# Why we need to protect polar bears: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 16, Test 1, Reading Passage 1

Source: Passage, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 16, Test 1, 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 | Yet the polar bear experiences no such consequences. |
| 2 | FALSE | They compared the genetic structure of polar bears with that of their closest relatives from a warmer climate, the brown bears. |
| 3 | NOT GIVEN | A 2014 study by Shi Ping Liu and colleagues sheds light on this mystery. |
| 4 | TRUE | the polar bears had a gene known as APoB, which reduces levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) - a form of 'bad' cholesterol |
| 5 | TRUE | This process results in about six months of fasting |
| 6 | FALSE | there was no evidence of significant loss of bone density |
| 7 | TRUE | many bedridden humans, and even astronauts, could potentially benefit |
| 8 | violent | seem to be perceived as stupid and in many cases violent. |
| 9 | tool | making use of a tool to manipulate his environment |
| 10 | meat | to dislodge a piece of meat hung out of his reach |
| 11 | photographer | in an attempt to get to a photographer standing on a platform four metres high |
| 12 | game | in what appeared to be a game |
| 13 | frustration | seemingly out of frustration - when they have just missed out on a kill |

## Why these answers are right

**1. FALSE.** Paragraph A says humans with that much fat would risk diabetes and heart disease, yet the polar bear experiences no such consequences. The statement claims the bears do suffer health problems from their fat, which directly contradicts the passage.

**2. FALSE.** Liu's team compared the genes of polar bears with those of brown bears, their closest relatives from a warmer climate. That is a comparison between two species, not between different groups of polar bears, so the statement is FALSE.

**3. NOT GIVEN.** Paragraph B introduces the 2014 study by Liu and colleagues and explains what it found, but it never says whether anyone had compared polar and brown bear genes before. Without any claim about being first, the answer is NOT GIVEN.

The why and the trap for questions 4 onwards are free with an account on the [answers page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/reading/why-we-need-to-protect-polar-bears/answers).

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