# Should we try to bring extinct species back to life?: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 15, Test 2, Reading Passage 2

Source: Passage, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 15, Test 2, 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 | make genetic modifications which could prevent mass extinctions in the future |
| 15 | A | using cloning technology to turn the DNA of extinct animals into a fertilised embryo |
| 16 | D | ecosystems in the eastern US have suffered |
| 17 | A | came to an end on 1 September 1914, when the last living specimen died at Cincinnati Zoo |
| 18 | genetic traits | By pinpointing which genetic traits made it possible for mammoths to survive the icy climate of the tundra |
| 19 | heat loss | all for the purpose of reducing heat loss in the tundra |
| 20 | ears | Necessary adaptations would include smaller ears |
| 21 | fat | and extra insulating fat |
| 22 | emissions | and mitigate emissions from melting permafrost. |
| 23 | B | could help to ensure that devils are never again subjected to risks of this kind |
| 24 | C | fully understand why various species went extinct in the first place |
| 25 | A | could, in theory, re-establish that forest disturbance |
| 26 | C | We know that what we are doing today is not enough |

## Why these answers are right

**14. F.** In paragraph F, Shapiro wants to use the technology to understand past extinctions and make genetic modifications 'which could prevent mass extinctions in the future'. Preventing future mass extinctions is the same idea as avoiding further disappearance of multiple species, so the answer is F.

**15. A.** Paragraph A describes de-extinction as using cloning technology 'to turn the DNA of extinct animals into a fertilised embryo', which a living relative then carries. Only the extinct animal's own DNA is used to create the embryo, so this is the method the prompt describes.

**16. D.** Paragraph D says that since passenger pigeons disappeared, 'ecosystems in the eastern US have suffered', leaving forests stagnant and unwelcoming to other plants and animals. A forest ecosystem is a habitat, and it declined after the pigeons' extinction, which matches the prompt.

The why and the trap for questions 17 onwards are free with an account on the [answers page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/reading/should-we-try-to-bring-extinct-species-back-to-life/answers).

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