THE BIG CATS AT THE SHARJAH BREEDIN

THE BIG CATS AT THE SHARJAH BREEDING CENTRE

It is one of the few places where you will be able to spot them all at the same time… the

Arabian wolf, an African cheetah, an Arabian leopard, an oryx, a gazelle. These are just some of the animals, which, on the brink of extinction, are now getting a new lease of life thanks to the exemplary work being done at the Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Wildlife in Sharjah.

Sharjah is one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates. The Breeding

Centre’s expertise and facilities have made it a prime destination for illegally imported animals confiscated by UAE and Sharjah authorities. In the last four years, more than 900 mammals and reptiles and 969 birds have arrived at the centre, including 25 North African cheetahs, Houbara bustard and falcons, lions, a baby Nile crocodile and a Burmese python that was left in a rental car at the airport.

The 25 cheetahs were all imported illegally into the UAE and were intercepted at the UAE harbour and airport entry points. They nearly all arrived malnourished, dehydrated and highly stressed after long voyages stuffed into boxes, crates and suitcases. Now they are bright and full of energy. The Centre’s efforts have also been rewarded when the first cheetah mating took place at the end of 2002. Playing matchmaker with these beautiful creatures is no easy task – successful breeding requires considerable patience and intimate knowledge of each animal’s personality, and it is the result of intensive and expert management of each animal within the group as well as of the group as a whole.

Because this group was still young and inexperienced in courtship matters, the keepers had to make the introductions only after careful planning and management, much like the lead role in a Jane Austen novel. The female cheetahs were initially intimidated by the presence of the male; however, as they advance to oestrus, the roles are reversed and the male cheetah becomes too wary to approach during the female’s most receptive phase of the cycle. It is the responsibility of the keeper therefore to monitor each individual and to be able to respond to any indication from the cheetahs that the time is right for introducing a pair. The close bond that invariably develops between the keeper and the cheetahs enables the keeper to spot even the most subtle signs from the animals in their care. The trust between keeper and animal has also allowed the opportunity to study cellular changes in the sexual organs of the females during the hormonal cycles that occur prior to reproduction.

The Breeding Centre’s cheetahs are also participants in the European breeding programme, which aims to ensure that the genetic diversity of this endangered species is maintained and expanded by breeding as many founder animals as possible to introduce new bloodlines into the captive population. In this way, the group held at the centre plays a very important role in the future health of the international captive population, as they are potentially all new founders.

Also very important for the Sharjah Breeding Centre is the leopard-breeding programme.

Academic Test 1; Page 8

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The Arabian leopard, Panthera pardus nimr, is critically endangered around the world and particularly in the Arabian peninsula, where it was once found throughout the coastal mountain ranges. Activities like hunting, trapping and habitat destruction has reduced their range to a few isolated and fragmented populations in Oman, Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

In the 1980s, a captive breeding programme was established near Muscat with the capture of three leopards in southwestern Oman. The breeding programme in the UAE was initiated by the Arabian Leopard Trust and started with the arrival of two mature specimens: a male Arabian leopard from Yemen and a female on breeding loan from Oman in 1995. The arrival of these two animals led to the construction of the Breeding Centre in which the leopard has played the role of flagship species.

Today there are twelve leopards at the Breeding centre, eight of which have been born at the centre since the first cub in 1998. Once more, the secret to the centre’s success is the close relationship between animal and keeper. The leopard is usually shy and secretive with people around, but here they react positively to the presence of their keepers, approaching the fence so they can be talked to or scratched behind an ear.

The bond is particularly important during breeding season, when keepers decide to introduce pairs to each other. Male leopards are known to have killed their partners on introduction, so it is essential for the keeper to understand the leopards’ behaviour to decide when it is safe to do so. The trust is also important if keepers need to enter dens to check on and monitor the cub’s growth. Leopard females have been known to kill their cubs if the dens have been disturbed, but the centre’s leopards are quite comfortable with the staff handling the new generation of cubs.


