Chilli Peppers
Read Chilli Peppers and check the IELTS Reading answers. For thousands of years, humans have taken painful pleasure from adding chillies (also known as peppers or chilli peppers) to their food. A study published in the British Medical Journal in 2015 indicated that a diet filled with spices – inclu…
Passage preview
For thousands of years, humans have taken painful pleasure from adding chillies (also known as peppers or chilli peppers) to their food. A study published in the British Medical Journal in 2015 indicated that a diet filled with spices – including chillies – was beneficial for health. The study, which was carried out by scientists at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, tracked the health of nearly half a million participants in China for several years. They found that participants who ate spicy food once or twice a week had a mortality rate 10% lower than those who ate spicy food less than once a week. Risk of death reduced still further for people who ate spicy food six or seven days a week. Chilli peppers were the most commonly used spice among the sample, and those who ate fresh chilli had a lower probability of death from cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
Vocabulary from this passage
12 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- capsaicin noun
An active chemical compound in chilli peppers that produces a burning sensation in any tissue it contacts
The concentration of capsaicin determines the intensity of the heat experienced when consuming different chilli varieties.
- curb verb
To check or restrain something; to limit or keep a specific behavior or physical sensation under control
Consuming spicy appetizers before a meal may help to curb a person's appetite and prevent overeating.
- dilute verb
To make a liquid thinner or weaker by adding water or another solvent to the original substance
The Scoville scale measures how many times a chilli extract must be diluted before the heat vanishes.
- humidity noun
A quantity representing the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere or in a gas
Spices are more frequently used in tropical regions characterized by high levels of year-round humidity.
- inhibit verb
To hinder, restrain, or prevent an action or process from happening or progressing at its normal rate
Certain compounds found in spices are known to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria in stored food.
- metabolism noun
The chemical processes that occur within a living organism in order to maintain life and provide energy
Researchers discovered that capsaicin can temporarily increase the metabolism of animals, potentially aiding in weight management.
- mortality rate noun
The measure of the number of deaths in a particular population, scaled to the size of that population
The study observed a significantly lower mortality rate among participants who consumed spicy food on a regular basis.
- probability noun
The extent to which something is likely to happen or be the case; the likelihood of an occurrence
The data suggested that individuals eating fresh chillies had a lower probability of developing certain chronic diseases.
- receptor noun
An organ or cell able to respond to light, heat, or other external stimulus and transmit a signal
Capsaicin interacts with specific receptors in the stomach that signal to the brain when the body is full.
- repel verb
To drive or force back or away; to discourage an organism from approaching or consuming a plant
The plant likely evolved its spicy heat to repel mammals that would otherwise destroy its valuable seeds.
- sensation noun
A physical feeling or perception resulting from something that happens to or comes into contact with the body
The burning sensation caused by capsaicin is actually a neurological response rather than a physical burn.
- transform verb
To make a thorough or dramatic change in the form, appearance, or character of something over time
The introduction of chilli seeds from the New World helped to transform the culinary traditions of Asia.
Answers with explanations
- 1. FALSE
The statement claims the study looked at eating habits in **several countries**. However, the passage explicitly states the study tracked participants **in China**. There is no mention of participants from any other nation. This geographical limitation provides a direct contradiction to the claim of a multi-country study. Answer: FALSE.
- 2. TRUE
The text confirms that eating **fresh chilli** leads to a **lower probability of death** from specific conditions like **cancer and heart disease**. These are widely recognized as **serious illnesses**. Since the text supports the idea that chillies decrease the likelihood of dying from these diseases, the statement is accurate. Answer: TRUE.
- 2-3: 16.6 weeks
2: The text confirms that eating **fresh chilli** leads to a **lower probability of death** from specific conditions like **cancer and heart disease**. These are widely recognized as **serious illnesses**. Since the text supports the idea that chillies decrease the likelihood of dying from these diseases, the statement is accurate. Answer: TRUE.
3: The question suggests capsaicin is found in the **same place** in **all** varieties. The text explicitly states that while it is found in the yellow stalks in many types, there are **several varieties where this is not the case**. This direct contradiction of the word 'all' makes the statement false. Answer: FALSE.
- 3. FALSE
The question suggests capsaicin is found in the **same place** in **all** varieties. The text explicitly states that while it is found in the yellow stalks in many types, there are **several varieties where this is not the case**. This direct contradiction of the word 'all' makes the statement false. Answer: FALSE.
- 3-4: NO
3: The question suggests capsaicin is found in the **same place** in **all** varieties. The text explicitly states that while it is found in the yellow stalks in many types, there are **several varieties where this is not the case**. This direct contradiction of the word 'all' makes the statement false. Answer: FALSE.
4: While the passage provides the Scoville value for **habanero peppers**, it never compares them to all other known peppers to establish them as the **hottest known**. It mentions pure capsaicin is much higher, but doesn't list other pepper varieties for comparison. Therefore, the information is missing. Answer: NOT GIVEN.
- 4. NOT GIVEN
While the passage provides the Scoville value for **habanero peppers**, it never compares them to all other known peppers to establish them as the **hottest known**. It mentions pure capsaicin is much higher, but doesn't list other pepper varieties for comparison. Therefore, the information is missing. Answer: NOT GIVEN.
- 5. FALSE
The statement claims pure capsaicin is **licensed for use** in food products in the **EU**. However, the passage states that its use as a food additive is **banned** in the European Union. 'Banned' is the antonym of 'licensed/permitted' in this context, creating a clear contradiction. Answer: FALSE.
- 6. NOT GIVEN
The passage confirms that the **Aztecs** used chilli to **kill pain** (toothache). However, it does not state that they were the **first** to do so. The chronological order or original discovery among different civilizations is not discussed, making this specific claim unverifiable. Answer: NOT GIVEN.
- 7. TRUE
The text highlights a distinction between **mammals** and **birds**. It states mammals feel the **burning sensation**, whereas birds **do not feel the heat**. This confirms that birds have a different **physical response** (lack of pain/heat sensation) compared to mammals when consuming chillies. Answer: TRUE.
- 8. refrigeration
The sentence identifies a timeframe 'before' a specific invention. The blank requires a **noun** representing a technology that preserves food. The text links the significance of fighting **bacteria** (germs) to the era before **refrigeration**. Syntactically, it completes the phrase 'invention of refrigeration'. Answer: refrigeration.
- 9. sweat
The question asks what the body produces after eating chilli to reduce heat. The text explains that chilli makes people **generate** a lot of **sweat**, which is the mechanism for **cooling down** (reducing body heat). 'Sweat' is the singular noun required for the blank. Answer: sweat.
- 10. recipes
The blank requires a **plural noun** describing the type of books researchers studied. The passage mentions researchers studied 'books filled with **recipes**'. These books were the source of data used to correlate geographical areas with chilli usage. The plural form matches the context. Answer: recipes.
- 11. metabolism
The question looks for what was 'raised' or 'increased' in the mice. The text explicitly states that capsaicin **increased** the **metabolism** of the animals. 'Metabolism' is a noun that logically fits the grammatical structure 'raised the mice's metabolism'. Answer: metabolism.
- 12. stomach
The question focuses on the location of receptors. The text identifies that these receptors are **located inside** the **stomach**. The phrase 'sensing when you are full' in the text matches 'indicate when you've had enough to eat' in the question. Answer: stomach.
- 13. exercise
The blank requires a **noun** to complete a comparison. The text compares the 'rush' or sensation from eating chilli to the **feeling** one has after doing **exercise**. This provides a direct semantic match for the 'sensation we have... after exercise'. Answer: exercise.