Dyes and Pigments - IELTS Reading Sample with Explanation
The IELTS Reading section assesses candidates' reading and understanding abilities through a passage and questions. Candidates must answer 40 questions, each of which has a different question type. The IELTS reading section assesses candidates' comprehension abilities through a variety of questions. This IELTS Reading sample - Dyes and Pigments includes three types of questions:
- Headings That Go Together
- Complete the Summary
- Answer in a single word
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Section 1
Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions
Dyes and Pigments IELTS Reading Sample
A
Dyeing is a process of coloring materials, or cloth fibers, whereby the color becomes part of the fiber. The fastness of the color, or its permanency, depends upon the dye and the process used. True dyeing is a permanent color change, and the dye is absorbed by, or chemically combined with, the fiber.
B
In ancient times all the dyes used were natural; actually, this was true up until mid-1800. The dyestuffs came from a variety of natural sources, some commonly available, others rare or difficult to produce. Some of the common dyes included logwood or quercitron, fustic, woad, and indigo. An example of the rare dyes would be cochineal and Tyrian purple. Collectively, these substances are called dyestuffs, and were occasionally traded as a commodity. The dyestuffs were extracts from plants, mollusks, insects, woods, or naturally occurring minerals. There are many plants which produce dye suitable in the dyeing process, and many were heavily cultivated. Madder and woad were grown in Europe specifically for their dyeing properties. Saffron was also extensively grown in Anatolia for its yellow dye. Probably one of the most famous dyes was Tyrian purple, from a Mediterranean shellfish. The Phoenicians of Tyre, in Lebanon, produced this very expensive dye long before written history began. Many other areas had special dyes which were famous in antiquity.
C
The value of a dye is not just its availability, but also its fastness or durability against daily use. It must withstand washing, wearing, sunlight, perspiration, without losing an appreciable amount of its color. The color, and its brightness, also helped determine the dye’s value. Premium colors were purple, blue, and bright shades of red.
D
There are two classifications of dyeing, the home craft and the trade, or industrial, dyeing. The manufacturing of clothing, the spinning, weaving and embroidery, tended to stay within the family unit. An exception to this would be the carpets made in Anatolia and Persia, for example, or the very fine, sheer linen woven in Egypt. But the manufacture of dyes and their use in dyeing yarn and cloth soon became an industry, supporting large numbers of people, even entire cities. The art of dyeing was one of the earliest arts known to man after he became civilized. Trade dyeing was, however, a highly competitive business. These were the professionals of the ancient world when it came to dyed cloth. Many of the processes were closely guarded secrets, and many of the special skills were handed down over generations. The ingredients may come from far away; the tools may be specialized and the process often was steeped in superstition.
E
As far back as man can historically see, rulers have set themselves apart from everyone else by wearing exotic and rare items, and dyed clothing was very early a part of this status proclamation. Still today the important and the wealthy prefer to wear items not available to all. In Egypt, the pharaohs wore specially made clothing, dyed with colors difficult to obtain. Dyed fabrics from tombs of early Egyptian attest to the antiquity of the dyer's art.
F
In the ancient Greek and Roman world, Tyrian purple became the color of choice for rulers and emperors. The dye was extremely expensive, therefore, available to only a few. When in later times merchants, considered unimportant, became wealthy enough to buy purple-dyed cloth, laws were passed to prevent their diluting the impressiveness of the color. Only rulers, or emperors, were allowed to wear purple. Later, however, the law was changed to include the rulers’ family; then senators; and so on, eventually losing its status. This is where the phrase “born to the purple” came from.
G
The word pigment comes from the Latin “pigmentum” meaning coloured material. Pigments are generally distinguished from dyes as coloring materials on the basis of their soluble ability (solubility) characteristics. Pigments are used mainly in the colouration of paints, printing inks, and plastics, although they are used to a certain extent in a much wider range of applications including textiles, ceramics, paper, and cosmetics. In contrast to dyes, pigments are highly insoluble coloring materials, which are incorporated into an application medium by dispersion, and they remain as discrete solid particles held mechanically within a polymeric matrix. Pigments are thus required to resist dissolving in solvents, which they may contact in application to minimize problems such as ‘bleeding’ and migration. In addition to solvent resistance, pigments are required to be fast to light, weathering, heat and chemicals such as acids and alkalis to a degree dependent on the demands of particular application.
H
Natural inorganic pigments, derived mainly from mineral sources, have been used as colorants since prehistoric times and a few, notably iron oxides, remain of some significance today. The origins of the synthetic inorganic pigment industry may be traced to the introduction of Prussian blue in the early 18th century, pre-dating the synthetic organic colorant industry by some 150 years. The organic pigments are the oxides, sulfides, hydroxides, silicates, sulfates and carbonates of metals. The color of a pigment is due to its interactions with light by scattering and absorption.
