Ancient artefacts in Norway’s Glaciers Reading Answers

Jan 2, 2023

Ancient artefacts in Norway’s Glaciers Reading Answers contains a write up about the ancient artifacts revealed through climate change.This passage has been taken from Wendy Moore's review of Ed Yong’s book about microbes.Ancient artefacts in Norway’s Glaciers Reading Answers contains a total of 9 paragraphs. Related to the paragraphs are 13 questions. Candidates in this IELTS Section will be shown various question types with clear instructions.

Ancient artefacts in Norway’s Glaciers Reading Answers comprises three types of questions: Choose the correct option and Complete the Summary. To answer the questions provided in the IELTS Reading passage,Applicants must attentively read each passage. Applicants must carefully read each section in order to respond to the questions in the IELTS reading passage. Candidates for the summary must comprehend the idea and scan the passage for important terms. Candidates must understand both the given statement and the IELTS Reading passage in order to select the correct response. To gain proficiency, candidates can practice from IELTS reading practice test.

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14–26, which are based on the reading passage below.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Ancient artefacts in Norway’s Glaciers Reading Answers

Well above the treeline in Norway’s highest mountains, ancient fields of ice are shrinking as Earth’s climate warms. As the ice has vanished, it has been giving up the treasures it has preserved in cold storage for the last 6,000 years – items such as ancient arrows and skis from Viking Age* traders. And those artifacts have provided archaeologists with some surprising insights into how ancient Norwegians made their livings.
Organic materials like textiles and hides are relatively rare finds at archaeological sites. This is because unless they’re protected from the microorganisms that cause decay, they tend no to last long. Extreme cold is one reliable way to keep artifacts relatively fresh for a few thousand years, but once thawed out, these materials experience degradation relatively swiftly.
With climate change shrinking ice cover around the world, glacial archaeologists need to race the clock to find newly revealed artifacts, preserve them, and study them. If something fragile dries and is windblown it might very soon be lost to science, or an arrow might be exposed and then covered again by the next snow and remain well-preserved. The unpredictability means that glacial archaeologists have to be systematic in their approach to fieldwork.
Over a nine-year period, a team of archaeologists, which included Lars Pilø of Oppland County Council, Norway, and James Barrett of the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, surveyed patches of ice in Oppland, an area of south-central Norway that is home to some of the country’s highest mountains. Reindeer once congregated on these ice patches in the later summer months to escape biting insects, and from the late Stone Age**hunters followed. In addition, trade routes threaded through the mountain passes of Oppland, linking settlements in Norway to the rest of Europe.
The slow but steady movement of glaciers tends to destroy anything at their bases, so the team focused on stationary patches of ice, mostly above 1,400 meters. That ice is found amid fields of frost-weathered boulders, fallen rocks, and exposed bedrock that for nine months of the year is buried beneath snow.
‘Fieldwork is hard work – hiking with all our equipment, often camping on permafrost – but very rewarding. You’re rescuing the archaeology, bringing the melting ice to wider attention, discovering a unique environmental history and really connecting with the natural environment,’ says Barrett.
At the edges of the contracting ice patches, archaeologists found more than 2,000 artifacts, which formed a material record that ran from 4,000 BCE to the beginnings of the Renaissance in the 14th century. Many of the artifacts are associated with hunting. Hunters would have easily misplaced arrows and they often discarded broken bows rather than take them all the way home. Other items could have been used by hunters traversing the high mountain passes of Oppland: all-purpose items like tools, skis, and horse tack.
Barrett’s team radiocarbon-dated 153 of the artifacts and compared those dates to the timing of major environmental changes in the region – such as periods of cooling or warming – and major social and economic shifts – such as the growth of farming settlements and the spread of international trade networks leading up to the Viking Age. They found that some periods had produced lots of artifacts, which indicates that people had been pretty active in the mountains during those times. But there were few or no signs of activity during other periods.
What was surprising, according to Barrett, was the timing of these periods. Poland's mountains present daunting terrain and in periods of extreme cold, glaciers could block the higher mountain passes and make travel in the upper reaches of the mountains extremely difficult. Archaeologists assumed people would stick to lower elevations during a time like the Late Antique Little Ice Age, a short period of deeper-than-usual cold from about 536-600 CE. But it turned out that hunters kept regularly venturing into the mountains even when the climate turned cold, based on the amount of stuff they had apparently dropped there.
‘Remarkably, though, the finds from the ice may have continued through this period, perhaps suggesting that the importance of mountain hunting increased to supplement failing agricultural harvests in times of low temperatures,’ says Barrett. A colder turn in the Scandinavian climate would likely have meant widespread crop failures, so more people would have depended on hunting to make up for those losses.
Many of the artifacts Barrett’s team recovered date from the beginning of the Viking Age, the 700s through to the 900s CE. Trade networks connecting Scandinavia with Europe and the Middle East were expanding around this time. Although we usually think of ships when we think of Scandinavian expansion, these recent discoveries show that plenty of goods traveled on overland routes, like the mountain passes of Oppland. And growing Norwegian towns, along with export markets, would have created a booming demand for hides to fight off the cold, as well as antlers to make useful things like combs. Business must have been good for hunters.
Norway’s mountains are probably still hiding a lot of history – and prehistory – in remote ice patches. When Barrett’s team looked at the dates for their sample of 153 artifacts, they noticed a gap with almost no artifacts from about 3,800 to 2,200 BCE. In fact, archaeological finds from that period are rare all over Norway. The researchers say that could be because many of those artifacts have already disintegrated or are still frozen in the ice. That means archaeologists could be extracting some of those artifacts from retreating ice in years to come.

