Spider Silk Reading Answers with Explanations

Do you know, you can easily comprehend the IELTS reading section tasks if you use the right practice material? Yes, there are many ways you can work on your reading skills; you can take practice tests, solve questions regularly, and work on your weak areas. You may feel difficulty in understanding the English language because the test provides you with all types of content, from social to academic levels.

That is why you must prepare yourself well, and finding the spider silk reading answers can be a great option for you. This test contains fewer questions than usual, so try to complete it within 8-10 minutes.

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IELTS Reading Passage: Spider Silk

Paragraph - A

Spider silk is not a single or unique material. Different species of spiders make many kinds of silk. Some possess nearly 7 distinct types of glands, each of which produces different silk.

Paragraph - B

Why are there so many types of silk? Each type of silk has a different role. All spiders make dragline silk that works as a lifeline, allowing the creatures to hang from ceilings. It serves as a constant connection to the web, to make quick escapes from attacks. Radial spokes of the web are formed by dragline silk. The first strand by which the web hangs from its support is made by the bridge line silk; yet another silk forms the great spiral.

Paragraph - C

Each type of silk has different and unique physical properties, like strength and elasticity. Compared to other synthetic and natural materials, all types of silk are very strong. Dragline silk has a high degree of toughness and strength. A strand of dragline silk is many times stronger than steel, on a weight-for-weight basis, but a spider’s dragline is only about 1/10th the diameter of a human hair. The Spider-Man movie underestimates the strength of silk drastically. The real dragline silk would not need to be as thick as the web deployed by Spiderman in the movie.

Paragraph - D

Dragline silk is a composite substance that consists of 2 distinct proteins, each having 3 types of regions with distinct properties. One of these makes an amorphous (non-crystalline) matrix that can be stretched, giving the silk elasticity. When an insect falls on the web, the matrix stretches, enabling the web to absorb the kinetic energy of the insect’s flight. Two types of crystalline regions are embedded in the amorphous portions of both proteins, which toughen the silk. Both types of crystalline regions are tightly pleated and resist stretching, but one of them is rigid. The less rigid crystals' pleats are thought to not only fit into the rigid crystals' pleats, but also interact with the amorphous portions of the proteins, anchoring the rigid crystals to the matrix. The resulting composite is strong, tough, and yet elastic. 

Questions for Reading Passage: Spider Silk

Questions 1-5 

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?

Write:

TRUE, if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE, if the statement contradicts the information

NOT GIVEN, if there is no information on this in the passage

1. Spiders have nearly 7 glands that produce silk.

2. Silk allows spiders to hang from ceilings and escape from attacks.

3. The silk produced has very little toughness and strength.

4. A spider’s dragline is only about 1/10th the diameter of a human hair.

5. Spider’s silk can be used to make clothes.

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Answers for Spider Silk Reading Passage with Explanations

There are five questions covered in the answers of spider silk reading passage. At first, try to solve all of them on your own after going through the text. Further, you can match the responses from the list below.

Question 1

ANSWER : True
Explanation :Read the last second line in paragraph A. It mentions that different species of spiders make many kinds of silk. Some possess nearly 7 distinct types of glands, each of which produces different silk. This means spiders have nearly 7 glands that produce silk. Hence, the answer is true.

Question 2

ANSWER : True
Explanation :In paragraph B, read the second line. It describes that there are a variety of silks with different roles. All spiders make dragline silk that works as a lifeline, allowing the creatures to hang from ceilings. This refers that silk allows spiders to hang from ceilings and escape from attacks. Hence, the answer is true.

Question 3

ANSWER : False
Explanation :Read the third line in paragraph C. It mentions that compared to other synthetic and natural materials, all types of silk are very strong. Dragline silk has a high degree of toughness and strength. This does not mention that the silk produced has very little toughness and strength. Hence, the answer is false.
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Question 4

ANSWER : True
Explanation :In paragraph C, read the fourth line. It describes that a strand of dragline silk is many times stronger than steel, on a weight-for-weight basis, but a spider’s dragline is only about 1/10th the diameter of a human hair. This means a spider’s dragline is only about 1/10th the diameter of a human hair. Hence, the answer is true.

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