Climate Change and the Inuit IELTS Reading Answers

The IELTS Reading section includes different passages followed by questions that test your ability to understand information, find specific details, and recognise paraphrased ideas. Climate Change and the Inuit is one such IELTS Reading passage.

The Climate Change and the Inuit IELTS Reading Answers page helps you check your answers and understand where they come from in the passage. It covers the effects of climate change on the Inuit people, their environment, traditional lifestyle, hunting practices, and food sources.

Here is what you will find in this article:

• The complete Climate Change and the Inuit IELTS Reading passage
• Answers and explanations for Questions 1–13
• Easy ways to find keywords and paraphrased ideas
• Common mistakes to avoid while answering
• FAQs about the passage and IELTS Reading practice

You do not need expert knowledge about climate change. Read carefully and focus on the information given in the passage.

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Climate Change and the Inuit IELTS Reading Passage

The Climate Change and the Inuit  IELTS Reading Test passage looks at how climate change is affecting the Arctic and Canada's Inuit people. It covers changes in the environment, food sources, traditional lifestyle, health and the growing role of Inuit knowledge in climate research.

Climate Change and the Inuit The threat posed by climate change in the Arctic and the problems faced by Canada's Inuit people A. Unusual incidents are being reported across the Arctic. Inuit families going off on snowmobiles to prepare their summer hunting camps have found themselves cut off from home by a sea of mud, following early thaws. There are reports of igloos losing their insulating properties as the snow drips and refreezes, of lakes draining into the sea as permafrost melts, and sea ice breaking up earlier than usual, carrying seals beyond the reach of hunters. Climate change may still be a rather abstract idea to most of us, but in the Arctic it is already having dramatic effects - if summertime ice continues to shrink at its present rate, the Arctic Ocean could soon become virtually ice-free in summer. The knock-on effects are likely to include more warming, cloudier skies, increased precipitation and higher sea levels. Scientists are increasingly keen to find out what's going on because they consider the Arctic the 'canary in the mine' for global warming - a warning of what's in store for the rest of the world. B. For the Inuit the problem is urgent. They live in precarious balance with one of the toughest environments on earth. Climate change, whatever its causes, is a direct threat to their way of life. Nobody knows the Arctic as well as the locals, which is why they are not content simply to stand back and let outside experts tell them what's happening. In Canada, where the Inuit people are jealously guarding their hard-won autonomy in the country's newest territory, Nunavut, they believe their best hope of survival in this changing environment lies in combining their ancestral knowledge with the best of modern science. This is a challenge in itself. C. The Canadian Arctic is a vast, treeless polar desert that's covered with snow for most of the year. Venture into this terrain and you get some idea of the hardships facing anyone who calls this home. Farming is out of the question and nature offers meagre pickings. Humans first settled in the Arctic a mere 4,500 years ago, surviving by exploiting sea mammals and fish. The environment tested them to the limits: sometimes the colonists were successful, sometimes they failed and vanished. But around a thousand years ago, one group emerged that was uniquely well adapted to cope with the Arctic environment. These Thule people moved in from Alaska, bringing kayaks, sleds, dogs, pottery and iron tools. They are the ancestors of today's Inuit people. D. Life for the descendants of the Thule people is still harsh. Nunavut is 1.9 million square kilometres of rock and ice, and a handful of islands around the North Pole. It's currently home to 2,500 people, all but a handful of them indigenous Inuit. Over the past 40 years, most have abandoned their nomadic ways and settled in the territory's 28 isolated communities, but they still rely heavily on nature to provide food and clothing. Provisions available in local shops have to be flown into Nunavut on one of the most costly air networks in the world, or brought by supply ship during the few ice-free weeks of summer. It would cost a family around £7,000 a year to replace meat they obtained themselves through hunting with imported meat. Economic opportunities are scarce, and for many people state benefits are their only income. E. While the Inuit may not actually starve if hunting and trapping are curtailed by climate change, there has certainly been an impact on people's health. Obesity, heart disease and diabetes are beginning to appear in a people for whom these have never before been problems. There has been a crisis of identity as the traditional skills of hunting, trapping and preparing skins have begun to disappear. In Nunavut's 'igloo and email' society, where adults who were born in igloos have children who may never have been out on the land, there's a high incidence of depression. F. With so much at stake, the Inuit are determined to play a key role in teasing out the mysteries of climate change in the Arctic. Having survived there for centuries, they believe their wealth of traditional knowledge is vital to the task. And Western scientists are starting to draw on this wisdom, increasingly referred to as 'Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit', or IQ. 'In the early days scientists ignored us when they came up here to study anything. They just figured these people don't know very much so we won't ask them,' says John Amagoalik, an Inuit leader and politician. 'But in recent years IQ has had much more credibility and weight.' In fact it is now a requirement for anyone hoping to get permission to do research that they consult the communities, who are helping to set the research agenda to reflect their most important concerns. They can turn down applications from scientists they believe will work against their interests, or research projects that will impinge too much on their daily lives and traditional activities. G. Some scientists doubt the value of traditional knowledge because the occupation of the Arctic doesn't go back far enough. Others, however, point out that the first weather stations in the far north date back just 50 years. There are still huge gaps in our environmental knowledge, and despite the scientific onslaught, many predictions are no more than best guesses. IQ could help to bridge the gap and resolve the tremendous uncertainty about how much of what we're seeing is natural capriciousness and how much is the consequence of human activity.

