The Birds of London Reading Answers with Explanations

IELTS reading section - one of the longest but also toughest parts of the exam, where students often face different types of difficulty. Sometimes, test takers get stuck in a specific type of question, or a few struggle to understand the context. These problems come when they do not practice well, but what if you have already done your work effectively?

You can save your marks and get a good band. That’s why this page contains the birds of London reading answers along with their explanations. Before attempting the real exam, you must solve this.

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Answers for the Birds of London Reading Passage with Explanations

In the list below, we have provided you with the birds of London reading answers with their location and explanation. Students who struggle to find the correct responses can get help through the details below and learn how to locate them.

Question 1

ANSWER :Rockdoves

Explanation :Read the second line in paragraph A. It mentions that the swarms of feral pigeons are all descended from birds which escaped from dovecotes in the early medieval period; they found a natural habitat in the crannies and ledges of buildings, as did their ancestors, the rock doves, amid the sea-girt cliffs. Hence, rockdoves is the correct answer.

Question 2

ANSWER :Stale Bread

Explanation :In paragraph A, read the last line. It describes that a modicum of kindness to these creatures seems to have been first shown in the late nineteenth century, when they were fed oats rather than the customary stale bread. Hence, stale bread is the correct answer.

Question 3

ANSWER :Fly(-)Lines

Explanation :Read the third line in paragraph B. It mentions that those who look up today may notice their ‘fly-lines’ in the sky from Lincoln’s Inn Fields over Kingsway and Trafalgar Square to Battersea, with other lines to Victoria Park and to Kenwood. The air of London is filled with such ‘fly-lines’. Hence, fly(-)lines is the correct answer.

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Question 4

ANSWER :Building Work; Tree(-)Felling

Explanation :In paragraph D, read the sixth line. It describes that the rooks of London are, perhaps, the most notable of the disappeared, their rookeries destroyed by building work or by tree-felling. This means building work and tree felling are two activities that have contributed to the drastic reduction in the number of rooks. Hence, building work and tree-felling is the correct answer.

Question 5

ANSWER :Friend

Explanation :Read the first line in paragraph C. It mentions that a friend was known to Cockneys as a ‘cocksparrer’ in tribute to a bird which is sweet and yet watchful, blessed with a dusky plumage similar to that of the London dust, a plucky little bird darting in and out of the city’s endless uproar. Hence, friend is the correct answer.

Question 6

ANSWER :Lose Body Heat

Explanation :In paragraph C, read the second line. It describes that the sparrows are small birds that can lose body heat very quickly, so they are perfectly adapted to the heat island. This means friend is derived from the bird’s name, suited to the atmosphere of London because of the tendency to rapidly lose body heat. Hence, losing body heat is the correct answer.

Question 7

ANSWER :(An) Occupied Building

Explanation :Read the third line in paragraph C. It mentions that an ornithologist who described the sparrow as peculiarly attached to man said it never now breeds at any distance from an occupied building. Hence, an occupied building is the correct answer.

Question 8

ANSWER :Sociability

Explanation :In paragraph C, read the fourth line. It describes that this sociability, bred upon the fondness of the Londoner, is manifest in many ways. Hence, sociability is the correct answer.

Question 9

ANSWER :Interrogation

Explanation :Read the fifth line in paragraph C. It mentions that W.H. Hudson, has described how any stranger in a green space or public garden will soon find that ‘several sparrows are keeping him company, and if he sits down on a chair or a bench several of them will come close to him, and hop this way and that before him, uttering a little plaintive note of interrogation. Hence, interrogation is the correct answer.

Question 10

ANSWER :D

Explanation :In paragraph D, read the first line. It describes that there are some birds, such as the robin and the chaffinch, which are less approachable and more trusting in the city than in the country. This means chaffinches are happier with people when they are in rural areas. Hence, D is the correct answer.

Question 11

ANSWER :B

Explanation :Read the first line in paragraph B. It mentions that from the end of the nineteenth century, wood pigeons also migrated into the city; they were quickly urbanized, increasing both in numbers and in tameness. This means wood pigeons are happier with people when they are in rural areas. Hence, B is the correct answer.

Question 12

ANSWER :F

Explanation :In paragraph D, read the tenth line. It describes that they were venerable London birds, preferring to cluster around ancient churches and the like as if they were their local guardians. This means rooks are used to congregate, particularly at old buildings. Hence, F is the correct answer.

Question 13

ANSWER :A

Explanation :Read the fourth line in paragraph A. It mentions that a man fell from the belfry of Stephen's Walbrook in 1277 while in quest of a pigeon’s nest, while the Bishop of London complained in 1385 of ‘malignant persons’ who threw stones at the pigeons resting in the city churches. Hence, A is the correct answer.

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IELTS Coaching Reading Passages

With the above information, you have explored the answers of the birds of London reading passage very well. In the text, the writer discusses the history and adaptation of various bird species to the urban environment, specifically focusing on pigeons, sparrows, and rooks. It details how London pigeons are descendants of rock doves that have adapted to the city, how sparrows are perfectly suited to urban life, and how rooks have become nearly extinct because of habitat destruction from construction.

This was the quick overview of the reading passage. Hopefully, you have gotten the gist of the reading passage from the above paragraph. There are more options available on our platform, like IELTS sample test PDFs, which you can download anytime and make good use of as well.

Tips for Acing the Birds of London Reading Passage

Attempting various IELTS reading mock test can help you experience the actual exam environment. You should take them if you want to increase your score. Especially, to solve the answers of the birds of London, you should know the tips. In the following details, we have shared some of them.

To solve short-answer type of questions, first read the questions carefully to understand the word limit, then read the task and underline keywords. Scan the passage for these keywords to find the relevant section, and write the answer using the exact words from the text.
In notes completion questions, read the given details well, identify keywords, and predict the word type needed for each gap. Next, use the keywords to scan the passage for the relevant information.
When you attempt to match feature question types, carefully read the instructions, then read the statements and underline keywords before scanning the passage for them. Look for synonyms and paraphrased information, not just exact word matches.

Types of Questions in the Birds of London Reading Passage

There are different types of questions included in the birds of London reading answers. To solve each of them, you must know what their formats are and what instructions you should follow. Here is the detailed description.

Short Answer Type Questions (1-4)

You have given 1 to 4 questions based on the short answer type. These questions require you to answer using a maximum of one of three words, or a number, taken directly from the reading passage. These questions test your ability to find and understand specific factual information, and your answers must be precise, matching the instructions in terms of word count and content.

Notes Completion Questions (5-9)

From the 5 to 9 questions are kind of note completion tasks. In this, you have given a few incomplete notes taken from the reading passage. You have to fill in some of the blanks and write the correct answer there with no more than three words. You can find the responses from one portion of the passage, so find them effectively.

Matching Features Questions (10-13)

There are 10 to 13 questions based on the matching features type. In this task type, you have been given a list of features along with some related details given in the box. You have to read the statements mentioned in the box, and match them with the correct features stated from A to F.

Conclusion

To conclude, we have discussed the birds of London reading answers along with their explanations. Solving questions, now won’t be a big task for you, related short answers, notes completion, and matching features type. But, in case you still get stuck in a specific topic, questions, or anything, getting help from offline or online IELTS coaching can be a great option for you. They will provide several study materials, including books, videos, practice tests, etc.