Questions 1- 8

Source: The Gulf News, UAE


Use the information in the text to match the statements (1 – 8) with the animals (A – D). Write the appropriate letter (A – D) in boxes 1 – 8 on your answer sheet. Write:

A if the statement refers to cheetahs at the Breeding Centre.

B if the statement refers to leopards at the Breeding Centre.

C if the statement refers to both cheetahs and leopards at the Breeding Centre.

D If the statement refers to neither cheetahs nor leopards at the Breeding Centre.

Example Answer

These animals are endangered C


1 These animals were smuggled into the UAE.

2 At first these animals did not adapt to life at the Sharjah Breeding Centre

3 These animals are regarded as the most important animal at the Centre.

4 Half of these animals were born at the Breeding centre.

Academic Test 1; Page 9

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5 These animals can be dangerous to one another.

6 The role of the keeper is vital in the breeding programme of these animals. 7 The first of these animals at the Breeding Centre were relatively young.

8 It is normally difficult for humans to approach these animals.

Questions 9 – 13

Complete the summary below.

Choose your answers from the box below the summary and write them in boxes 9 – 12 on your answer sheet.

NB There are more words than spaces, so you will not use them at all.


Example Answer
The Sharjah Breeding Centre now has a __________ of variety
animals including birds,…




SUMMARY

The Sharjah Breeding Centre now has a variety of animals including birds, mammals and

(9) __________. As its name suggests, the Centre is primarily involved in breeding and

(10) __________ the numbers of the species housed there whilst still maintaining the (11)

_________ of bloodlines in order to retain genetic health. In spite of problems involving the complex (12) __________ of the animals, a fair amount of (13) __________ has been achieved with North African cheetahs and Arabian leopards.

reptiles variety behaviour success creating
expanding difficulty diversity action habitat
season fish change working programme



Academic Test 1; Page 10

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READING PASSAGE 2 Questions 14 - 27

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14 – 27 which are based on Reading Passage 2 on the following pages.

INSOMNIA – THE ENEMY OF SLEEP

A

It is not unusual to have sleep troubles from time to time. But, if you feel you do not get enough sleep or satisfying sleep, you may have insomnia, a sleep disorder. People with insomnia have one or more of the following: difficulty falling asleep, waking up often during the night and having trouble going back to sleep, waking up too early in the morning and unrefreshing sleep. Insomnia is not defined by the number of hours you sleep every night. The amount of sleep a person needs varies. While most people need between 7 and 8 hours of sleep a night, some people do well with less, and some need more.

B

Insomnia occurs most frequently in people over age 60, in people with a history of depression, and in women, especially after menopause. Severe emotional trauma can also cause insomnia with divorced, widowed and separated people being the most likely to suffer from this sleep disorder.

Stress, anxiety, illness and other sleep disorders such as restless legs syndrome are the most common causes of insomnia. An irregular work schedule, jet lag or brain damage from a stroke or

Alzeimer’s disease can also cause insomnia as well as excessive use of alcohol or illicit drugs. It can also accompany a variety of mental illnesses.

C

The mechanism that induces sleep is not known. When it becomes dark, the pineal gland in the brain secretes a hormone called melatonin, which is thought to induce sleep. Exactly why sleep is necessary for good health and efficient mental functioning is unknown. We do know that sleep consists of two very different states: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM sleep. In

REM sleep, dreams occur, the eyes move under the closed lids and there is an increase in oxygen consumption, blood flow and neural activity. REM sleep occurs four or five times during a night.

Beginning periods last about ten to fifteen minutes but the periods get longer as the night goes on.

The periods of REM sleep alternate with longer periods of non-REM sleep, when body functions slow. Non-REM sleep has four stages. During the deepest stages (3 and 4) it is hard to rouse a sleeper. As the night goes on, the periods of non-REM sleep become progressively lighter.

Sleep in stages 1 and 2 are felt to be restorative as during this time the body repairs itself utilising a hormone called somatostatin. Lack of stage 4 sleep is believed to be important in chronically painful conditions such as fibromyalgia.

