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The Types Of Pearls Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test

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Updated on Sep 06, 2024, 10:06

The passage “The Types of Pearls” discusses the historical and modern significance of pearls, detailing their types—natural, cultured, and imitation. It highlights how natural pearls were once more valuable than diamonds and their uses in ancient medicine. Natural pearls form naturally when an irritant enters a mollusc, while cultured pearls involve human intervention with a bead or shell. Imitation pearls are made from glass coated with fish scales. The passage also covers the rarity and valuation of pearls, the decline of the Persian Gulf’s natural pearl industry, and the current state of pearl trading in Bahrain and India.
 

For IELTS Reading preparation, this passage helps by illustrating how to identify key details and differences between types of pearls, which can be useful for answering questions related to specific information and comparison. It also demonstrates how to extract and summarise relevant facts from a comprehensive text, a skill that is crucial for the IELTS Reading section.
 

Let’s look at the “The Types Of Pearls” reading passage along with questions, answers and explanations.

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1. The Types Of Pearls Reading Passage

You should spend approximately 20 minutes answering Questions 1 - 13 based on the Reading Passage below.

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2. The Types Of Pearls Reading Questions and Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about The Types Of Pearls Reading Questions & Answers.

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1.

The Types Of Pearls Reading Passage

General Information

  • Read Instructions: Understand each question before answering.
  • Manage Time: Spend about 20 minutes per passage.
  • Skim and Scan: Quickly get the main idea and find specific information.
  • Highlight Key Info: Underline essential words or phrases.
  • Answer All Questions: Attempt every question; no penalty for wrong answers.
  • Stay Focused: Avoid distractions and keep your attention on the task.
  • Check Spelling: Ensure correct spelling and grammar.
  • Transfer Answers Clearly: Write answers neatly on the answer sheet.
  • Don’t Dwell: Move on if stuck and return later.
  • Review: If time allows, review your answers.

 

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The Types Of Pearls Reading Passage

 

Paragraph A

Throughout history, pearls have held a unique presence within the wealthy and powerful. For instance, pearls were the favourite gem of the wealthy during the Roman Empire. This gift from the sea had been brought back from the Orient by the Roman conquests. Roman women wore pearls to bed so they could be reminded of their wealth immediately upon waking up. Before jewellers learned to cut gems, the pearl was of greater value than the diamond. In the Orient and Persia Empire, pearls were ground into powders to cure anything from heart disease to epilepsy, with possible aphrodisiac uses as well. Pearls were once considered an exclusive privilege for royalty. A law in 1612 drawn up by the Duke of Saxony prohibited the wearing of pearls by the nobility, professors, doctors or their wives in an effort to further distinguish royal appearance. American Indians also used freshwater pearls from the Mississippi River as decorations and jewellery.
 

Paragraph B

There are essentially three types of pearls: natural, cultured and imitation. A natural pearl (often called an Oriental pearl) forms when an irritant, such as a piece of sand, works its way into a particular species of oyster, mussel, or clam. As a defence mechanism, the mollusc secretes a fluid to coat the irritant. The layer upon layer of this coating is deposited on the irritant until a lustrous pearl is formed.
 

Paragraph C

The only difference between natural pearls and cultured pearls is that the irritant is a surgically implanted bead or piece of shell called Mother of Pearl. Often, these shells are ground oyster shells that are worth significant amounts of money in their own right as irritant catalysts for quality pearls. The resulting core is, therefore, much larger than in a natural pearl. Yet, as long as there are enough layers of nacre (the secreted fluid covering the irritant) to result in a beautiful, gem-quality pearl, the size of the nucleus is of no consequence to beauty or durability.
 

Paragraph D

Pearls can come from either salt or freshwater sources. Typically, saltwater pearls tend to be of higher quality, although there are several types of freshwater pearls that are considered high in quality as well. Freshwater pearls tend to be very irregular in shape, with a puffed rice appearance, the most prevalent. Nevertheless, it is each individual pearl’s merits that determine value more than the source of the pearl. Saltwater pearl oysters are usually cultivated in protected lagoons or volcanic atolls. However, most freshwater cultured pearls sold today come from China. Cultured pearls are the response of the shell to a tissue implant. A tiny piece of mantle tissue from a donor shell is transplanted into a recipient shell. This graft will form a pearl sac, and the tissue will precipitate calcium carbonate into this pocket. There are a number of options for producing cultured pearls: use freshwater or seawater shells, transplant the graft into the mantle or the gonad, add a spherical bead or do it non-beaded. The majority of saltwater cultured pearls are grown with beads.

