Giới Thiệu
Chủ đề Impact Of Urbanization On Wildlife Conservation (tác động của đô thị hóa lên bảo tồn động vật hoang dã) là một trong những chủ đề phổ biến và quan trọng thường xuyên xuất hiện trong kỳ thi IELTS Reading. Với xu hướng toàn cầu hóa và phát triển đô thị ngày càng mạnh mẽ, việc hiểu rõ mối quan hệ giữa con người và thiên nhiên trở thành kiến thức thiết yếu không chỉ cho kỳ thi mà còn cho đời sống thực tế.
Bài viết này cung cấp cho bạn một bộ đề thi IELTS Reading hoàn chỉnh với ba passages có độ khó tăng dần từ Easy đến Hard, bao gồm đầy đủ 40 câu hỏi theo đúng format thi thật. Bạn sẽ được rèn luyện với nhiều dạng câu hỏi đa dạng như Multiple Choice, True/False/Not Given, Yes/No/Not Given, Matching Headings, Summary Completion và nhiều dạng khác.
Đặc biệt, bài viết này không chỉ cung cấp đáp án mà còn có giải thích chi tiết cho từng câu hỏi, giúp bạn hiểu rõ cách paraphrase, xác định từ khóa và áp dụng các chiến lược làm bài hiệu quả. Phần từ vựng được trình bày dưới dạng bảng với đầy đủ phiên âm, nghĩa tiếng Việt và ví dụ thực tế từ bài đọc.
Bộ đề này phù hợp cho học viên có trình độ từ band 5.0 trở lên, giúp bạn làm quen với format thi thật và nâng cao kỹ năng đọc hiểu học thuật một cách bài bản.
1. Hướng Dẫn Làm Bài IELTS Reading
Tổng Quan Về IELTS Reading Test
IELTS Reading Test là phần thi kéo dài 60 phút với 3 passages và tổng cộng 40 câu hỏi. Điểm số được tính dựa trên số câu trả lời đúng, không bị trừ điểm khi sai.
Phân bổ thời gian khuyến nghị:
- Passage 1: 15-17 phút (độ khó Easy)
- Passage 2: 18-20 phút (độ khó Medium)
- Passage 3: 23-25 phút (độ khó Hard)
Lưu ý quan trọng: Bạn cần tự quản lý thời gian vì đề thi không chia nhỏ theo từng passage. Hãy dành 2-3 phút cuối để chuyển đáp án vào answer sheet.
Các Dạng Câu Hỏi Trong Đề Này
Bộ đề thi này bao gồm các dạng câu hỏi phổ biến nhất trong IELTS Reading:
- Multiple Choice – Trắc nghiệm nhiều lựa chọn
- True/False/Not Given – Xác định thông tin đúng/sai/không được đề cập
- Matching Information – Nối thông tin với đoạn văn
- Yes/No/Not Given – Xác định quan điểm tác giả
- Matching Headings – Nối tiêu đề với đoạn văn
- Summary Completion – Điền từ hoàn thành đoạn tóm tắt
- Sentence Completion – Hoàn thành câu
- Short-answer Questions – Câu hỏi trả lời ngắn
2. IELTS Reading Practice Test
PASSAGE 1 – Urban Expansion and Its Effects on Local Wildlife
Độ khó: Easy (Band 5.0-6.5)
Thời gian đề xuất: 15-17 phút
The world’s cities are expanding at an unprecedented rate. According to the United Nations, by 2050, nearly 68% of the global population will live in urban areas, up from 55% in 2018. This rapid urbanization brings significant changes to natural habitats and poses serious challenges for wildlife conservation. Understanding how cities affect animals and plants is crucial for developing sustainable urban planning strategies.
When cities grow, they typically encroach upon surrounding forests, grasslands, and wetlands. This process, known as habitat fragmentation, breaks up large, continuous areas of natural environment into smaller, isolated patches. Many species require extensive territories for hunting, breeding, and migration. When their habitats become fragmented, animals face numerous difficulties. For example, large predators like wolves and bears need vast areas to find sufficient food. As cities expand, these animals are forced into smaller spaces, leading to increased competition for resources and higher mortality rates.
The construction of roads and buildings creates physical barriers that prevent animals from moving freely between habitat patches. This isolation can have devastating consequences for wildlife populations. Small, isolated groups of animals are more vulnerable to genetic problems caused by inbreeding, where closely related individuals mate because they cannot reach other populations. Over time, this reduces genetic diversity and makes populations less able to adapt to environmental changes or disease.
However, urbanization doesn’t affect all species equally. Some animals, called synanthropic species, have adapted remarkably well to city life. Pigeons, rats, and certain types of foxes thrive in urban environments, taking advantage of abundant food sources like garbage and parks. These opportunistic species often experience population increases in cities. Meanwhile, species that require specific habitat conditions or are sensitive to noise and light pollution struggle to survive. Birds that rely on darkness for navigation during migration, for instance, can become disoriented by city lights, leading to collisions with buildings.
City development also introduces pollution into natural ecosystems. Chemical runoff from roads, containing oil, heavy metals, and de-icing salts, flows into nearby rivers and streams, affecting aquatic life. Light pollution from streetlights and buildings disrupts the natural day-night cycles that many animals depend on for feeding, breeding, and navigation. Noise pollution from traffic and construction can interfere with animal communication, particularly for species that rely on sound to find mates or warn of danger.
Despite these challenges, recent research suggests that cities don’t have to be ecological dead zones. Many urban planners and conservationists are now promoting wildlife-friendly design principles. These include creating green corridors – strips of natural habitat that connect isolated patches, allowing animals to move safely between areas. Some cities have installed wildlife crossings over or under major roads, helping animals avoid vehicle collisions. Singapore, for example, has implemented an extensive network of park connectors that link nature reserves across the city.