D

Healthcare providers diagnose insomnia in several ways. One way is to categorize insomnia


Academic Test 1; Page 11

Kết quả (Việt) 1:

THE BIG CATS AT THE BREEDING CENTRE SHARJAH It is one of the FEW places where you will spot at the same time can add all ... the Arabian wolf, an African cheetah, leopard Arabian police, an oryx, a Gazelle. These are just some of the animals, which, on the brink of extinction, are now getting a new lease of life thanks to the work being done at the Breeding Centre for Endangered Arabian Exemplary printing Wildlife Sharjah. Sharjah is one of the seven Emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates. The Breeding Centre's Expertise and facilities have made ​​it a prime destination for illegally imported animals confiscated by UAE and Sharjah Authorities. In the last four years, mammals and reptiles more coal and 969 900 birds have Arrived at the center, 25 North African cheetahs include, Houbara bustard and Falcons, lions, a crocodile and a Burmese python baby Nile that was left in a rental car at the airport. The 25 cheetahs are all imported illegally intercepted the Into the UAE and the UAE at the harbor and airport entry points. Nearly all Arrived They malnourished, dehydrated and highly stressed after voyages stuffed dragon Into boxes, crates and suitcases. Now bright and full of our energy. The Centre's efforts into vào have also been rewarded when first cheetah mating took place at the Playing Matchmaker end of 2002 with the Beautiful Creatures is no easy task - successful breeding requires patience and intimate Considerable knowledge of each animal's personality, and it is the result of intensive and expert management of each animal as well as the group as a whole of the group. Because this group was still young and inexperienced print courtship matters, the Keepers hda to make the introductions only after careful planning and management, much like the lead in a Jane Austen novel role. The female cheetahs was initially intimidated by the presence of the male; however, As They advance to oestrus, the roles are reversed and the male cheetah too wary to approach when Becomes the female's Most receptive phase of the cycle. It is the Responsibility of the keeper to monitor each of the the individual and therefore Respond to any indication to be from the cheetahs that the time is right for a Introducing pair. The close bond that develops between the keeper and the invariably keeper to spot the cheetahs turned even subtle signs The Most From The animals in care. The trust the giữa keeper and animal has am am also allowed the opportunity to study cellular changes in the sexual Organs of the females when the hormonal cycles that occur prior to Reproduction. The Breeding Centre's cheetahs also Participants in the European breeding Programme, which AIMS to Ensure that the genetic diversity of this endangered species is maintained and expanded by breeding as many animals as possible The founders to introduce new bloodlines The Into the captive population. In this way, the group at the center plays a very important, keep, role in the future health of the population captive international , as they Potentially all new founders. Also very important,, for the Sharjah Breeding Centre is the leopard-breeding Programme. Academic first Test; Page 8 © ieltshelpnow.com The Arabian leopard, Panthera pardus nimr, is critically endangered around the world and print the Arabian peninsula Particularly, where it was once found throughout the coastal mountain ranges. Activities like hunting, trapping and habitat destruction has reduced their range to a few isolated and fragmented print Populations Oman, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. In the 1980s, a captive breeding Programme was established near Muscat with the capture of three leopards print southwestern Oman. The UAE was breeding in the Programme by the Arabian Leopard Trust and with the arrival of INITIATED launch two mature specimens: a male Arabian leopard from Yemen and a female on breeding loan from 1995. The arrival of the two animals print Oman led to the construction of the Breeding Centre has played the role containing leopard of flagship species. Today there are twelve leopards at the Breeding Center, eight of which were born at the center since 1998. Once the first cub print more, the secret to the center's success is the close relationship the the between animal and keeper. The leopard is shy and secretive with people Standing around, but here we React positively to the presence of Their Keepers, approaching the fence charcoal us Talked to be scratched behind an ear or. The bond is important, Particularly, when breeding season, when the Keepers decide to introduce to each other pairs. Male leopards are known to have Killed with partners on introduction, considering it is essential for the keeper to understand the leopards' behavior to decide when is safe to vì compared. The trust is important,, if Keepers need also to enter dens to check on and monitor the cub's Growth. Leopard females are known to kill cubs if the dens they are disturbed, but the leopards are quite comfortable center's staff with the new generation of handling the cubs. Questions 1. 