The Blog post contains the following IELTS Reading Questions:
- IELTS Reading Matching features
- IELTS Reading Yes, No or Not Given
- IELTS Reading Note Completion
Stay informed and prepared for success – Explore our comprehensive Reading Test Info page to get valuable insights, exam format details, and expert tips for mastering the IELTS Reading section.
IELTS Reading Passage – Frogwatch
Frogwatch
The Frogwatch, a unique success story that began in western Australia by Dr. Ken Aplin. Since he worked as the curator of reptiles and frogs in the Western Australian Museum, he questioned if a community-based frog-rmonitoring network could help him keep track of frogs as his work invoked long field trips. As a result of this network, ordinary untrained citizens of the community could gain knowledge about frog habitats, count the numbers and identify the different species of frogs in their local area, and report this information to the museum.
Many individuals believe that the addition of 3221 new members to the 1995-founded Frogwatch programme is the best thing the museum has ever accomplished. Each member receives a ‘Frogwatch Kit’ – a regular newsletter, an audio tape of frog calls and identification guide. Recently, an unaccountable parasitic fungus ailment began attacking frogs worldwide; consequently, it caused a sharp rise in Frogwatch membership. Scientists suspect the fungus originated overseas, possibly in South America, where frogs have perished in horrific numbers due to a fungus disease that is genetically related to the Australian organism. However,research is still in its infancy.
The extent of the infection among the frog population in Western Australia was a question that researchers there needed to answer. As a result, Aplin asked Frogwatch members for assistance by sending them a ‘F-file’ (frog fungus information) alert. He requested that they bring him dead or dying frogs. More than 2,000 frogs have now been surveyed, half from the museum’s existing collection. Aplin once believed the fungus had arrived in Western Australia in only the past year or two, but recent testing indicates it has really been there since the late 1980s. Frogwatch has proven to be Abe’s ideal link with the public, and Aplin has totally converted to community participation. Since the museum can’t afford to use professional resources to monitor frog populations, he’s now aiming for a network of 15,000 Frogwatch participations. Monitoring the frogs would be impossible without community support, since much of the frog habitat is on private land.
The ‘feelgood’ popularity of Frogwatch is not convincing to anyone. Even Though Dr. Dale Roberts, a senior zoology lecturer at the University of Washington, agrees that the programme has: tapped into the public’s enthusiasm for frogs, he cautions that strong public awareness does not amount to sound science. While Aplin believes even tiny backyard ponds can help to significantly improve frog numbers, Roberts isn’t so sure.
He contends that although getting the public to send in pages of observations is a good thing, giving these reports legitimacy may not be sound scientifically. Furthermore, he’s convinced that Frogwatch’s alarmist warning on the danger of fungal infection is not valid either. After two similarly dry years, Western Australia saw a protracted summer and extremely late, soaking rainfall that year.So, he argues, there are other factors that might have precipitated the deaths. He doubts what, if anything, could be done about it. If it’s already widespread, it may not be worth the money and effort of doing anything about it. Even though this is causing significant mortality rates, he claims he can still find every frog species discovered in the south-west of Australia during the previous decade.
According to Roberts, Western Australia is different. In contrast to most other states, species are still being discovered there; the disappearances of frog types in Queensland and New South Wales, are not occurring in Western Australia, although 3 south-west species are on the endangered list. Roberts thinks that since these species are found in isolated habitats that are targeted for development, no amount of garden ponds in Perth will help those species.
The number of frog-friendly habitats is important for this very reason as it is increasing, many Western Australian frog species are found in small, highly restricted locations, Aplin responded. He argues that pesticide-free gardens and ponds can give animals to battling habitat disturbance, environmental contaminants, climatic variations, and now fungal illness with a greater chance of survival. Aplin gave a thought that they should apply the precautionary principle in cases where they don’t yet know enough about the situation. Usually infections sort themselves out naturally and certain frog fauna will co-evolve with the fungus. They experience negative effects, but for a limited time, some equilibrium may be restored.
