Cambridge IELTS Academic 15 Reading Test 1 Answers with Explanation / IELTS Academic Reading: NUTMEG – A VALUABLE SPICE READING , Driverless cars , What is exploration?

READING PASSAGE 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13, which are based on Reading Passage 1.

NUTMEG – A VALUABLE SPICE READING

Question No.	Answer	Keywords	Location	Explanation
1	oval	leaves, shape	Paragraph 1, Lines 3-4	The passage states, “The tree is thickly branched with dense foliage of tough, dark green oval leaves.” This means the shape of the nutmeg tree’s leaves is oval.
2	husk	surrounds the fruit, breaks open, ripe	Paragraph 1, Lines 5-6	The passage states, “The fruit is encased in a fleshy husk. When the fruit is ripe, this husk splits into two halves along a ridge running the length of the fruit.” Here, encased in = surrounded by, and splits into two halves = breaks open.
3	seed	used to produce, spice nutmeg	Paragraph 1, Lines 6-9	The passage states, “Inside is a purple-brown shiny seed… These are the sources of the two spices nutmeg and mace, the former being produced from the dried seed.” The word “former” refers to the seed, meaning the spice nutmeg is made from the seed.
4	mace	covering, known as the aril, used to produce	Paragraph 1, Lines 6-9	The passage states, “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.” Here, the latter refers to mace, meaning the aril is used to produce mace.
5	FALSE	Middle Ages, most Europeans, knew, where, nutmeg, grown	Paragraph 2, Lines 1-5	The passage states, “The Arabs were the exclusive importers of the spice to Europe… but they never revealed the exact location of the source.” This suggests that most Europeans did not know where nutmeg was grown.
6	NOT GIVEN	VOC, world’s first, major trading company	Paragraph 4	The passage states that the VOC became the world’s richest commercial operation by 1617, but it does not say whether it was the world’s first major trading company.
7	TRUE	Treaty of Breda, Dutch, control, all the islands, nutmeg grew	Paragraph 5, Lines 11-17	The passage states, “After the Treaty of Breda… the Dutch now had a monopoly over the nutmeg trade.” This suggests the Dutch gained control of all nutmeg-producing islands.
8	Arabs	Middle Ages, Nutmeg, brought to Europe, by	Paragraph 2, Lines 1-3	The passage states, “Throughout this period, the Arabs were the exclusive importers of the spice to Europe.” This means nutmeg was brought to Europe by the Arabs.
9	plague	17th Century, Demand, grew, believed, effective against, disease	Paragraph 4, Lines 4-6	The passage states, “Thousands of people across Europe were dying of the plague… they decided nutmeg held the cure.” This means nutmeg was believed to be effective against the plague.
10	lime	17th Century, the Dutch, put, on nutmeg, to avoid, being cultivated	Paragraph 5, Lines 7-9	The passage states, “All exported nutmeg was covered with lime to make sure there was no chance a fertile seed could be grown elsewhere.” This means the Dutch put lime on nutmeg to prevent cultivation outside the islands.
11	Run	17th Century, the Dutch, finally obtained, the island, from the British	Paragraph 5, Lines 9-15	The passage states, “The Treaty of Breda… If the British would give them the island of Run… The British agreed.” This means the Dutch finally obtained the island of Run.
12	Mauritius	Late 18th Century, 1770, nutmeg plants, secretly taken to	Paragraph 6, Line 1	The passage states, “In 1770, a Frenchman named Pierre Poivre successfully smuggled nutmeg plants to safety in Mauritius.” Here, smuggled = secretly taken.
13	tsunami	Late 18th Century, 1778, half, Banda Islands’ nutmeg plantations, destroyed by a	Paragraph 6, Lines 3-4	The passage states, “In 1778, a volcanic eruption in the Banda region caused a tsunami that wiped out half the nutmeg groves.” This means the plantations were destroyed by a tsunami.

READING PASSAGE 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14–26, which are based on Reading Passage 2 .

