[2026] PTE Academic Reading - Multiple Choice, Single Answer

The prospect of de-extinction—using biotechnology to resurrect species like the woolly mammoth—has transitioned from science fiction to a tangible, albeit controversial, field of research. Proponents argue that bringing back keystone species could restore ecological balance and reverse some of the damage caused by human-induced biodiversity loss. For instance, the reintroduction of mammoth-like elephants to the Arctic tundra could theoretically stimulate grass growth and prevent the thawing of permafrost. However, many conservationists view these efforts as a dangerous distraction from the urgent task of protecting currently endangered species and their habitats. They contend that the exorbitant costs and technological complexity of de-extinction could siphon away limited funding from traditional, more effective conservation initiatives. Furthermore, the ethical implications of creating 'proxies' that may lack the social structures or environments of their ancestors remain deeply troubling. There is also the risk that resurrected species could become invasive, causing unforeseen disruptions to modern ecosystems that have evolved in their absence. While the scientific achievement would be monumental, de-extinction must be weighed against the pragmatic reality that saving what we have is inherently more valuable than attempting to recover what is irretrievably lost.