 

Paragraph E

Regardless of the method used to acquire a pearl, the process usually takes several years. Mussels must reach a mature age, which can take up to 3 years, and then be implanted or naturally receive an irritant. Once the irritant is in place, it can take up to another 3 years for the pearl to reach its full size. Often, the irritant may be rejected, the pearl will terrifically misshapen, or the oyster may simply die from disease or countless other complications. By the end of a 5 to 10-year cycle, only 50% of the oysters will have survived. Of the pearls produced, only approximately 5% are of substantial quality for top jewellery makers. From the outset, a pearl farmer can figure out how much to spend, over $100 for every oyster that is farmed, of which many will produce nothing or die.
 

Paragraph F

Imitation pearls are a different story altogether. In most cases, a glass bead is dipped into a solution made from fish scales. This coating is thin and may eventually wear off. One can usually tell an imitation by biting on it. Fake pearls glide across your teeth, while the layers of nacre on real pearls feel gritty. The Island of Mallorca (in Spain) is known for its imitation pearl industry. Quality natural pearls are very rare jewels. The actual value of a natural pearl is determined in the same way as it would be for other “precious” gems. The valuation factors include size, shape, colour, quality of surface, orientation, and lustre. In general, cultured pearls are less valuable than natural pearls, whereas imitation pearls almost have no value. One way that jewellers can determine whether a pearl is cultured or natural is to have a gem lab perform an x-ray of the pearl. If the X-ray reveals a nucleus, the pearl is likely a bead-nucleated saltwater pearl. If no nucleus is present, but irregular and small dark inner spots indicating a cavity are visible, combined with concentric rings of organic substance, the pearl is likely cultured freshwater. Cultured freshwater pearls can often be confused with natural pearls, which present as homogeneous pictures that continuously darken toward the surface of the pearl. Natural pearls will often show larger cavities where organic matter has dried out and decomposed. Although imitation pearls look the part, they do not have the same weight or smoothness as real pearls, and their lustre will also dim greatly. Among cultured pearls, Akoya pearls from Japan are some of the most lustrous. A good quality necklace of 40 Akoya pearls measuring 7 mm in diameter sells for about $1,500, while a super-high-quality strand sells for about $4,500. Size, on the other hand, has to do with the age of the oyster that created the pearl (the more mature oysters produce larger pearls) and the location in which the pearl was cultured. The South Sea waters of Australia tend to produce larger pearls, probably because the water along the coastline is supplied with rich nutrients from the ocean floor. Also, the type of mussel common to the area seems to possess a predilection for producing comparatively large pearls.
 

Paragraph G

Historically, the world’s best pearls came from the Persian Gulf, especially around what is now Bahrain. The pearls of the Persian Gulf were naturally created and collected by breath-hold divers. The secret to the special lustre of Gulf pearls probably derived from the unique mixture of sweet and saltwater around the island. Unfortunately, the natural pearl industry of the Persian Gulf ended abruptly in the early 1930s with the discovery of large deposits of oil. Those who once dove for pearls sought prosperity in the economic boom ushered in by the oil industry. The water pollution resulting from spilt oil and indiscriminate overfishing of oysters essentially ruined the once pristine pearl-producing waters of the Gulf. Today, pearl diving is practised only as a hobby. Still, Bahrain remains one of the foremost trading centres for high-quality pearls. In fact, cultured pearls are banned from the Bahrain pearl market in an effort to preserve the location’s heritage. Nowadays, the largest stock of natural pearls probably resides in India. Ironically, much of India’s stock of natural pearls came originally from Bahrain. Unlike Bahrain, which has essentially lost its pearl resource, traditional pearl fishing is still practised on a small scale in India.

2.

The Types Of Pearls Reading Questions and Answers

Questions and Answers 1-4
  • Choose the paragraph that contains the following information.
  • Write the correct letter of the paragraph in boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet.

 

1. Past stories about the pearls and its users
2. Difficulties in producing pearls
3. Ways to check the value of natural pearls
4. Process to differentiate cultural pearls from natural pearls
 

The Types Of Pearls Reading Answers with Explanations (1-4)

 

Type of question: Matching information

 

In this question type, you will be asked to match specific pieces of information, often dates, names, or events, from the reading passage with corresponding options provided in the question.

 

How to best answer: 
 

  • Read each statement carefully to understand the specific information being asked for.
  • Scan the passage for relevant dates or events in the reading passage that corresponds to each statement.
  • Eliminate incorrect options that do not match the information found in the passage.
  • Match the remaining options based on the information provided in the passage.
  • Verify your answers to ensure they match the information in the passage before finalising them.

