Cambridge IELTS 15 · Academic · Test 4 · Passage 1
The Return Of The Huarango — IELTS Reading Answers
All 13 answers for The Return Of The Huarango, Cambridge IELTS 15 Academic Reading Test 4 Passage 1, with the passage evidence and an explanation for each.
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The Return Of The Huarango answer key at a glance
Questions 1–13. Tap an answer to see the evidence.
What this passage tests
This passage is tested with Note Completion (Q1–5), Table Completion (Q6–8), True / False / Not Given (Q9–13). Each section below gives the strategy for that question type, the answers, and the sentence that proves them.
Questions 1–5: Note Completion
Strategy: Predict the word class from the note, find the paraphrase of the note's keyword in the passage, then copy the answer exactly within the word limit.
“They stretch down 50-80 metres and, as well as sucking up water for the tree”
The roots 'stretch down 50-80 metres' and are 'sucking up water for the tree', so water is what they draw.
“the huarango was key to the ancient people’s diet”
The huarango 'was key to the ancient people's diet', the area the note asks about.
“it allowed local people to withstand years of drought when their other crops failed”
It let local people 'withstand years of drought when their other crops failed', so drought is the condition.
“But over the centuries huarango trees were gradually replaced with crops. Cutting down native woodland leads to erosion, as there is nothing to keep the soil in place”
Cutting native woodland 'leads to erosion, as there is nothing to keep the soil in place'.
“So when the huarangos go, the land turns into a desert.”
The note asks what the land becomes; the text says 'when the huarangos go, the land turns into a desert'.
Questions 6–8: Table Completion
Strategy: Work row by row. The row label tells you where to look; the column heading tells you what kind of word you need.
“while its branches were used for charcoal for cooking and heating”
'Its branches were used for charcoal for cooking and heating', so branches is the part used.
“Its leaves and bark were used for herbal remedies”
'Its leaves and bark were used for herbal remedies', so bark fills the gap alongside leaves.
“its trunk was used to build houses”
'Its trunk was used to build houses', so trunk is the timber the table names.
Questions 9–13: True / False / Not Given
Strategy: Judge the whole statement against the text. FALSE contradicts the passage; NOT GIVEN means the passage never addresses that specific claim.
Local families have told Whaley about some traditional uses of huarango products.
“Whaley is encouraging locals to love the huarangos again”
NOT GIVEN: Whaley encourages locals to love huarangos, but the passage never says families told him about traditional uses.
Farmer Alberto Benevides is now making a good profit from growing huarangos.
“His farm is relatively small and doesn’t yet provide him with enough to live on, but he hopes this will change”
FALSE: the farm 'doesn't yet provide him with enough to live on', so he is not making a good profit.
Whaley needs the co-operation of farmers to help preserve the area’s wildlife.
“he’s persuading farmers to let him plant forest corridors on their land”
TRUE: he is 'persuading farmers to let him plant forest corridors on their land', so their cooperation is needed.
For Whaley’s project to succeed, it needs to be extended over a very large area.
“It’s not like a rainforest that needs to have this huge expanse”
FALSE: 'it's not like a rainforest that needs to have this huge expanse', so a very large area is not required.
Whaley has plans to go to Africa to set up a similar project.
“If we can do it here, in the most fragile system on Earth, then that’s a real message of hope for lots of places, including Africa”
NOT GIVEN: Africa is mentioned as a message of hope for other places, but no plan to set up a project there is described.
Learn the question types in this passage
Frequently asked questions
Where does the The Return Of The Huarango passage come from?
It is Passage 1 of Cambridge IELTS 15 Academic Reading Test 4, and it covers Questions 1–13.
What question types appear in The Return Of The Huarango?
The passage is tested with Note Completion, Table Completion, True / False / Not Given. Each type is explained on this page, alongside the answers.
Are these reading answers reliable?
Every answer is paired with the sentence that proves it, so you can check each one against the passage yourself. Use the page after a timed attempt, not instead of one.
Cambridge IELTS is published by Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Band9Prep is not affiliated with Cambridge. This page is an independent study aid: it gives the answer key, the passage evidence and an explanation so you can review an attempt you have already made.