Cambridge 15 Reading Test 1 - Answers With Explanation

1. First paragraph: the tree has "dense foliage of tough, dark green oval leaves" — the shape asked for is directly stated.

2. Same paragraph: "The fruit is encased in a fleshy husk. When the fruit is ripe, this husk splits into two halves."

3. "These are the sources of the two spices nutmeg and mace, the former being produced from the dried seed."

4. Same sentence: mace comes "from the aril" — the lacy covering around the seed.

5. "The Arabs... never revealed the exact location of the source of this extremely valuable commodity." Europeans were deliberately kept in the dark — FALSE.

6. The passage says the VOC "was the richest commercial operation in the world" by 1617, but never claims it was the first major trading company — NOT GIVEN.

7. After the Treaty of Breda gave the Dutch the island of Run, "the Dutch now had a monopoly over the nutmeg trade" — meaning they controlled every nutmeg-producing island — TRUE.

8. "Throughout this period, the Arabs were the exclusive importers of the spice to Europe."

9. "Doctors were desperate for a way to stop the spread of this disease [the plague], and they decided nutmeg held the cure."

10. "All exported nutmeg was covered with lime to make sure there was no chance a fertile seed... would leave the islands."

11. "If the British would give them the island of Run, they would in turn give Britain a distant and much less valuable island" — Manhattan.

12. "A Frenchman named Pierre Poivre successfully smuggled nutmeg plants to safety in Mauritius."

13. "A volcanic eruption in the Banda region caused a tsunami that wiped out half the nutmeg groves."

14. The section explaining wider implications notes "the average car spends more than 90 percent of its life parked" — a direct reference to unused time.

15. The section on freeing up driving time lists benefits for individuals: "it may be possible to be productive, to socialise or simply to relax," and that "older or disabled travellers... may be able to enjoy significantly greater travel autonomy."

16. The section on vehicle manufacture changes: "drivers will have the freedom to select one that best suits their needs for a particular journey, rather than making a compromise across all their requirements."

17. The closing section: "these can most probably be conquered within the next 10 years" — a time estimate for solving the challenges.

18. The section on the Michigan modelling study concludes: "This faster rate of turnover may mean that vehicle production will not necessarily decrease."

19. "More than 90 percent of road collisions involve human error as a contributory factor."

20. "Automation means that initiatives for car-sharing become much more viable."

21. "Automated vehicles might reduce vehicle ownership by 43 percent."

22. Same sentence: "vehicles' average annual mileage would double as a result."

23–24. The writer mentions being able to "be productive, to socialise or simply to relax" while travelling (doing something other than driving) and that older or disabled travellers "may be able to enjoy significantly greater travel autonomy" (travelling independently).

25–26. Challenges listed include "the societal changes that may be required for communities to trust and accept automated vehicles" (public confidence) and "the technical difficulties in ensuring that the vehicle works reliably in the infinite range of traffic, weather and road situations" (adapting to different conditions).

27. The writer says our "questing nature" is what "nowadays no doubt helps... a visitor negotiate the subways of New York" — framing even everyday navigation as evidence that exploration is built into being human.

28. "That, however, doesn't take away from the fact that we all have this enquiring instinct, even today" — an urge shared by everyone, not just a special type of person.

29. Hardy "used the landscape to suggest the desires and fears of his characters. He is delving into matters we all recognise because they are common to humanity" — investigating emotional states.

30. The writer contrasts the myth of a "golden age" with the fact that "we have named only one and a half million of this planet's species, and there may be more than 10 million" — proof that exploration is still very much needed.

31. "Each definition is slightly different — and tends to reflect the field of endeavour of each pioneer."

32. The writer's own interest is "how a fresh interpretation, even of a well-travelled route, can give its readers new insights" — casting new light on the familiar.

33. Wilfred Thesiger: "If I'd gone across by camel when I could have gone by car, it would have been a stunt" — the mode of transport mattered to his definition of genuine exploration.

34. Peter Fleming describes the explorer's return: the traveller "who has for weeks or months seen himself only as a puny and irrelevant alien... suddenly encounters his other self."

35. Robin Hanbury-Tenison is "a campaigner on behalf of remote so-called 'tribal' peoples" — work for specific groups.

36. Thesiger again: exploration meant "bringing back information from a remote place regardless of any great self-discovery" — self-discovery wasn't essential to him.

37. Ran Fiennes: "An explorer is someone who has done something that no human has done before — and also done something scientifically useful" — unique and valuable to others.

38. "I've done a great many expeditions and each one was unique."

39. "I've lived for months alone with isolated groups of people all around the world, even two 'uncontacted tribes'."

40. "We know how the land surface of our planet lies; exploration of it is now down to the details."