Clarence Birdseye and the Development of Frozen Food
Read Clarence Birdseye and the Development of Frozen Food and check the IELTS Reading answers. Born in 1886 in New York, the American naturalist Clarence Birdseye had an instinctive curiosity, a love of food, and a strong entrepreneurial streak. At the age of ten, he was hunting, selling live anima…
Passage preview
Born in 1886 in New York, the American naturalist Clarence Birdseye had an instinctive curiosity, a love of food, and a strong entrepreneurial streak. At the age of ten, he was hunting, selling live animals, and teaching himself taxidermy, the art of preserving and mounting the skins of animals. He studied science in college, but had to drop out because tuition was too expensive. Forced to support himself, he moved west, where he worked in Montana as an assistant naturalist, capturing small mammals to study the parasites that they often carried in their fur. Eventually, partly as a result of this research, the source of a prevalent disease was isolated.
Vocabulary from this passage
9 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- advent noun
The notable arrival, creation, or introduction of a significant person, revolutionary concept, or monumental historical event
The advent of quantum computing has precipitated a massive paradigm shift in cryptographic data security.
- critical mass noun
The minimum size, quantity, or threshold of something required to initiate or sustain a specific venture or phenomenon
Electric vehicles will only become standard once a critical mass of accessible charging stations is established.
- culinary adjective
Of or strictly relating to a professional kitchen or to the specialized art of cooking and food preparation
The city is internationally renowned for its culinary excellence, attracting discerning food enthusiasts from around the globe.
- decomposition noun
The biological or chemical state of rotting or systematically breaking down into simpler constituent elements
Precise temperature control is absolutely essential to significantly slow the natural decomposition of organic materials.
- membrane noun
A thin, pliable sheet-like biological structure acting as a boundary, lining, or partition within an organism
The chemical solution successfully penetrated the cellular membrane without causing any permanent structural degradation.
- prevalent adjective
Widespread or widely accepted in a particular geographic region or at a specific period in time
The disease was highly prevalent among impoverished populations lacking reliable access to clean drinking water.
- relish verb
To anticipate or experience something with immense satisfaction, great enjoyment, or enthusiastic approval
Despite the grueling hours, the ambitious young executive seemed to relish the immense challenge of the merger.
- taxidermy noun
The technical art of preparing, stuffing, and mounting the skins of deceased animals to create lifelike replicas
The natural history museum relies on expert taxidermy to create its highly realistic wildlife dioramas.
- unwittingly adverb
Performing an action without being aware of the full facts, surrounding circumstances, or unintended consequences
The laboratory technicians unwittingly contaminated the core samples, compromising the entire biological experiment.
Answers with explanations
- 1. college
The text states that Birdseye had to drop out of **college** because tuition was too expensive. Dropping out because of high tuition exactly matches the phrase "he left for **financial reasons**."
- 2. disease
The passage explains that Birdseye's research catching mammals in **Montana** led to isolating the source of a "prevalent disease." The adjective "prevalent" means **widespread**, making **disease** the correct noun for the completion.
- 2-3: blood
2: The passage explains that Birdseye's research catching mammals in **Montana** led to isolating the source of a "prevalent disease." The adjective "prevalent" means **widespread**, making **disease** the correct noun for the completion.
3: The text states he "relished" (meaning he **enjoyed**) the **challenge** that came with Labrador's "cold climate and rugged landscape" (**harsh environment**). Thus, **challenge** perfectly completes the note.
- 3. challenge
The text states he "relished" (meaning he **enjoyed**) the **challenge** that came with Labrador's "cold climate and rugged landscape" (**harsh environment**). Thus, **challenge** perfectly completes the note.
- 3-4: H
3: The text states he "relished" (meaning he **enjoyed**) the **challenge** that came with Labrador's "cold climate and rugged landscape" (**harsh environment**). Thus, **challenge** perfectly completes the note.
4: While **ice fishing** with the local **Inuit**, Birdseye noticed how fast the fish froze and later tasted. The passage explicitly states that by doing this, he "had made a powerful **discovery**" that led to better freezing techniques.
- 4. discovery
While **ice fishing** with the local **Inuit**, Birdseye noticed how fast the fish froze and later tasted. The passage explicitly states that by doing this, he "had made a powerful **discovery**" that led to better freezing techniques.
- 5. prisons
The text points out that early frozen food was so "terrible" it was "banned" in New York State **prisons** for being beneath their standards. If they banned it, it means they **couldn't serve it**.
- 6. membranes
The passage details that slow freezing broke the **membranes** protecting the **cells**. Because **flash-frozen** food avoided this problem, it means those membranes "were kept intact."
- 7. ink
Birdseye had to invent ("create a new kind of") specialized materials for his frozen products. Alongside the new **glue**, he also invented a waterproof **ink** for the labels.
- 8. FALSE
The statement claims the public has a **positive view**. However, the text explicitly states that frozen food has "fallen out of favor" with the public today, meaning their view is actually negative. Therefore, the statement is **FALSE**.
- 9. NOT GIVEN
The text mentions both **fish caught in the North Atlantic** and produce harvested in the summer. However, it never states what time of year most North Atlantic fish are actually caught. Therefore, the information is **NOT GIVEN**.
- 10. FALSE
The text states that both **nutritionists** and **university scientists** "came to the same conclusion" and acknowledge the value of frozen food. Because they agree rather than **disagree**, the statement is **FALSE**.
- 11. TRUE
The text states that fruits and vegetables begin to **decay** "the minute" they are **harvested** (picked). This directly supports the claim that produce loses nutrients soon after being picked. Thus, the statement is **TRUE**.
- 12. TRUE
The text explicitly states that most **frozen fruits and vegetables** are flash-frozen "at their peak of ripeness." The phrase "peak of ripeness" is synonymous with being **perfectly ripe**. Therefore, the statement is **TRUE**.
- 13. NOT GIVEN
The text discusses comparing the **vitamin C** content of frozen versus unfrozen **raspberries**. However, it never claims that raspberries are "among the best sources" of vitamin C compared to other foods. Thus, the information is **NOT GIVEN**.