Urban gardens and parks also play a valuable role in supporting biodiversity. Research has shown that even small green spaces can provide important resources for pollinators like bees and butterflies. Some cities are experimenting with green roofs – vegetation planted on building tops – which create additional habitat space and help reduce the urban heat island effect. Chicago has over 500 green roofs covering more than 5 million square feet, providing habitat for various bird and insect species.
Education and community involvement are essential for successful urban wildlife conservation. When city residents understand the importance of local wildlife and learn how their actions affect animals, they are more likely to support conservation initiatives. Programs that encourage people to create wildlife-friendly gardens, reduce pesticide use, and keep cats indoors can make a significant difference for urban biodiversity.
The relationship between urbanization and wildlife conservation is complex, but not hopeless. While city growth undoubtedly creates challenges for many species, thoughtful planning and design can help minimize negative impacts. By incorporating nature into urban development from the beginning, rather than treating it as an afterthought, we can create cities that support both human and wildlife populations. The future of sustainable cities depends on recognizing that humans are part of, not separate from, the natural world.
Hình ảnh minh họa tác động của đô thị hóa đến môi trường sống của động vật hoang dã trong bài thi IELTS Reading
Questions 1-13
Questions 1-5: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
-
According to the passage, what percentage of people will live in cities by 2050?
A. 55%
B. 60%
C. 68%
D. 75% -
Habitat fragmentation mainly affects large predators because:
A. They cannot find mates
B. They need large territories for survival
C. They are hunted by humans
D. They cannot adapt to city noise -
What problem is caused by isolated animal populations?
A. Increased food availability
B. Better genetic diversity
C. Inbreeding and reduced genetic diversity
D. Faster migration patterns -
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a type of pollution affecting wildlife?
A. Chemical runoff
B. Light pollution
C. Noise pollution
D. Air pollution from factories -
According to the passage, green roofs help by:
A. Reducing building costs
B. Creating habitat and reducing heat
C. Providing food for humans
D. Increasing property values
Questions 6-9: True/False/Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information in the passage?
Write:
- TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
- FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
- NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
- All animal species struggle equally when cities expand.
- Wildlife crossings have been built in some cities to help animals cross roads safely.
- Singapore has the world’s largest network of green corridors.
- Keeping cats indoors can help protect urban wildlife.
Questions 10-13: Matching Information
Match the following statements with the correct paragraph (A-I). You may use any letter more than once.
Paragraph A: First paragraph (The world’s cities…)
Paragraph B: Second paragraph (When cities grow…)
Paragraph C: Third paragraph (The construction of roads…)
Paragraph D: Fourth paragraph (However, urbanization doesn’t…)
Paragraph E: Fifth paragraph (City development also…)
Paragraph F: Sixth paragraph (Despite these challenges…)
Paragraph G: Seventh paragraph (Urban gardens and parks…)
Paragraph H: Eighth paragraph (Education and community…)
Paragraph I: Ninth paragraph (The relationship between…)
- Examples of species that have successfully adapted to urban life
- The importance of public awareness in wildlife conservation
- Solutions involving vegetation on building structures
- Problems caused by breaking up natural environments into smaller pieces
PASSAGE 2 – The Ecological Consequences of Metropolitan Growth
Độ khó: Medium (Band 6.0-7.5)
Thời gian đề xuất: 18-20 phút
The exponential growth of metropolitan areas represents one of the most profound transformations of the Earth’s surface in human history. This demographic shift from rural to urban living, accelerating since the Industrial Revolution, has fundamentally altered ecosystem dynamics across multiple spatial scales. While urbanization has delivered substantial economic and social benefits, its ecological ramifications for wildlife populations have become increasingly apparent, prompting researchers and policymakers to seek a more nuanced understanding of how cities can coexist with nature.
A. The Mechanics of Urban Encroachment
Urban expansion operates through several distinct mechanisms, each with unique implications for wildlife. Horizontal sprawl, characterized by low-density development spreading outward from city centres, consumes vast areas of natural and agricultural land. This pattern, particularly prevalent in North American and Australian cities, generates extensive edge habitats – transitional zones between developed and natural areas. These edges experience altered microclimates, changed soil composition, and modified vegetation structure, creating conditions that favour generalist species while disadvantaging specialists adapted to specific environmental conditions.
Vertical intensification, conversely, concentrates development within existing urban footprints through high-rise construction. While this approach theoretically preserves more peripheral habitat, it increases local environmental pressures through higher population densities, elevated resource consumption, and intensified waste generation. The trade-offs between these development patterns remain contested among urban ecologists, with optimal strategies likely varying according to regional ecology and existing urban form.
B. Beyond Simple Habitat Loss
Contemporary research reveals that urbanization’s impacts extend far beyond the direct conversion of natural habitat to built environment. The concept of “urban-induced habitat modification” encompasses subtle but significant changes to remaining natural areas adjacent to cities. Atmospheric deposition of pollutants can alter soil chemistry several kilometres beyond urban boundaries, affecting plant communities and the animals dependent upon them. Hydrological modifications – including increased surface runoff, altered groundwater recharge, and stream channel changes – reshape aquatic and wetland ecosystems across entire watersheds.
The introduction of non-native species, both intentional and accidental, represents another critical dimension of urban ecological impact. Cities serve as entry points and establishment sites for invasive species, which often find favourable conditions in disturbed urban environments before spreading to surrounding natural areas. These invasive organisms can outcompete, prey upon, or introduce diseases to native wildlife, fundamentally restructuring ecological communities. The brown tree snake’s colonization of Guam, facilitated by urban port infrastructure, exemplifies how urbanization can enable biological invasions with catastrophic consequences – in this case, the extinction of most of the island’s native forest birds.
