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About the Coconut Palm Reading Passage
This passage examines the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) — one of the most widely used plants in the world. It traces the tree's origins, its role in tropical economies, and the extraordinary range of products derived from every part of the plant, from its roots to its leaves.
The passage is taken from Cambridge IELTS 9, Academic Test 4, Passage 1.
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1–13, which are based on the passage below.
The passage contains two question types. Questions 1–7 are True/False/Not Given, testing whether statements agree with, contradict, or are absent from the passage. Questions 8–13 are sentence completion, requiring specific words taken directly from the text.
The Coconut Palm - Full Reading Passage
Paragraph A
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is one of the most important plants in the world. It grows in tropical coastal regions and provides food, drink, shelter, and raw materials for millions of people. In many coastal and island communities, the tree is so central to daily life that it is called the "tree of life." Almost every part of the palm can be used for some practical purpose, the trunk, the leaves, the fruit, and even the roots.
Paragraph B
The origin of the coconut palm is uncertain. Some scientists believe it first grew in the Americas; others say it came from Asia or the Pacific Islands. The coconut fruit can float in sea water for up to 120 days and remain capable of germination. This ability to survive long ocean voyages helps explain how coconut palms came to grow on remote islands across the tropics. However, human beings have also played a large role in spreading the tree, carrying coconuts with them on sea journeys as a source of fresh water.
Paragraph C
The flesh of the coconut, known as copra when dried, is a major source of vegetable oil. Coconut oil is used in cooking, in the production of soap, and in cosmetics. The liquid inside the nut, coconut water, is a natural drink that is low in calories and high in electrolytes. Coconut milk, which is made by pressing the white meat of the fruit, is a key ingredient in the cooking of South and Southeast Asia. The mature coconut meat can also be grated and dried to produce desiccated coconut, widely used in baking.
Paragraph D
In some parts of the tropics, the sap of the coconut palm is collected and used to make sweet drinks, vinegar, and sugar. When the sap is allowed to ferment, it produces an alcoholic drink known as toddy or palm wine. This drink is popular in parts of Africa, India, and Southeast Asia. In the Philippines, a distilled version called lambanog is produced in large quantities. The sugar made from coconut sap, coconut palm sugar, has a lower glycaemic index than ordinary cane sugar and is increasingly sold as a health food in Western markets.
Paragraph E
The leaves of the coconut palm are used in many ways. They can be woven into baskets, mats, and roof panels for houses. In some coastal villages, an entire house can be built using nothing but coconut palm materials, the trunk provides timber, the leaves provide thatch, and the fibre from the husk is used to make rope. The hard shell of the nut is used as a fuel and can be carved into bowls, buttons, and ornaments. The wood of the trunk is a strong and durable building material and is used to make furniture, floors, and bridges.
Paragraph F
The fibre around the coconut shell, coir, is one of the most commercially valuable parts of the plant. Coir is used to make ropes, mats, brushes, and mattress stuffing. It is also used in horticulture as a growing medium, replacing peat in many parts of the world. Coir is highly resistant to salt water, which makes it especially useful for marine applications such as boat building and dock fenders. In Kerala, India, the coir industry employs hundreds of thousands of people, making it one of the most important sectors of the local economy.
Paragraph G
Despite its importance, the coconut palm faces several threats. Coconut plantations in many parts of the world are ageing, the average tree in the Philippines is now over 50 years old, and older trees produce far fewer nuts. Plant diseases, including lethal yellowing disease, have destroyed millions of palms in the Caribbean and parts of Africa. Drought and storm damage also threaten production in low-lying coastal areas. Researchers are working to develop disease-resistant varieties and to replant ageing plantations, but progress is slow and funding is limited.
Coconut Palm Reading Questions and Answers
True/False/Not Given — Questions 1–7
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?
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
- The coconut palm can be used to provide building materials as well as food and drink.
- Scientists agree that the coconut palm originally came from Asia.
- Coconut oil is more widely used in cooking than any other vegetable oil.
- Coconut milk is an important ingredient in the cuisine of several Asian countries.
- Palm wine is only produced and consumed in Africa.
- Coconut palm sugar is more expensive than cane sugar in Western markets.
- Coir is resistant to salt water and is used in marine industries.
Sentence Completion — Questions 8–13
Complete the sentences below. Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
8. As well as food and drink, the coconut palm provides people with __________ .
9. The coconut fruit can survive in __________ for up to 120 days without losing the ability to germinate.
10. Coconut milk is made by pressing the white __________ of the coconut fruit.
11. When coconut sap is left to ferment, it becomes an __________ drink.
12. The trunk of the coconut palm provides __________ that can be used to build furniture and bridges.
13. Coir is used in the production of __________ , mats, and brushes.
