Read the following passage about AI in protecting birds and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the option that best answers to each of the following questions from 6 to 15
Read the following passage about AI in protecting birds and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the option that best answers to each of the following questions from 6 to 15.
How AI is Assisting Scientists in Protecting Birds
As bird populations continue to deteriorate globally, scientists and birders are using algorithm-powered apps to gather valuable data about avian species. These capture millions of hours of audio. [I]. Yet, it’s a lot of recordings for a human to sift through.
To process this deluge of data, scientists just need a little help from BirdNET, an AI-powered system launched in 2018 that can identify more than 6,000 species of birds across the globe just by their calls. The technology functions by converting bird calls into spectrograms, soundwave images that the app’s algorithm analyzes. [II]. Since its launch, BirdNET has amassed over 150 million bird sounds, contributing to large-scale conservation projects. BirdNET is not alone—other applications, such as Merlin, also leverage AI to assist scientists and birders in identifying bird calls. These systems enable scientists to process vast quantities of acoustic data, which is crucial for bird conservation.
However, like most AI-based technology, these apps are not without pitfalls. In his 2023 study in the International Journal of Avian Science, ecologist Cristian Pérez-Granados reviewed a range of scientific literature on BirdNET. His research found that BirdNET didn't always register a bird's song, and sometimes misidentified it as another species, which results in "false positives," says Pérez-Granados, who works at the University of Alicante in Spain. [III]. Merlin users have also reported cases of misidentification, which could have negative implications for research projects that incorporate citizen science data.
In spite of these challenges, AI-powered tools have made birdwatching more accessible, even to those with hearing impairments, encouraging broader participation in conservation efforts. [IV]. In fact, it’s a case of "killing two birds with one stone"—AI is not only assisting in tracking bird populations, but it is also making birdwatching more inclusive for everyone.
Question 6. Where in the passage does the following sentence fit?
The system detects unique patterns, such as frequency changes, timing, and amplitude, which are far more precise than what humans could discern.
A. [II] B. [IV] C. [I] D. [III]
Question 7. The word “These” in paragraph 1 refers to ____________.
A. avian species B. scientists and birders
C. bird populations D. algorithm-powered apps
Question 8. What can be inferred about the importance of spectrograms in BirdNET’s identification process?
A. Spectrograms help filter background noise so that users can hear birds more clearly.
B. Spectrograms serve as visual maps that match bird sounds to specific geographic locations.
C. Spectrograms allow AI to analyze sound features that are difficult for humans to detect.
D. Spectrograms are stored in a public database to help birdwatchers.
Question 9. Why might the passage mention hearing impairments in the context of birdwatching?
A. To emphasize that AI tools have eliminated the need for auditory skill in bird identification and conservation
B. To highlight how AI has expanded participation in conservation by making birdwatching more inclusive
C. To illustrate how AI can detect bird calls even when humans cannot physically hear them
D. To criticize the inaccessibility of traditional birding tools for those with disabilities
Question 10. What does the word “deluge” in paragraph 2 most likely mean?
A. A slow and steady accumulation of information over time
B. A summary of bird calls compiled from many different species
C. A storage system used to archive bird recordings for future study
D. A flood of data too overwhelming for manual processing
Question 11. In the passage, what does the term “false positives” most likely refer to?
A. Successful identifications that occur despite deafening background noise
B. Instances where the system identifies a bird call incorrectly
C. Cases in which two similar bird calls are detected simultaneously
D. Recordings of bird calls that are ignored because they come from different species
Question 12. The word “incorporate” in paragraph 3 is OPPOSITE in meaning to ____________.
A. specialize B. collaborate C. imply D. exclude
Question 13. Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in the last paragraph?
A. AI applications are enhancing conservation by tracking bird populations, but they have no effect on making birdwatching more accessible to the general public.
B. AI technology simultaneously advances avian population monitoring and promotes greater inclusivity in birdwatching by broadening public access to participation.
C. AI tools aim to improve both bird population monitoring and public engagement, but their dual impact is often understated, especially in illegal bird hunting.
D. The only role of AI in birdwatching is to improve data accuracy, with little attention given to increasing the accessibility of the activity to the public.
Question 14. In which paragraph does the writer mention the working mechanism of BirdNet?
A. Paragraph 2 B. Paragraph 4 C. Paragraph 1 D. Paragraph 3
Question 15. Which of the following best summarizes the passage?
A. AI technologies are reshaping birdwatching by enhancing species recognition for the general public, although they offer limited value for scientific research and large-scale conservation efforts.
B. Tools like BirdNET and Merlin assist citizen scientists in identifying bird calls and broadening participation, though their effectiveness in rigorous data analysis is still being questioned by researchers.
C. While AI apps have made bird identification more accessible to hobbyists and those with impairments, their current inability to consistently detect species limits their application in conservation science.
D. AI-powered systems are transforming avian research by enabling large-scale, precise analysis of bioacoustic data critical to global bird conservation, despite limitations in species identification accuracy.