C. Behavioral and Evolutionary Responses
Wildlife populations don’t simply decline passively in response to urbanization; they exhibit diverse behavioural and evolutionary adaptations. Some bird species have modified their songs, increasing frequency and amplitude to be heard over urban noise – a phenomenon documented in European blackbirds, great tits, and other species. Certain animals have adjusted their activity patterns, becoming more nocturnal to avoid human activity, while others have become increasingly diurnal, taking advantage of artificial lighting.
More remarkably, urban environments appear to drive rapid evolutionary change in some species. Studies of white-footed mice in New York City parks revealed genetic differences from rural populations that emerged within decades, suggesting adaptation to urban conditions. Cliff swallows in Nebraska have evolved shorter wings, apparently because this morphology enhances manoeuvrability around vehicles. These findings challenge traditional assumptions about the time scales required for evolutionary change and suggest that urban environments function as powerful selective pressures.
D. The Urban Biodiversity Paradox
Counterintuitively, some studies report higher species richness in moderately developed areas compared to either highly urbanized zones or completely natural habitats. This “intermediate landscape” effect likely reflects the juxtaposition of different habitat types, creating resource diversity that benefits certain species. However, this apparent biodiversity boost typically involves common, adaptable species rather than rare or specialized ones. The metric of species richness can therefore be misleading; urban areas may host many species while simultaneously losing those of greatest conservation concern.
Furthermore, the species that thrive in cities often exhibit particular traits: high reproductive rates, dietary flexibility, tolerance of disturbance, and behavioural plasticity. This non-random filtering of biodiversity toward urban-adapted species represents a form of biological homogenization, where cities worldwide harbour increasingly similar assemblages of plants and animals. A visitor might encounter the same rock pigeons, house sparrows, and common rats in cities across continents – a far cry from the distinctive endemic fauna these regions once supported.
E. Conservation Implications and Future Directions
Recognizing that urbanization will continue, conservation strategies must evolve beyond simply opposing development. The “land-sparing versus land-sharing” debate reflects fundamentally different philosophies: should we concentrate human populations in dense cities to spare surrounding natural habitat, or integrate nature throughout urban landscapes? Evidence suggests context-dependent answers, with optimal approaches varying based on regional ecology, existing development patterns, and the requirements of specific species.
Innovative approaches such as “reconciliation ecology” advocate designing human-dominated landscapes to support native biodiversity. This might involve native plant landscaping, maintaining dark sky corridors for migrating birds, or timing construction activities to avoid sensitive breeding periods. The success of peregrine falcons nesting on urban skyscrapers, having adapted to using tall buildings as cliff substitutes, demonstrates that some species can find ecological niches within cities when appropriate resources exist.
Ultimately, addressing the impact of urbanization on wildlife conservation requires interdisciplinary collaboration among ecologists, urban planners, architects, policymakers, and local communities. Cities represent novel ecosystems that will be permanent features of Earth’s landscape. The question is not whether wildlife can exist in urbanizing world, but rather what kind of biodiversity we will intentionally design our cities to support, and what we are willing to sacrifice in the pursuit of sustainable urban futures.
Chiến lược bảo tồn động vật hoang dã trong môi trường đô thị cho bài tập IELTS Reading nâng cao
Questions 14-26
Questions 14-18: Yes/No/Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in the passage?
Write:
- 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
- Horizontal sprawl is a better development approach than vertical intensification for wildlife conservation.
- Non-native species find urban environments particularly suitable for establishment.
- The evolutionary changes observed in urban wildlife populations are unprecedented in speed.
- Higher species richness in urban areas always indicates better conservation outcomes.
- The land-sparing approach is superior to land-sharing in all contexts.
Questions 19-23: Matching Headings
Choose the correct heading for sections A-E from the list of headings below.
List of Headings:
i. The misleading nature of biodiversity measurements in cities
ii. Different patterns of urban development and their effects
iii. Wildlife’s active response to urban challenges
iv. Collaborative approaches to urban wildlife management
v. How cities facilitate spread of foreign species
vi. The economic benefits of urbanization
vii. Complex changes to ecosystems beyond habitat destruction
viii. Government policies on urban planning
ix. Traditional versus modern conservation thinking
- Section A
- Section B
- Section C
- Section D
- Section E
Questions 24-26: Summary Completion
Complete the summary below using words from the box.
Word Box:
adaptable / extinction / genetic / similar / diverse / behavioural / physical / different / rare / competitive
Urban environments tend to favour species with certain characteristics, leading to a process called biological homogenization. Cities around the world increasingly contain (24) assemblages of wildlife rather than the distinctive species that historically lived in each region. The species that succeed in urban areas typically display high levels of (25) plasticity and tolerance to disturbance. Meanwhile, (26) or specialized species that require specific conditions are most at risk from urbanization.
PASSAGE 3 – Theoretical Frameworks for Understanding Urban-Wildlife Interactions in the Anthropocene
Độ khó: Hard (Band 7.0-9.0)
Thời gian đề xuất: 23-25 phút
The Anthropocene epoch, characterized by humanity’s dominant influence on Earth’s geological and ecological systems, presents unprecedented challenges for wildlife conservation. Urbanization, as one of the most visible manifestations of anthropogenic transformation, has catalyzed a paradigmatic shift in conservation biology, moving from a preservation-focused approach emphasizing pristine wilderness toward more pragmatic frameworks that acknowledge the permanence of human-modified landscapes. This intellectual evolution has generated diverse theoretical perspectives on urban-wildlife interactions, each offering distinct insights into how biodiversity can persist amid accelerating metropolitan expansion.
The Gradient Paradigm and Beyond
Early urban ecology research predominantly employed the urban-rural gradient as an organizing framework, conceptualizing cities as centres of maximum disturbance with impacts diminishing concentrically toward peripheral rural areas. This model facilitated comparative studies and generated valuable insights into species turnover along disturbance gradients. However, its assumption of uniform, concentric impact zones proved increasingly inadequate for capturing the spatial heterogeneity characteristic of real urban landscapes. Contemporary metropolises exhibit complex mosaics of land uses, vegetation types, and disturbance intensities that defy simple gradient characterization.
