The Intelligence Of Corvids Ielts Reading Answers
For a long time, episodic memory—the ability to recall specific past events (what, where, and when)—was thought to belong only to humans. Western scrub-jays have disproven this. In landmark studies, these birds cached (stored) different types of food. They learned that one type of food (wax moths) decayed quickly, while another (peanuts) lasted longer. When allowed to recover their caches, the jays did not search randomly. They specifically went to the sites where peanuts were stored after a long delay, and to the wax moth sites immediately after caching. This shows they remembered what they hid, where they hid it, and when they hid it.
Sample IELTS-style Reading Passage (condensed) Corvids demonstrate advanced cognitive skills that rival those of primates. Research has shown that some species fashion and use tools to obtain food. In experiments, New Caledonian crows created hooked tools and retrieved hidden food after several steps. Ravens and jays display complex social behaviors: they remember individuals who cheated them and will conceal food caches or re-cache when watched. These birds exhibit episodic-like memory, recalling what was stored, where, and when. Some researchers argue corvids possess a basic form of theory of mind, as they seem to predict and respond to the intentions of others. Cultural transmission of behaviors, such as specific tool-making techniques, has been documented, indicating social learning across generations. the intelligence of corvids ielts reading answers
True/False/Not Given — Details Q: New Caledonian crows only use tools provided by researchers. Answer: False (passage states they create and fashion tools themselves) For a long time, episodic memory—the ability to
Matching information — Which paragraph contains: “evidence that corvids plan for future events”? Answer: Paragraph describing caching behavior and re-caching when watched (paragraph 2 in the condensed passage) They learned that one type of food (wax
Why should IELTS candidates care about corvid intelligence? Because the passage you just read is structurally identical to a typical . It contains: