.
2. Bit may not be possible to continue the project indefinitely.correct
3. Csome eggs may be hidden in the sand.
4. Dit may not be feasible to fund long-term research.

“poachers will eventually become aware of the prospect of fake eggs among the real ones – especially when customers try to bite into an egg and break their teeth on the GPS transmitter instead.”

B: a 'massive deployment' gathers data 'before poachers get wise', since the chance will not last once they learn about fake eggs.

“In particular, it's proving quite problematic to create the right texture, since sea turtle eggs are not covered in a hard shell like those of birds, but are quite flexible”

Sea turtle eggs are not 'covered in a hard shell' but 'are quite flexible', so the adjective flexible describes the texture problem.

“Since it's illegal to send sea turtle eggs over the border, Wilde is using land turtle eggs from California”

'Wilde is using land turtle eggs from California', so the adjective land distinguishes them from the sea turtle eggs.

“To get the GPS device inside the shell, Paso Pacifico is using 3D printers to make a plastic ball which will then have a GPS transmitter fitted inside”

A plastic 'ball' made with 3D printers then 'has a GPS transmitter fitted inside', so the noun ball fits the gap.