The Growth of Liquorice Reading Answers

Mar 20, 2024

The Growth of Liquorice Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. The Growth of Liquorice Reading Answers have a total of 14 IELTS questions in total. This topic has 5 questions in which you have to fill up the black choosing appropriate title for the paragraphs. In the next 5 questions we have say whether statement is true or false. In the last 3 questions we have to fil in the blanks.

Candidates should read the IELTS Reading passage thoroughly to recognize synonyms, identify keywords, and answer the questions below. IELTS Reading practice papers, which feature topics such as The Growth of Liquorice Reading Answers. Candidates can use IELTS reading practice questions and answers to enhance their performance in the reading section.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

The Growth Of Liquorice

LIQUORICE has a long, honourable history in the service of mankind. Alexander The Great, the Scythian armies and the Roman Emperor Caesar, are all on record for endorsing the beneficial properties contained in liquorice. Warriors used it as a substitute for water on a march, while others recognized liquorice's valuable healing properties.
Native to Asia and the Mediterranean region, liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) in the family Leguminosae is a tall shrub (1.5 m) with blue or violet flowers. The most common variety, Spanish liquorice, is characterized by blue flowers, while Russian liquorice has violet blossoms. The name glycyrrhiza comes from Greek words meaning 'sweet root'. The roots contain the medicinally active constituents, and the plant requires rich soils and grows in subtropical climates. It is indigenous to Turkey, Iraq, Spain, Greece ano northern China.
The plants are graceful and their leaves have an almost feathery appearance from a distance. The leaves hang down during the night on each side of the stem, though they do not meet beneath it. From the leaves, spring spikes of small pale-blue, violet or purplish flowers, followed by small pods somewhat resembling a partly grown pea pod in form.
The underground system, as in so many Leguminosae, is double: one part consisting of a vertical or tap root, often with several branches; the other of a horizontal runner, coming off the root below the surface of the ground. These runners have leaf buds and throw up stems in their second year. The perennial downward-running roots, as well as the long horizontal runners, are equally preserved for use.
English grown liquorice is dug up in late autumn and sold mostly in its fresh state for making extract, with only a small amount being dried. When washed, fresh English liquorice is a bright yellowish brown. It is very flexible, with a light yellow, juicy internal substance, which consists of a thick bark surrounding a woody column. The root has a peculiar earthy odour and a strong, characteristic sweet taste. The English extract of liquorice, made from the fresh home-grown root, is said to have a more delicate flavour than that of imported varieties.
In southern Italy, large quantities of liquorice root are grown, but it is chiefly converted into extract, though some of the root is exported. Spain and the south of France provide quantities of carefully dried liquorice root. Up to the year 1890, the cultivation o) Spanish liquorice was small or moderate in comparison with the wild collection. Owing, however, to the depletion of the natural supplies of good quality root, this cultivation has grown rapidly in southern and southern-central Europe, where the climate is favourable
Nearly all the Russian liquorice that has been exported has already been peeled. It reaches a much larger size than the Spanish variety, and the taste, although sweet, is accompanied by a subtle bitterness or acridity. It consists chiefly of roots, not runners, in long and often crooked pieces, about 5 cm in thickness. These are pale yellow externally, and are a lighter yellow and softer internally than the Spanish variety.
Spain was formerly the main supplier, which explains why the extract is still referred to as 'Spanish Juice, but the best grade has almost disappeared. The sticks vary in size, but are commonly about 2 cm in diameter and 15 or 18 cm in length. When imported they are usually wrapped in bay leaves.
Liquorice grows best on sandy soil near streams and is usually not found in the wild more than 50 metres from water. It will not flourish on clay and prefers the rich, fine soil of lowlands in river valleys, where there is an abundance of moisture during the growing period. Liquorice also flourishes where the ground hardens during the hot, dry summer months.
The plant grows most successfully in a warm climate. Not only can it not endure severe freezing, but cool weather interferes with the formation of the sweet liquorice juice and makes the plant woody. It appears that climates which are particularly favourable for the production of oranges are also favourable for liquorice.
Owing to the depth to which the root penetrates and its propagation, the plant is a persistent weed in cultivated grounds, where it is indigenous and exceedingly difficult to remove by its roots. It is very healthy and robust and rarely subject to disease. It can successfully occupy the ground to the exclusion of other planes. For this reason, the continuation of a natural supply may be considered as assured althouch it is hahle to suffer from sevpre denietion dile to heinn overnicked.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 1-5

Choose FIVE letters, A-E.

Which FIVE of the following statements about the liquorice plant are true according to the passage?

The health properties of liquorice are not well known.
Liquorice used to be valued as a means to quench thirst.
Liquorice plants only grow in tropical climates.
Liquorice blossoms are blue or violet.
Liquorice flowers last for a long time.
The leaves of the liquorice plant look like feathers.
Pods develop on the plant after the flowering stage.
Medicine is derived from the flowers of the liquorice plant.
The liquorice root system has two roots.
Horizontal runners develop stems immediately.