The “patch-matrix-corridor” model, borrowed from landscape ecology, offered enhanced sophistication by representing urban areas as heterogeneous landscapes comprising habitat patches of varying quality embedded within an inhospitable matrix, connected by corridors facilitating movement. This framework proved particularly valuable for understanding species persistence in fragmented urban habitats and informed practical interventions such as wildlife corridor design. Nevertheless, critics argued that the model’s binary classification of habitat versus non-habitat oversimplified urban ecological reality, where many species utilize multiple landscape elements that might be considered “matrix” in traditional analyses.
More recent conceptualizations embrace the notion of cities as “novel ecosystems” – communities of organisms in combinations not previously observed, functioning under modified environmental conditions. This perspective acknowledges that urban ecosystems, while anthropogenically constructed, exhibit emergent properties and self-organizing dynamics comparable to natural systems. The novel ecosystem framework has normative implications, potentially suggesting acceptance of non-native species and altered ecosystem processes – a position that remains contentious within conservation biology. Some scholars warn against using the concept to rationalize neglecting restoration or accepting degraded conditions, while proponents argue it represents realistic acknowledgment of irreversible ecological change.
Ecological Traps and Urban Sinks
The concept of “ecological traps” illuminates a particularly insidious mechanism of urban impact on wildlife. Ecological traps occur when organisms preferentially select habitats based on cues that historically predicted fitness but which have become decoupled from actual reproductive success in altered environments. Urban areas may present attractive features – abundant food resources, apparent shelter, absence of traditional predators – while concealing fitness costs such as vehicle mortality, window collisions, domestic predator threats, or contaminant exposure. Migratory birds, for instance, may be drawn to illuminated buildings that appear to offer perching sites, resulting in fatal collisions – an estimated one billion bird deaths annually in North America alone.
Related is the “urban sink” hypothesis, which posits that cities function as population sinks where mortality exceeds reproduction, with populations maintained only through continued immigration from productive source populations in surrounding landscapes. This dynamic has profound implications for apparent urban biodiversity: species may appear to thrive in cities while actually experiencing continuous population decline masked by immigration flux. Determining whether urban populations are self-sustaining or sink-dependent requires demographic studies tracking reproduction and survival, which remain scarce for most taxa.
The Urban Adaptation Spectrum
Contemporary theory increasingly recognizes that “urban wildlife” encompasses a spectrum of relationships with anthropogenic environments rather than a simple dichotomy between urban-avoiders and urban-exploiters. “Urban adapters” utilize urban resources opportunistically while maintaining populations in natural habitats. “Urban exploiters” reach highest densities in cities and often exhibit behavioural syndromes – correlated suites of behaviours – that differ markedly from rural conspecifics, including reduced neophobia, increased boldness, and enhanced problem-solving abilities. Studies of urban corvids (crows and ravens) document sophisticated learned behaviours such as using vehicle traffic to crack nuts and timing food collection to traffic signal patterns.
At the mechanistic level, phenotypic plasticity – the capacity of a single genotype to produce different phenotypes in response to environmental variation – appears crucial for urban success. However, distinguishing plastic responses from genetic adaptation requires common garden experiments and genomic analyses that isolate environmental from genetic effects. Emerging research employing whole-genome sequencing has identified genetic signatures of selection in urban populations of various species, affecting genes related to metabolic processes, immune function, and behavioural traits. These findings suggest that urban environments impose consistent selective pressures across taxonomically diverse organisms, potentially driving convergent evolutionary trajectories.
Trophic Dynamics and Urban Food Webs
Urban ecosystems exhibit distinctive trophic structures that challenge classical food web theory developed in natural ecosystems. The “trophic downgrading” of urban ecosystems through apex predator extirpation can trigger trophic cascades affecting multiple trophic levels. Mesopredator release – population increases of mid-sized predators following removal of apex predators – has been documented in numerous urban systems, often with detrimental effects on prey species. Conversely, some cities support surprisingly intact predator assemblages; urban coyotes in Chicago, for example, persist at densities comparable to natural habitats, though with modified diets incorporating anthropogenic food sources.
Anthropogenic subsidies – resources provided intentionally or unintentionally by humans – fundamentally alter urban energy flows. These subsidies, including refuse, ornamental plantings, bird feeders, and irrigation, can sustain population densities far exceeding carrying capacities of natural systems. While such resource supplementation may benefit some species, it can also facilitate hyperpredation – situations where abundant alternative prey allow predator populations to reach levels that drive decline of rarer prey species. The ecological consequences of anthropogenic subsidies remain incompletely understood and may vary substantially among systems.
Synthesis and Future Research Trajectories
The theoretical landscape of urban ecology has matured considerably, yet significant knowledge gaps persist. Most research has focused on vertebrates, particularly birds and mammals, leaving invertebrate communities – which comprise the majority of animal species and provide essential ecosystem services – comparatively understudied. The temporal dynamics of urban ecological processes, including succession in abandoned urban spaces and long-term evolutionary trajectories, require decades-long studies that remain scarce. Additionally, urban ecology research exhibits geographic bias toward cities in developed nations, particularly North America and Europe, limiting generalization to the rapidly urbanizing regions of Asia, Africa, and Latin America where the majority of future urban growth will occur.
Methodological advances offer promising avenues for addressing these gaps. Remote sensing technologies enable landscape-scale assessments of habitat quality and connectivity. Citizen science initiatives leverage public participation to gather data at scales and resolutions unachievable through traditional research. Environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques allow detection of cryptic or rare species from environmental samples. Automated recording devices and machine learning algorithms facilitate long-term monitoring of vocal species. These tools, combined with integrative theoretical frameworks that acknowledge urban systems’ complexity, position urban ecology to make increasingly meaningful contributions to both theoretical understanding and practical conservation.