 

1. A

 

Reference:

From paragraph A:  "Pearls were once considered an exclusive privilege for royalty."

 

Explanation: This line highlights the historical context of pearls being highly valued and exclusive to royalty, illustrating their significant role in ancient societies. It reflects how pearls were not only prized but also used as symbols of status and wealth. This historical use and its association with the elite make Paragraph A the correct choice for past stories about pearls and their users.

 

2. E

 

Reference:

From paragraph E: "Mussels must reach a mature age, which can take up to 3 years, and then be implanted or naturally receive an irritant."

 

Explanation: This line describes the extended time required for mussels to mature and produce pearls, highlighting the challenges in the pearl cultivation process. It mentions the potential for irritants to be rejected or cause deformities, as well as the high mortality rate among oysters. These factors underscore the difficulties faced in pearl production, making paragraph E the right answer for describing production challenges.

 

3. F

 

Reference:

From paragraph F: "One way that jewellers can determine whether a pearl is cultured or natural is to have a gem lab perform an x-ray of the pearl."

 

Explanation: This line outlines the method used to verify the authenticity of pearls by conducting an x-ray, which reveals whether a nucleus is present. The use of X-rays to differentiate between cultured and natural pearls reflects the sophisticated techniques employed to assess pearl quality. This explanation matches the requirement to understand how natural pearls are evaluated, making paragraph F the correct choice.

 

4. C

 

Reference:

From paragraph C: "The only difference between natural pearls and cultured pearls is that the irritant is a surgically implanted bead or piece of shell called Mother of Pearl."

 

Explanation: This line explains the process of creating cultured pearls by surgically implanting an irritant, which contrasts with the natural formation of pearls. It emphasises that the size of the nucleus in cultured pearls is larger but does not affect the pearl's beauty or durability. This distinction between cultured and natural pearls clarifies how they are differentiated, making Paragraph C the appropriate reference.

 

Also Read: IELTS General Reading Test.

Questions and Answers 5-10
  • Complete the summary with a maximum of two words for each answer.
  • Write the correct answer in boxes 5-10 on your answer sheet.

 

In the historical period, pearls were of great importance among powerful and wealthy men and were used as precious stones for women in (5)………….. Pearls were also used as a remedy by the people of (6)………….. Pearls are categorised into three types: imitation pearls, cultured pearls, and natural pearls. China is known for its freshwater cultured pearls, and the imitation pearl industry is situated in (7)………….. Island. Good-quality natural pearls are very rare. Some of the shiniest pearls are manufactured in (8)………….. while (9)………….. produces large-size pearls because of the favourable environmental conditions near the shore. In ancient times, the best quality pearls were produced in (10)………….. in the Persian Gulf. These days, India has the highest amount of natural pearls.
 

The Types Of Pearls Reading Answers with Explanations (5-10)

 

Type of question: Summary completion

 

Under this task, you will be given a summary with incomplete sentences. However, you will not be given any list of words/phrases to choose the missing information. You must refer to the main passage to fill in the missing information. 

 

How to best answer: 

 

  • Read the summary to understand what information it’s missing.
  • Identify keywords and locate them in the main passage to find missing words. 
  • Review the context of the words you’ve chosen to match the summary.
  • Finalise your answers. 
     

 

5. Ancient Rome

 

Reference:

From paragraph A:  "Roman women wore pearls to bed so they could be reminded of their wealth immediately upon waking up."

 

Explanation: This line indicates that pearls were highly valued among the wealthy in Ancient Rome, where they were used to signify wealth and status. The practice of wearing pearls even to bed highlights their importance and the luxurious lifestyle associated with them. Hence, "Ancient Rome" is the correct answer as it directly relates to the historical context given.

 

6. Persia

 

Reference:

From paragraph A:  "In the Orient and Persia Empire, pearls were ground into powders to cure anything from heart disease to epilepsy, with possible aphrodisiac uses as well."

 

Explanation: This line demonstrates that pearls had medicinal uses in Persia, where they were ground into powders for various treatments. The mention of pearls being used to cure diseases like heart disease and epilepsy emphasises their significant role in ancient Persian medicine. Therefore, "Persia" is the correct answer as it accurately reflects the historical use of pearls described.

 

7. Mallorca

 

Reference:

From paragraph F: "The Island of Mallorca (in Spain) is known for its imitation pearl industry."

 

Explanation: This line points out that Mallorca is specifically known for its imitation pearl industry, which is a notable feature of the island. The reference to the imitation pearl business highlights Mallorca's reputation in this field, distinguishing it from other locations. Consequently, "Mallorca" is the correct answer, as it directly relates to the description of the imitation pearl industry.

