Answers of Nutmeg a Valuable Spice Reading Passage with Explanation
Below are the answers of above passage with detailed explanation and location:
Question 1
ANSWER :Oval
Explanation :In the 4-5 line of paragraph 1, it is stated that “The tree is thickly branched with dense foliage of tough, dark green oval leaves, and produces small, yellow, bell-shaped flowers and pale yellow pear-shaped fruits.” Here, the shape of tree is clearly mentioned. So the answer is “oval.”
Question 2
ANSWER :Husk
Explanation :It is stated in the 6-7 lines of paragraph first, “The fruit is encased in a flesh husk. When the fruit is ripe, this husk splits into two halves along a ridge running the length of the fruit.” Referring to it here, the words split mean “to break open”, and encased means “surrounded by.” Therefore, here, the answer is husk.
Question 3
ANSWER :Seed
Explanation :In the first paragraph, lines 8-11 state, “Inside is a purple-brown shiny seed, 2-3 cm long by about 2 cm across, surrounded by a lacy red or crimson covering called an ‘aril’. These are the sources of the two spices nutmeg and mace, the former.....” According to this reference, the first spice- nutmeg, was produced by dried seed. So, here, the answer is seed.
Question 4
ANSWER :Mace
Explanation :In between 9-11 lines of paragraph 1, it is mentioned that “Inside is a purple-brown shiny seed, 2-3 cm long by about 2 cm across, 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.” Here, from the word “latter” it is clear that for producing mace, aril was used.
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Question 5
ANSWER :False
Explanation :In the second paragraph, lines 3-4 state, “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.” Here, the word “periods” denotes the Middle Ages. Also, from the references, it is clear that Arabs never told the exact location of nutmeg to Europeans. So, here, the answer is false.
Question 6
ANSWER :Not Given
Explanation :Here, paragraph 4 talks about VOC. In this, it is mentioned that “ 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. The company had 50,000 employees worldwide, with a private army of 30,000 men and a fleet of 200 ships.” As per the stated lines among the commercial operations, VOC was the richest company. However, the details of it being the largest trading firm are not stated. So, here, the answer is not given.
Question 7
ANSWER :True
Explanation :The last few lines of paragraph 5 state, “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......” According to this, in the year 1667, the British and the Dutch signed the Treaty of Breda. Through this, the Dutch get the island Run. Also, they get complete control of the nutmeg business and where it grows. Therefore, here, the answer is true.
Question 8
ANSWER :Arabs
Explanation :In paragraph 2, it states, “Throughout this period, the Arabs were the exclusive importers of the spice to Europe.
Question 9
ANSWER :Plague
Explanation :In between 4-7 lines of paragraph 4, it is stated that “ 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.” As per this, the disease for which nutmeg was used as cured was plague. Therefore, the answer is plague.
Question 10
ANSWER :Lime
Explanation :In the 9-11 lines of paragraph 5, it is referred to, “ 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.” It states that, how lime was used for making the nutmeg infertile. It was done by the Dutch to prevent its cultivation outside the island. Hence, here, lime is the answer.
Question 11
ANSWER :Run
Explanation :In the 5 paragraph, lines 15-18 stated, “ 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.” From the following information it is clear how through the Treaty of Breda, the Dutch obtained the Run Island from the British. So, here the answer is Run.
Question 12
ANSWER :Mauritius
Explanation :The first two lines of the 6 paragraph mention, “Then, in 1770, a Frenchman named Pierre Poivre successfully smuggled nutmeg plants to safety in Mauritius, an island off the coast of Africa.” As per these lines, Pierre Poivre were the smugglers of nutmeg plants. Hence, the answer is Mauritius.
Question 13
ANSWER :Tsunami
Explanation :In 6 paragraphs 4-5 line, it is stated that “Next, in 1778, a volcanic eruption in the Banda region caused a tsunami that wiped out half the nutmeg groves.” From this reference, it is clear how the impact of the volcano eruption destroyed the Banda region. Therefore, here, the answer is tsunami.
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