Reading
READING
READING PASSAGE 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13, which are based on Reading
Passage 1 below.
THE STORY OF SILK
The history of the world's most luxurious fabric,
from ancient China to the present day
Silk is a fine, smooth material produced Originally, silkworm farming was solely
from the cocoons - soft protective shells restricted to women, and it was they
- that are made by mulberry silkworms who were responsible for the growing,
(insect larvae). Legend has it that it was harvesting and weaving. Silk quickly grew
Lei Tzu, wife of the Yellow Emperor, into a symbol of status, and originally,
ruler of China in about 3000 BC, who only royalty were entitled to have clothes
discovered silkworms. One account of the made of silk. The rules were gradually
story goes that as she was taking a walk relaxed over the years until flnally during
in her husband's gardens, she discovered the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911AD), even
that silkworms were responsible for the peasants, the lowest caste, were also
destruction of several mulberry trees. She entitled to wear silk. Sometime during the
collected a number of cocoons and sat Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), silk was
down to have a rest. It just so happened so prized that it was also used as a unit of
that while she was sipping some tea, one currency. Government officials were paid
of the cocoons that she had collected their salary in silk, and farmers paid their
landed in the hot tea and started to taxes in grain and silk. Silk was also used
unravel into a fine thread. Lei Tzu found as diplomatic gifts by the emperor. Fishing
that she could wind this thread around her lines, bowstrings, musical instruments
fingers. Subsequently, she persuaded her and paper were all made using silk The
husband to allow her to rear silkworms earliest indication of silk paper being used
on a grove of mulberry trees. She also was discovered in the tomb of a noble
devised a special reel to draw the fibres who is estimated to have died around
from the cocoon into a single thread so 168AD.
that they would be strong enough to be
woven into fabric. While it is unknown Demand for this exotic fabric eventually
just how much of this is true, it is certainly created the lucrative trade route now
known that silk cultivation has existed in known as the Silk Road, taking silk
China for several millennia. westward and bringing gold, silver and
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Test3
wool to the East. It was named the Silk swept through these lands. Andalusia in
Road after its most precious commodity, southern Spain was Europe's main silk
which was considered to be worth more producing centre in the tenth century. By
than gold. The Silk Road stretched over the thirteenth century, however, Italy had
6,000 kilometres from Eastern China to become Europe's leader in silk production
the Mediterranean Sea, following the and export. Venetian merchants traded
Great Wall of China, climbing the Pamir extensively in silk and encouraged silk
mountain range, crossing modem-day growers to settle in Italy. Even now,
Afghanist.an and going on to the Middle silk processed in the province of Como
East, with a major trading market in in northern Italy eajoys an esteemed
Damascus. From there, the merchandise reputation.
was shipped across the Mediterranean
Sea Few merchants travelled the entire The nineteenth century and
route; goods were handled mostly by a industrialisation saw the downfall of the
series of middlemen. European silk industry. Cheaper Japanese
silk, trade in which was greatly facilitated
With the mulberry silkworm being native by the opening of the Suez Canal, was one
to China, the country was the world's sole of the many factors driving the trend. Then
producer of silk for many hundreds of in the twentieth century, new manmade
years. The secret of silk-making eventually fibres, such as nylon, started to be used in
reached the rest of the world via the what had traditionally been silk products,
Byzantine Empire, which ruled over the such as stockings and parachutes. The two
Mediterranean region of southern Europe, world wars, which interrupted the supply
North Africa and the Middle East during of raw material from Japan, also stifled the
the period 330-1453 AD. According to European silk industry. After the Second
another legend, monks working for the World War, Japan's silk production was
Byzantine emperor Justinian smuggled restored, with improved production and
silkworm eggs to Const.antinople quality of raw silk. Japan was to remain
(lst.anbul in modem-day Turkey) in 660 the world's biggest producer of raw silk,
AD, concealed inside hollow bamboo and practically the only major exporter
walking canes.. The Byzantines were as of raw silk, until the 1970s. However, in
secretive as the Chinese, however, and more recent decades, China has gradually
for many centuries the weaving and recaptured its position as the world's
trading of silk fabric was a strict imperial biggest producer and exporter of raw
monopoly. Then in the seventh century, silk and silk yam. Today, around 126,000
the Arabs conquered Persia, capturing metric tons of silk are produced in the
their magnificent silks in the process. world, and almost two thirds of that
Silk production thus spread through production takes place in China.
Africa, Sicily and Spain as the Arabs
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Reading
Questions 1-9
Complete the notes below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 1-9 on your answer sheet.
THE STORY OF SILK
Early silk production in China
Around 3000 BC, according to legend:
silkworm cocoon fell into emperor's wife's 1 ..................... .
emperor's wife invented a 2 ...................... to pull out silk fibres
Only 3 ...................... were allowed to produce silk
Only 4 ...................... were allowed to wear silk
• Silk used as a form of 5 ..................... .
e.g. farmers' taxes consisted partly of silk
Silk used for many purposes
e.g. evidence found of 6 ...................... made from silk around 168 AD
Silk reaches rest of world
• Merchants use Silk Road to take silk westward and bring back 7 ...................... and
precious metals
• 550 AD: 8 ...................... hide silkworm eggs in canes and take them to Constantinople
• Silk production spreads across Middle East and Europe
• 20th century: 9 ...................... and other manmade fibres cause decline in silk production
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Test3
Questions 10-13
Do the following statements agree with the information in Reading Passage 1?
In boxes 10-13 on your answer sheet, write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
10 Gold was the most valuable material transported along the Silk Road.
11 Most tradesmen only went along certain sections of the Silk Road.
12 The Byzantines spread the practice of silk production across the West.
13 Silk yarn makes up the majority of silk currently exported from China.
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