 

8. Japan

 

Reference:

From paragraph F: "Among cultured pearls, Akoya pearls from Japan are some of the most lustrous."

 

Explanation: This line identifies Japan as the producer of the most lustrous Akoya pearls, emphasising the high quality of pearls produced there. The mention of the pearls' exceptional lustre underscores Japan's prominent role in pearl production. Thus, "Japan" is the correct answer, as it reflects the location known for producing particularly shiny and valuable pearls.

 

9. Australia

 

Reference:

From paragraph F: "The South Sea waters of Australia tend to produce larger pearls, probably because the water along the coastline is supplied with rich nutrients from the ocean floor."

 

Explanation: This line highlights Australia’s South Sea waters as a significant source of large pearls due to favourable environmental conditions. The reference to the size of pearls produced in this region underscores the impact of Australia's natural factors on pearl production. Hence, "Australia" is the correct answer, reflecting the country known for producing larger pearls.

 

10. Bahrain

 

Reference:

From paragraph G: "Historically, the world’s best pearls came from the Persian Gulf, especially around what is now Bahrain."

 

Explanation: This line specifies that Bahrain, located in the Persian Gulf, was historically known for producing the best quality pearls. The mention of Bahrain's past prominence in pearl production highlights its significant role in the pearl industry. Therefore, "Bahrain" is the correct answer, as it accurately represents the region famous for high-quality pearls.
 

Learn about IELTS Reading Vocabulary here! 

Questions and Answers 11-13
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the Reading Passage?
In boxes 11-13 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 in the passage

 

11. In general, cultured pearls have a larger centre than natural pearls.

12. At times, real pearls can be less expensive than fake ones.

13. The pearls of Japan are smaller than those of Australia.

 

The Types Of Pearls Reading Answers with Explanations (11-13)


Type of question: Yes/No/Not Given(True/False/Not Given)

 

In this question type, you are required to determine whether the statements provided agree with, contradict, or are not mentioned in the reading passage. 

 

How to best answer: 
 

  • Understand what information is being presented and what is being asked.
  • Find relevant information in the reading passage that relates to the statement.
  • Determine if the statement agrees with, contradicts, or is not mentioned in the passage.
  • If the information is not explicitly provided in the passage, select 'Not Given' rather than making assumptions.
  • Base your answers solely on the information presented in the passage, avoiding personal opinions or outside knowledge.

 

11. True

 

Reference:

From paragraph C:  "The resulting core is, therefore, much larger than in a natural pearl."

 

Explanation: This line indicates that cultured pearls have a significantly larger core compared to natural pearls. The statement about cultured pearls having a larger centre aligns with the information provided in the passage. Therefore, the statement is accurate as it directly reflects the size difference between cultured and natural pearls.

 

12. Not Given

 

Reference:

From paragraph: N/A

 

Explanation: The passage does not provide information comparing the prices of real pearls to imitation pearls, so this statement cannot be verified.
 

13. True

 

Reference:

From paragraph F: “The South Sea waters of Australia tend to produce larger pearls, probably because the water along the coastline is supplied with rich nutrients from the ocean floor.”
 

Explanation: This line suggests that pearls from Australia's South Sea are typically larger in size. The statement that pearls from Japan are smaller than those from Australia is supported by this information. The passage explicitly describes the larger size of Australian pearls, validating the statement as true.

 

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FAQs

Q. How can I solve the IELTS reading section fast?

Ans. To solve the IELTS reading section quickly, practice skimming and scanning techniques to locate key information rapidly. Familiarise yourself with common question types and practice answering them efficiently. Time yourself during practice tests to improve your speed. Develop a strategy to tackle different question formats and avoid spending too much time on any single question. Regular practice will help increase both your reading speed and accuracy.

Q. How can I get 8.0 in the IELTS reading?

Ans. To achieve a band score of 8.0 in the IELTS reading section, focus on improving your reading comprehension and speed. Practice with high-quality materials and learn to identify and answer questions correctly. Work on understanding different question types and developing effective strategies for each. Regularly review your practice tests to understand and correct your mistakes. Consistent practice and thorough preparation are key to reaching this score.

Q. What is the format of the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. The IELTS Reading test consists of three sections, each featuring a passage followed by a series of questions. The passages vary in style and complexity, ranging from descriptive to argumentative texts. Questions may include multiple-choice, true/false/not given, matching, and summary completion. The test assesses a range of reading skills, including comprehension, locating information, and understanding details. Each section increases in difficulty, challenging test-takers progressively.