# The impact of climate change on butterflies in Britain: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 19, Test 4, Reading Passage 1

Source: Passage, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 19, Test 4, Reading Passage 1. © Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Used for educational practice. Explanations and evidence notes are written by Testmigo.

## Answer key

| Q | Answer | Proof |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | FALSE | populations of around two thirds of butterfly species have declined in Britain over the past 40 years |
| 2 | TRUE | in turn act as prey for birds as well as bats and other small mammals |
| 3 | FALSE | Scientists refer to the timing of such lifecycle events as "phenology" |
| 4 | NOT GIVEN | species have advanced by between three days and a week on average |
| 5 | FALSE | The answer is still unknown, but a new study is seeking to answer these questions. |
| 6 | TRUE | butterfly enthusiasts - people who spend their free time observing the activities of different species |
| 7 | colonies | whose colonies are up to a hundred strong |
| 8 | spring | some develop into butterflies early in spring |
| 9 | endangered | often described as Britain's most endangered butterfly |
| 10 | habitat | it was found that the species in this group that specialise in very specific habitat types |
| 11 | Europe | Many of Britain's single-generation species show the capacity, in continental Europe, to add a second generation in years that are sufficiently warm. |
| 12 | southern | The White Admiral of southern England |
| 13 | diet | This may be because the caterpillar exists solely on a diet of a plant called honeysuckle. |

## Why these answers are right

**1. FALSE.** Paragraph A says populations of about two thirds of species 'have declined in Britain over the past 40 years'. A decline since then means there were more butterflies forty years ago, not fewer, so the statement is FALSE.

**2. TRUE.** Caterpillars 'act as prey for birds as well as bats and other small mammals'. Being prey for birds, bats and other mammals means being eaten by several kinds of predator, so the statement is TRUE.

**3. FALSE.** Paragraph B defines phenology as 'the timing of such lifecycle events', such as when a species becomes active or reproduces. The statement says it concerns the location of these events, which contradicts the definition, so the answer is FALSE.

The why and the trap for questions 4 onwards are free with an account on the [answers page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/reading/the-impact-of-climate-change-on-butterflies-in-britain/answers).

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