Otters – IELTS Reading Answers

The ‘Otters’ is an IELTS Academic Reading passage is a good resource for anyone who is preparing for the IELTS Reading test. This passage will help you understand what kind of reading passages you will encounter and the questions that you will be asked to solve.

The question types in this Reading Passage include:

• Matching Information IELTS Reading (Q. 1-9)
• Short Answer Questions IELTS Reading (Q. 10-13)

Reading Passage

Otters

A Otters have long, thin bodies and short legs – ideal for pushing through dense undergrowth or hunting in tunnels. An adult male may be up to 4 feet long and 30lbs. Females are smaller typically. The Eurasian otter’s nose is about the smallest among the otter species and has a characteristic shape described as a shallow ‘W’. An otters tail (or rudder, or stern) is stout at the base and tapers towards the tip where it flattens. This forms part of the propulsion unit when swimming fast underwater. Otter fur consists of two types of hair: stout guard hairs which form a waterproof outer covering, and under-fur which is dense and fine, equivalent to an otter’s thermal underwear. The fur must be kept in good condition by grooming. Seawater reduces the waterproofing and insulating qualities of otter fur when saltwater in the fur. This is why freshwater pools are important to otters living on the coast. After swimming, they wash the salts off in pools and the squirm on the ground to rub dry against vegetation.

B The scent is used for hunting on land, for communication and for detecting danger. Otterine sense of smell is likely to be similar in sensitivity to dogs. Otters have small eyes and are probably short-sighted on land. But they do have the ability to modify the shape of the lens in the eye to make it more spherical, and hence overcome the refraction of water. In clear water and good light, otters can hunt fish by sight. The otter’s eyes and nostrils are placed high on its head so that it can see and breathe even when the rest of the body is submerged. Underwater, the cotter holds its legs against the body, except for steering, and the hind end of the body is flexed in a series of vertical undulations. River otters have webbing which extends for much of the length of each digit, though not to the very end. Giant otters and sea otters have even more prominent webs, while the Asian short-clawed otter has no webbing – they hunt for shrimps in ditches and paddy fields so they don’t need the swimming speed. Otter’s ears are tiny for streamlining, but they still have very sensitive hearing and are protected by valves which close them against water pressure.

C A number of constraints and preferences limit suitable habitats of otters. Water is a must and the rivers must be large enough to support a healthy population of fish. Being such shy and wary creatures, they will prefer territories where man’s activities do not impinge greatly. Of course, there must also be no other otter already in residence – this has only become significant again recently as populations start to recover. Coastal otters have a much more abundant food supply and range for males and females may be just a few kilometres of coastline. Because male range overlaps with two or three females – not bad! Otters will eat anything that they can get hold of – there are records of sparrows and snakes and slugs being gobbled. Apart from fish, the most common prey are crayfish, crabs and water birds. Small mammals are occasionally taken, most commonly rabbits but sometimes even moles.

D Eurasian otters will breed any time where food is readily available. In places where the condition is more severe, Sweden for example where the lakes are frozen for much of winter, cubs are born in spring. This ensures that they are well grown before severe weather returns. In the Shetlands, cubs are born in summer when fish is more abundant. Though otters can breed every year, some do not. Again, this depends on food availability. Other factors such as food range and quality of the female may have an effect. Gestation for Eurasian otter is 63 days, with the exception of Lutra canadensis whose embryos may undergo delayed implantation. Otters normally give birth in more secure dens to avoid disturbances. Nests are lined with bedding to keep the cub’s warm mummy is away feeding.

E Otters normally give birth in more secure dens to avoid disturbances. Nests are lined with bedding (reeds, waterside plants, grass) to keep the cub’s warm while is away feeding. Litter Size varies between 1 and 5. For some unknown reason, coastal otters tend to produce smaller litters. At five weeks they open their eyes – a tiny cub of 700g. At seven weeks they’re weaned onto solid food. At ten weeks they leave the nest, blinking into daylight for the first time. After three months they finally meet the water and learn to swim. After eight months they are hunting, though the mother still provides a lot of food herself. Finally, after nine months she can chase them all away with a clear conscience, and relax – until the next fella shows up.

F The plight of the British otter was recognised in the early 60s, but it wasn’t until the late 70s that the chief cause was discovered. Pesticides, such as dieldrin and aldrin, were first used in1955 in agriculture and other industries – these chemicals are very persistent and had already been recognised as the cause of huge declines in the population of peregrine falcons, sparrow hawks and other predators. The pesticides entered the river systems and the food chain – micro-organisms, fish and finally otters, with every step increasing the concentration of the chemicals. From 1962 the chemicals were phased out, but while some species recovered quickly, otter numbers did not – and continued to fall into the 80s. This was probably due mainly to habitat destruction and road deaths. Acting on populations fragmented by the sudden decimation in the 50s and 60s, the loss of just a handful of otters in one area can make an entire population unviable and spell the end.