I
The synthetic organic pigment industry emerged towards the end of the 19th century out of the established synthetic textile dyestuffs industry. Many of the earliest organic pigments were known as ‘lakes’. These products were prepared from established water soluble dyes by precipitation on to an insoluble inorganic substrate. A further significant early development in organic pigments was the introduction of a range of azo pigments. One of the most critical events in the development of the organic
The pigment industry was the discovery, in 1928, of copper phthalocyanine blue. This was the first pigment to offer the outstanding intensity and brightness of color typical of organic pigments, combined with an excellence range of fastness properties, comparable with many inorganic pigments. Organic pigments generally provide higher intensity and brightness of color than inorganic pigments. However, organic pigments are unable to provide the degree of opacity offered by most inorganic pigments which have the lower reflectance.
Section 2
Solution and Explanation
Question 1 - 5
Reading passage has 7 sections- A, B, C, D, E, F, G,H,I
From the list of headings given below, select the most appropriate heading for each segment.
Fill in boxes 1-5 on your answer sheet with the right number i- x.
List of Headings:
- Clothing symbolizing status
- The factors determining the dye’s quality
- The invaluable color
- The importance of plants in ancient times
- From family to industry
- The value of colors
- Dyestuff sources in the past
- Availability and durability of a dye
- The competitive and secret industry
- Pigments, insoluble coloring materials
Question 1. Section B
Answer: vii - Dyestuff sources in the past
Supporting Sentence: In ancient times all the dyes used were natural; actually, this was true up until the mid-1800. The dyestuffs came from a variety of natural sources, some commonly available, others rare or difficult to produce. Some of the common dyes included logwood or quercitron, fustic, woad, and indigo.
Keywords: Dyestuff, sources
Keyword Location: Section B, Line no- 2
Explanation: Dye were used in the past, all the dyes used were natural at that time. The dyestuffs came from a variety of natural sources, some commonly available, others rare or difficult to produce. Some of the common dyes included logwood or quercitron, fustic, woad, and indigo.
Read More IELTS Reading Related Samples
Question 2. Section C
Answer: ii - The factors determining the dye’s quality
Supporting Sentence: The value of a dye is not just its availability, but also its fastness or durability against daily use. It must withstand washing, wearing, sunlight, perspiration, without losing an appreciable amount of its color. The color, and its brightness, also helped determine the dye’s value.
Keywords: Dye, withstand washing, wearing, sunlight, perspiration
Keyword Location: Section C, Line no- 2
Explanation: The quality of dye was not only measured by the availability but its fastness or durability against daily use. Several factors determine the quality of the dye. It must withstand washing, wearing, sunlight, perspiration, without losing an appreciable amount of its color.
Question 3. Section D
Answer: v - From family to industry
Supporting Sentence: The manufacturing of clothing, spinning, weaving, and embroidery, tended to stay within the family unit. An exception to this would be the carpets made in Anatolia and Persia, for example, or the very fine, sheer linen woven in Egypt. But the manufacture of dyes and their use in dyeing yarn and cloth soon became an industry, supporting large numbers of people, even entire cities.
Keywords: Family, Industry
Keyword Location: Section D, Line no- 2
Explanation: The manufacture of clothing, which was earlier limited to family units soon became an industry, supporting large numbers of people, even entire cities.
Question 4. Section E
Answer: i - Clothing symbolizing status
Supporting Sentence: As far back as man can historically see, rulers have set themselves apart from everyone else by wearing exotic and rare items, and dyed clothing was very early a part of this status proclamation.
Keywords: Status Proclamation, Wearing exotic and rare items
Keyword Location: Section E, Line no- 1
Explanation: Clothes were a symbol of social status. In ancient times rulers used to wear exotic and rare items to represent themselves differently from the rest of the people. In today's times also clothes symbolize social status. Wealthy people prefer wearing expensive and unique clothes which are not worn by other people.
Question 5. Section F
Answer: iii -The invaluable color
Supporting Sentence: In the ancient Greek and Roman world, Tyrian purple became the color of choice for rulers and emperors. The dye was extremely expensive, therefore, available to only a few. When in later times merchants, considered unimportant, became wealthy enough to buy purple-dyed cloth, laws were passed to prevent their diluting the impressiveness of the color.
Keywords: Color of choice for rulers, extremely expensive, available to only a few
Keyword Location: Section F, Line no- 1
Explanation: Tyrian Purple was the most valuable color. It was the choice of the rulers and rich merchants. The color had high-status and several rules were passed to prevent diluting the impressiveness of the color.
