Autumn Leaves Reading Answers

Check the Autumn Leaves Reading Answers here. Improve yourself by rectifying the mistakes if any. 

Solution for: Autumn Leaves

1. C	5. E	9. north	13. B
2. B	6. sun(light)	10. FALSE
3. H	7. upper	11. TRUE
4. B	8. dry	12. NOT GIVEN

To score better in IELTS, you must practise more questions. Check out Autumn Leaves Reading Answers for 3 other question types.

The IELTS reading test challenges your reading skills and capabilities to solve certain types of questions. You will have to improve your vocabulary and the ability to understand the given information. The Autumn Leaves Reading Answers are given at the end of the article. 

There are a total of 14 IELTS reading question types and in the Autumn Leaves Reading Answers article. We will be discussing these 3 question types in this article:

• IELTS reading sentence completion
• IELTS reading summary completion
• IELTS reading yes/no/not given

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6 thoughts on “Autumn Leaves”

Here are some important points to know before attempting the Autumn Leaves Reading Answers.  

• Autumn Leaves Reading Answers is an article containing the passage from Cambridge 10 Test 3. 
• Autumn Leaves is a passage that tells about how and why the trees shed the leaves during the fall. 
• The Autumn Leaves passage is lengthy enough so you have to be quick in reading the passage.
• The article includes all the Autumn Leaves Reading Answers with location.
• The passage contains 9 paragraphs and questions can come from any part of the passage.
• Develop your vocabulary skills to understand the passage very well.

Before attempting to write the Autumn Leaves Reading Answers, check the IELTS reading tips.

IELTS reading passage -  Autumn Leaves 

Given below is the passage you have to read for which you have to find the Autumn Leaves Reading Answers.

Autumn Leaves

One of the most alluring natural events of the year in many areas throughout North America is the leaves falling during autumn. They come in beautiful colours. But the question is why some trees turn yellow or orange, and others red or purple. This is something that has confused scientists for a long time.

During summers, leaves are green because they are filled with chlorophyll, the molecule that uses sunlight to convert energy into new building materials for the tree. When fall starts in the northern hemisphere, the solar energy reaching the surface reduces considerably. Except for evergreen conifers many trees stop photosynthesis till the spring starts. So instead of making food for the leaves, the tree sheds its leaves and saves its precious resources. Before shedding its leaves, the tree breaks down its chlorophyll molecules and sends the nitrogen back into the branches. When the chlorophyll is exhausted, other colours that have been dominated by the chlorophyll during the summer start to show. This phenomenon explains the yellow and orange colours during autumn, but not the bright red and purple colours found in maple or sumac trees.

The red colour is created by anthocyanins which are water-soluble plant pigments reflecting the spectrum from red to blue. They are a part of a class of sugar-based chemical compounds known as flavonoids. What’s puzzling is that anthocyanins are newly made in the leaves at the time when the tree is preparing to drop them. But the production of anthocyanins does not make sense. Why should a tree try to make new chemicals in its leaves when it’s trying to shed and save the old ones?

Scientists have argued that anthocyanins might act as a chemical defence against attacks by insects or fungi, or that they might attract fruit-eating birds and that it might increase a leaf's tolerance to freezing. But some problems with these theories include the fact that leaves are red for a very short period of time and that the energy needed to manufacture the anthocyanins is more than any anti-fungal or anti-herbivore activity achieved. 

It has also been suggested that trees may exhibit bright red colours to trick herbivorous insects into thinking that they are healthy and would be easily able to create chemical defences against infestation. When the insects pay attention to such things, they are tempted to lay their eggs on a duller, and presumably less resistant host. The fault in the theory lies in the lack of evidence to back it. No one has as yet discovered whether more robust trees sport the brightest leaves, or whether insects make choices according to colour intensity. 

The reason behind why leaves take the trouble of making anthocyanins before the winter is the theory known as the ‘light screen’ hypothesis. It sounds contradictory because the idea behind this hypothesis is that the red pigment is produced in autumn leaves to protect chlorophyll in leaves from too much light. But why does it need protection when chlorophyll is the world’s best light absorber? Why does the tree protect the chlorophyll when it is breaking it down to save as much of it as possible? 

Even though Chlorophyll is equipped to capture the energy of sunlight, it can sometimes be engulfed by it, especially during droughts, low temperatures, or nutrient deficiency. Moreover, the problem of oversensitivity to light is even more severe during the fall, when the leaf is busy preparing for winter by dismantling its internal machinery. In summer, the energy collected by the chlorophyll molecules of the fragile fall leaf is not instantly channelled into useful products and processes. The weakened fall leaf is then exposed to the severe damages of the oxygen produced by the stimulated chlorophyll molecules. 

There are hints everywhere, even if you had no idea what was going on as the leaves turned crimson. On many trees, the leaves on the side of the tree are the reddest and get the most sun. Not only that, the crimson on the upper side of the leaf is brighter. For many years, it has been said that the best conditions for bright red colours are dry, sunny days and cool nights, which are similar to the conditions that make leaves vulnerable to excessive light. Finally, as you travel to the north in the northern hemisphere, trees such as maples become considerably redder. It's cooler there, they're more stressed, their chlorophyll is more sensitive, and more sunscreen is required.

