You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1–13, which are based on

Reading Passage 1 below.

Why we need to protect polar bears

Polar bears are being increasingly threatened by the effects of climate change, but
their disappearance could have far-reaching consequences. They are uniquely adapted
to the extreme conditions of the Arctic Circle, where temperatures can reach -40°C. One
reason for this is that they have up to 11 centimetres of fat underneath their skin. Humans
with comparative levels of adipose tissue would be considered obese and would be likely
to suffer from diabetes and heart disease. Yet the polar bear experiences no such
consequences.

A 2014 study by Shi Ping Liu and colleagues sheds light on this mystery. They
compared the genetic structure of polar bears with that of their closest relatives from a
warmer climate, the brown bears. This allowed them to determine the genes that have
allowed polar bears to survive in one of the toughest environments on Earth. Liu and his
colleagues found the polar bears had a gene known as APOB, which reduces levels of
low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) - a form of 'bad' cholesterol. In humans, mutations of this
gene are associated with increased risk of heart disease. Polar bears may therefore be
an important study model to understand heart disease in humans.

The genome of the polar bear may also provide the solution for another condition, one
that particularly affects our older generation: osteoporosis. This is a disease where bones
show reduced density, usually caused by insufficient exercise, reduced calcium intake or
food starvation. Bone tissue is constantly being remodelled, meaning that bone is added or
removed, depending on nutrient availability and the stress that the bone is under. Female
polar bears, however, undergo extreme conditions during every pregnancy. Once autumn
comes around, these females will dig maternity dens in the snow and will remain there
throughout the winter, both before and after the birth of their cubs. This process results in
about six months of fasting, where the female bears have to keep themselves and their
cubs alive, depleting their own calcium and calorie reserves. Despite this, their bones
remain strong and dense.

Physiologists Alanda Lennox and Allen Goodship found an explanation for this paradox
in 2008. They discovered that pregnant bears were able to increase the density of their
bones before they started to build their dens. In addition, six months later, when they
finally emerged from the den with their cubs, there was no evidence of significant loss of
bone density. Hibernating brown bears do not have this capacity and must therefore
resort to major bone reformation in the following spring. If the mechanism of bone
remodelling in polar bears can be understood, many bedridden humans, and even
astronauts, could potentially benefit.

The medical benefits of the polar bear for humanity certainly have their importance in
our conservation efforts, but these should not be the only factors taken into consideration.
 We tend to want to protect animals we think are intelligent and possess emotions, such
as elephants and primates. Bears, on the other hand, seem to be perceived as stupid and
in many cases violent. And yet anecdotal evidence from the field challenges those
assumptions, suggesting for example that polar bears have good problem-solving
abilities. A male bear called GoGo in Tennoji Zoo, Osaka, has even been observed
making use of a tool to manipulate his environment. The bear used a tree branch on
multiple occasions to dislodge a piece of meat hung out of his reach. Problem-solving
ability has also been witnessed in wild polar bears, although not as obviously as with
GoGo. A calculated move by a male bear involved running and jumping onto barrels in an
attempt to get to a photographer standing on a platform four metres high.

In other studies, such as one by Alison Ames in 2008, polar bears showed deliberate and
focused manipulation. For example, Ames observed bears putting objects in piles and then
knocking them over in what appeared to be a game. The study demonstrates that bears are
capable of agile and thought-out behaviours. These examples suggest bears have greater
creativity and problem-solving abilities than previously thought.

As for emotions, while the evidence is once again anecdotal, many bears have been seen
to hit out at ice and snow - seemingly out of frustration - when they have just missed out on a
kill/prey. Moreover, polar bears can form unusual relationships with other species, including
playing with the dogs used to pull sleds in the Arctic. Remarkably, one hand-raised polar bear
called Agee has formed a close relationship with her owner Mark Dumas to the point where
they even swim together. This is even more astonishing since polar bears are known to
actively hunt humans in the wild.

If climate change were to lead to their extinction, this would mean not only the loss of
potential breakthroughs in human medicine, but more importantly, the disappearance of
an intelligent, majestic animal.

Questions 1-7
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?

In boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

1. Polar bears suffer from various health problems due to the build-up of fat under their
skin. F
2. The study done by Liu and his colleagues compared different groups of polar bears. F
 3. Liu and colleagues were the first researchers to compare polar bears and brown bears
genetically. NG
4. Polar bears are able to control their levels of bad cholesterol by genetic means. T
5. Female polar bears are able to survive for about six months without food. T
6. It was found that the bones of female polar bears were very weak when they came out
of their dens in spring. F
7. The polar bear's mechanism for increasing bone density could also be used by people
one day. T
Questions 8–13

Complete the table below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 8–13 on your answer sheet.

Reasons why polar bears should be protected

People think of bears as unintelligent and 8 ____violent_____ .
However, this may not be correct. For example:
 In Tennoji Zoo, a bear has been seen using a branch as a 9___tool___
This allowed him to knock down some 10 ___meat___

 A wild polar bear worked out a method of reaching a platform where a

11 __photographer___was located.
 Polar bears have displayed behaviour such as conscious manipulation of
objects and activity similar to a 12____game_____

Bears may also display emotions. For example:

 They may make movements suggesting 13 ___frustration____if disappointed when
hunting.
 They may form relationships with other species.