Unearthing Jorvik - IELTS Reading Sample With Explanation

The IELTS Reading section contains three passages and forty questions. There are different types of questions found in each IELTS reading passage. It is crucial to read the passage carefully and take mental notes of important points in order to answer the questions quickly. This IELTS reading sample - Unearthing Jorvik, is an IELTS Academic topic. The passage contains the following question types from IELTS Reading Question Types:

• Multiple choice
• Yes/No/Not Given
• Matching heading

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Section 1

Unearthing Jorvik IELTS Reading Sample

1. From 1976 to 1981 in what is now known as the city of York in North Yorkshire, England, an archaeological dig was conducted in and around the street of Coppergate. This excavation played a most significant part in bringing to life the Viking kingdom of Jorvik. Because most artefacts are made of materials which are readily destroyed by Ore, coming across an abundance of them after so many years is indeed a rare thing. The five-year excavation in and around the street of Coppergate by the York Archaeological Trust managed to uncover some breathtakingly well-preserved remains of Jorvik. Due to the unusual abundance of dense, anoxic wet clay, Jorvik’s mostly timber buildings, pits and wells, work areas and animal pens were remarkably very much intact.
2. Most commonly, household items from long ago were made of organic material and therefore tended to decompose completely in oxygen-rich soil. However, the complete lack of oxygen in the earth meant that decay bacteria were unable to break down the embedded Viking objects. An oxygen-free organic ‘cocoon’ comprising a mix of plant debris, including remains of plants, wood chips, twigs, straw used for bedding and thatch used in building, created an environment which enabled archaeologists to uncover an abundance of relics left over from a period dating back to the 10th century. Excavations of up to nine meters comprising numerous layers of deposits uncovered a number of household articles such as pottery and eating utensils as well as items made of wood and leather – all remarkably well-preserved. Many beautifully-decorated combs were among the most common items found at Coppergate. Combs at various stages of production, from sawn off-cuts of antler to the finished product, were all uncovered at the site.
3. The unusual number of combs found in the area indicated to archaeologists that there had been significant head lice infestations during the period. Head lice continue to be a menace in many parts of the world today and. excavations in the area revealed that such was the case for the residents of Jorvik. Though probably not too harmful to their health, also uncovered in the stomachs of many of the residents were parasitic worms, some of them up to a third of a metre long. Given the close proximity of household waste (food scraps, shells, bones) to houses, archaeologists deduced that sanitation in the area was generally poor. This poor sanitation would have impacted upon life expectancy with records indicating that most people did not live beyond the age of 50.
4. Archaeologists are concerned with studying the environment of a past civilization and, like a detective, try to reconstruct a picture of what life in a particular area must have been like. Remains from the city of Jorvik told archaeologists a story about life in the Viking kingdom. A cap made of silk which was uncovered indicated a connection with the Byzantine Empire and beyond. Coins bearing inscriptions from the Uzbekistan city of Samarkand and a cowrie shell indicated contact with the Persian Gulf or the Red Sea tus showing how far some of the inhabitants must have travelled. Also uncovered side-by-side were Christian and pagan objects probably indicating that Christians were probably not in power at the time.
5. It was clear from the wide range of everyday items uncovered that under the Vikings, Jorvik excelled as an important manufacturing centre. The name ‘Coppergate’ means ‘the street of cup-makers’ in the old Norse language and further illustrated the manufacturing nature of the area as hundreds of wooden cores – the waste or off-cuts from wooden bowls and cups – were found in the area. This evidence points to a well-developed wood-working industry with the mass production of household wooden items. Another excavated area uncovered yet another manufacturing industry: metalwork. Iron objects such as tools and knives for everyday purposes, as well as moulds for making various types of jewellery, were all uncovered. Shoemakers and repairers also were in significant numbers. Belts, straps, pouches, knife sheaths and piles of leather off-cuts all evidenced a thriving leather-craft trade.
6. Balls of beeswax used to lubricate the needles as they passed through the leather were all tell-tail signs of a flourishing industry. Textile making materials such as needles and spindles to hold material were also uncovered. Re-created from the excavation of just four Viking-Age house plots, the small Jorvik Viking Centre which was opened in April 1984 reminds tourists and visitors of life long ago. Using innovative interpretive methods, the York Archaeological Trust has recreated a model of what they believe the city of Jorvik would have been like. Mid 10th-century single-story homes with upright posts supporting thatched roofs, open fireplaces, and simple earthen floors have all been constructed.