G Otter numbers are recovering all around Britain – populations are growing again in the few areas where they had remained and have expanded from those areas into the rest of the country. This is almost entirely due to legislation, conservation efforts, slowing down and reversing the destruction of suitable otter habitat and reintroductions from captive breeding programs. Releasing captive-bred otters is seen by many as a last resort. The argument runs that where there is no suitable habitat for them they will not survive after release and where there is suitable habitat, natural populations should be able to expand into the area. However, reintroducing animals into a fragmented and fragile population may add just enough impetus for it to stabilise and expand, rather than die out. This is what the Otter Trust accomplished in Norfolk, where the otter population may have been as low as twenty animals at the beginning of the 1980s. The Otter Trust has now finished its captive breeding program entirely, great news because it means it is no longer needed.

Questions 1-9

1 A description of how otters regulate vision underwater

2 The fit-for-purpose characteristics of otter’s body shape

3 A reference to an underdeveloped sense

4 An explanation of why agriculture failed in otter conservation efforts

5 A description of some of the otter’s social characteristics

6 A description of how baby otters grow

7 The conflicting opinions on how to preserve

8 A reference to the legislative act

9 An explanation of how otters compensate for heat loss

Questions 10-13

10 What affects the outer fur of otters?

11 What skill is not necessary for Asian short-clawed otters?

12 Which type of otters has the shortest range?

13 Which type of animals do otters hunt occasionally?

Answers for Otters IELTS Reading Answers with Location and Explanation

Check out the detailed for the questions given above and get an idea of how to improve your reading skills for a top IELTS Reading band score.

1 Answer: B

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 3

Answer explanation: The 3rd line of paragraph B states, “But they do have the ability to modify the shape of the lens in the eye to make it more spherical, and hence overcome the refraction of water. In clear water and good light, otters can hunt fish by sight.” We can understand from these lines that though otters have limited eyesight on land, they’re capable of adapting the lenses in their eyes under water which helps them see against the refraction in water. Thus, a description of how otters regulate vision underwater can be found in Paragraph B, so, the answer is B.

2 Answer: A

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 4

Answer explanation: The 4th line of paragraph A illustrates that an otter’s tail (or rudder, or stern) is stout at the base and tapers towards the tip where it flattens. This forms part of the propulsion unit when swimming fast underwater. These lines indicate the fit-for-purpose characteristics of the otter’s body shape. The otter’s body is built to help the animal swim faster, especially the tail that resembles an oar underwater. Therefore, the answer is A.

3 Answer: B

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 2

Answer explanation: Line 2 of paragraph B illustrates that Otters have small eyes and are probably short-sighted on land. These lines depict that despite Otters having a strong olfactory sense, they have small size, which results in short-sight on land. Hence, the answer is B.

4 Answer: F

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph F, line 5

Answer explanation: Paragraph F, line 5 states that the pesticides entered the river systems and the food chain – micro-organisms, fish and finally otters, with every step increasing the concentration of the chemicals. These lines indicate an explanation to why agriculture failed in Otter conservation effect, that is the toxic chemical pesticides were heavily used in agriculture, however, they entered the river systems, anf contaminated the food chain and caused a decrease in the Otter population. Thus, the answer is F.

5 Answer: C

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph C, line 2

Answer explanation: The 2nd line of paragraph C reveals that being such shy and wary creatures, they will prefer territories where man’s activities do not impinge greatly. These lines illustrate a description of some of the otter’s social characteristics. Thus, the answer is C.

6 Answer: E

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph E, line 4

Answer explanation: The 4th line of paragraph E states that at five weeks they open their eyes – a tiny cub of 700g. At seven weeks they’re weaned onto solid food. At ten weeks they leave the nest, blinking into daylight for the first time. After three months they finally meet the water and learn to swim. After eight months they are hunting, though the mother still provides a lot of food herself. Finally, after nine months she can chase them all away with a clear conscience, and relax – until the next fella shows up. These lines give a description of how a baby otter grows until 9 months. We can understand that baby otters are brought up in secluded dens devoid of interference. Only after 3 months, they learn to swim and hunt after 8 months. At almost 9 months, the otters are ready to fend for themselves. Thus, the answer is E.

7 Answer: G

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph G, line 5

Answer explanation: The 5th line of paragraph G illustrates that the argument runs that where there is no suitable habitat for them they will not survive after release and where there is suitable habitat, natural populations should be able to expand into the area. However, reintroducing animals into a fragmented and fragile population may add just enough impetus for it to stabilize and expand, rather than die out. These lines indicate the conflicting options on how to preserve the otter population. Thus, the answer is G.

