Answer Explanation - Nutmeg - a valuable spice
- Details
- Last Updated: Wednesday, 26 March 2025 17:32
- Written by IELTS Mentor
- Hits: 187
Answer Explanation - Nutmeg - a valuable spice.
Go to the Reading Passage: Nutmeg - a valuable spice.
Reading Passage "Nutmeg - a valuable spice" Answer Explanation:
Questions 1–4:
Complete the notes below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Question 1: the leaves of the tree are .................... in shape.
Answer: oval.
Keywords: tree leaves, shape.
Explanation: The passage in the third sentence in the first paragraph describes the nutmeg tree as having "dense foliage of tough, dark green oval leaves." This indicates that the leaves are oval-shaped.
Evidence: "...The tree is thickly branched with dense foliage of tough, dark green oval leaves..."
Therefore, the correct answer is: oval.
Question 2: the .................... surrounds the fruit and breaks open when the fruit is ripe.
Answer: husk.
Keywords: surrounds fruit, breaks open, ripe.
Explanation: The next two sentences in the first paragraph mention that the fruit is encased in a fleshy husk, which splits into two halves when the fruit ripens. This indicates that the husk surrounds the fruit and breaks open upon ripening.
Here, "encased in" = "surrounded by/ covered by" & "breaks open" = "splits into two halves".
Evidence: "...The fruit is encased in a fleshy husk. When the fruit is ripe, this husk splits into two halves......"
Therefore, the correct answer is: husk.
Question 3: the .................... is used to produce the spice nutmeg.
Answer: seed.
Keywords: produce, spice nutmeg.
Explanation: According to the last two sentences of the first paragraph, two spices are produced from the nutmeg tree (more specifically fruits) and they are 'nutmeg' and 'mace'. It also outlines that nutmeg spice is produced from dried seed and the mace is produced from the 'aril'. This indicates that the seed is the source of the spice nutmeg.
Evidence: "...... These are the sources of the two spices nutmeg and mace, the former being produced from the dried seed......"
Therefore, the correct answer is: seed.
Question 4: The covering known as the aril is used to produce .................... .
Answer: mace.
Keywords: covering, aril, to produce.
Explanation: According to the last two sentences of the first paragraph, the aril - the lacy red covering surrounding the seed, is used to produce the spice mace.
Evidence: "...surrounded by a lacy red or crimson covering called an 'aril'. These are the sources of the two spices nutmeg and mace, the former being produced from the dried seed and the latter from the aril."
Therefore, the correct answer is: mace.
Questions 5–7:
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage?
In boxes 5-7 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
Question 5: In the Middle Ages, most Europeans knew where nutmeg was grown.
Answer: FALSE.
Keywords: Middle Ages, Europeans knew, where nutmeg grown.
Explanation: The reading passage in the second paragraph (sentences two and three) says that "Throughout the Middle Age, the Arabs were the exclusive importers of nutmeg to Europe. Arabs sold this spice to merchants in Venice but they never revealed the exact location of the source of nutmeg...
These lines indicates that during the Middle Ages, Arabs were the sole importers of nutmeg to Europe and kept its source location a secret. It implies that most Europeans were unaware of where nutmeg was cultivated.
Here, "never revealed the exact location" = "most Europeans did not know where nutmeg was grown".
Evidence: "...Throughout this period, the Arabs were the exclusive importers of the spice to Europe. They sold nutmeg for high prices to merchants based in Venice, but they never revealed the exact location of the source of this extremely valuable commodity..."
Therefore, the correct answer is: FALSE.
Question 6: The VOC was the world’s first major trading company.
Answer: NOT GIVEN.
Keywords: VOC, first major trading company.
Explanation: The reading passage provides information about the establishment and wealth of the VOC in paragraph 4, but does not specify whether it was the world's first major trading company. Without explicit information confirming this, we cannot determine the accuracy of the statement. Other paragraphs in this reading passage also do not give any information about VOC being the first global trading company. This is why, the answer to this question will be 'NOT GIVEN'.
Evidence: "In 1602, Dutch merchants founded the VOC, a trading corporation better known as the Dutch East India Company. By 1617, the VOC was the richest commercial operation in the world......."
Therefore, the correct answer is: NOT GIVEN.
Question 7: Following the Treaty of Breda, the Dutch had control of all the islands where nutmeg grew.
Answer: TRUE.
Keywords: Treaty of Breda, Dutch control, all islands where nutmeg grew.
Explanation: Paragraph 5 explains that after the Treaty of Breda in 1667, the Dutch exchanged the island of Manhattan with the British to gain control of Run, the last nutmeg-producing island not under their control. It also mentions that the Dutch now had a monopoly or complete control over the nutmeg trade which would last for another century. This indicates that post-treaty, the Dutch had control over all nutmeg-producing islands as we know the last such island was called "Run" which came under Dutch control after the Treaty of Breda in 1667.