8 Source: The Gulf News, UAE Use the information in the text to match the statements (1-8) with the animals (A - D). Write the letter the the appropriate (A - D) in boxes on the answer sheet 1-8. Write: A if the statement Refers To cheetahs at the Breeding Centre. B if the statement Refers To leopards at the Breeding Centre. C if the statement cheetahs and leopards Refers To both at the Breeding Centre. D If the statement nor Refers To venture leopards cheetahs at the Breeding Centre. Example Answer These animals are endangered C 1 These animals are smuggled Into the UAE. 2 At first these did not adapt to life animals at the Sharjah Breeding Centre 3 These animals are Regarded as the Most Important, at the Centre animal. 4 Half of this was born at the Breeding Centre animals. Academic Test 1; Page 9 © ieltshelpnow.com 5 These animals can be dangerous to one another. 6 The role of the keeper is Vital in the Programme of the breeding animals. 7 The first of animals at the Breeding Centre is Relatively young. 8 It is Difficult for Humans to approach the animals often. Questions 9-13 Complete the summary below. Choose your answers from the box below the summary and write add print boxes 9-12 On Your answer sheet. NB There are more spaces coal words, you will not use charcoal added at all. Example Answer The Sharjah Breeding Centre now has a variety of __________ animals including birds ... SUMMARY The Sharjah Breeding Centre now has a variety of animals including birds, mammals and (9) __________. As its name suggest, the Centre is the breeding INVOLVED print and (10) the __________ numbers of the species housed there whilst still Maintaining the (11) _________ of bloodlines to retain genetic health. In spite of problems involving the complex (12) __________ of the animals, a fair amount of (13) with North African cheetahs Already __________ Achieved and Arabian leopards. reptiles success variety behavior creates difficulty expanding habitat diversity action working fish season change Programme Academic Test 1; Page 10 © ieltshelpnow.com READING PASSAGE 2 Questions 14-27 Spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-27 are based should be on Reading Passage which 2 on the following pages. Insomnia - THE ENEMY OF SLEEP A It is not unusual to have sleep troubles from time to time. But, if you feel you do not get enough sleep or satisfying sleep, you have insomnia tại, a sleep disorder. People with insomnia have one or more of the following: difficulty falling asleep, waking up often Do Due to the night and having trouble going back to sleep, waking up too early in the morning and unrefreshing sleep. Insomnia is not defined by the number of hours you sleep every night. The amount of sleep a person needs varies. While Most People Need the the between 7 and 8 hours of sleep a night, some people compared well with less, and some need more. B Insomnia Most Frequently Occurs over age 60 who print, print with a history of depression who, and print women, after menopause Especially. Severe trauma can cause, emotional, with insomnia also divorced, separated Widowed people and being the Most likely to Suffer from this sleep disorder. Stress, anxiety , sleep disorders other illness and the Restless legs syndrome as Are The Most Common Causes of insomnia. An irregular work schedule, jet lag or brain damage from a stroke or Alzheimer's disease can cause,, insomnia as well as also excessive use of alcohol or illicit drugs . It can also accompany a variety of mental illnesses. C The mechanism is not known which induces sleep. When it Becomes dark, the pineal gland secretes a hormone called melatonin in the brain, thought to induce sleep that. Exactly why is sleep for good mental health needs and efficient functioning is unknown. We know that sleep vì Consists of two very different states: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and REM sleep non-. In REM sleep, dreams occur, the eyes move under the closed lids and there oxygen consumption is an increase of print, blood flow and neural activity. REM sleep four or five times Occurs when a night. Beginning about ten to fifteen periods last minutes but the periods get longer as the night goes on. The periods of REM sleep alternate with Longer periods of non-REM sleep, when the body functions slow. Non-REM sleep has four stages. During the deepest stages (3 and 4) it is hard to Rouse a sleeper. As the night goes on, the periods of non-REM sleep becomes progressively lighter. Sleep in stages 1 and 2 are to be restorative Felt as if this time the body hormone called somatostatin a utilising repairs Itself. Lack of stage 4 sleep is believed to be important,, chronically conditionsEND_SPAN Painful as print fibromyalgia. D Healthcare Ways few print providers diagnose insomnia. One way is to Categorize- insomnia Academic Test 1; Page 11

