# Bringing cinnamon to Europe: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 13, Test 2, Reading Passage 1

Source: Passage, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 13, Test 2, Reading Passage 1. © Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Used for educational practice. Explanations and evidence notes are written by Testmigo.

## Answer key

| Q | Answer | Proof |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | oils | an ingredient that was mixed with oils for anointing people's bodies |
| 2 | friendship | a token indicating friendship among lovers and friends. |
| 3 | funerals | mourners attending funerals burnt cinnamon to create a pleasant scent. |
| 4 | wealth | as a sign of the wealth at his or her disposal. |
| 5 | indigestion | was thought to cure various ailments, such as indigestion. |
| 6 | India | They took it from India, where it was grown |
| 7 | camels | on camels via an overland route to the Mediterranean. |
| 8 | Alexandria | Their journey ended when they reached Alexandria. |
| 9 | Venice | then brought it back to Venice. |
| 10 | TRUE | In 1518, the Portuguese built a fort on Ceylon ... By 1640, the Dutch broke the 150-year Portuguese monopoly |
| 11 | FALSE | By 1640, the Dutch broke the 150-year Portuguese monopoly when they overran and occupied their factories. |
| 12 | NOT GIVEN | the Dutch began cultivating their own cinnamon trees to supplement the diminishing number of wild trees |
| 13 | FALSE | the spice trade overall was diminishing in economic potential |

## Why these answers are right

**1. oils.** The note asks what cinnamon was added to in biblical times. Paragraph A says it was an ingredient mixed with oils for anointing people's bodies. Mixed with matches added to, so oils is the single word to copy.

**2. friendship.** You need what cinnamon showed between people in biblical times. Paragraph A calls it a token indicating friendship among lovers and friends, and indicating means showing, so friendship completes the note.

**3. funerals.** The note links ancient Rome with cinnamon's sweet smell at a particular event. Paragraph A says mourners attending funerals burned it to create a pleasant scent, so pleasant scent paraphrases sweet smell and funerals is the answer.

The why and the trap for questions 4 onwards are free with an account on the [answers page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/reading/bringing-cinnamon-to-europe/answers).

[Practice Bringing cinnamon to Europe](https://testmigo.com/ielts/reading/bringing-cinnamon-to-europe)