Also Read: How to Register for the IELTS Exam in India 

Climate Change and the Inuit IELTS Reading Answers: Questions 27–32

Questions 27–32 are Matching Headings questions. In this type of IELTS Reading question, you have to match each paragraph with the heading that best explains its main idea. There are more headings than paragraphs, so some headings are not used. IELTS Exam says this question type checks whether you can understand the main idea of a paragraph and separate it from smaller details.

A simple way to solve these questions is to read the paragraph quickly first. Try to understand what the whole paragraph is about instead of looking for one matching word.

Questions 27–32

List of Headings

1. Climate change and the Inuit community
2. Understanding of climate change remains limited
3. Alternative sources of essential supplies
4. Respect for Inuit opinion grows
5. The importance of modern technology
6. The difficult Arctic environment
7. Negative effects on well-being

Question 27: Paragraph B

Answer: 1. Climate change and the Inuit community

Paragraph B talks about how climate change is affecting the Inuit and their way of life. It also explains that the Inuit want to use their own knowledge along with modern science to deal with the changes.

So, the main focus is the relationship between climate change and the Inuit community.

The key idea is easy to spot because the paragraph directly says that climate change is a threat to the Inuit way of life.

Question 28: Paragraph C

Answer: 6. The difficult Arctic environment

Paragraph C describes the Canadian Arctic as a cold, treeless area that stays covered with snow for much of the year. Farming is not possible, and getting enough food from nature is also difficult.

The paragraph also explains how people had to survive in these hard conditions.

So, The difficult Arctic environment is the best heading.

Question 29: Paragraph D

Answer: 3. Alternative sources of essential supplies

Paragraph D explains how people in Nunavut get food and other supplies. Many communities are far away from other places, so food and basic goods have to be brought in by air or by ship.

The Inuit still depend on nature for food and clothing, but they also need supplies from outside.

That is why Alternative sources of essential supplies fits this paragraph best.

Question 30: Paragraph E

Answer: 7. Negative effects on well-being

Paragraph E focuses on the problems caused by changes in the traditional Inuit lifestyle. It talks about health problems such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes. It also mentions depression and the loss of traditional skills.

So, the paragraph is mainly about the negative effects on the health and well-being of the Inuit.

Question 31: Paragraph F

Answer: 4. Respect for Inuit opinion grows

Paragraph F explains how scientists are now giving more importance to Inuit knowledge. Earlier, scientists often ignored the views of local people. Now, Inuit traditional knowledge is being used in Arctic research.

The paragraph also explains that researchers must consult local communities before carrying out certain research.

So, Respect for Inuit opinion grows is the correct heading.

Question 32: Paragraph G

Answer: 2. Understanding of climate change remains limited

Paragraph G explains that scientists still do not have all the answers about changes in the Arctic. There are gaps in environmental knowledge, and some predictions are still uncertain.

The paragraph also shows how Inuit knowledge could help scientists understand these changes better.

Therefore, Understanding of climate change remains limited is the best answer.

Climate Change and the Inuit IELTS Reading Answers 27–32:

Question	Answer	Paragraph
27	1	B
28	6	C
29	3	D
30	7	E
31	4	F
32	2	G

Climate Change and the Inuit IELTS Reading Answers: Questions 33–40

Questions 33 to 40 are sentence completion tasks. You must read each sentence. Complete it by choosing the right word or words from the passage. The best way to do this is to find the words, in the sentence first. Then look for that idea in the passage. 

The exact words may not appear because IELTS often uses words to say the same thing. This is called paraphrasing. Also, always check how many words you are allowed to write before giving your answer. IELTS says that going over the given word limit can make an answer incorrect.

Questions 33–40

33. What is impossible for people to do in the Arctic because of the land and weather conditions?

Answer: farming

Paragraph C says that the Canadian Arctic is a treeless area covered with snow for most of the year. It also says that farming is not possible there.

The keyword impossible matches the idea that farming is “out of the question” in the passage.

So, the answer is farming.

34. What did the first people living in the Arctic depend on for food?

Answer: sea mammals

The passage explains that people first settled in the Arctic thousands of years ago. They survived by using sea mammals and fish.

The question asks what they depended on for food, so sea mammals is the correct answer.

35. What other source of food did the early Arctic settlers use?

Answer: fish

The same part of paragraph C says that the early settlers survived by using sea mammals and fish.

Since Question 34 already asks for one source and Question 35 asks for another, the answer here is fish.

36. Which group became well adapted to living in the Arctic about a thousand years ago?

Answer: Thule

Paragraph C says that around a thousand years ago, one group became especially well adapted to the Arctic environment. The next part names this group as the Thule people.

So, the correct answer is Thule.

37. What does Nunavut have around the North Pole besides rock and ice?

Answer: islands

Paragraph D describes Nunavut as a huge area of rock and ice with a small number of islands around the North Pole.

