# Nutmeg - a valuable spice: answers and explanations

Cambridge IELTS 15, Test 1, Reading Passage 1

Source: Passage, questions and answer key from Cambridge IELTS 15, Test 1, 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 | oval | dark green oval leaves |
| 2 | husk | this husk splits into two halves along a ridge running the length of the fruit. |
| 3 | seed | the former being produced from the dried seed and the latter from the aril. |
| 4 | mace | These are the sources of the two spices nutmeg and mace |
| 5 | FALSE | they never revealed the exact location of the source of this extremely valuable commodity |
| 6 | NOT GIVEN | By 1617, the VOC was the richest commercial operation in the world. |
| 7 | TRUE | The Dutch now had a monopoly over the nutmeg trade which would last for another century. |
| 8 | Arabs | the Arabs were the exclusive importers of the spice to Europe. |
| 9 | plague | thousands of people across Europe were dying of the plague |
| 10 | lime | 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. |
| 11 | Run | a sliver of land called Run |
| 12 | Mauritius | a Frenchman named Pierre Poivre successfully smuggled nutmeg plants to safety in Mauritius |
| 13 | tsunami | a volcanic eruption in the Banda region caused a tsunami that wiped out half the nutmeg groves. |

## Why these answers are right

**1. oval.** The first note asks about the shape of the leaves. Paragraph A describes the foliage as tough, dark green oval leaves, and of those three describing words only oval names a shape, so it is the single word that fits the gap.

**2. husk.** The note needs the part that surrounds the fruit and opens when it ripens. Paragraph A says the fruit is encased in a fleshy husk, and that this husk splits into two halves when the fruit is ripe. Breaks open paraphrases splits, so husk is the answer.

**3. seed.** The note asks which part produces the spice nutmeg. Paragraph A ends by naming nutmeg and mace, then says the former comes from the dried seed and the latter from the aril. The former refers to nutmeg, so the missing word is seed.

The why and the trap for questions 4 onwards are free with an account on the [answers page](https://testmigo.com/ielts/reading/nutmeg-a-valuable-spice/answers).

[Practice Nutmeg - a valuable spice](https://testmigo.com/ielts/reading/nutmeg-a-valuable-spice)