What Destroyed The Civilisation Of Easter Island? — IELTS Reading Answers

Paragraph A

“The identity of the moai builders was in doubt until well into the twentieth century.”

Paragraph A notes that the identity of the moai builders was in doubt until well into the twentieth century, which is the uncertainty heading ii covers.

Paragraph B

“When the islanders cleared the forests for firewood and farming, the forests didn’t grow back. As trees became scarce and they could no longer construct wooden canoes for fishing, they ate birds. Soil erosion decreased their crop yields.”

Paragraph B traces the chain from cleared forests to scarce trees, lost canoes, eaten birds and lower crop yields, the environmental collapse heading ix describes.

Paragraph C

“The moai, he thinks, accelerated the self-destruction.”

Paragraph C argues that the moai accelerated the self-destruction, so the statues contributed to the island's downfall, which is heading viii.

Paragraph D

“Archaeological excavations indicate that the Rapanui went to heroic efforts to protect the resources of their wind-lashed, infertile fields.”

Paragraph D stresses the Rapanui's heroic efforts to protect the resources of their wind-lashed, infertile fields, matching heading i on careful soil protection.

Paragraph E

“On that issue, Hunt and Lipo say, archaeological evidence backs up Rapanui folklore.”

Paragraph E says archaeological evidence backs up Rapanui folklore, matching the heading about evidence confirming oral tradition (iv).

Paragraph F

“Moreover, Hunt and Lipo are convinced that the settlers were not wholly responsible for the loss of the island’s trees.”

Paragraph F shifts blame away from the settlers, insisting they were not wholly responsible for the loss of the island's trees, which is heading vii.

Paragraph G

“Rather than a case of abject failure, Rapa Nui is an unlikely story of success’”

Paragraph G reframes Rapa Nui as an unlikely story of success rather than abject failure, which is the reassessment heading vi describes.

“When the islanders cleared the forests for firewood and farming, the forests didn’t grow back.”

The gap pairs with firewood as a reason forests were cleared; the passage says the islanders cleared the forests for firewood and farming.

“As trees became scarce and they could no longer construct wooden canoes for fishing, they ate birds.”

The gap is what the islanders could no longer build once trees became scarce; the text says they could no longer construct wooden canoes.

“As trees became scarce and they could no longer construct wooden canoes for fishing, they ate birds.”

The gap is what replaced fish in their diet; with canoes gone, the passage says they ate birds.

“Diamond thinks they laid the moai on wooden sledges, hauled over log rails, but that required both a lot of wood and a lot of people.”

The gap is what moving moai on sledges and log rails consumed; the passage says it required a lot of wood and a lot of people.

“They also believe that moving the moai required few people and no wood, because they were walked upright. Hunt and Lipo contend that moai-building was an activity that helped keep the peace between islanders.”

Hunt and Lipo claim the statues were walked upright, needing few people and no wood (B), and that moai-building helped keep the peace between islanders (C).