Driverless cars

Question	Answer	Keywords	Location in Passage	Text/Explanation
14	C	reference to the amount of time, average car spends, 90 percent	Paragraph C - Line no. 3	"At present, the average car spends more than 90 percent of its life parked." The average car spends a significant amount of time parked.
15	B	several advantages, Another aim, free the time, other purposes	Paragraph B - Line no. 5	"Another aim is to free the time people spend driving for other purposes." One of the aims of automation is to free up time that people spend driving for other activities.
16	E	Specialized vehicles, choosing the most appropriate, exceptional journeys	Paragraph E - Line no.	"of individuals. Specialized vehicles may then be available for exceptional journeys, such as going on a family camping trip or helping a son or daughter move to university." Specialized vehicles can be used for exceptional journeys and specific purposes.
17	G	an estimate of how long, many challenges, probably be conquered within the next 10 years	Paragraph G - Line no. 1	"It’s clear that there are many challenges that need to be addressed but, through robust and targeted research, these can most probably be conquered within the next 10 years." Despite the challenges, it is likely that these challenges will be overcome in the next 10 years.
18	D	driverless cars may have no effect, vehicles manufactured, faster rate of turnover, vehicle production will not necessarily decrease	Paragraph D - Line no. 9	"that vehicles’ average annual mileage double as a result. As a consequence, each vehicle would be used more intensively and might need replacing sooner. This faster rate of turnover may mean that vehicle production will not necessarily decrease." The increased usage and faster turnover of vehicles may not lead to a decrease in vehicle production.
19	human error	90 percent of road collisions involve human error as a contributory factor	Paragraph - Line no.	"There are many ... more than 90 percent of road collisions involve human error as a contributory factor, and it is the primary cause in the vast majority." Human error is a major factor in the majority of road collisions.
20	car-sharing	Automation means that initiatives for car-sharing become much more viable	Paragraph C - Line no. 3	"Automation means that initiatives for car-sharing become much more viable, particularly in urban areas with significant travel demand." Automation enables the possibility of car-sharing initiatives, especially in urban areas.
21	ownership	vehicles might reduce vehicle ownership by 43 percent	Paragraph D - Line no. 6	"Modeling work by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute suggests automated vehicles might reduce vehicle ownership by 43 percent." Automated vehicles could potentially reduce the number of vehicles owned by individuals.
22	mileage	that vehicles’ average annual mileage double as a result	Paragraph D - Line no. 8	"that vehicles’ average annual mileage double as a result. As a consequence, each vehicle would be used more intensively and might need replacing sooner." The average annual mileage of vehicles would increase, leading to more intensive usage and potentially shorter lifespan.
23	C	responsible for safe	Paragraph B - Line no. 5	"If the vehicle can do some or all of the driving, it may be possible to be productive, to socialize, or simply to relax while

Question	Answer	Keywords	Location in Passage	Text/Explanation
23	C	responsible for safe	Paragraph B - Line no. 5	"If the vehicle can do some or all of the driving, it may be possible to be productive, to socialize, or simply to relax while automation systems have responsibility for safe." With automation systems taking responsibility for safe driving, individuals can engage in other activities such as being productive or relaxing.
24	D	challenged by existing mobility models, able to enjoy significantly greater travel autonomy	Paragraph B - Line no. 6	"control of the vehicle. If the vehicle can do the driving, those who are challenged by existing mobility models – such as older or disabled travelers – may be able to enjoy significantly greater travel autonomy." Automated vehicles can provide greater travel autonomy for individuals who face challenges with existing mobility options.
25	A	technical difficulties in ensuring that the vehicle works reliably in the infinite range of traffic, weather, and road situations	Paragraph F - Line no. 1	"There are a number of hurdles to overcome in delivering automated vehicles to our roads. These include the technical difficulties in ensuring that the vehicle works reliably in the infinite range of traffic, weather, and road situations it might encounter." One of the challenges is ensuring the reliable functioning of automated vehicles in various traffic, weather, and road conditions.
26	E	societal changes that may be required for communities to trust and accept automated vehicles as being a valuable part of the mobility landscape	Paragraph F - Line no.	"the societal changes that may be required for communities to trust and accept automated vehicles as being a valuable part of the mobility landscape." The successful integration of automated vehicles into the mobility landscape requires societal changes and building trust and acceptance among communities.

READING PASSAGE 3

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27–40, which are based on Reading Passage 3 .

 

What is exploration?