The fundamental question facing urban wildlife conservation is not whether cities will continue expanding – demographic projections render this virtually certain – but rather what principles will guide their design and management. Will we intentionally architect urban landscapes to support native biodiversity, or will we accept a world where cities worldwide converge toward ecologically impoverished, taxonomically homogeneous communities of cosmopolitan generalists? The answer will emerge not from ecological science alone, but from societal choices about what nature we value and what relationship between humanity and the non-human world we wish to instantiate in our built environments. In this sense, urban wildlife conservation represents both an ecological challenge and a profound ethical question about our species’ role in shaping the planet’s biological future.
Mô hình lý thuyết về tương tác giữa đô thị hóa và động vật trong bài đọc IELTS học thuật
Questions 27-40
Questions 27-31: Multiple Choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
-
According to the passage, the urban-rural gradient model was limited because it:
A. Was too expensive to implement
B. Assumed uniform, concentric impact patterns
C. Ignored rural areas completely
D. Focused only on plant species -
The “novel ecosystems” concept is controversial because it might:
A. Cost too much to implement
B. Require new research methods
C. Justify accepting degraded environmental conditions
D. Eliminate all non-native species -
Ecological traps are dangerous for wildlife because:
A. Animals are attracted to areas that actually harm their reproduction
B. They contain too many predators
C. Food is scarce in these locations
D. They are located far from cities -
According to the passage, distinguishing phenotypic plasticity from genetic adaptation requires:
A. Decades of observation
B. Common garden experiments and genomic analyses
C. Studying only bird species
D. Removing predators from the environment -
The passage suggests that most future urban growth will occur in:
A. North America and Europe
B. Developed nations
C. Asia, Africa, and Latin America
D. Australia and New Zealand
Questions 32-36: Matching Features
Match the following concepts (32-36) with their descriptions (A-H).
Concepts:
32. Urban sink
33. Mesopredator release
34. Anthropogenic subsidies
35. Hyperpredation
36. Environmental DNA (eDNA)
Descriptions:
A. Population increases of mid-sized predators after removal of top predators
B. Resources provided by humans that alter ecosystem energy flows
C. A technique for detecting rare species from environmental samples
D. Areas where death rates exceed birth rates but populations persist through immigration
E. A method for counting animal populations
F. Situations where abundant prey support predators that harm rare species
G. The process of urban expansion into rural areas
H. Genetic changes occurring in urban environments
Questions 37-40: Short-answer Questions
Answer the questions below using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
- What term describes the current geological epoch dominated by human influence?
- What type of experiments help isolate environmental effects from genetic effects?
- What animal group comprises the majority of animal species but remains understudied in urban ecology?
- According to the passage, urban wildlife conservation represents both an ecological challenge and what kind of question?
3. Answer Keys – Đáp Án
PASSAGE 1: Questions 1-13
- C
- B
- C
- D
- B
- FALSE
- TRUE
- NOT GIVEN
- TRUE
- D
- H
- G
- B
PASSAGE 2: Questions 14-26
- NOT GIVEN
- YES
- NOT GIVEN
- NO
- NO
- ii
- vii
- iii
- i
- iv
- similar
- behavioural
- rare
PASSAGE 3: Questions 27-40
- B
- C
- A
- B
- C
- D
- A
- B
- F
- C
- Anthropocene epoch
- common garden experiments
- invertebrate communities
- ethical question
4. Giải Thích Đáp Án Chi Tiết
Passage 1 – Giải Thích
Câu 1: C
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: percentage, people, cities, 2050
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 1, dòng 2-3
- Giải thích: Câu trong bài viết rõ ràng: “by 2050, nearly 68% of the global population will live in urban areas”. Đây là thông tin trực tiếp không cần paraphrase.
Câu 2: B
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: habitat fragmentation, large predators
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 6-8
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói: “large predators like wolves and bears need vast areas to find sufficient food”. Từ “vast areas” được paraphrase thành “large territories” trong đáp án B.
Câu 3: C
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: isolated animal populations, problem
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng 3-6
- Giải thích: Đoạn văn giải thích: “Small, isolated groups of animals are more vulnerable to genetic problems caused by inbreeding… this reduces genetic diversity”. Đáp án C tóm tắt chính xác thông tin này.
Câu 6: FALSE
- Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
- Từ khóa: all animal species, struggle equally
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 4, dòng 1-2
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói rõ: “urbanization doesn’t affect all species equally. Some animals… have adapted remarkably well to city life”. Điều này mâu thuẫn trực tiếp với câu hỏi nên đáp án là FALSE.
Câu 7: TRUE
- Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
- Từ khóa: wildlife crossings, cities, roads
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 6, dòng 4-5
- Giải thích: Bài viết khẳng định: “Some cities have installed wildlife crossings over or under major roads, helping animals avoid vehicle collisions”. Thông tin khớp với câu hỏi.
Câu 9: TRUE
- Dạng câu hỏi: True/False/Not Given
- Từ khóa: keeping cats indoors, protect wildlife
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 8, dòng 3-5
- Giải thích: Bài viết đề cập: “Programs that encourage people to… keep cats indoors can make a significant difference for urban biodiversity”. Đây là bằng chứng rõ ràng cho câu trả lời TRUE.
Câu 10: D
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Information
- Từ khóa: species, successfully adapted, urban life
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 4 (paragraph D)
- Giải thích: Đoạn 4 liệt kê các loài như “Pigeons, rats, and certain types of foxes thrive in urban environments” – đây là ví dụ về các loài thích nghi thành công với môi trường đô thị.