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* Viking Age: a period of European history from around 700 CE to around 1050 CE when Scandinavian Vikings migrated throughout Europe by means of trade and warfare.
** The Stone Age: a period in early history that began about 3.4 million years ago.

Section 2

Questions 14 – 19

The Reading Passage has eight sections, A-H.
Which section contains the following information?
Write the correct number, A-H, in boxes 14-19 on your answer sheet.

an explanation for weapons being left behind in the mountains

Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: The majority of the objects have a hunting theme. Arrows were readily lost by hunters, and they frequently threw away broken bows rather than transporting them all the way home. Other things, such as tools, skis, and horse tack, could have been utilized by hunters traveling across the challenging Opplandian mountain passes.
Keywords: hunting theme, objects
Keyword Location: Paragraph D
Explanation: As per the paragraph D, there have been many hunting objects found. The hunters had left these objects in the mountains. So, there has been an explanation provided for the weapons found from mountains. These weapons contain arrows and bows. So, the correct answer as per the explanation is D.

a reference to the physical difficulties involved in an archaeological expedition

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: The team concentrated on immobile sections of ice, mostly above 1,400 meters, because glaciers tend to destroy anything at their bases due to their sluggish but continuous flow. This ice is discovered
amidst fields of boulders that have been affected by frost, broken rocks, and bedrock that has been revealed after being covered in snow for nine months out of the year.
Keywords: Immobile section, destroy
Keyword Location: Paragraph C
Explanation: The physical difficulties have been mentioned in Paragraph C. "Hiking with all of our stuff while frequently camping on permafrost is hard work," The author mentioned physical challenges in the sentences just read. These are the physical challenges that archaeologists must overcome. So, the answer is C.

an explanation of why less food may have been available

Answer: F
Supporting Sentence: More people would have relied on hunting to make up for those losses if the Scandinavian climate had taken a colder turn, which would have likely resulted in widespread crop failures.
Keywords: Colder turn, Crop Failures
Keyword Location: Paragraph F
Explanation: It has been clearly mentioned in Paragraph F about the crop failure. The crop failed due to extremely cold weather. This leads to food shortage and scarcity. So, the correct answer is F, as per the explanation given.

a reference to the possibility of future archaeological discoveries

Answer: H
Supporting Sentence: That suggests that some of those artifacts may be pulled from receding ice in the coming years by archaeologists.
Keywords: Coming years, Discoveries
Keyword Location: Paragraph H
Explanation: The paragraph H states the upcoming discoveries. The paragraph mentions that a few more artifacts could be excavated from the ice in upcoming years. So, the correct answer is H. The explanation for the
same is provided.

examples of items that would have been traded

Answer: G
Supporting Sentence: A burgeoning market for antlers to construct useful items like combs and for hides to fend off the cold would have been created by expanding Norwegian towns and export markets. For hunters,
business must have been booming.
Keywords: Market, export.
Keyword Location: Paragraph G
Explanation: The statement has been mentioned in paragraph G about the trading items. The antlers and animal skin have been mentioned for trade purposes. Other items like combs are also displayed in the market. So, the correct answer is G, as per the explanation given.

a reference to the pressure archaeologists are under to work quickly

Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: Glacial archaeologists must work quickly to identify recently discovered artifacts, preserve them, and research them because climate change is reducing the amount of ice on the planet. A fragile object
that dries up and is windblown may very quickly be lost to science, while an arrow that is exposed before being covered over by the following snow may still be in good condition.
Keywords: Work quickly, discovered.
Keyword Location: Paragraph B
Explanation: In paragraph B, the work limit of the archaeologist is mentioned. The paragraph states that the archaeologist has to work quickly. To identify the artifact and preserve them due to climate change which imposes a threat for them. So, the correct answer is B. The explanation for the same has been given.

Questions 20 – 22

Complete the summary below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 20-22 on your answer sheet.