8 Answer: G

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph G, line 3

Answer explanation: The 3rd line of paragraph G reveals that this is almost entirely due to legislation, conservation efforts, slowing down and reversing the destruction of suitable otter habitat and reintroductions from captive breeding programs. These lines illustrate a reference to the legislative act. We can deduce from these lines that with an aim to preserve and increase the otter population, several measures are taken, including the implementation of a legislative act. Thus, the answer is G.

9 Answer: A

Question type: Matching Information

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 6

Answer explanation: The 6th line of paragraph A reveals that Otter fur consists of two types of hair: stout guard hairs which form a waterproof outer covering, and under-fur which is dense and fine, equivalent to an otter’s thermal underwear. These lines give a definitive explanation of how otters compensate for the loss of heat. We can understand that Otters spend a lot of time underwater, as a result of which their fur is made up of two kinds of hairs that counter heat loss. However the waterproofing and thermal properties of the fur keep the animal warm. Hence, the answer is A.

10 Answer: sea water/ salt water/ salt

Question type: Short Answer Question

Answer location: Paragraph A, line 8

Answer explanation: The 8th line of paragraph A states that seawater reduces the waterproofing and insulating qualities of otter fur when saltwater in the fur. This is why freshwater pools are important to otters living on the coast. These lines indicate that the otter’s fur has water-repelling/ waterproofing and insulating qualities, which doesn’t require grooming. However, saltwater affects these features keeping the otters warm. This might be the reason why fresh-water pools are essential for the otters on the coast. Thus, saltwater affects the outer fur of otters. So, the answer is sea water/ salt water/ salt.

11 Answer: swimming speed

Question type: Short Answer Question

Answer location: Paragraph B, line 9

Answer explanation: In the 9th line of paragraph B, it is mentioned that giant otters and sea otters have even more prominent webs, while the Asian short-clawed otter has no webbing – they hunt for shrimps in ditches and paddy fields so they don’t need the swimming speed. These lines elucidate that giants and sea otters have more prominent webs, while Asian short-clawed otters have no webbing and they hunt for shrimps from paddy fields and ditches rather than hunting for fish in rivers as they don’t need the swimming speed. Thus, Asian short-clawed otters do not require swimming speed to eat their prey. Hence, the answer is swimming speed.

12 Answer: coastal otters

Question type: Short Answer Question

Answer location: Paragraph C, line 5

Answer explanation: The 5th line of paragraph C states that coastal otters have a much more abundant food supply and range for males and females may be just a few kilometers of coastline. These lines suggest that coastal otters have a wide range of food supply, with a short range, where the males and females stretch over only a few kilometers of the coastlines. Therefore, the coastal otters have the shortest range. Thus, the answer is coastal otters.

13 Answer: small mammals

Question type: Short Answer Question

Answer location: Paragraph C, last line

Answer explanation: The last line of paragraph C states that small mammals are occasionally taken, most commonly rabbits but sometimes even moles. It is well known that Otters have a diverse diet that spreads across fish, crabs, snakes, sparrows to small mammals like rabbits and moles. As a result, these are the small mammals that are usually taken and hunted by Otters occasionally. Thus, the answer is Small mammals.

Tips for Answering the Question Types in Otters Reading Answers

Now let’s get started with the IELTS exam preparation tips for each question type. It will provide guidance on how to approach each question type.

Matching Information: 

You will be given a list of three to six statements in this type of question, and you will need to match the information in each statement to the corresponding information in a paragraph in the reading passage.

• Read the instructions followed by the list of statements –  You will get an idea of the main idea of each statement. Also, figure out the keywords from each statement.
• Scan and skim through the passage – Use these IELTS Reading keyword techniques to go through the text and find out which paragraph or section contains the relevant information of the statements.
• One paragraph will contain information given in a statement – While one statement corresponds to one passage, some passages may not have any answer. Remember this to avoid repetition or wasting your time. 
• Identify the answer – Once you identify the keywords and find out the corresponding paragraph that contains the information, follow this process for the others.

Short-Answer Type Questions: 

Short Answer Type Questions is a type of IELTS Reading question that requires you to scan through a passage and answer questions based on the information given following the word limit. To answer short-answer type questions, you can use the following strategies:

• Go through the instructions carefully – You will find the word limit for the answers there, which you have to follow strictly.
• Read the questions and highlight the keywords – The next step will be to read the questions to know what keywords or information you have to look for in the passage.
• Use the ‘Wh’ words in the questions – Words like ‘What’, (names), ‘Where’ (place), ‘When’ (time), etc. will enable you to understand the type of information you are looking for.
• Use reading techniques to study the passage quickly – Do not waste your time reading the whole passage. Scan through the passage to find out the keywords or their synonyms. If headers are given, use them to locate the answer easily.
• Check the spelling – Once you find the answer, note the correct spelling in your answer sheet.

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