Câu 12: G
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Information
- Từ khóa: vegetation, building structures
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 7 (paragraph G)
- Giải thích: Đoạn 7 thảo luận về “green roofs – vegetation planted on building tops” – đây chính xác là giải pháp sử dụng th植được trên các cấu trúc tòa nhà.
Passage 2 – Giải Thích
Câu 14: NOT GIVEN
- Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
- Từ khóa: horizontal sprawl, better, vertical intensification
- Vị trí trong bài: Section A, cuối đoạn
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói “The trade-offs between these development patterns remain contested” và “optimal strategies likely varying according to regional ecology”. Tác giả không xác định phương pháp nào tốt hơn một cách tuyệt đối.
Câu 15: YES
- Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
- Từ khóa: non-native species, urban environments, suitable
- Vị trí trong bài: Section B, đoạn 2
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói rõ: “Cities serve as entry points and establishment sites for invasive species, which often find favourable conditions in disturbed urban environments”. “Favourable conditions” = “particularly suitable”.
Câu 17: NO
- Dạng câu hỏi: Yes/No/Not Given
- Từ khóa: higher species richness, always, better conservation outcomes
- Vị trí trong bài: Section D, đoạn 2
- Giải thích: Tác giả viết: “The metric of species richness can therefore be misleading; urban areas may host many species while simultaneously losing those of greatest conservation concern”. Điều này mâu thuẫn với quan điểm trong câu hỏi.
Câu 19: ii
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Headings
- Section A: The Mechanics of Urban Encroachment
- Giải thích: Section này thảo luận về “horizontal sprawl” và “vertical intensification” – hai dạng phát triển đô thị khác nhau và ảnh hưởng của chúng. Heading “Different patterns of urban development and their effects” phù hợp nhất.
Câu 21: iii
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Headings
- Section C: Behavioral and Evolutionary Responses
- Giải thích: Section này tập trung vào cách động vật phản ứng tích cực với đô thị hóa thông qua thay đổi hành vi và tiến hóa. Heading “Wildlife’s active response to urban challenges” mô tả chính xác nội dung này.
Câu 24: similar
- Dạng câu hỏi: Summary Completion
- Vị trí trong bài: Section D, đoạn 2
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói về “biological homogenization, where cities worldwide harbour increasingly similar assemblages”. Từ “similar” là đáp án phù hợp cho chỗ trống.
Câu 25: behavioural
- Dạng câu hỏi: Summary Completion
- Vị trí trong bài: Section D, đoạn 2
- Giải thích: Văn bản đề cập “behavioural plasticity” là một trong những đặc điểm của loài thành công trong môi trường đô thị.
Câu 26: rare
- Dạng câu hỏi: Summary Completion
- Vị trí trong bài: Section D, đoạn 2
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói: “urban areas may host many species while simultaneously losing those of greatest conservation concern” và “rare or specialized ones” – từ “rare” là đáp án chính xác.
Passage 3 – Giải Thích
Câu 27: B
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: urban-rural gradient model, limited
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 2, dòng 4-7
- Giải thích: Bài viết chỉ ra: “its assumption of uniform, concentric impact zones proved increasingly inadequate for capturing the spatial heterogeneity”. Đáp án B paraphrase chính xác hạn chế này.
Câu 28: C
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: novel ecosystems, controversial
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 3, dòng 7-10
- Giải thích: Văn bản nói: “Some scholars warn against using the concept to rationalize neglecting restoration or accepting degraded conditions”. Đáp án C tóm tắt chính xác tranh cãi này.
Câu 29: A
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: ecological traps, dangerous
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 4, dòng 2-5
- Giải thích: Bài viết giải thích: “Ecological traps occur when organisms preferentially select habitats based on cues that historically predicted fitness but which have become decoupled from actual reproductive success”. Đáp án A diễn đạt chính xác ý này.
Câu 30: B
- Dạng câu hỏi: Multiple Choice
- Từ khóa: phenotypic plasticity, genetic adaptation, requires
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 6, dòng 3-5
- Giải thích: Văn bản nói rõ: “distinguishing plastic responses from genetic adaptation requires common garden experiments and genomic analyses”. Đây là thông tin trực tiếp.
Câu 32: D
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Features
- Khái niệm: Urban sink
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 4, cuối đoạn
- Giải thích: Bài viết định nghĩa: “urban sink hypothesis, which posits that cities function as population sinks where mortality exceeds reproduction, with populations maintained only through continued immigration”. Mô tả D khớp chính xác.
Câu 35: F
- Dạng câu hỏi: Matching Features
- Khái niệm: Hyperpredation
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 7, cuối đoạn
- Giải thích: Văn bản giải thích: “hyperpredation – situations where abundant alternative prey allow predator populations to reach levels that drive decline of rarer prey species”. Mô tả F tóm tắt chính xác khái niệm này.
Câu 37: Anthropocene epoch
- Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer Question
- Từ khóa: geological epoch, human influence
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 1, dòng 1
- Giải thích: Câu đầu tiên của passage: “The Anthropocene epoch, characterized by humanity’s dominant influence”. Đáp án chính xác trong giới hạn 3 từ.
Câu 39: invertebrate communities
- Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer Question
- Từ khóa: animal group, majority, understudied
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 8, dòng 2-3
- Giải thích: Bài viết nói: “leaving invertebrate communities – which comprise the majority of animal species… – comparatively understudied”. Đáp án đúng trong giới hạn 3 từ.
Câu 40: ethical question
- Dạng câu hỏi: Short-answer Question
- Từ khóa: urban wildlife conservation, ecological challenge, what kind of question
- Vị trí trong bài: Đoạn 9, dòng cuối
- Giải thích: Câu cuối của passage: “urban wildlife conservation represents both an ecological challenge and a profound ethical question”. Đáp án chính xác.
