List Selection Question in IELTS Reading

Penguins

Penguins are the most common birds in the Antarctic. Living in colonies with populations larger than some cities, and surviving in the harshest of conditions, it is no wonder that penguins are seen as the emblem of Antarctica.

However, of the 17 different species of penguin, only two (emperor and Adélie) make the Antarctic continent their true home, although others (chinstrap, Gentoo and macaroni) breed on the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, where conditions are less harsh. King penguins only breed on the warmer, more northerly subantarctic islands. One species, the Galapagos penguin, even lives on the equator.

The real home of all penguins is the cooler waters of the Southern Hemisphere. Antarctic penguins have a striking black and white coat. The distinctive colours and features of each penguin species are on their heads and neck-some are black and white, some have yellow patches, and others have elaborate coloured eyebrows.

All penguins have similar body form and structure, but they vary greatly in size, from the little penguin weighing 1.1kg and about 40cm tall, to the emperor penguin, which weighs up to 40kg and is about 115cm tall. Penguins stand for hours on ice, but they have two clever ways of keeping their feet at the right temperature - a few degrees above freezing. Blood flow to their feet is tightly controlled, with reduced flow in cold conditions. Heat exchangers at the top of their legs take heat from the blood flowing to the feet and use it to heat up the blood flowing back into the body.

Fossil records show that penguins evolved from flying birds (petrels) about 50 million years ago. There were at least 25 species, many of which have become extinct. Some fossil penguins were larger than the ones that exist today, with one species almost as tall as a man (170cm). Although they have wings and feathers, penguins cannot fly. Instead, they have evolved into the most efficient swimmers and divers of all birds. Some species spend 75% of their time at sea - the most of any birds.

Penguin wings are stiff, short flippers to propel them underwater - they literally fly through the sea. Their legs are set far back in the body, and together with the tail form an underwater rudder to their perfectly streamlined bodies. Their cruising speed in water is about 10 km per hour and their feathers hold in a layer of air near the skin. They catch their breath and to save energy while swimming, they leap clear of the water every few metres. They are excellent divers, descending to depths of over 250 metres, though most of their dives will be in the top 10 metres. Unlike flying birds, their bones are dense to make diving easier.

However, penguins are rarely seen underwater, so our main impression of them is confined to how they appear on land. With their legs set far back for efficient movement underwater, the penguins walk awkwardly in a very upright position. This is possibly the reason for their extraordinary appeal, they look like funny little people.

To penguins, swimming in warm seas is like walking around in winter clothes in the height of summer! The warm waters of the equator are a barrier to penguins. Even the penguins living close to the equator stick to the cooler water coming from the south. If penguins could travel to the Arctic, they would find their niche already taken by another bird - the puffin. Puffins are also black and white birds with colourful beaks. However, puffins need to be able to fly to escape land-based predators.

Penguins cope well in the cold and some breed in the coldest conditions in the world. Their short outer feathers overlap, like tiles on a roof, to form a thick waterproof layer and underneath are fluffier feathers for warmth. As a rule, the larger the penguin, the easier it is to conserve heat. In fact, many penguins are so good at keeping warm that they have a problem with overheating during the summer months as the blood vessels in their skin dilate when the body begins to overheat. Penguins have a very good circulatory system that in extremely cold waters diverts blood from the flippers and legs to the heart. Penguins are sociable creatures both on land and at sea. Their colonies also known as rookeries are often huge, with up to a million nesting pairs. In the pure Antarctic air, you can smell a penguin rookery from a long way away! Penguins generally breed on exposed rock, beaches or tussock grass, with the exception of the emperor, which breeds on sea-ice.

The penguin diet consists mainly of fish and squid and crustaceans. In the Antarctic, the smaller penguins mostly feed on shrimp-like krill. Although krill are small (up to 5 cm in length) they form dense swarms which are a rich food source. Penguins can adapt their diet to what is available, and their diet varies considerably with the season. A penguin's feathers keep it waterproof and warm and must be well oiled (using oil from a special gland at the base of the tail).

Feathers become worn out and must be replaced every year. During the three to four weeks of moulting, penguins come ashore. Because they are no longer waterproof when they lose their feathers and cannot go to sea to feed, penguins fatten up before moulting, gaining an astonishing 50-70% in weight.

Question 1: The passage mentions many facts about the Penguins. 
Which FOUR of the following features are the things that help the Penguins to survive in cold waters?

A.  They move through waters with agility. 
B.  They hold their flippers away from their bodies.
C.  They choose cool areas.
D.  When necessary, their blood moves away from the flippers and toward the heart.
E.  They breathe while still swimming.
F.   The blood vessels in their skin dilate in cold.
G.  They slide and waddle through waters.
H.  Penguins feathers hold in a layer of air near the skin.
I.   The feathers keep it waterproof and warm.

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I

Question 2: The list below gives some characteristics of Penguins. 
Which THREE of the following are characteristics of the Penguins?

A.  The warm waters at the equator are ideal for breeding. 
B.  Diversion of blood from the flippers and legs to the heart in extreme cold.
C.  Black and White with colourful beaks.
D.  Dilation of blood vessels in summers.
E.  Flipper shorts and wings are stiff to propel in water. 
F.  Legs are set in front for efficient movement underwater and standing upright.

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F

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