Evidence: "...... In 1621, the Dutch arrived and took over... After decades of fighting for control of this tiny island, the Dutch and British arrived at a compromise settlement, the Treaty of Breda, in 1667. Intent on securing their hold over every nutmeg-producing island, the Dutch offered a trade: if the British would give them the island of Run, they would in turn give Britain a distant and much less valuable island in North America. The British agreed. That other island was Manhattan, which is how New Amsterdam became New York. The Dutch now had a monopoly over the nutmeg trade which would last for another century."
Therefore, the correct answer is: TRUE.
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.
Question 8: Nutmeg was brought to Europe by .....................
Answer: Arabs.
Keywords: nutmeg, brought to Europe by.
Explanation: The passage in paragraph 2 indicates that during the Middle Ages, Arabs were the exclusive importers of nutmeg to Europe. They sold the spice to Venetian merchants but kept its source a secret.
Here, "exclusive importers of the spice to Europe" indicates "brought to Europe".
Evidence: "...Throughout this period, the Arabs were the exclusive importers of the spice to Europe....."
Therefore, the correct answer is: Arabs.
Question 9: Demand for nutmeg grew, as it was believed to be effective against the diseases known as the .....................
Answer: plague.
Keywords: nutmeg demand, effective against diseases.
Explanation: The text in paragraph 4 (sentences 3 and 4) states that in the 17th century, demand for nutmeg increased because it was believed (by doctors and Europeans) to be an effective treatment for the plague, a deadly disease prevalent in Europe at the time.
Evidence: "... At the same time, thousands of people across Europe were dying of the plague, a highly contagious and deadly disease. Doctors were desperate for a way to stop the spread of this disease, and they decided nutmeg held the cure."
Therefore, the correct answer is: plague.
Question 10: (The Dutch) put ..................... on nutmeg to avoid it being cultivated outside the island.
Answer: lime.
Keywords: Dutch put on nutmeg, avoid cultivation outside island.
Explanation: Paragraph 5 in the seventh sentence (that begins with "In addition...") says that "In addition, all exported nutmeg was covered with lime to make sure there was no chance a fertile seed which could be grown elsewhere would leave the islands." The Dutch did so to maintain their monopoly on nutmeg production and make sure the exported nutmegs could not be cultivated elese where. This practice ensured that the seeds would not germinate, preventing cultivation outside the Banda Islands.
Evidence: "...... In addition, all exported nutmeg was covered with lime to make sure there was no chance a fertile seed would leave the islands..."
So, the correct answer is: lime.
Question 11: (The Dutch) finally obtained the island of ..................... from the British.
Answer: Run.
Keywords: The Dutch obtained island from British.
Explanation: In the reading passage, at the last part of paragraph 5, describes that after prolonged conflict, the Dutch and British agreed to the Treaty of Breda in 1667. As part of this treaty, the Dutch secured control over the island of Run from the British, consolidating their monopoly over nutmeg-producing regions.
Evidence: "After decades of fighting for control of this tiny island, the Dutch and British arrived at a compromise settlement, the Treaty of Breda, in 1667. Intent on securing their hold over every nutmeg-producing island, the Dutch offered a trade: if the British would give them the island of Run, they would in turn give Britain a distant and much less valuable island in North America. The British agreed."
Therefore, the correct answer is: Run.
Question 12: 1770 - nutmeg plants were secretly taken to .....................
Answer: Mauritius.
Keywords: 1770, nutmeg plants, secretly taken to.
Explanation: The first sentence in the sixth paragraph, the reading passage mentions that - In 1770, Pierre Poivre, a Frenchman, successfully smuggled nutmeg plants to Mauritius, an island off the coast of Africa.
Here, "successfully smuggled nutmeg plants to safety in Mauritius" = "nutmeg plants were secretly taken to Mauritius".
Evidence: "Then, in 1770, a Frenchman named Pierre Poivre successfully smuggled nutmeg plants to safety in Mauritius, an island off the coast of Africa."
Therefore, the correct answer is: Mauritius.
Question 13: 1778 - half the Banda Islands' nutmeg plantations were destroyed by a .....................
Answer: tsunami.
Keywords: 1778, Banda Islands, nutmeg plantations destroyed by.
Explanation: The third sentence in paragraph 6 clearly states that in 1778, a tsunami wiped out half of the nutmeg groves in the Banda region.
Here, "wiped out" = "destroyed" and "nutmeg groves" = "nutmeg plantations".
Evidence: "Next, in 1778, a volcanic eruption in the Banda region caused a tsunami that wiped out half the nutmeg groves. "
Therefore, the correct answer is: tsunami.
This is the end of the Answer Explanation section for the Academic Reading Passage Nutmeg - a valuable spice.
Do you have any questions or queries regarding these answer explanations? If so, please write to us or leave a comment in the comment section.
Report