The question uses the phrase “around the North Pole”, which makes this detail easier to find in the passage.

Therefore, the answer is islands.

38. What type of lifestyle have most Inuit people given up during the past 40 years?

Answer: nomadic

Paragraph D says that most Inuit people have left their nomadic ways and now live in 28 isolated communities.

The question uses “type of lifestyle”, while the passage uses “nomadic ways”. This is a simple example of paraphrasing.

So, the answer is nomadic.

39. What do the Inuit still depend on for food and clothing?

Answer: nature

Even after moving into permanent communities, the Inuit still depend heavily on nature for food and clothing.

The question asks what they depend on, and the exact word can be found in paragraph D.

So, the answer is nature.

40. What type of meat would families need to buy if they could no longer get meat through hunting?

Answer: imported

Paragraph D explains that it would cost a family around £7,000 a year to replace meat obtained through hunting with imported meat.

The question changes the wording, but the meaning stays the same. “Buy” and “imported” are linked to the idea of getting meat from outside Nunavut.

Therefore, the answer is imported.

Climate Change and the Inuit IELTS Reading Answers 33–40:

Question	Answer	Paragraph
33	farming	C
34	sea mammals	C
35	fish	C
36	Thule	C
37	islands	D
38	nomadic	D
39	nature	D
40	imported	D

How to Approach Climate Change and the Inuit IELTS Reading Questions

The Climate Change and the Inuit IELTS Reading passage has a lot of information about the Arctic, Inuit life, climate change and scientific research. You do not need to remember every line to answer the questions.

The better approach is to find the right part of the passage and then check the information carefully. Try these simple steps while solving the IELTS Reading questions.

1. Identify Keywords in the Questions

First, look at the important words in the question. These words can help you find the right part of the passage quickly.

For example, words such as Inuit, Arctic, Thule, Nunavut, hunting and climate change are useful keywords in this passage.

Do not search only for the exact words. The passage may use a different word with the same meaning. IELTS also recommends looking for synonyms and focusing on the meaning of the keywords.

2. Look for Paraphrasing

IELTS often changes the wording between the question and the passage. This is why finding the exact same sentence is not always possible.

For example:

• Difficult environment → tough environment
• Given up their lifestyle → abandoned their nomadic ways
• More respect for Inuit knowledge → Inuit knowledge has more credibility
• Limited understanding → gaps in environmental knowledge

The meaning stays similar even though the words are different.

3. Read the Complete Sentence

Do not choose an answer as soon as you see a familiar word. Read the full sentence around it.

This is especially useful for Sentence Completion questions. Check whether the word fits the meaning and grammar of the sentence.

For example, the passage says that farming is out of the question in the Arctic. The question may use a different phrase such as “impossible to do”. You need to connect the two ideas.

4. Follow the Question Instructions

Always check the instructions before answering. Some IELTS Reading questions have a word limit, such as NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS.

Writing extra words can make an otherwise correct answer wrong. IELTS confirms that you lose the mark if your answer goes over the given word limit.

Also, use words from the passage when the question asks you to take your answer from the text. Do not add your own words just because they sound right.

A simple order to follow is:

1. Read the question.
2. Find the keywords.
3. Look for synonyms in the passage.
4. Read the full sentence or paragraph.
5. Check the answer.
6. Check the word limit.
7. Move to the next question.

Check out: Best IELTS Reading Tips

Common Mistakes in Climate Change and the Inuit IELTS Reading

The Climate Change and the Inuit IELTS Reading passage can feel difficult because it has a lot of information. But many wrong answers happen because of small mistakes, not because the passage is too hard. Here are some common mistakes to avoid while solving the questions.

Common mistake	What you should do instead
Searching only for exact keywords	Look for synonyms and words with a similar meaning.
Choosing an answer after seeing one matching word	Read the full sentence or paragraph before choosing.
Ignoring the main idea	For Matching Headings, focus on what the whole paragraph is about.
Not checking the word limit	Read the instructions and count the words before submitting your answer.
Spending too much time on one question	Mark the question, move on and come back to it later.
Using your own knowledge	Use information from the passage, not what you already know about climate change.
Making spelling mistakes	Check the spelling of every answer before moving on.

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Conclusion

The Climate Change and the Inuit IELTS Reading Answers can help you practise finding information and understanding different types of IELTS Reading questions. The passage may seem difficult at first, but focusing on keywords, paraphrased ideas, and the full meaning of each sentence can make it easier to solve.

While practising, remember these points:

• Read each question carefully before looking for the answer.
• Look for keywords and their synonyms in the passage.
• Read the complete sentence to understand the context.
• Watch out for distractors that may look like the right answer.
• Follow the word limit in summary or completion questions.
• Do not use your own knowledge to answer passage-based questions.
• Move on if one question is taking too much time.

Regular practice can help you find information faster, understand questions better, and feel more confident in the IELTS Reading test.

If you need help with your IELTS preparation, student visa process, or other parts of your study abroad journey, you can book a free 1:1 counselling session with upGrad’s study abroad experts today!