Read the following passage and answer the questions given after it. The giraffe is the tallest land mammal alive, its long legs and neck contributing to its impressive stature. Males can be up to 18ft (5.5m tall), females a little less. In the wild, these beautiful creatures stretch their necks beyond those of antelope, kudu and even elephants to strip leaves from the untouched upper reaches of trees. The French zoologist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck is usually credited as the first person to suggest that long necks have evolved in giraffes because they allow them to get to the parts other herbivores cannot reach. As the giraffe lives "in places where the soil is nearly always arid and barren, it is obliged to browse on the leaves of trees and to make constant efforts to reach them," he wrote in his 1809 book ‘Philosophie Zoologique’. "From this habit long maintained in all its race, it has resulted that the animal's forelegs have become longer than its hind legs and that its neck is lengthened." The English naturalist Charles Darwin also thought the giraffe's extraordinary legs and neck must have something to do with foraging. "The giraffe, by its lofty stature, much-elongated neck, fore-legs, head and tongue, has its whole frame beautifully adapted for browsing on the higher branches of trees," he wrote in ‘On the Origin of Species’ in 1859. In short, giraffes' long necks are the result of generation upon generation of repeated stretching and inheritance. During the dry season when feeding competition should be most intense giraffe generally feed on low shrubs, not tall trees. What's more, giraffes feed most often and faster with their necks bent. Male giraffes often fight for access to females, a ritual referred to as "necking". The rivals stand flank to flank, then start to whack each other with their heads. The top or back of the well-armoured skull is used as a club to strike the neck, chest, ribs, or legs of the opponent with a force capable of knocking a competitor off balance or unconscious. The largest males usually win these battles and do most of the breeding, says zoologist Anne Innis Dagg of the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, who has been studying giraffes since the 1950s. "The other giraffes don't get much breeding opportunity." There is also evidence that females are more receptive to advances from larger males.
According to the passage, ‘necking’ is the:
fight to woo the females
Understanding 'Necking' in Giraffes from the Passage
The question asks for the definition of 'necking' as provided in the passage about giraffes. To answer this correctly, we need to locate the term 'necking' within the text and understand the context in which it is used.
Locating 'Necking' in the Giraffe Passage
Reading through the passage, we find the following sentence:
Male giraffes often fight for access to females, a ritual referred to as "necking".
This sentence directly defines what 'necking' is in the context of the passage about male giraffes.
Analyzing the Options Based on the Passage
Let's examine each option in light of the passage's definition of 'necking':
- Option 1: breeding by the largest males
The passage mentions that the largest males usually win these battles and do most of the breeding. However, 'necking' is described as the 'fight', not the subsequent breeding activity itself. While necking can lead to breeding opportunities for the winners, necking is the fight itself.
- Option 2: fight to woo the females
The passage explicitly states that 'necking' is a "fight for access to females". The phrase "for access to females" implies a fight that occurs in the context of attracting or gaining opportunity with females. "Woo" means to seek the favour or affection of, especially with a view to marriage or reproduction. A fight for access to females is synonymous with a fight to gain mating rights or to 'woo' them in a competitive sense. This option aligns perfectly with the passage's definition.
- Option 3: repeated stretching of the neck
The passage discusses the evolutionary theories of Lamarck and Darwin, which suggest that the long necks of giraffes may have evolved due to repeated stretching to reach high leaves. However, 'necking' is introduced later in the passage as a distinct behaviour related to male combat, not neck stretching for feeding.
- Option 4: elongation of the giraffes’ neck
This option also refers to the process of how giraffes might have evolved long necks, as discussed in the passage's historical context involving Lamarck and Darwin. 'Necking', however, is a specific social behaviour described as a fight between males.
Conclusion: Defining Giraffe Necking
Based on the direct statement in the passage, 'necking' is the term used to describe the ritualistic fight between male giraffes for access to females. This behaviour involves rivals striking each other with their heads, often targeting the neck.
Therefore, the option that best matches the passage's definition is the one describing 'necking' as a fight related to females.
| Term | Definition from Passage | Relation to Options |
|---|---|---|
| Necking | "fight for access to females" | Matches Option 2 |
Revision Table: Giraffe Facts from Passage
| Characteristic/Behavior | Description (as per passage) |
|---|---|
| Height | Tallest land mammal; males up to 18ft (5.5m), females slightly less. |
| Feeding | Strip leaves from upper reaches of trees (traditional view); often feed on low shrubs and faster with necks bent (contrary evidence). |
| Lamarck's Theory | Long necks evolved from stretching to reach high leaves due to arid conditions; forelegs became longer than hind legs. |
| Darwin's Theory | Frame adapted for browsing on higher branches. |
| Necking | Ritualistic fight between males for access to females; involves striking with the skull. |
| Breeding Success | Largest males usually win necking battles and do most breeding; females may prefer larger males. |
Additional Information: Giraffe Behavior and Evolution
The passage touches upon several interesting aspects of giraffe biology and behaviour:
- Evolutionary Theories: It contrasts the views of Lamarck and Darwin on how the giraffe's long neck evolved. Lamarck suggested inheritance of acquired characteristics (stretching leads to longer neck over generations), while Darwin emphasized natural selection favouring individuals whose traits (like a longer neck) were better suited for survival and reproduction in their environment. The passage notes that despite theories focusing on high browsing, giraffes often feed on lower vegetation, suggesting other factors might be involved in neck evolution.
- Feeding Habits: The passage presents a nuance regarding feeding, noting that during the dry season when competition is high, giraffes often feed on low shrubs and feed faster with their necks bent. This challenges the long-held primary explanation for neck length solely based on reaching high leaves for foraging.
- Male Competition: 'Necking' is presented as a significant form of male-male competition. This fight is physical and can lead to serious injury or unconsciousness. The outcome of these battles directly impacts breeding success, with larger males having an advantage.
- Female Choice: The passage mentions evidence suggesting female giraffes may show a preference for larger males, further reinforcing the importance of male size and success in 'necking' battles for reproductive opportunity.
Understanding these different behaviours and theories provides a more complete picture of the giraffe's remarkable adaptations beyond just its height.
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Important Questions from Reading Comprehension
Why, according to the writer can't people be motivated to use a resource prudently?
1. They feel that others may overuse the resource
2. It is possible to substitute the resource
3. Abundance of the resource availability
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
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The self-interest of people affects the use of renewable resources
People rooted in a locality
Which among the following is closest in meaning with the word 'deplete'?