Interesting finds at an archaeological site

Organic materials such as animal skins and textiles are not discovered very often at archaeological sites. They have little protection against 20 …………………, which means that they decay relatively quickly. But this is not always the case. If temperatures are low enough, fragile artifacts can be preserved for thousands of years.

A team of archaeologists have been working in the mountains in Oppland in Norway to recover artifacts revealed by shrinking ice cover. In the past, there were trade routes through these mountains and 21 ………………… gathered there in the summer months to avoid being attacked by 22 ………………… on lower ground. The people who used these mountains left things behind and it is those objects that are of interest to archaeologists.

Question 20)

Answer: Micro organisms
Supporting Sentence: This is because they don't often endure very long unless they are shielded from the microbes that cause deterioration.
Keywords: Microbes, deterioration
Keyword Location: Paragraph B
Explanation: As per the paragraph B, organic materials decay quickly. This is due to the protection from microorganisms. These microbes decay them quickly and deteriorate their evidence. So, the correct answer is
microorganism.

Question 21)

Answer: Reindeer
Supporting Sentence: Hunting began in the late Stone Age** when reindeer gathered on these ice patches in the later summer to avoid stinging insects. Additionally, trade paths connected Norwegian communities to the rest of Europe through the Oppland mountain passes.
Keywords: Reindeer, ice patches
Keyword Location: Paragraph C
Explanation: The lines from paragraph C states about Reindeer. These lines say that early there were trade patches. There were marks on ice about the patches and prints of reindeer. Thus suggests that Reindeer gathered there in summer to get protection from being attacked. So, the correct answer is C.

Question 22)

Answer: Insects
Supporting Sentence: Hunting began in the late Stone Age** when reindeer gathered on these ice patches in the later summer to avoid stinging insects. Additionally, trade paths connected Norwegian communities to the rest of Europe through the Oppland mountain passes.
Keywords: Stinging insects
Keyword Location: Paragraph C
Explanation: The paragraph C states about the stinging insects. The author claimed that reindeer gathered in this location to protect themselves from insects. The term "biting insects'' refers to venomous insects. To escape is to avoid. Insects are therefore the solution.

Questions 23 and 24

Choose TWO letters, A-E.

Write the correct letters in boxes 23 and 24 on your answer sheet.

Which TWO of the following statements does the writer make about the discoveries of Barrett’s team?

Artifacts found in the higher mountain passes were limited to skiing equipment.
Hunters went into the mountains even during periods of extreme cold.
The number of artifacts from certain time periods was relatively low.
Radiocarbon dating of artifacts produced some unreliable results.
More artifacts were found in Oppland than at any other mountain site.

Question 23)

Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: However, based on the amount of items that were presumably left behind in the highlands, it was discovered that hunters continued to frequently travel there even when the weather turned chilly.
Keywords: Hunters, highlands.
Keyword Location: Paragraph F
Explanation: The paragraph F suggests that hunters went there even in cold weather. They left their hunting weapons there. They visited there often even in extreme cold weather. So, the correct answer is B.

Question 24)

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: They discovered that some historical periods had left behind a significant amount of artifacts, indicating that people had been rather active in the mountains during those periods. During other times, however, there were either little or no traces of activity.
Keywords: Historical periods, no traces of activity
Keyword Location: Paragraph E
Explanation: It has been mentioned in paragraph E. According to the author, some periods created a large number of artifacts, indicating that humans were more active during those times. However, there were times when people weren't as active, which meant fewer artifacts were created during those times. So the correct answer is C.

Questions 25 and 26

Choose TWO letters, A-E.

Write the correct letters in boxes 25 and 26 on your answer sheet.

Which TWO of the following statements does the writer make about the Viking Age?

Hunters at this time benefited from an increased demand for goods.
The beginning of the period saw the greatest growth in the wealth of Vikings.
Vikings did not rely on ships alone to transport goods.
Norwegian towns at this time attracted traders from around the world.
Vikings were primarily interested in their trading links with the Middle East.

Question 25)

Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: A burgeoning market for antlers to construct useful items like combs and for hides to fend off the cold would have been created by expanding Norwegian towns and export markets. For hunters, business must have been booming.
Keywords: Market, hunters
Keyword Location: Paragraph G
Explanation: The paragraph G states about the goods hunters sold in the markets. These goods included antlers, animal skins and combs. With the increasing demand of these items, hunters were profited. So, the correct answer is A. Explanation for the same has been given.

Question 26)

Answer: C
Supporting Sentence: Although when we think of Scandinavian expansion, we typically think of ships, these recent discoveries demonstrate that many products went over overland routes, such as the mountain passes of Oppland.
Keywords: Ships, overland routes.
Keyword Location: Paragraph G
Explanation: The lines of paragraph G states about the transportation via various modes. The author claimed that the most recent findings demonstrate that numerous products were shipped using overland (land) routes. They therefore didn't rely solely on ships. So, the correct answer is C, as per the explanation provided.

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