Unmasking Skin - IELTS Reading Sample with Explanation

IELTS Reading section comprises three passages and 40 questions in total. This section consists of a topic named - Unmasking Skin is an IELTS Academic topic and consists of 14 questions. Candidates need to properly read the passage, understand it, and then answer the following IELTS Reading question types:

• Matching paragraphs
• Multiple choice questions
• Matching information

UNMASKING SKIN

1. If you took off your skin and laid it flat, it would cover an area of about twenty-one square feet, making it by far the body's largest organ. Draped in place over our bodies, skin forms the barrier between what's inside us and what's outside. It protects us from a multitude of external forces. It serves as an avenue to our most intimate physical and psychological selves.
2. This impervious yet permeable barrier, less than a millimetre thick in places, is composed of three layers. The outermost layer is the bloodless epidermis. The dermis includes collagen, elastin, and nerve endings. The innermost layer, subcutaneous fat, contains tissue that acts as an energy source, cushion and insulator for the body.
3. From these familiar characteristics of skin emerge the profound mysteries of touch, arguably our most essential source of sensory stimulation. We can live without seeing or hearing – in fact, without any of our other senses. But babies born without effective nerve connections between skin and brain can fail to thrive and may even die.
4. Laboratory experiments decades ago, now considered unethical and inhumane, kept baby monkeys from being touched by their mothers. It made no difference that the babies could see, hear and smell their mothers; without touching, the babies became apathetic, and failed to progress.
5. For humans, insufficient touching in early years can have lifelong results. "In touching cultures, adult aggression is low, whereas, in cultures where touch is limited, adult aggression is high," writes Tiffany Field, director of the Touch Research Institutes at the University of Miami School of Medicine. Studies of a variety of cultures show a correspondence between high rates of physical affection in childhood and low rates of adult physical violence.
6. While the effects of touching are easy to understand, the mechanics of it are less so. "Your skin has millions of nerve cells of various shapes at different depths," explains Stanley Bolanowski, a neuroscientist and associate director of the Institute for Sensory Research at Syracuse University. "When the nerve cells are stimulated, physical energy is transformed into energy used by the nervous system and passed from the skin to the spinal cord and brain. It's called transduction, and no one knows exactly how it takes place." Suffice it to say that the process involves the intricate, split-second operation of a complex system of signals between neurons in the skin and brain.
7. This is starting to sound very confusing until Bolanowski says: "In simple terms, people perceive three basic things via skin: pressure, temperature, and pain." And then I'm sure he's wrong. "When I get wet, my skin feels wet," I protest. "Close your eyes and lean back," says Bolanowski.
8. Something cold and wet is on my forehead – so wet, in fact, that I wait for water to start dripping down my cheeks. "Open your eyes." Bolanowski says, showing me that the sensation comes from a chilled, but dry, metal cylinder. The combination of pressure and cold, he explains, is what makes my skin perceive wetness. He gives me a surgical glove to put on and has me put a finger in a glass of cold water. My finger feels wet, even though I have visual proof that it's not touching water. My skin, which seemed so reliable, has been deceiving me my entire life. When I shower or wash my hands, I now realize, my skin feels pressure and temperature. It's my brain that says I feel wet.
9. Perceptions of pressure, temperature and pain manifest themselves in many different ways. Gentle stimulation of pressure receptors can result in ticklishness; gentle stimulation of pain receptors, in itching. Both sensations arise from a neurological transmission, not from something that physically exists. Skin, I'm realizing, is under constant assault, both from within the body and from forces outside. Repairs occur with varying success.
10. Take the spot where I nicked myself with a knife while slicing fruit. I have a crusty scab surrounded by pink tissue about a quarter inch long on my right palm. Under the scab, epidermal cells are migrating into the wound to close it up. When the process is complete, the scab will fall off to reveal new epidermis. It's only been a few days, but my little self-repair is almost complete. Likewise, we recover quickly from slight burns. If you ever happen to touch a hot burner, just put your finger in cold water. The chances are you will have no blister, little pain and no scar. Severe burns, though, are a different matter.

Answer the following questions.

