To Britain — IELTS Reading Answers

Reference to the research problems that arise from there being only a few surviving large elms

“Nevertheless, opportunities are limited as the number of these mature survivors is relatively small”

Paragraph C notes 'opportunities are limited as the number of these mature survivors is relatively small', which restricts research.

Details of a difference of opinion about the value of reintroducing elms to Britain

“All of this raises questions of social acceptance, acknowledges Russell. 'If we're putting elm back into the landscape, a small element of it is not native - are we bothered about that?' For her, the environmental case for reintroducing elm is strong.”

Paragraph G records disagreement: Russell sees a strong environmental case while 'others are more wary'.

Reference to how Dutch elm disease was brought into Britain

“A first epidemic, which occurred in the 1920s, gradually died down, but in the '70s a second epidemic was triggered by shipments of elm from Canada”

Paragraph B says the 1970s epidemic 'was triggered by shipments of elm from Canada', showing how it entered Britain.

A description of the conditions that have enabled a location in Britain to escape Dutch elm disease

“Strong winds from the sea make it difficult for the determined elm bark beetle to attack this coastal city’s elm population”

Paragraph E explains 'strong winds from the sea make it difficult for the determined elm bark beetle' to reach the coastal city.

Reference to the stage at which young elms become vulnerable to Dutch elm disease

“'We have millions of small elms in hedgerows but they get targeted by the beetle as soon as they reach a certain size,' says Karen Russell”

Paragraph C quotes Russell: small elms 'get targeted by the beetle as soon as they reach a certain size'.

If a tree gets infected with Dutch elm disease, the damage rapidly becomes visible

“'The effects are very quick,' says Russell. 'You return in four to six weeks and trees that are resistant show no symptoms, whereas those that are susceptible show leaf loss and may even have died completely.'”

Russell says 'the effects are very quick', with susceptible trees showing leaf loss within four to six weeks.

It may be better to wait and see if the mature elms that have survived continue to flourish

“Rather than plant new elms, the Woodland Trust emphasises providing space to those elms that have survived independently. 'Sometimes the best thing you can do is just give nature time to recover over time, you might get resistance,' says Elliot”

The Woodland Trust prefers giving survivors space, saying 'just give nature time to recover', rather than planting new elms.

There must be an explanation for the survival of some mature elms

“'What are the reasons for their survival?' asks Russell. 'Avoidance, tolerance, resistance? We don’t know where the balance lies between the three. I don’t see how it can be entirely down to luck.'”

Russell asks why some elms survive and insists 'I don't see how it can be entirely down to luck'.

We need to be aware that insects carrying Dutch elm disease are not very far away

“'The beetles can just march in if we're not careful, as the threat is right on our doorstep,' says Bourne”

Bourne warns 'the beetles can just march in if we're not careful, as the threat is right on our doorstep'.

You understand the effect Dutch elm disease has had when you see evidence of how prominent the tree once was

“'The impact of the disease is difficult to picture if you hadn't seen what was there before,' says Matt Elliot of the Woodland Trust. 'You look at old photographs from the 1960s and it's only then that you realise the impact [elms had]. They were significant, large trees then they were gone.'”

Elliot says old 1960s photographs are needed before 'you realise the impact' of losing such significant trees.

“For centuries, elm ran a close second to oak as the hardwood tree of choice in Britain”

Elm 'ran a close second to oak as the hardwood tree of choice in Britain', so the gap is 'oak'.

“In the 18th century, it was planted more widely and its wood was used for items such as storage crates and flooring”

Elm wood was used for 'items such as storage crates and flooring', so the gap is 'flooring'.

“It was also suitable for items that experienced high levels of impact and was used to build the keel of the 19th-century sailing ship Cutty Sark as well as mining equipment”

It was used 'to build the keel of the 19th-century sailing ship Cutty Sark', so the gap is 'keel'.