The reason why some trees start to produce red pigments while others don’t bother and simply reveal their orange or yellow hues is still unknown. It is not known whether these trees have other ways to dispose to stop being exposed to more light in autumn. This will remain a subtle and complex thing. 

Autumn Leaves Reading questions

Autumn Leaves Reading Questions 1-5 

Complete the sentences below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBERS from the passage for each answer. 

1 During summers, leaves are green because they are filled with ________.

2 During fall in the northern hemisphere, the solar energy reaching the surface ________. 

3 The red colour in leaves is created by ________ which are water-soluble plant pigments reflecting the spectrum from red to blue.

4 Anthocyanins might act as a chemical defence against attacks by insects or fungi, or that they might attract fruit-eating birds and that it might increase a leaf's tolerance to ________.

5  In ________ , the energy collected by the chlorophyll molecules of the fragile fall leaf is not instantly channelled into useful products and processes. 

Also check: IELTS reading sentence completion

Autumn Leaves Reading Questions 6-10

Complete the summary below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Autumn is one of the most beautiful seasons of the year in many areas throughout 1________ is the leaves falling during. During this time the tree breaks down its chlorophyll molecules and sends the 2________ back into the branches. Anthocyanins are newly made in the 3________ at the time when the tree is preparing to drop them. The reason why some trees start to produce 4________ while others don’t bother and simply reveal their orange or yellow hues is still unknown. It's cooler in the North, the trees are more 5________ and their chlorophyll is more sensitive, and more sunscreen is required. 

Also check: IELTS reading summary completion

Autumn Leaves Reading Questions 11-15 

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

11 When fall starts in the northern hemisphere, the sunlight reaching the surface increases. 

12 The energy needed to manufacture the anthocyanins is more than any antifungal or anti-herbivore activity achieved. 

13 The leaves on the side of the tree are the reddest and get the most sun. 

14 In the northern hemisphere, trees such as maples become yellow.

15 Autumn starts during the month of September.

Also check: IELTS reading Yes/No/Not Given 

Autumn Leaves Reading Answers with explanation

If you have attempted the question, you can check for the right Autumn Leaves Reading Answers with explanation here.

(Note: The text in italics is from the reading passage and shows the location from where the answer is taken or inferred. The text in the regular font explains the answer in detail.)

1.  Answer: chlorophyll

Keywords: molecule, chlorophyll, sunlight

Explanation: During summers, leaves are green because they are filled with chlorophyll.

2.  Answer: reduces

Keywords: solar energy, reduces considerably

Explanation: When fall starts in the northern hemisphere, the solar energy reaching the surface reduces considerably. 

3.  Answer: anthocyanins 

Keywords: water-soluble plant pigments, spectrum

Explanation: The red colour is created by anthocyanins which are water-soluble plant pigments reflecting the spectrum from red to blue.

4.  Answer: freezing

Keywords: chemical defence, attract fruit-eating birds, leaf's tolerance

Explanation: Scientists have argued that anthocyanins might act as a chemical defence against attacks by insects or fungi, or that they might attract fruit-eating birds and that it might increase a leaf's tolerance to freezing.

5.  Answer: summer

Keywords: fragile fall leaf, not instantly channelled

Explanation:  In summer, the energy collected by the chlorophyll molecules of the fragile fall leaf is not instantly channelled into useful products and processes. 

6.  Answer: North America 

Keywords: Autumn, natural events of the year, leaves falling

Explanation: One of the most alluring natural events of the year in many areas throughout North America is the leaves falling during autumn. 

7.  Answer: nitrogen

Keywords: breaks down, nitrogen back into the branches

Explanation: Before shedding its leaves, the tree breaks down its chlorophyll molecules and sends the nitrogen back into the branches. 

8.  Answer: leaves 

Keywords: puzzling, anthocyanins, tree is preparing to drop them

Explanation: What’s puzzling is that anthocyanins are newly made in the leaves at the time when the tree is preparing to drop them. 

9.  Answer: red pigments

Keywords: reason to produce, orange or yellow hues, still unknown

Explanation: The reason why some trees start to produce red pigments while others don’t bother and simply reveal their orange or yellow hues is still unknown.

10. Answer: stressed 

Keywords: cooler, stressed, sensitive, sunscreen is required

Explanation: It's cooler there, they're more stressed, their chlorophyll is more sensitive, and more sunscreen is required.

11.  Answer: No

Keywords: solary energy reduces considerably

Explanation: When fall starts in the northern hemisphere, the solar energy reaching the surface reduces considerably. 

12.  Answer: Yes 

Keywords: energy to manufacture anthocyanins is more

Explanation: But some problems with these theories include the fact that leaves are red for a very short period of time and that the energy needed to manufacture the anthocyanins is more than any anti-fungal or anti-herbivore activity achieved. 

13.  Answer: Yes

Keywords: leaves are reddest; get the most sun

Explanation: On many trees, the leaves on the side of the tree are the reddest and get the most sun.

14.  Answer: No 

Keywords: maples become redder

Explanation: Finally, as you travel to the north in the northern hemisphere, trees such as maples become considerably redder.

15.  Answer: Not Given 

Keywords: Not Available

Explanation: The answer is not given in the passage. 

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Conclusion 

The “Autumn Leaves reading answers“ article gives solutions to three IELTS question types that will be asked in the reading section. The answers have been given at the end so you can check the correct answers. Solve and practice more questions to score high marks in the IELTS reading section.