The passage has 10 paragraphs A–J, which paragraph contains the following information.

1. the features of human skin, on and below the surface
2. an experiment in which the writer can see what is happening
3. advice on how you can avoid damage to the skin
4. cruel research methods used in the past

(Guide: Candidates need to write the correct paragraphs A to J beside the questions 1 to 4 as answers)

Q1. The features of human skin, on and below the surface

Answer: Paragraph B

Supporting Sentence: The outermost layer is the bloodless epidermis. The dermis includes collagen, elastin, and nerve endings. The innermost layer, subcutaneous fat, contains tissue that acts as an energy source, cushion and insulator for the body.

Keywords: Skin, Epidermis, Collagen, Nerves, Outermost, Innermost, Tissues

Keyword Location: Paragraph B, Line 2- 4

Explanation: Line number 2- 4 of paragraph B gives a clear description of human skin, its features. It explains what things human skin is made of like collagen, epidermis and tissues.

Also check:

Q2. An experiment in which the writer can see what is happening

Answer: Paragraph H

Supporting Sentence: ‘Something cold and wet is on my forehead – so wet, in fact, that I wait for water to start dripping down my cheeks. "Open your eyes." Bolanowski says, showing me that the sensation comes from a chilled, but dry, metal cylinder’; ‘He gives me a surgical glove to put on and has me put a finger in a glass of cold water. My finger feels wet’.

Keywords: Cold, Wet, Cylinder, Surgical Gloves, Water, feels

Keyword Location: Paragraph H, Line 3-4

Explanation: In paragraph H, line number 3 and 4 the writer mentions how he is made to experiment with metallic cylinders and water to test the role of pressure and temperature in the sensational feelings that we feel when we come in contact with any object.

Q3. Advice on how you can avoid damage to the skin

Answer: Paragraph J

Supporting Sentence: ‘If you ever happen to touch a hot burner, just put your finger in cold water, the chances are you will have no blister, little pain and no scar’

Keywords: Burn, Cold Water, Repair, Pain, Scar

Keyword Location: Paragraph J, Line 5-6

Explanation: Line number 5- 6 of paragraph J explains what preventive measures can be taken in case of minor skin burns. In case of minor skin burns one should immediately put the burnt skin under cold water, this will reduce the chances of blisters and scar also it will reduce the pain.

Q4. Cruel research methods used in the past

Answer: Paragraph D

Supporting Sentence: Laboratory experiments decades ago, now considered unethical and inhumane, kept baby monkeys from being touched by their mothers.

Keyword: Laboratory, Experiments, Inhumane, Monkeys, unethical, Touched

Keyword Location: Paragraph D, Line 1

Explanation: Line 1 of paragraph D reveals how unethically baby monkeys were deprived of being touched by their mother, which made them apathetic and malnourished.

Questions 5 and 6:

Choose the correct letter A, B, C or D from the following questions.

(Guide: Candidates need to answer questions 5 and 6 by selecting the correct answer from the choices)

Q 5. How does a lack of affectionate touching affect children?

1. It makes them apathetic.
2. They are more likely to become violent adults.
3. They will be less aggressive when they grow up.
4. We do not really know.

Answer: B- They are more likely to become violent adults

Supporting Sentence: "In touching cultures, adult aggression is low, whereas, in cultures where touch is limited, adult aggression is high," writes Tiffany Field

Keywords: Touching, Cultures, Adult, and Aggression

Keyword Location: Paragraph E, Line – 2, 3

Explanation: In line number 2 and 3 of paragraph E writer quotes words of Tiffany Fields director of the Touch Research Institute of Miami School of Medicine that in cultures where touch is limited the children are prone to become more aggressive in their adult years compared to the cultures where touch is not restricted.

Q 6. After the ‘wetness’ experiments, the writer says that,

1. his skin is not normal.
2. his skin was wet when it felt wet.
3. he knew why it felt wet when it was dry.
4. the experiments taught him nothing new.

Answer: C – he knew why it felt wet when it was dry.