5. Từ Vựng Quan Trọng Theo Passage
Passage 1 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| unprecedented | adj | /ʌnˈpresɪdentɪd/ | chưa từng có, chưa có tiền lệ | at an unprecedented rate | unprecedented growth, unprecedented scale |
| urbanization | n | /ˌɜːbənaɪˈzeɪʃn/ | sự đô thị hóa | rapid urbanization | rapid urbanization, urban sprawl |
| encroach upon | v | /ɪnˈkrəʊtʃ əˈpɒn/ | xâm lấn, lấn át | encroach upon forests | encroach upon land, encroach upon territory |
| habitat fragmentation | n | /ˈhæbɪtæt ˌfræɡmenˈteɪʃn/ | sự phân mảnh môi trường sống | process of habitat fragmentation | cause fragmentation, reduce fragmentation |
| predator | n | /ˈpredətə(r)/ | động vật ăn thịt | large predators like wolves | apex predator, top predator |
| devastating consequences | n | /ˈdevəsteɪtɪŋ ˈkɒnsɪkwənsɪz/ | hậu quả tàn khốc | have devastating consequences | face devastating consequences |
| genetic diversity | n | /dʒəˈnetɪk daɪˈvɜːsəti/ | đa dạng di truyền | reduces genetic diversity | maintain genetic diversity, loss of genetic diversity |
| synanthropic species | n | /ˌsɪnænˈθrɒpɪk ˈspiːʃiːz/ | loài sống gần con người | animals called synanthropic species | urban synanthropic species |
| opportunistic species | n | /ˌɒpətjuːˈnɪstɪk ˈspiːʃiːz/ | loài cơ hội | These opportunistic species | opportunistic behavior, opportunistic feeders |
| chemical runoff | n | /ˈkemɪkl ˈrʌnɒf/ | nước thải hóa chất | Chemical runoff from roads | agricultural runoff, urban runoff |
| green corridors | n | /ɡriːn ˈkɒrɪdɔːz/ | hành lang xanh | creating green corridors | establish green corridors, wildlife corridors |
| pollinators | n | /ˈpɒlɪneɪtəz/ | các loài thụ phấn | resources for pollinators | attract pollinators, support pollinators |
Passage 2 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| exponential growth | n | /ˌekspəˈnenʃl ɡrəʊθ/ | sự tăng trưởng theo cấp số nhân | exponential growth of metropolitan areas | exponential increase, exponential expansion |
| demographic shift | n | /ˌdeməˈɡræfɪk ʃɪft/ | sự thay đổi dân số | This demographic shift | demographic change, demographic transition |
| ecosystem dynamics | n | /ˈiːkəʊsɪstəm daɪˈnæmɪks/ | động lực học hệ sinh thái | altered ecosystem dynamics | understand ecosystem dynamics |
| ecological ramifications | n | /ˌiːkəˈlɒdʒɪkl ˌræmɪfɪˈkeɪʃnz/ | hậu quả sinh thái | ecological ramifications for wildlife | environmental ramifications, serious ramifications |
| horizontal sprawl | n | /ˌhɒrɪˈzɒntl sprɔːl/ | sự lan rộng theo chiều ngang | Horizontal sprawl consumes land | urban sprawl, suburban sprawl |
| edge habitats | n | /edʒ ˈhæbɪtæts/ | môi trường sống ở rìa | generates extensive edge habitats | forest edge, habitat edge |
| generalist species | n | /ˈdʒenərəlɪst ˈspiːʃiːz/ | loài ăn tạp, thích nghi rộng | favour generalist species | habitat generalist, dietary generalist |
| invasive species | n | /ɪnˈveɪsɪv ˈspiːʃiːz/ | loài xâm lấn | introduction of invasive species | control invasive species, spread of invasive species |
| behavioural adaptations | n | /bɪˈheɪvjərəl ˌædæpˈteɪʃnz/ | sự thích nghi về hành vi | diverse behavioural adaptations | show adaptations, develop adaptations |
| rapid evolutionary change | n | /ˈræpɪd ˌiːvəˈluːʃənri tʃeɪndʒ/ | sự thay đổi tiến hóa nhanh | drive rapid evolutionary change | undergo evolutionary change |
| species richness | n | /ˈspiːʃiːz ˈrɪtʃnəs/ | sự phong phú về loài | higher species richness | measure species richness, biodiversity and species richness |
| biological homogenization | n | /ˌbaɪəˈlɒdʒɪkl həʊˌmɒdʒənaɪˈzeɪʃn/ | sự đồng nhất hóa sinh học | form of biological homogenization | process of homogenization, genetic homogenization |
| reconciliation ecology | n | /ˌrekənsɪliˈeɪʃn iˈkɒlədʒi/ | sinh thái hòa giải | approaches such as reconciliation ecology | principles of reconciliation ecology |
| interdisciplinary collaboration | n | /ˌɪntədɪsɪˈplɪnəri kəˌlæbəˈreɪʃn/ | sự hợp tác liên ngành | requires interdisciplinary collaboration | promote collaboration, foster collaboration |
Passage 3 – Essential Vocabulary
| Từ vựng | Loại từ | Phiên âm | Nghĩa tiếng Việt | Ví dụ từ bài | Collocation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthropocene epoch | n | /ˈænθrəpəsiːn ˈiːpɒk/ | kỷ nguyên Nhân tân sinh | The Anthropocene epoch | Anthropocene era, Anthropocene concept |
| anthropogenic transformation | n | /ˌænθrəpəʊˈdʒenɪk ˌtrænsfəˈmeɪʃn/ | sự biến đổi do con người gây ra | manifestations of anthropogenic transformation | anthropogenic impact, anthropogenic change |