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Section 2

Questions 1 -2.

Choose TWO letters, A-F. Write the answers next to the questions 1-2 on your answer sheet.|
The list below gives some factors which may explain why the artefacts at Jorvik were so well preserved.
Which TWO reasons are mentioned by the writer of the passage?

1. the complete absence of fires
2. the clay
3. the lack of oxygen in the soil
4. the organic composition of the artefacts
5. the abundance of decay bacteria
6. the combination of plants, wood chips and twigs in the area

Question 1.

Answer: B

Supporting Sentence: “Due to the unusual abundance of dense, anoxic wet clay, Jorvik’s mostly timber buildings, pits and wells, work areas and animal pens were remarkably very much intact.”

Keywords: abundance, anoxic

Keyword location: Para B Lines 4-6

Explanation: Due to the presence of wet clay the artifacts were so well preserved.

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Question 2.

Answer: C

Supporting Sentence: “However, the complete lack of oxygen in the earth meant that decay bacteria was unable to break down the embedded Viking objects.”

Keywords: lack of oxygen, embedded

Keyword location: Para C Lines 2-3

Explanation: The lack of oxygen in the soil made it impossible for the bacteria to decompose those artifacts and hence they were so well preserved.

Questions 3-6.

Do the following statements reflect the claims of the writer?
In boxes 16-21 on your answer sheet write

YES,              if the statement agrees with the information in the passage
NO,                if the statement contradicts the information in the passage
NOT GIVEN, if there is no information about the statement in the passage

3. The archaeological findings in Jorvik are unusual.

Answer: YES

Supporting Sentence: “The five-year excavation in and around the street of Coppergate by the York Archaeological Trust, managed to uncover some breathtakingly well-preserved remains of Jorvik. Due to the unusual abundance of dense, anoxic wet clay, Jorvik’s mostly timber buildings, pits and wells, work areas and animal pens were remarkably very much intact.”

Keywords: excavation, well-preserved

Keyword location: Para B Lines 3-5

Explanation: Due to the presence of wet clay and absence of oxygen in the soil, the artifacts, pits and wells, work areas and animal pens were very well preserved in Jorvik. This unusual behaviour made this excavation strange.

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4. The number of combs discovered evidence of large-scale head lice problems in Jorvik.

Answer: YES

Supporting Sentence: “The unusual number of combs found in the area indicated to archaeologists that there had been significant head lice infestations during the period. Head lice continue to be a menace in many parts of the world today and. excavations in the area revealed that such was the case for the residents of Jorvik.”

Keywords: infestation, head lice

Keyword location: Para D Lines 1-4

Explanation: The unusually large number of combs discovered in the area led archaeologists to believe that there had been widespread head lice infections throughout the time period.

5. Poor standards in cleanliness resulted in shorter life-spans.

Answer: YES

Supporting Sentence: “Though probably not too harmful to their health, also uncovered in the stomachs of many of the residents were parasitic worms, some of them up to a third of a metre long. Given the close proximity of household waste (food scraps, shells, bones) to houses, archaeologists deduced that sanitation in the area was generally poor. This poor sanitation would have impacted upon life expectancy with records indicating that most people did not live beyond the age of 50.”

Keywords: harmful, generally poor

Keyword location: Para D Lines 5-9

Explanation: Archaeologists inferred that hygiene in the area was typically inadequate based on the near proximity of domestic garbage (food scraps, shells, bones) to homes. People's life expectancy would have been affected by the poor sanitation at the period.

6. Most of the town of Jorvik has now been uncovered by archaeologists.

Answer: NOT GIVEN

Explanation: There is no such information given in the passage.