Supporting Sentence: ‘My finger feels wet, even though I have visual proof that it's not touching water. My skin, which seemed so reliable, has been deceiving me my entire life’

Keywords: Fingers, Proof, Touching, Skin, and deceiving

Keyword Location: Paragraph H, Line 5-6

Explanation: In line number 5 and 6 of paragraph H the writer says how his misconception regarding touch came to an end when he realized that he felt his fingers wet without even touching water.

Questions 7–11

Complete each sentence with the correct ending A–J from the box below. Write the correct letter A–I for questions 7–11.

(Guide: Candidates need to complete the sentences by choosing the correct endings from the list)

Q7. Touch is unique among the five senses

Answer: E- because we do not need the others to survive

Supporting Sentence: ‘We can live without seeing or hearing – in fact, without any of our other senses. But babies born without effective nerve connections between skin and brain can fail to thrive and may even die’

Keywords: Seeing, hearing, senses, babies, nerve, brain, skin, die

Keyword Location: Paragraph C, Line 2-4

Explanation: Line number 2- 4 of the third paragraph explains how ineffective nerve conditions can make human babies thrive and they might also die.

Q8. A substance may feel wet

Answer: H- because there is a low temperature and pressure

Supporting Sentence: ‘The combination of pressure and cold, he explains, is what makes my skin perceive wetness’

Keywords: Pressure, Cold, Water, Skin

Keyword Location: Paragraph H, Line 3

Explanation: In Paragraph H, line number 3 Prof. Bolanowski explains to the writer that he felt wet when his head came in contact with a cold, dry metallic cylinder because of the low temperature and pressure of the cylinder.

Q9. Something may tickle

Answer: D- because there is light pressure on the skin.

Supporting Sentence: ‘Gentle stimulation of pressure receptors can result in ticklishness’

Keywords: Gentle, Stimulation, Pressure, Ticklishness, etc.

Keyword Location: Paragraph I, Line 2

Explanation: Writer has explained clearly in line number two of paragraph I, how gentle stimulation and pressure stimulates the feeling of ticklishness.

Q10. The skin may itch

Answer: G - because of a small amount of pain.

Supporting Sentence: ‘gentle stimulation of pain receptors, in itching’

Keywords: Itching, pain, receptors

Keyword Location: Paragraph I, Line 2-3

Explanation: In paragraph I line 2 the writer explains that gentle stimulation of pressure and pain may cause an itching sensation.

Q11. A small cut heals up quickly

Answer: B - because the outer layer of the skin can mend itself

Supporting Sentence: ‘Under the scab, epidermal cells are migrating into the wound to close it up. When the process is complete, the scab will fall off to reveal new epidermis. It's only been a few days, but my little self-repair is almost complete’

Keywords: Epidermal, cells, Wound, new, self- repair

Keyword Location: Paragraph J, Line 2- 4

Explanation: In paragraph J writer explains how the epidermal cells help in self-repair of the skin in case of small cut by closing the wound and speeding the healing process and making new epidermis cells.

Questions 12 - 14:

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage. Write True, Not Given or False.

(Guide: Candidates need to state if the following questions are true or false or not given)

Q12. Even scientists have difficulty understanding how our sense of touch works.

Answer: True

Supporting Sentence: ‘When the nerve cells are stimulated, physical energy is transformed into energy used by the nervous system and passed from the skin to the spinal cord and brain. It's called transduction, and no one knows exactly how it takes place’

Keywords: No, physical energy, senses, brain, spinal cords, transduction etc.

Keyword Location: Paragraph F, Line 4-5

Explanation: In line 4 and 5 of line F explains how skin transforms physical energy to help information to be transmitted from nerve cell to the spinal cord and brain, this process of transduction is even a mystery for scientists.

Q13. The skin is more sensitive to pressure than to temperature or pain.

Answer: Not Given

Explanation: No supporting sentence given.

Q14. The human skin is always good at repairing itself.

Answer: False

Supporting Sentence: ‘Severe burns, though, are a different matter’

Keywords: Severe, Different

Keyword Location: Paragraph J, line 7

Explanation: In paragraph J writer explains how skin can repair itself in case of minor injury, but it is difficult in case of severe injuries.