Question 6 - 8
Reading passage has 7 sections- A, B, C, D, E, F, G,H,I
For the questions given below, choose the correct answers from the given options.
Fill in the blanks in boxes 6–8 on your answer sheet with the correct answers.
Question 6. Among the following dye colors, which one had superior value in the past?
- Red
- Yellow
- White
- Blue
Answer: D - Blue
Supporting Sentence: In the ancient Greek and Roman world, Tyrian purple became the color of choice for rulers and emperors. The dye was extremely expensive, therefore, available to only a few. When in later times merchants, considered unimportant, became wealthy enough to buy purple-dyed cloth, laws were passed to prevent their diluting the impressiveness of the color.
Keywords: Color of choice for rulers, extremely expensive, available to only a few
Keyword Location: Section F, Line no- 1
Explanation: Tyrian Purple was the most valuable color. It was the choice of the rulers and rich merchants. The color had high-status and several rules were passed to prevent diluting the impressiveness of the color.
Question 7. The pharaohs wore specially dyed clothing, because ________
- it was difficult to obtain.
- it distinguished them.
- it attested to the antiquity of the dyer's art.
- it was exotic and rare.
Answer: B - it distinguished them.
Supporting Sentence: In Egypt, the pharaohs wore specially made clothing, dyed with colors difficult to obtain. Dyed fabrics from tombs of early Egyptian attest to the antiquity of the dyer's art.
Keywords: Specially made clothing, the antiquity of the dyer's art
Keyword Location: Section E, Line no- 3
Explanation: Pharaohs were unique pieces of clothing worn by the Egyptians to stand out from others. The Pharaohs were specially dyed with different colors.
Question 8. According to the passage, the phrase “born to the purple” describes someone who ________
- has a royal birth
- extremely favors the purple color.
- is very wealthy
- was born with a silver spoon.
Answer: A - has a royal birth
Supporting Sentence: In the ancient Greek and Roman world, Tyrian purple became the color of choice for rulers and emperors. When in later times merchants, considered unimportant, became wealthy enough to buy purple-dyed cloth, laws were passed to prevent their diluting the impressiveness of the color. Only rulers, or emperors, were allowed to wear purple. Later, however, the law was changed to include the rulers’ family; then senators; and so on, eventually losing its status. This is where the phrase “born to the purple” came from.
Keywords: Color of choice for rulers, extremely expensive, available to only a few
Keyword Location: Section F, Line no- 1
Explanation: Tyrian Purple was the most valuable color. It was the choice of the rulers and rich merchants. The color had high status and symbolized wealth and royalty.
Question 9 - 13
Fill up the blanks in the summary below. For each answer, choose no more than three words from the passage. Fill in boxes 9–13 on your answer sheet with your answers.
As coloring materials, the distinguishing characteristic of pigments is that they are more .……(9)….… than dyes, and in the coloring process, dyes are ……….(10)…….… by the materials, while pigments work by ………..(11)…….…. Compared with inorganic pigments, organic pigments give color higher …………(12)……….., but lower ……….(13)……..….
9.
Answer: Insoluble
Supporting Sentence: pigments are generally distinguished from dyes as coloring materials on the basis of their soluble ability.
Keywords: dyes, coloring materials
Keyword Location: Paragraph G
Explanation: The above supporting sentence states that the dyes colors are more pigmented.
10.
Answer: Absorbed
Supporting Sentence: true dyeing is a permanent color change, and the dye is absorbed by, or chemically combined with, the fiber.
Keywords: permanent color change
Keyword Location: Paragraph A
Explanation: The above supporting sentence states that the dyeing is a permanent color change.
11.
Answer: Dispersion
Supporting Sentence: pigments are highly insoluble coloring materials, which are dyed, pigments are highly insoluble coloring materials, which are incorporated into an application medium by dispersion.
Keywords: highly insoluble coloring materials
Keyword Location: Paragraph G
Explanation: The above supporting sentence states that the dyeing materials are highly insoluble.
12.
Answer: Intensity and Brightness
Supporting Sentence: organic pigments generally provide higher intensity and brightness of color than inorganic pigments.
Keywords: organic pigments, higher intensity and brightness
Keyword Location: paragraph I
Explanation: The above supporting sentence states that the organic pigments contain more intensity and brightness than inorganic pigments.
13.
Answer: Opacity and Degree of Opacity
Supporting Sentence: organic pigments are unable to provide the degree of opacity offered by most inorganic pigments which have the lower reflectance.
Keywords: inorganic pigments, lower reflectance
Keyword Location: Paragraph I
Explanation: The above supporting sentence states that often the organic pigments do not provide sufficient intensity and pigmentation like inorganic pigments.
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