How AI is Assisting Scientists in Protecting Birds
As bird populations continue to deteriorate globally, scientists and birders are using algorithm-powered apps to gather valuable data about avian species. These capture millions of hours of audio. [I]. Yet, it’s a lot of recordings for a human to sift through.
To process this deluge of data, scientists just need a little help from BirdNET, an AI-powered system launched in 2018 that can identify more than 6,000 species of birds across the globe just by their calls. The technology functions by converting bird calls into spectrograms, soundwave images that the app’s algorithm analyzes. [II]. Since its launch, BirdNET has amassed over 150 million bird sounds, contributing to large-scale conservation projects. BirdNET is not alone—other applications, such as Merlin, also leverage AI to assist scientists and birders in identifying bird calls. These systems enable scientists to process vast quantities of acoustic data, which is crucial for bird conservation.
However, like most AI-based technology, these apps are not without pitfalls. In his 2023 study in the International Journal of Avian Science, ecologist Cristian Pérez-Granados reviewed a range of scientific literature on BirdNET. His research found that BirdNET didn't always register a bird's song, and sometimes misidentified it as another species, which results in "false positives," says Pérez-Granados, who works at the University of Alicante in Spain. [III]. Merlin users have also reported cases of misidentification, which could have negative implications for research projects that incorporate citizen science data.
In spite of these challenges, AI-powered tools have made birdwatching more accessible, even to those with hearing impairments, encouraging broader participation in conservation efforts. [IV]. In fact, it’s a case of "killing two birds with one stone"—AI is not only assisting in tracking bird populations, but it is also making birdwatching more inclusive for everyone.
Question 6. Where in the passage does the following sentence fit?
The system detects unique patterns, such as frequency changes, timing, and amplitude, which are far more precise than what humans could discern.
A. [II] B. [IV] C. [I] D. [III]
Question 7. The word “These” in paragraph 1 refers to ____________.
A. avian species B. scientists and birders
C. bird populations D. algorithm-powered apps
Question 8. What can be inferred about the importance of spectrograms in BirdNET’s identification process?
A. Spectrograms help filter background noise so that users can hear birds more clearly.
B. Spectrograms serve as visual maps that match bird sounds to specific geographic locations.
C. Spectrograms allow AI to analyze sound features that are difficult for humans to detect.
D. Spectrograms are stored in a public database to help birdwatchers.
Question 9. Why might the passage mention hearing impairments in the context of birdwatching?
A. To emphasize that AI tools have eliminated the need for auditory skill in bird identification and conservation
B. To highlight how AI has expanded participation in conservation by making birdwatching more inclusive
C. To illustrate how AI can detect bird calls even when humans cannot physically hear them
D. To criticize the inaccessibility of traditional birding tools for those with disabilities
Question 10. What does the word “deluge” in paragraph 2 most likely mean?
A. A slow and steady accumulation of information over time
B. A summary of bird calls compiled from many different species
C. A storage system used to archive bird recordings for future study
D. A flood of data too overwhelming for manual processing
Question 11. In the passage, what does the term “false positives” most likely refer to?
A. Successful identifications that occur despite deafening background noise
B. Instances where the system identifies a bird call incorrectly
C. Cases in which two similar bird calls are detected simultaneously
D. Recordings of bird calls that are ignored because they come from different species
Question 12. The word “incorporate” in paragraph 3 is OPPOSITE in meaning to ____________.
A. specialize B. collaborate C. imply D. exclude
Question 13. Which of the following best paraphrases the underlined sentence in the last paragraph?
A. AI applications are enhancing conservation by tracking bird populations, but they have no effect on making birdwatching more accessible to the general public.
B. AI technology simultaneously advances avian population monitoring and promotes greater inclusivity in birdwatching by broadening public access to participation.
C. AI tools aim to improve both bird population monitoring and public engagement, but their dual impact is often understated, especially in illegal bird hunting.
D. The only role of AI in birdwatching is to improve data accuracy, with little attention given to increasing the accessibility of the activity to the public.
Question 14. In which paragraph does the writer mention the working mechanism of BirdNet?
A. Paragraph 2 B. Paragraph 4 C. Paragraph 1 D. Paragraph 3
Question 15. Which of the following best summarizes the passage?
A. AI technologies are reshaping birdwatching by enhancing species recognition for the general public, although they offer limited value for scientific research and large-scale conservation efforts.
B. Tools like BirdNET and Merlin assist citizen scientists in identifying bird calls and broadening participation, though their effectiveness in rigorous data analysis is still being questioned by researchers.
C. While AI apps have made bird identification more accessible to hobbyists and those with impairments, their current inability to consistently detect species limits their application in conservation science.
D. AI-powered systems are transforming avian research by enabling large-scale, precise analysis of bioacoustic data critical to global bird conservation, despite limitations in species identification accuracy.