The impact of climate change on butterflies in Britain: reading answers and analysis
Two thirds of British butterfly species have declined in 40 years. A study using 20 years of amateur records shows that species able to breed several times a year gain from emerging earlier, while single-generation specialists like the High Brown Fritillary may be harmed. There is hope for some if warmer summers let them add a second generation.
Questions 1-13 · 13 marks · 2 question blocks
Where the answers sit
TRUE / FALSE / NOT GIVEN (1-6) covers the first four paragraphs. The notes (7-13) are grouped by species, and the species appear in the passage in the same order as the notes: Small Blue, High Brown Fritillary, Silver-studded Blue, White Admiral.
Questions 1-6
Watch the definitions. Phenology is about when something happens in the year, not where, so the location statement is FALSE. The study says the reason for the change is still unknown, which makes 'there is a clear reason' FALSE, not NOT GIVEN.
| Question | Answer | Also accepted |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FALSE | — |
| 2 | TRUE | — |
| 3 | FALSE | — |
| 4 | NOT GIVEN | — |
| 5 | FALSE | — |
| 6 | TRUE | — |
Questions 7-13
Find the species name first, then read around it. Several answers are hidden in descriptions: the Small Blue's colonies, the Fritillary described as the most endangered, the Silver-studded Blue already breeding twice in continental Europe, and the White Admiral's southern range and honeysuckle-only diet.
| Question | Answer | Also accepted |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | colonies | — |
| 8 | spring | — |
| 9 | endangered | — |
| 10 | habitat | habitats |
| 11 | Europe | — |
| 12 | southern | — |
| 13 | diet | — |
The questions most people get wrong
FALSE. Numbers have gone down over 40 years, so there were more butterflies then, not fewer.
NOT GIVEN. The passage says species emerge earlier as springs get warmer, but it never says anything about lifespan.
The answer is 'Europe'. The passage says 'continental Europe', but the note already asks for a place, and only one word fits the gap.
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The full Cambridge 19 Test 4 reading paper: all three passages, 60 minutes, marked the second you finish with a review of every answer. Already done it? Take it again and see if the same traps still get you.
Cambridge IELTS 19, Test 4, Reading Passage 1. The passage name belongs to Cambridge University Press. No passage text or question wording is reproduced on this page. The answers are published for self-marking, and the analysis is our own.