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BEST IELTS Academic Reading Test 492
IELTS ACADEMIC READING TEST 492 – PASSAGE – 1
IELTS ACADEMIC READING TEST – 492
READING PASSAGE – 1
INUIT CLOTHING
A. The Inuit are a group of culturally related indigenous peoples who inhabit the Arctic areas of Canada, Greenland and the United States. These areas are some of the coldest in the world to live in. Traditional Inuit clothing is a complex collection of cold-weather garments consisting of jackets, pants, mittens, inner footwear and outer boots. Inuit clothing was designed to guard against the freezing cold in several ways. Each garment was individually tailored to the wearer’s body with complex sewing techniques.
Caribou fur, which was often used, is an excellent material to maintain warmth; the hollow structure of caribou hairs helps trap warmth within individual strands, and the air that gets trapped in between the hairs also retains heat. Garments were also generally bell-shaped to prevent the rising warm air from escaping, and openings minimised to prevent heat loss, but in the event of overheating, the hood could be loosened to allow heat to escape. Hoods were an important feature of the jacket, where hairs from wolves, dogs or wolverines were used to shield the face from high velocity freezing winds. Layers were also an important aspect of the construction that reduced drafts.
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B. Even in the freezing conditions, the Inuit would still perspire, which would eventually lead to the accumulation of moisture inside their garments which had to be managed. The carefully tailored layers of the clothing would allow fresh air to circulate, especially during intense physical exertion, removing air saturated with perspiration and keeping the Inuit’s bodies and garments dry. The animal skins used as the outer layer were also quite porous, allowing some moisture to evaporate. If moisture would accumulate on the surface of the garments, it would freeze as crystals and could be brushed or beaten away.
The moisture of the Inuit’s breath would freeze on the fur of the hood and could also be brushed off with one hand. With regard to footwear, animal skins are superior to nonporous materials such as modern-day rubber or plastic at allowing moisture to escape, keeping the feet drier and warmer. Animal skins also allow for greater flexibility in freezing conditions because unlike woven materials, they do not absorb moisture and freeze to the wearer’s body.
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C. Making clothing that was impervious to the wet was a major concern for the Inuit, especially during summer when rain was more frequent. The skin of marine mammals such as seals sheds water naturally and is relatively light and breathable, making it ideal for this type of clothing. Before artificial weather-proof fabrics became available, the intestines of walruses were used to make raincoats and other wet-weather gear. While seams are generally areas in clothing that can be prone to leaking, skilful sewing techniques, especially in footwear, allowed the Inuit to keep dry.
D. Inuit garments were tailored in such a way that they would allow the wearer to perform their work without encumbrance. Because the Inuit typically divided their work by gender, men and women had distinctly different clothing styles. A man’s coat which was meant to be worn while hunting would provide additional shoulder room for unrestricted movement while also allowing the male wearer to pull their arms into the garment to maintain warmth.
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The long back flap would also cover the hunter while he crouched for long periods of time waiting for an animal. For women, some of their garments included a pouch for carrying infants. For both genders, the garments could be donned rapidly if need be, and the hoods were constructed to provide warmth while maximising peripheral vision.
E. Creating clothing from animal skins is very labour-intensive and a highly customised process, and can only be done at certain times of the year when the skins become available. As such, it was critical to create clothes that would survive day-to-day wear and tear. Thought of another way, Inuit clothing was not easily replaceable. To minimise stress to the skins, seams were placed strategically. In the jacket, for example, the shoulder seam is off the shoulder.
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On the trousers, the seams are placed on the side of the legs. Different cuts of animal skin were used according to their individual sturdiness. Hardier skin from the animal’s legs were used for mitts and boots, which need to be as indestructible as possible, while more rubbery skin from the animal’s shoulder would be used for a jacket’s shoulder, which required suppleness. If an item of clothing tore, then it would be fixed as soon as possible, including in the field, if necessary.
Questions 1 – 5
The text has five paragraphs. Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below. Write the correct number i-viii in boxes 1-5 on your answer sheet.
List of Headings
i Functional Form
ii Humidity Control
iii Decorative Techniques
iv Waterproofing v Durability
vi Ceremonial Clothing
vii Production Process
viii Insulation and Heat Conservation
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1. Paragraph A ____
2. Paragraph B ____
3. Paragraph C ____
4. Paragraph D ____
5. Paragraph E ____
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Questions 6 – 12
Use NO MORE THAN ONE WORD from the passage.
6. Because caribou hair is _________ it retains heat and keeps warmer for longer
7. The design of the Inuit garments was typically _________ so that rising heat would not easily disperse.
8. Animal skins are effective at managing sweat via airflow because they are _________
9. Unlike woven materials, animal skins provide the wearer with more _________ because they don’t become stiff.
10. Traditionally, walrus _________ were used to make wet weather clothing
11. Men’s coats had loose-fitting _________ areas so they could hunt more easily.
12.To carry babies, women’s clothing sometimes incorporated a _________.
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Questions 13 – 16
Does the information in the statements match the information in the passage?
Choose TRUE if the statement agrees with the information.
Choose FALSE if the statement contradicts the information.
Choose NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this statement.
13. Nowadays, Inuits use synthetic waterproof materials instead of traditional sea mammal skins.
14. A design constraint meant that Inuit hoods were warm but limited wide angle vision.
15. In general, women sewed most of the clothes.
16. Damaged clothes, including tears, would sometimes be fixed while outdoors.
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ANSWERS
1. VII
2. II
3. IV
4. I
5. V
6. HOLLOW
7. BELL-SHAPED
8. POROUS
9. FLEXIBILITY
10. INTESTINES
11. SHOULDER
12. POUCH
13. TRUE
14. FALSE
15. NOT GIVEN
16. TRUE
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