| paradigmatic shift | n | /ˌpærədɪɡˈmætɪk ʃɪft/ | sự chuyển dịch mô hình | catalyzed a paradigmatic shift | paradigm shift, fundamental shift |
| pristine wilderness | n | /ˈprɪstiːn ˈwɪldənəs/ | vùng hoang dã nguyên sơ | emphasizing pristine wilderness | preserve wilderness, protect wilderness |
| spatial heterogeneity | n | /ˈspeɪʃl ˌhetərəʊdʒəˈniːəti/ | sự không đồng nhất không gian | spatial heterogeneity characteristic | environmental heterogeneity, landscape heterogeneity |
| novel ecosystems | n | /ˈnɒvl ˈiːkəʊsɪstəmz/ | hệ sinh thái mới | cities as novel ecosystems | emergence of novel ecosystems |
| emergent properties | n | /ɪˈmɜːdʒənt ˈprɒpətiz/ | các tính chất mới nổi | exhibit emergent properties | system properties, collective properties |
| ecological traps | n | /ˌiːkəˈlɒdʒɪkl træps/ | bẫy sinh thái | concept of ecological traps | avoid ecological traps, fall into traps |
| fitness costs | n | /ˈfɪtnəs kɒsts/ | chi phí thích nghi | concealing fitness costs | reproductive fitness, fitness benefits |
| phenotypic plasticity | n | /ˌfiːnəʊˈtɪpɪk plæˈstɪsəti/ | tính dẻo kiểu hình | phenotypic plasticity appears crucial | behavioral plasticity, developmental plasticity |
| genomic analyses | n | /dʒɪˈnəʊmɪk əˈnæləsiːz/ | phân tích bộ gen | genomic analyses identify signatures | genetic analysis, molecular analysis |
| trophic cascades | n | /ˈtrəʊfɪk kæˈskeɪdz/ | hiệu ứng thác dinh dưỡng | trigger trophic cascades | cause cascades, prevent cascades |
| apex predator | n | /ˈeɪpeks ˈpredətə(r)/ | động vật săn mồi đỉnh cao | apex predator extirpation | top predator, dominant predator |
| mesopredator release | n | /ˈmezəʊpredətə rɪˈliːs/ | sự giải phóng động vật săn mồi cỡ trung | Mesopredator release documented | mesopredator populations |
| anthropogenic subsidies | n | /ˌænθrəpəʊˈdʒenɪk ˈsʌbsədiz/ | trợ cấp từ hoạt động con người | Anthropogenic subsidies alter energy flows | human subsidies, resource subsidies |
| hyperpredation | n | /ˌhaɪpəprɪˈdeɪʃn/ | sự săn mồi quá mức | facilitate hyperpredation | prevent hyperpredation, hyperpredation effects |
| taxonomically homogeneous | adj | /ˌtæksəˈnɒmɪkli ˌhəʊməʊˈdʒiːniəs/ | đồng nhất về phân loại học | taxonomically homogeneous communities | genetically homogeneous, ecologically homogeneous |
| cosmopolitan generalists | n | /ˌkɒzməˈpɒlɪtən ˈdʒenərəlɪsts/ | loài phổ biến toàn cầu | communities of cosmopolitan generalists | urban generalists, habitat generalists |
Kết Bài
Chủ đề impact of urbanization on wildlife conservation không chỉ là một trong những chủ đề quan trọng thường xuyên xuất hiện trong IELTS Reading mà còn phản ánh một vấn đề cấp thiết của thế giới hiện đại. Qua bộ đề thi mẫu hoàn chỉnh này với ba passages có độ khó tăng dần, bạn đã có cơ hội làm quen với nhiều dạng câu hỏi khác nhau và rèn luyện kỹ năng đọc hiểu học thuật một cách bài bản.
Passage 1 cung cấp nền tảng kiến thức cơ bản về tác động của đô thị hóa với ngôn ngữ dễ hiểu, phù hợp cho học viên band 5.0-6.5. Passage 2 nâng cao độ phức tạp với từ vựng học thuật và cấu trúc câu tinh vi hơn, thách thức các bạn ở mức 6.0-7.5. Passage 3 đưa bạn đến trình độ cao nhất với các khái niệm lý thuyết chuyên sâu và ngôn ngữ tinh tế, phù hợp cho mục tiêu band 7.0-9.0.
Phần đáp án chi tiết không chỉ cung cấp câu trả lời đúng mà còn giải thích rõ ràng về vị trí thông tin trong bài, cách paraphrase và chiến lược xác định đáp án. Đây là phần vô cùng quan trọng giúp bạn tự đánh giá và học hỏi từ sai lầm. Bảng từ vựng được tổ chức khoa học với đầy đủ phiên âm, nghĩa tiếng Việt, ví dụ thực tế và các collocations thường gặp sẽ giúp bạn mở rộng vốn từ vựng học thuật một cách hiệu quả.
Hãy sử dụng bộ đề này như một công cụ luyện tập thực chiến. Cố gắng làm bài trong điều kiện thi thật với giới hạn thời gian nghiêm ngặt. Sau đó, dành thời gian phân tích kỹ lưỡng các câu trả lời, hiểu rõ tại sao đáp án đúng và tại sao các lựa chọn khác sai. Học từ vựng trong ngữ cảnh thực tế sẽ giúp bạn ghi nhớ lâu dài và áp dụng linh hoạt trong cả bài thi Reading lẫn Writing.
Chúc các bạn ôn tập hiệu quả và đạt được band điểm mong muốn trong kỳ thi IELTS sắp tới. Hãy nhớ rằng, thành công trong IELTS Reading không chỉ đến từ việc biết nhiều từ vựng mà còn từ khả năng quản lý thời gian, xác định từ khóa chính xác và hiểu rõ cấu trúc các dạng câu hỏi. Kiên trì luyện tập với các đề thi chất lượng như thế này sẽ giúp bạn tự tin bước vào phòng thi.
