Magy's English Edu. Club
Cambridge 13 Academic Reading Test Two Passage One
Bringing cinnamon to Europe
Complete the notes below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
The Early History of Cinnamon
Biblical times:
1. added to ….
The answer is OILS.
In paragraph one, it was known in biblical times, and is mentioned in several books of the Bible, both as an ingredient that was mixed with oils for anointing people’s bodies, and also as a token indicating friendship among lovers and friends.
2. used to show …. between people
The answer is FRIENDSHIP.
In paragraph one, it was known in biblical times, and is mentioned in several books of the Bible, both as an ingredient that was mixed with oils for anointing people’s bodies, and also as a token indicating friendship among lovers and friends.
Ancient Rome:
3. used for its sweet smell at …
The answer is FUNERALS.
In paragraph one, in ancient Rome, mourners attending funerals burnt cinnamon to create a pleasant scent.
Middle Age:
4. was an indication of a person’s …..
The answer is WEALTH.
In paragraph one, at a banquet, a host would offer guests a plate with various spices piled upon it as a sign of the wealth at his or her disposal.
5. known as a treatment for ….. and other health problems
The answer is INDIGESTION.
In paragraph one, cinnamon was also reported to have health benefits, and was thought to cure various ailments, such as indigestion.
6. grown in ….
The answer is INDIA.
In paragraph two, they took it from India, where it was grown, on camels via an overland route to the Mediterranean.
7. merchants used ….. to bring it to the Mediterranean
The answer is CAMELS.
In paragraph two, they took it from India, where it was grown, on camels via an overland route to the Mediterranean.
8. arrived in the Mediterranean at ….
The answer is ALEXANDRIA.
In paragraph two, the journey ended when they reached Alexandria.
9. traders took it to …. and sold it to destinations around Europe
The answer is VENICE.
In paragraph two, European traders sailed there to purchase their supply of cinnamon, then brought it back to Venice.
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?
Write TRUE, FALSE, or NOT GIVEN.
10. The Portuguese had control over the cinnamon trade in Ceylon throughout the 16th century.
The answer is TRUE.
In paragraph three, in 1518, the Portuguese built a fort on Ceylon, which enabled them to protect the island, so helping them to develop a monopoly in the cinnamon trade and generate very high profits.
11. The Dutch took over the cinnamon trade from the Portuguese as soon as they arrived in Ceylon.
The answer is FALSE.
In paragraph four, when the Dutch arrived off the coast of southern Asia at the very beginning of the 17th century, they set their sights on displacing the Portuguese as kings of cinnamon.
12. The trees planted by the Dutch produced larger quantities of cinnamon than the wild trees.
The answer is NOT GIVEN.
In paragraph five, eventually, the Dutch began cultivating their own cinnamon trees to supplement the diminishing number of wild trees available for use.
13. The spice trade maintained its economic importance during the 19th century.
The answer is FALSE.
In paragraph six, not only was a monopoly of cinnamon becoming impossible, but the spice trade overall was diminishing in economic potential, and was eventually superseded by the rise of trade in coffee, tea, chocolate, and sugar.