58. Reading Skills Comprehension: Galapagos Islands

Galapagos Islands

Read the passages given below and answer the questions that follow them:       

The Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean are a rocky, lonely spot, but they are also one of the most unusual places in the world. The reason is that they are the home of some of the last giant tortoises left on earth.

Weighing hundreds of pounds, these tortoises wander slowly around the rocks and sand of the islands. Each of these islands has its own particular kinds of a tortoise. There are seven different kinds of tortoises on these islands.

Hundreds of years ago, thousands of tortoises wandered around these islands. All that changed when people started landing there. When people first arrived, their ships had no refrigerators.

 It means that fresh food was always a problem for the sailors on board. The giant tortoises provided a solution to this problem.

 Ships would anchor off the islands, and crew would seize as many tortoises as they could. Once the animals were aboard the ship, the crew would roll the tortoises onto their backs and use them for soups and stews.

Questions                                                                              

1. Where are the Galapagos Islands situated?

2. Why are the Galapagos Islands called an unusual place?

3. Why were the tortoises found on the Galapagos Islands called ‘ The Giant Tortoises’ and what did they do on the Islands?

4. How many kinds of tortoises are found on the Galapagos Islands?

5. What happened when the people started landing on the Islands?

6. Who provided a solution to this problem?

7. What did the crew do as the ships anchored off the Islands?

8. What happened to the Giant Tortoises once they were aboard the ship?

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