The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben Reading Answers

Study Abroad Expert | Updated On - Apr 4, 2024

The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben Reading Answers have a total of 10 IELTS questions in total. In the first 5 questions you have to find the correct paragraph from passage . In the next 5 questions you have to fill in the blanks.

Candidates should read the IELTS Reading passage thoroughly to recognize synonyms, identify keywords, and answer the questions below. IELTS Reading practice papers, which feature topics such as The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben Reading Answers. Candidates can use IELTS reading practice questions and answers to enhance their performance in the reading section.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Review: The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben

That so many copies of Peter Wohlleben's book The Hidden Life of Trees have been sold is no surprise. Life in the urban jungle can be overwhelming, and many of us long to escape by seeking more natural environments. We hope an encounter with nature might make us feel more 'alive'. Would we use this same term to describe nature itself, though? Forests and the trees that form them are commonly perceived as objects lacking awareness, like rocks or stones. But here, Wohlleben would beg to differ. From his observations, he has concluded that they are conscious in a way we do not fully understand.

In recent decades, a number of writers have investigated our planet's flora. The Cabaret of Plants by Richard Mabey and What a Plant Knows by Daniel Chamovitz, for example, have done much to reformulate our views about the green world. Central to many of these books is a serious message about sustainability, and The Hidden Life of Trees is no exception. What sets it apart is its approach to description: at the start Wohlleben announces that 'When you know that trees have memories and that tree parents live together with their children, then you can no longer just chop them down. Not everyone will be comfortable with this kind of anthropomorphism.

Nevertheless, Wohlleben's experience of working in a beech forest in the Eitel mountains of Germany may put him in a better position than many to write a book about trees. In the introduction, he explains that he started out as a state-employed forester, taking care of trees purely for industrial reasons. The straighter they were, the more high-quality logs could be sawn. But after a while he began to appreciate trees for more than just their commercial worth. He gives some of the credit for this realisation to the tourists that would come to the forest, who were more enchanted by bent, crooked trees, which did not conform to the straight ideal.

An anecdote that stands out is Wohlleben's encounter with 'the gnarled remains of an enormous tree stump' in the Eitel forest. More than anything else, it was this encounter that prompted him to look further into the hidden behaviour of trees. To his surprise, after scraping at the outside layer of bark covering the stump, he discovered a green layer underneath. This was chlorophyll, the pigment normally produced by living trees. Wohlleben realised that the only way the stump could still be alive was if the surrounding beeches were providing it with a sugar solution through their own roots.

Wohlleben is not the first person to claim that trees are cooperative. In the 1990s, Dr

Suzanne Simard realised that fir and birch trees were supplying each other with carbon. Simard's findings made complete sense to Wohlleben, who believes that this kind of nutrient exchange between neighbours is typical of a healthy forest. Wohlleben also had the opportunity to deepen his understanding of tree biology when researchers from Aachen University set up investigative programmes in his beech forest. Discussions with them reinforced his beliefs about the way trees thrived, and Wohlleben eventually found himself strongly opposed to some traditional forestry practices. He finally succeeded in persuading local villagers that the forest should be allowed to return to a natural state: this involved banning the use of machinery for logging, and giving up on pesticides for a start.

Since then, Wohlleben has been noting how his beech forest has developed, and his

observations formed the foundation for the book. Humour and a straightforward narrative make it instantly appealing to readers without a science background - elements that have successfully been translated into over a dozen languages. Those that do have scientific training, however, will be more demanding. Critics of Wohlleben point out that proper academic studies need to be done to prove all his claims are factually accurate. This seems a fair point. What the book will certainly do is transform nature lovers' experiences of a forest walk. Once you know what is happening below ground, you can't help but marvel at the complex life of trees. Will it transform the way we produce timber for the manufacturing industry? As large corporations tend to focus on immediate profits, they are hardly likely to adopt the longer-term practices that Wohlleben recommends.