Ques 1:

Answer: B
Supporting statement:“........endorsing the beneficial properties contained in liquorice. Warriors used it as a substitute for water on a march, while others recognized liquorice's valuable healing properties..........”
Keywords: valuable, properties
Keyword Location: para A, line 2
Explanation: The passage mentions, "Warriors used it as a substitute for water on a march," indicating its use to quench thirst.

Ques 2:

Answer: D
Supporting statement:“........ Native to Asia and the Mediterranean region, liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) in the family Leguminosae is a tall shrub (1.5 m) with blue or violet flowers. The most common variety, Spanish liquorice, is characterized by blue flowers.........”
Keywords: flowers, spanish
Keyword Location: para B, line 2
Explanation: The passage states, "Native to Asia and the Mediterranean region, liquorice in the family Leguminosae is a tall shrub with blue or violet flowers

Ques 3:

Answer: F
Supporting statement:“....... From the leaves, spring spikes of small pale-blue, violet or purplish flowers, followed by small pods somewhat resembling a partly grown pea pod in form...........”
Keywords: flowers, pod
Keyword Location: para C, line 3
Explanation: Para C describes the leaves of the liquorice plant as having an almost feathery appearance.

Ques 4:

Answer: I
Supporting statement:“........The underground system, as in so many Leguminosae, is double: one part consisting of a vertical or tap root, often with several branches; the other of a horizontal runner, coming off the root below the surface of the ground..........”
Keywords: runner, surface
Keyword Location: para D, line 1
Explanation: Para D describes the underground system of the liquorice plant, mentioning "the root consisting of a vertical or tap root, often with several branches, and the other of a horizontal runner."

Ques 5:

Answer: J
Supporting statement:“........These runners have leaf buds and throw up stems in their second year. The perennial downward-running roots, as well as the long horizontal runners, are equally preserved for use..........”
Keywords: runners, preserved
Keyword Location: para D, line 4
Explanation: Para D states, "These runners have leaf buds and throw up stems in their second year."

Questions 6-7

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 the information is little information

Only some of the English liquorice is harvested in the autumn

Answer: FALSE
Supporting statement:“........English grown liquorice is dug up in late autumn and sold mostly in its fresh state for making extract, with only a small amount being dried. .........”
Keywords: fresh, extract
Keyword Location: para E, line 1
Explanation: The passage mentions that English liquorice is dug up in late autumn and mostly sold fresh.

Improved varieties of liquorice have a stronger taste than English liquorice.

Answer: TRUE
Supporting statement:“.......English grown liquorice is dug up in late autumn and sold mostly in its fresh state for making extract, with only a small amount being dried. When washed, fresh English liquorice is a bright yellowish brown..........”
Keywords: washed, brown
Keyword Location: para E, line 2
Explanation: Para E describes English liquorice as having a more delicate flavor than improved varieties.

Questions 8-10

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 the information is little information on this

After 1890, the production of Spanish liquorice declined slowly.

Answer: FALSE
Supporting statement:“....... Up to the year 1890, the cultivation of Spanish liquorice was small or moderate in comparison with the wild collection. Owing, however, to the depletion of the natural supplies of good quality root..........”
Keywords: depletion, good
Keyword Location: para F, line 3
Explanation: The passage mentions that after 1890, the cultivation of Spanish liquorice grew rapidly in certain regions.

Russian liquorice is not popular because it has a bitter taste.

Answer: NOT GIVEN
Explanation: The passage does not mention the popularity of Russian liquorice based on its taste.

Russian and Spanish varieties of liquorice have identical flavours.

Answer: NOT GIVEN
Explanation: The passage does not compare the flavors of Russian and Spanish liquorice.

Questions 11-13

Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A-E, below.

Wild liquorice is usually found near streams because it

Answer: C
Supporting statement:“........ Liquorice grows best on sandy soil near streams and is usually not found in the wild more than 50 metres from water. It will not flourish on clay and prefers the rich, fine soil of lowlands in river valleys.........”
Keywords: wild, prefer
Keyword Location: para I, line 2
Explanation: Para I states that liquorice usually grows near streams because it requires abundant moisture during the growing period.

To guarantee the development of juice, the liquorice plant

Answer: A
Supporting statement:“........The plant grows most successfully in a warm climate. Not only can it not endure severe freezing, but cool weather interferes with the formation of the sweet liquorice .........”
Keywords: endure, sweet
Keyword Location: para J, line 1
Explanation: Para J mentions that the plant grows most successfully in a warm climate, which is necessary for the formation of sweet liquorice juice.

In some areas, the liquorice plant is a problem because it

Answer: E
Supporting statement:“.........Owing to the depth to which the root penetrates and its propagation, the plant is a persistent weed in cultivated grounds, where it is indigenous and exceedingly difficult to remove by its roots.........”
Keywords: propagation, roots
Keyword Location: para K, line 2
Explanation: Para K describes the liquorice plant as a persistent weed in cultivated grounds that spreads easily.