Kết quả (Việt) 2:

THE BIG CATS AT THE SEED CENTRE SHARJAH It is one of the few places where you can spot them all at once ... the Arabian wolf, a leopard in Africa, a Saudi newspaper, an oryx, an antelope. These are just some of the animals, which, on the brink of extinction, are getting a new lease of life thanks to the excellent work was performed at the Center for endangered species breeding Arabian Wildlife in Sharjah. Sharjah is one of seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates. Propagation expertise and physical facilities of the Centre made ​​it a top destination for smuggled animals seized by the UAE and Sharjah government. In four years, more than 900 mammals, 969 reptiles and birds came to the center, which has 25 cheetahs North Africa, Houbara bustard and eagle, lion, a crocodile and a snake Nile Burma has been left in a rental car at the airport. 25 cheetahs are smuggled into the UAE and were intercepted at the harbor and airport entry points UAE. They almost all come malnourished, dehydrated and stressed high after the long journey stuffed into boxes, crates and suitcases. Now they are bright and filled energy. The efforts of the Centre has been able to even the first cheetah mating takes place in late 2002. Playing matchmaker with gorgeous creatures are not easy tasks - like success requires considerable patience and a deep knowledge of the personality of each animal, and it is the result of management depth and expertise of each animal in the group as well as the group as a whole. Because this group still young and inexperienced in matters of courtship, the keepers made ​​only after the introduction of planning and careful management, like the lead role in a novel by Jane Austen. The female cheetahs were initially threatened by the presence of men; however, when they move to oestrus, the roles are reversed and the male cheetah becomes too prudent to approach the sensitive period Most women in the cycle. It is the responsibility of the keeper so to track each individual and to be able to respond to any signs from the cheetahs that the time is right to introduce a pair . The bonds are developed nearby between goalkeeper and the cheetahs allowing the keeper to detect even the most subtle signs of the animals in their care. The trust between the goalkeeper and the material also allows the opportunity to study cell changes in genital organs of women in the period before the reproductive hormones. Cheetahs varieties Center is also involved in the breeding program Europe, to ensure that the genetic diversity of endangered species are maintained and expanded like many animals as possible founders to introduce new blood lines into the captive population. In this way , the group held at the center plays a very important role in the future health of the international captive population, as they are capable of all the founding members of a new one. It is very important for the Chinese Sharjah Breeding Center is raising alarm program. Check Study 1; Page 8 © ieltshelpnow.com The Arabic newspaper, Panthera pardus nimr, is critically endangered worldwide and especially in the Arab countries, where but it has been found all over the coastal mountains. The activities such as hunting, trapping and habitat loss have reduced their scope to a few isolated populations and fragmented in Oman , Yemen and Saudi Arabia. In 1980, a breeding program was established near Muscat with the arrest of three leopards in southwest Oman. The UAE breeding program was initiated by the Arabian Leopard Trust and arrested beginning with the arrival of two adult specimens: a male Arabian leopard from Yemen and a woman raising loans from Oman in 1995. The appearance of the two animals has led to the construction of the Centre for Breeding , in which the newspaper has played the role of flagship species. Today there are twelve leopard breeding center, eight of which were born at the center since the first cub in 1998. Again, the secret to the success of the center is close relationship between animal and keeper. The newspaper is usually shy and closed with everyone around, but here they have responded positively to the presence of their keepers, approached the fence so they can be talked to or scratched behind one ear. The bond is especially important during the breeding season, while holding the decision to introduce the pair together. Male leopards are known to have killed their partners to introduce, so it is essential for the keeper to understand the behavior of the cheetahs to decide when it is safe to do so . The trust is also important if kept having to enter dens to check and monitor the development of the cub. Female Leopard has been known to kill their cubs if the loci were disturbed, but the