One of these is allowing trees to grow nearer to each other. This is the opposite of what happens in many state-owned forests, where foresters deliberately space out trees so

they can get more sunlight and grow faster. But Wohlleben claims this spacing prevents vital root interaction, and so lowers resistance to drought. Older, established trees, he explains, draw up moisture through their deep roots and provide this to juvenile trees growing below them. Without this assistance, they could die. The relationship between fungi and trees is also given attention. For instance, when pines require more nitrogen, the fungi growing at their base re ease a poison into the soill

This poison kills many minute organisms, which release nitrogen as they die, and this is absorbed by the trees' roots. In return, the fungi receive photosynthesised sugar from the pines. Then Wohlleben explores the way trees employ scent, giving the example of acacia trees in sub-Saharan Africa. When giraffes begin feeding on an acacia's leaves, the tree emits ethylene gas as a warning to neighbouring acacias. These then pump tannins into their leaves - substances toxic to giraffes.

More controversial is Wohlleben's suggestion that trees feel pain. Although scientific

research has now established that if branches are broken off or the trunk is hit with an axe, a tree will emit electrical signals from the site of the wound, the application of the concept of 'pain' might be an instance where readers are unconvinced.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 27-30

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

What is the reviewer emphasising in the phrase 'Wohlleben would beg to differ'?

the fact that trees might not live as passively as we thing
the idea that a forest trip might increase people's vitality
the way that a forest is the key feature of many landscapes
the belief that trees exist only for the benefit of humans

Answer:
Supporting statement:“.......From his observations, he has concluded that they are conscious in a way we do not fully understand.........”
Keywords: conscious, fully
Keyword Location: para 1, line 7
Explanation: The fact that trees might not live as passively as we think

According to the reviewer, a unique feature of The Hidden Life of Trees is

its suggestion that ordinary people can act to protect forests.
its viewpoint that only certain kinds of tree are worth preserving.
its tendency to refer to trees as if they had human qualities.
its simplistic rather than academic approach to writing.

Answer: C
Supporting statement:“........ What sets it apart is its approach to description: at the start Wohlleben announces that 'When you know that trees have memories and that tree parents live together with their children, then you can no longer just .........”
Keywords: announces, parents
Keyword Location: para 2, line 5
Explanation: The reviewer highlights the anthropomorphic approach of the book, where Wohlleben attributes human-like qualities to trees, such as memory and family connections

What are we told about Peter Wohlleben's time as a state-employed forester?

He hoped he could make a good living from cutting down trees.
He changed his mind about the way in which trees were valuable.
He rejected the ideas that visitors to the beach forest put forward.
He introduced new techniques for improving the growth of trees.

Answer: B
Supporting statement:“......But after a while he began to appreciate trees for more than just their commercial worth. He gives some of the credit for this .........”
Keywords: trees, commercial
Keyword Location: para 3, line 5
Explanation: Wohlleben initially viewed trees purely from an industrial perspective, valuing them based on their commercial worth, but later began to appreciate them for more than just their economic value.

The reviewer mentions the trees stump anecdote in order to

question traditional thinking about the way trees grow.
explain the motivation behind Wohlleben's area of research
highlight Wohlleben's lack of formal scientific training.
suggest how personal stories have brought a dull topic to life.

Answer: B
Supporting statement:“.......More than anything else, it was this encounter that prompted him to look further into the hidden behaviour of trees. To his .........”
Keywords: hidden, behaviour
Keyword Location: para 4, line 2
Explanation: The encounter with the tree stump prompted Wohlleben to delve deeper into understanding the hidden behaviors of trees, leading to his exploration of their interconnectedness and cooperation.

Questions 31-36

Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 3? In boxes 31-36 on your answer sheet, write

YES - If the statement agrees with the claims of the writer
NO - If the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN - If it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

Wohlleben was sceptical about the results of Dr Suzanne Simard's research.

Answer: NO
Supporting statement:“.......Simard's findings made complete sense to Wohlleben, who believes that this kind of nutrient exchange between neighbours is typical of a healthy forest. ..........”
Keywords: nutrient, healthy
Keyword Location: para 5, line 3
Explanation: Wohlleben found Suzanne Simard's findings about nutrient exchange between trees to be consistent with his beliefs, suggesting that he was not sceptical but rather supportive of her research.