Question	Answer	Keywords	Location in Passage	Text/Explanation
27	A	New York, undoubtedly helped our species spread around the globe, last nomadic Penan maintain their existence	Paragraph 1 - Line no. 5	"This questing nature of ours undoubtedly helped our species spread around the globe, just as it nowadays no doubt helps the last nomadic Penan maintain their existence in the depleted forests of Borneo, and a visitor negotiate the subways of New York." The writer refers to visitors in New York to illustrate how the questing nature of humans has aided in their global spread and the survival of certain communities.
28	C	Peculiar breed	Paragraph 2 - Line no. 1	"Over the years, we’ve come to think of explorers as a peculiar breed – different from the rest of us, different from those of us who are merely ‘well travelled’, even; and perhaps there is a type of person more suited to seeking out the new, a type of caveman more inclined to risk venturing out...." The writer views explorers as a peculiar breed of individuals, distinct from those who are well-traveled.
29	C	Suggest the desires and fears of his characters	Paragraph 3 - Line no. 1	"Thomas Hardy set some of his novels in Egdon Heath, a fictional area of uncultivated land, and used the landscape to suggest the desires and fears of his characters. He is delving into matters." The description of Egdon Heath in Thomas Hardy's novels is used to suggest the desires and fears of the characters in the story.
30	D	as if the process of discovery is now on the decline	Paragraph 4 - Line no. 2	"another problem: the word ‘explorer’ has become associated with a past era. We think.....century – as if the process of discovery is now on the decline, though the truth is that we have named only one and a half million of this." The reference to 'a golden age' suggests that the perception of exploration is associated with a past era and that the process of discovery is believed to be declining.
31	A	tends to reflect the field of endeavor of each pioneer	Paragraph 6 - Line no. 1	"Each definition is slightly different – and tends to reflect the field of endeavor of each pioneer." The writer argues that each definition of exploration varies slightly and reflects the specific field of endeavor of the respective pioneer.
32	B	fresh interpretation, well-traveled route, readers new insights	Last Paragraph - Last line	"and this is what interests me: how a fresh interpretation, even of a well-traveled route, can give its readers new insights." The writer is interested in how a fresh interpretation of a well-traveled route can provide readers with new insights.
33	E	belongs to an era of unmechanized travel now lost to the rest of us, told me	Paragraph 5 - Line no. 7	"Wilfred Thesiger, who crossed Arabia’s Empty Quarter in 1946, and belongs to an era of unmechanized travel now lost to the rest of us, told me, ‘If I’d gone across by camel when I could have gone by car, it would have been a stunt.’" The statement belongs to Wilfred Thesiger, who represents an era of unmechanized travel that is no longer experienced by most people.
34	A	Peter Fleming talks of the moment, explorer returns to the existence

Question	Answer	Keywords	Location in Passage	Text/Explanation
34	A	Peter Fleming talks of the moment, explorer returns to the existence he has left behind with his loved ones	Paragraph 3 - Line no. 4	"Explorer and travel writer Peter Fleming talks of the moment when the explorer returns to the existence he has left behind with his loved ones. The traveler ........ with a place in the minds of certain people’." Peter Fleming discusses the moment when an explorer returns to the life they had left behind, including their relationships with loved ones.
35	D	remote so-called ‘tribal’ peoples, some far-off world	Paragraph 5 - Line no. 5	"Then Robin Hanbury-Tenison, a campaigner on behalf of remote so-called ‘tribal’ peoples, said, ‘A traveler simply records information about some far-off world, and reports back, but an explorer changes the world.’" Robin Hanbury-Tenison highlights that while a traveler records information about distant places, an explorer has the power to bring about change in the world.
36	E	bringing back information from a remote place regardless of any great self-discovery	Paragraph 5 - Line no. 9	"To him, exploration meant bringing back information from a remote place regardless of any great self-discovery." The speaker's perspective is that exploration involves gathering information from remote locations, without necessarily focusing on personal self-discovery.
37	B	An explorer is someone who has done something that no human has done before – and also done something scientifically useful	Paragraph 5 - Line no. 1	"Ran Fiennes, dubbed the ‘greatest living explorer’, said, ‘An explorer is someone who has done something that no human has done before – and also done something scientifically useful.’" According to Ran Fiennes, an explorer is an individual who accomplishes something unprecedented by any human and also contributes to scientific knowledge.
38	unique	large number, expeditions	Last Paragraph - Line no. 2	"I’ve done a great many expeditions and each one was unique." The word "unique" is used to describe the individuality of each expedition the writer has undertaken, despite having participated in a large number of them.
39	uncontacted / isolated	isolated groups	Last Paragraph - Line no. 2	"I’ve lived for months alone with isolated groups of people all around the world, even two ‘uncontacted tribes’." The writer mentions living with isolated groups of people, including "uncontacted tribes," emphasizing their isolation and lack of contact with the outside world.
40	surface	how the land surface of our planet lies	Last Paragraph - Line no. 6	"We know how the land surface of our planet lies; exploration of it is now down to the details – the habits of microbes, say, or the grazing behavior of buffalo." The writer refers to the surface of the land on our planet, highlighting that exploration has shifted to focusing on specific details such as microbial habits or buffalo grazing behavior.