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7. Coins from Samarkand indicated that Jorvik had visitors from other countries.

Answer: NO

Supporting Sentence: “Coins bearing inscriptions from the Uzbekistan city of Samarkand and a cowrie shell indicated contact with the Persian Gulf or Red Sea tus showing how far some of the inhabitants must have traveled.”

Keywords: Uzbekistan, cowrie shell

Keyword location: Para E Lines 5-7

Explanation: Coins from the Uzbekistan city of Samarkand indicated that the city had contact with the residents of the Persian Gulf or Red Sea rather than showing that they had contact with the rest of the world.

8. Coppergate was so-called because many cups were made in the area.

Answer: YES

Supporting Sentence: “The name ‘Coppergate’ means ‘the street of cup-makers’ in the old Norse language and further illustrated the manufacturing nature of the area as hundreds of wooden cores – the waste or off-cuts from wooden bowls and cups – were found in the area.”

Keywords: Norse language, wooden cores

Keyword location: Para F Lines 2-4

Explanation: Since, remains of cups and wooden bowls were found in the area, speculation can be made that Coppergate was so called because many cups were made in that area.

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Questions 9-13.

Reading Passage 2 has seven paragraphs, A-G.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A-G in boxes 9-13 on your answer sheet.
NB You may use any letter more than once.

9. examples of the types of industries in Jorvik_______

Answer: F

Supporting Sentence: “This evidence points to a well-developed wood-working industry with the mass production of household wooden items. Another excavated area uncovered yet another manufacturing industry: metal work. Iron objects such as tools and knives for everyday purposes as well as moulds for making various types of jewelry were all uncovered. Shoemakers and repairers also were in significant numbers. Belts, straps, pouches, knife sheaths and piles of leather off-cuts all evidenced a thriving leather-craft trade. Balls of beeswax used to lubricate the needles as they passed through the leather were all tell-tail signs of a flourishing industry. Textile making materials such as needles and spindles to hold material were also uncovered.”

Keywords: household wooden items, metal work

Keyword location: Para F Lines 5-11

Explanation: The above mentioned lines from paragraph F contains the speculation about different types of industries prominent in that area.

10. a reference to the material used in mid-10th century bedding in Jorvik_______

Answer: C

Supporting Sentence: “An oxygen-free organic ‘cocoon’ comprising a mix of plant debris, including remains of plants, wood chips, twigs, straw used for bedding and thatch used in building, created an environment which enabled archaeologists to uncover an abundance of relics left over from a period dating back to the 10th century.”

Keywords: ‘cocoon’ debris

Keyword location: Para C Lines 4-6

Explanation: The above mentioned lines from paragraph C explain the fact that straw was used for bedding at that time in that area. Remains of straw were found in the form of a oxygen-free organic cocoon.

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11. a reference to the number of Viking homes uncovered in Jorvik_______

Answer: G

Supporting Sentence: “Re-created from the excavation of just four Viking-Age house plots, the small Jorvik Viking Centre which was opened in April 1984 reminds tourists and visitors of life long ago. Using innovative interpretive methods, the York Archaeological Trust has recreated a model of what they believe the city of Jorvik would have been like.”

Keywords: Viking-Age , interpretive

Keyword location: Para G Lines 1-3

Explanation: The above mentioned lines are a reference to the number of Viking homes uncovered in Jorvik.

12. a simple job definition_______

Answer: E

Supporting Sentence: “Archaeologists are concerned with studying the environment of a past civilisation and, like a detective, try to reconstruct a picture of what life in a particular area must have been like.”

Keywords: civilisation, reconstruct

Keyword location: Para E Lines 1-2

Explanation: The above mentioned lines from paragraph E gives us the exact definition of the job of archaeologists.

13. an example of an annoying type of insect _______

Answer: D

Supporting Sentence: “ Head lice continue to be a menace in many parts of the world today and excavations in the area revealed that such was the case for the residents of Jorvik.”

Keywords: menace

Keyword location: Para D Lines 2-3

Explanation: Head lice is an annoying type of insect remains of which were found in Jorvik.