Wohlleben's theories about trees were confirmed after talking to Aachen University scientists.

Answer: YES
Supporting statement:“......Discussions with them reinforced his beliefs about the way trees thrived, and Wohlleben eventually found himself strongly opposed to some traditional forestry practices........”
Keywords: thrived, practices
Keyword Location: para 5, line 7
Explanation: Discussions with researchers from Aachen University reinforced Wohlleben's beliefs about the cooperative nature of trees, indicating that his theories were supported by scientific collaboration

It was a good decision to get rid of machinery and pesticides from the beech forest.

Answer: NOT GIVEN
Explanation: The passage does not explicitly state whether getting rid of machinery and pesticides was a good decision or not.

The translators of The Hidden Life of Trees should be given more recognition for their contribution.

Answer: NOT GIVEN
Explanation: The passage does not provide any information regarding the recognition or contribution of translators for The Hidden Life of Trees.

Some of Wohlleben's ideas about trees must be investigated further before they can be accepted as true.

Answer: YES
Supporting statement:“........ Critics of Wohlleben point out that proper academic studies need to be done to prove all his ..........”
Keywords:studies, prove
Keyword Location: para 6, line 6
Explanation: Critics of Wohlleben argue that proper academic studies are needed to prove all his claims are factually accurate, suggesting that further investigation is necessary before accepting all his ideas as true.

The Hidden Life of Trees is likely to affect how forests are managed by the manufacturing industry.

Answer: NO
Supporting statement:“........As large corporations tend to focus on immediate profits, they are hardly likely to adopt the longer-term practices that Wohlleben recommends..........”
Keywords: adopt, practices
Keyword Location: para 6, line 10
Explanation: The passage suggests that large corporations in the manufacturing industry are unlikely to adopt the longer-term practices recommended by Wohlleben, indicating that the book is unlikely to have a significant impact on forest management practices in the manufacturing industry.

Questions 37-40

Complete the summary using the list of words, A-G, below. Write the correct letter, A-G, in boxes 37-40 on your answer sheet.

may prevent harm occurring to the same tree species.
can be the result of different forms of damage.
might help the spread of trees in a new location.
could be a sign that trees have reached maturity.
may affect how vulnerable young trees are during dry periods.
can play a part in providing essential nutrients.
might encourage disease in trees growing nearby.

The distance between trees in state-owned forests

Answer: E
Supporting statement:“....... Older, established trees, he explains, draw up moisture through their deep roots and provide this to juvenile trees growing below them.........”
Keywords: deep, juvenile
Keyword Location: para 7, line 5
Explanation: Wohlleben claims that spacing out trees prevents vital root interaction, which can lower resistance to drought, suggesting that the distance between trees in state-owned forests may affect the vulnerability of young trees during dry periods

The fungi growing at the base of trees

Answer: F
Supporting statement:“........For instance, when pines require more nitrogen, the fungi growing at their base re ease a poison into the soill.........”
Keywords: instance, fungi
Keyword Location: para 7, line 8
Explanation: Wohlleben explains that fungi at the base of trees release a poison into the soil, which kills organisms that release nitrogen, providing essential nutrients to trees in exchange for photosynthesized sugar.

The scent sometimes given off by trees

Answer: A
Supporting statement:“....... When giraffes begin feeding on an acacia's leaves, the tree emits ethylene gas as a warning to neighbouring acacias. These then pump tannins into their leaves - substances toxic to
giraffes.........”
Keywords: ethylene, leaves
Keyword Location: para 8, line 4
Explanation: Wohlleben discusses how trees emit scents as a warning to neighboring trees when under threat, suggesting that this may prevent harm occurring to the same tree species

The electrical signals sent out by trees

Answer: B
Supporting statement:“........Although scientific research has now established that if branches are broken off or the trunk is hit with an axe, a tree will emit electrical signals from the site of the wound, the application of
.........”
Keywords: broken, site
Keyword Location: para 9, line 1
Explanation: The passage mentions that when branches are broken off or the trunk is hit with an axe, trees emit electrical signals from the site of the wound, indicating that these signals could be a sign of damage rather than maturity.