# Palm oil: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 17, Test 3, Reading Passage 2

Source: Passage, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 17, Test 3, Reading Passage 2. © Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Used for educational practice. Explanations and evidence notes are written by Testmigo.

## Answer key

| Q | Answer | Proof |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 14 | F | is potentially also an ecological benefit |
| 15 | G | The industry is now regulated by a group called the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil |
| 16 | A | It's almost certainly in the soap we wash with in the morning |
| 17 | H | reintroducing the bird's nest fern into oil palm plantations |
| 18 | B | the global land area devoted to growing oil palm trees grew from 6 to 17 million hectares |
| 19 | E | the vital role palm oil plays in lifting many millions of people in the developing world out of poverty |
| 20 | C | but also rhinos, elephants, tigers, and numerous other fauna |
| 21 | B, C | The RSPO insists upon no virgin forest clearing, transparency |
| 22 | B, C | Over the past decade or so, an agreement has gradually been reached regarding standards |
| 23 | solid | such as remaining solid at room temperature |
| 24 | Sumatran orangutan | most famously the Sumatran orangutan |
| 25 | carbon stocks | transparency and regular assessment of carbon stocks |
| 26 | biodiversity | Ellwood believes that reintroducing the bird's nest fern into oil palm plantations could potentially allow these areas to recover their biodiversity |

## Why these answers are right

**14. F.** Section F argues that palm's very high yield per hectare means less land must be cleared, calling it "potentially also an ecological benefit", and then adds that it may sequester more carbon than crops such as rice. Those are several possible environmental advantages, so the answer is F.

**15. G.** Section G says the industry "is now regulated by a group called the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil" and describes its members and its rules on forest clearing and carbon. A body that regulates producers controls their environmental impact, so the answer is G.

**16. A.** Section A calls palm oil the most consumed vegetable oil in the world and lists everyday examples: soap in the morning, a sandwich at lunch and biscuits during the day. These examples show its widespread use, so the information is in section A.

The why and the trap for questions 17 onwards are free with an account on the [answers page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/reading/palm-oil/answers).

[Practice Palm oil](https://testmigo.com/ielts/reading/palm-oil)