Dr. Rick Speare, a specialist in amphibian disorder at James Cook University, mapped the worldwide diffusion of the chytrid fungus. Apart from this, he also examines the precision of Aplin’s fungus diagnoses and says Frogwatch is ‘an extraordinary and under-acknowledged system, the best program in Australia for harnessing public interest in frog biology. There are a lot of eyes out there seeking for dead or sick frogs, which are beyond the power of any biologist to collect. When governments want to slash research funds, Aplin claims that they should never underemphasize the significance of having a community base as ‘People can protest in ways that a handful of scientists hiding in a laboratory can’t do’. community involvement is essential to resolve environmental obstacles. Moreover, Frogwatch is proving to be as much a social phenomena as anything else. It appears that common knowledge holds that frogs are an indicator of environmental health.
Unlock your full potential in the IELTS Reading section – Visit our IELTS Reading Practice Question Answer page now!
Recommended Questions:
Renewable Energy IELTS Reading Question with Answer
Frogwatch IELTS Reading Questions
Questions 1-6
Match the informations using the list of letters, A-C, below: Write the correct letter, and answer 1-6 on your answer sheet.
A – for Dr. Roberts
B – for Dr. Speare
C – for Dr. Aplin
- Because of the unique geography of Western Australia, most frog species in this State are not in danger of extinction.
- Although it is possible that frogs will adapt to fungal and other problems in the long term, we should take precautions in case this does not occur.
- Frogwatch has greater potential for frog observation than is possible by the scientific community.
- The development of frog-friendly backyards will help to conserve frog species.
- Although the involvement of large numbers of people is encouraging, this does not guarantee scientifically valid data.
- As there may be many other explanations for recent frog deaths, it is not worth spending a great deal of time and money studying this fungus.
Improve your performance in Matching Features questions by clicking here to access our comprehensive guide. Learn how to match specific features or characteristics with the options provided in the IELTS Reading section.
Questions 7-10
Answer the question from Yes/ No or Not Given.
YES if the statement agrees with the views of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the views of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
7) Scientists in WA have examined about two thousand frogs collected by Frogwatch.
8) New species of frogs have been found in Western Australia recently.
9)Frogwatch has proved that frogs are disappearing because of a fungus.
10) All Frogwatch members live in Western Australia.
Want to excel in identifying the writer’s views and claims? Click here to explore our in-depth guide on how to accurately determine Yes, No, or Not Given in the IELTS Reading section.
Questions 11-13
Complete the notes below
.Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
11) When authority bodies want to cut research fundings, Aplin claims that they should never underestimate the ________ of having a society base.12) _________ members are targeted by Aplin as the museum can’t afford to measure professional resources to monitor frog populations.13) Roberts agrees that Frogwatch’s alarmist word about the ________ of fungal infection is reliable.
Boost your performance in Summary, Notes, Table, and Flowchart Completion tasks. Click here to explore our detailed guide and learn how to effectively complete summaries, notes, tables, and flowcharts in the IELTS Reading section.
Unlock your full potential in the IELTS Reading section – Visit our IELTS Reading Practice Question Answer page now!
Recommended Questions:
Renewable Energy IELTS Reading Question with Answer
Frogwatch reading answers
1. A – Dr. Roberts
2. C – Dr. Aplin
3. B – Dr. Speare
4. C – Dr. Aplin
5. A – Dr. Roberts
6. A – Dr. Roberts
7. NO
8. YES
9. NO
We hope you found this post useful in helping you to study for the IELTS Test. If you have any questions please let us know in the comments below or on the Facebook page.
The best way to keep up to date with posts like this is to like us on Facebook, then follow us on Instagram and Pinterest. If you need help preparing for the IELTS Test, join the IELTS Achieve Academy and see how we can assist you to achieve your desired band score. We offer an essay correction service, mock exams and online courses.