center's report is quite comfortable with the staff handle the new generation of cubs. Question 1- 8 Source: The Gulf News, UAE Use the information in the text to match the clause (1- 8) with the animals (A - D). Write the appropriate letter (A - D) in the box on the answer sheet 1-8 of you. Writing: A if the statement refers to the cheetahs at the Centre Breeding . B if the statement mentions a leopard at breeding center. C if statements referring to both cheetahs and leopards in Central breeding. D If the statement is not mentioned nor cheetahs Leopard Breeding Centre. Example Answer These animals are threatened C 1 The animals are smuggled into the UAE. 2 At first the animals do not adapt to life in the same Centre Sharjah 3 These animals are regarded as the most important figure at the center. 4 Half of the animals were born in breeding centers. Check Study 1; Page 9 © ieltshelpnow.com 5 These animals may danger to others. 6 The role of the goalkeeper is very important in the breeding program of the animals. 7 The first of these animals at the breeding center is relatively young. 8 It often causes difficult for people to access these animals. Questions 9-13 Complete the following summary. Choose your answer from below summarizes box and write them in the box 9 -. 12 on your answer sheet NB There are words more space, so you will not use them at all. For example, answer the Sharjah Breeding Centre now has a __________ of many animals, including the birds, ... SUMMARY The Sharjah Centre now has more breeding of animals, including birds, mammals and (9) __________. As its name suggests, primarily Center the raising and (10) __________ species population located there while still maintaining (11) _________ of blood flow to keep healthy genetics. Although issues related to complex (12) __________ of animals, a fair amount of (13) __________ reached with North African cheetahs and Arab newspapers. Successful reptile behavior many create expanded habitat diversity tough act replacing season fish change work program Test Study 1; Page 10 © ieltshelpnow.com READING Passage 2 Questions 14-27 You should spend about 20 minutes of questions 14-27 which is based on Reading Passage 2 on the next page. Insomnia - THE ENEMY OF SLEEP A It is not unusual to have trouble sleeping from time to time. But, if you feel you are not getting enough sleep or sleep satisfied, you may suffer from insomnia, sleep disorders . People with insomnia have one or more of the following: difficulty sleeping, waking up frequently during the night and having trouble going back to sleep, waking up too early in the morning and unrefreshing sleep. Insomnia is not determined by the number of hours of sleep per night. The amount of sleep a person needs to change. While most people need between 7 and 8 hours of sleep a night, some people do better with less, and some need more. B Insomnia occurs most often in people over age 60, in people with a history of depression, and in women, especially after menopause. Trauma serious emotions can also cause insomnia with divorced, widowed and separated people were most likely to have this sleep disorder. Stress, anxiety, illness and other sleep disorders such as restless leg syndrome is the cause The most common of insomnia. A work schedule irregular, fly or brain damage due to stroke or Alzheimer's disease can also cause insomnia and excessive use of alcohol or illegal drugs Justice. It can also come with a variety of mental illnesses. C narcotic mechanism is not known. When it became dark, the pineal gland in the brain secretes a hormone called melatonin, which is supposed to enable like sleep. Exactly why sleep is necessary for good health and effective function is unknown god. We know that sleep consists of two very different states: rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM sleep. During REM sleep, dreams occur, the eyes move under the lids and an increase in oxygen consumption, blood flow and neural activity. REM sleep occurs four or five times in one night. Starting last phase of about ten to fifteen minutes but as long as the night time goes on. The stage of REM sleep interspersed with longer periods of non-REM sleep when agencies Slow function. Non-REM sleep has four stages. In the deepest stages (3 and 4) it is difficult to awaken a sleeper. As the night went on, the stage of non-REM sleep becomes progressively progressively lighter. Sleeping in phase 1 and 2 are perceived to be recovered as at this time the body repairs itself using a hormone called somatostatin. Lack of sleep stage 4 is believed important in economic conditions dating as fibromyalgia pain. D provides healthcare services diagnosis of insomnia in many ways. One way is to classify insomnia try learning 1; Page 11