The Oldest Leather Shoe
Read The Oldest Leather Shoe and check the IELTS Reading answers. Archeologists discovered in 2010 what is said to be the world's oldest known leather shoe. The 5,500-year-old shoe, some 1,000 years older than the Egyptian pyramids, was found by scientists excavating a huge cave, designated Areni-1…
Passage preview
Archeologists discovered in 2010 what is said to be the world's oldest known leather shoe. The 5,500-year-old shoe, some 1,000 years older than the Egyptian pyramids, was found by scientists excavating a huge cave, designated Areni-1, in Armenia near the border of Turkey and Iran. The shoe was part of a treasure trove of artefacts that experts say provide unprecedented information about an important and sparsely documented era: the Chalcolithic period or Copper Age, when humans are believed to have invented the wheel, as well as domesticating horses and producing other important innovations.
Vocabulary from this passage
10 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- carbon-dated verb
The process of determining the age of an organic object by measuring its content of carbon-14
Laboratories carbon-dated the leather shoe to approximately 3,600 BC, confirming its immense historical value.
- chalcolithic adjective
Relating to the period of human culture characterized by the use of both stone and copper tools
The shoe was a significant find from the Chalcolithic period, revealing early leatherworking techniques.
- distinguish their identity verb
To use specific markers or characteristics to make oneself or one's group recognizable as different from others
Scholars believe ancient people used specific shoe designs to distinguish their identity and tribal affiliations.
- environmentally diverse adjective
Characterized by a wide variety of ecological conditions, climates, and geographical features
The manufacturing technique was used for thousands of years across an environmentally diverse region of Europe.
- plausible adjective
Seeming reasonable or probable; an argument or statement that is believable based on available evidence
It is plausible that the technology for making shoes originated in the Near East before spreading.
- prototype noun
A first or preliminary version of a device or vehicle from which other forms are developed
The Armenian shoe may be the earliest clue to a prototype design that influenced European footwear.
- rugged terrain noun
A stretch of land that is broken, uneven, and often difficult to travel across
Early humans required sturdy footwear to navigate the rugged terrain surrounding the Areni-1 cave complex.
- sparsely documented adjective
Having very little written evidence or few historical records available for research and analysis
The Chalcolithic period remains a sparsely documented era in human history compared to later civilizations.
- stable environment noun
A physical setting where conditions such as temperature and humidity remain constant over a long duration
The shoe was preserved for millennia because it was sealed in a stable environment beneath sheep dung.
- unprecedented adjective
Never done or known before; unparalleled in history or experience, often used to describe significant discoveries or events
The archaeological site provided unprecedented information about the daily lives of ancient Copper Age civilizations.
Answers with explanations
- 1. Innovations
The blank requires a plural noun to complete the thought regarding what was introduced during the Copper Age. The text mentions several changes, specifically citing the invention of the wheel and horse domestication. These are summarized at the end of the sentence as 'other important **innovations**'. The word **innovations** fits grammatically and semantically as the category for the specific examples provided in the question. Answer: INNOVATIONS.
- 2. Harvest
The question asks for what was stored in the cave alongside ceremonial items. The passage states the cave was used for keeping 'ritual objects' (which corresponds to 'ceremonial items' in the question) and their '**harvest**'. The mention of 'winter months each year' in the text corresponds to 'annual' in the question. The noun **harvest** correctly identifies the stored commodity. Answer: HARVEST.
- 2-3: Policemen
2: The question asks for what was stored in the cave alongside ceremonial items. The passage states the cave was used for keeping 'ritual objects' (which corresponds to 'ceremonial items' in the question) and their '**harvest**'. The mention of 'winter months each year' in the text corresponds to 'annual' in the question. The noun **harvest** correctly identifies the stored commodity. Answer: HARVEST.
3: The sentence requires a noun for a substance used to treat the leather shoe. The text explains that 'vegetable **oil**' was applied to the cowhide layers. Since the question specifies 'from plants', the word **oil** is the most direct fit. It functions as the object of the treatment described. Answer: OIL.
- 3. Oil
The sentence requires a noun for a substance used to treat the leather shoe. The text explains that 'vegetable **oil**' was applied to the cowhide layers. Since the question specifies 'from plants', the word **oil** is the most direct fit. It functions as the object of the treatment described. Answer: OIL.
- 3-4: NOT GIVEN
3: The sentence requires a noun for a substance used to treat the leather shoe. The text explains that 'vegetable **oil**' was applied to the cowhide layers. Since the question specifies 'from plants', the word **oil** is the most direct fit. It functions as the object of the treatment described. Answer: OIL.
4: The blank needs a plural noun describing what held the shoe pieces together. The text explicitly mentions that the pieces were 'joined using leather **cords**'. The question already specifies these were 'made of leather', matching the source text. The term **cords** fits the grammatical requirement of the sentence. Answer: CORDS.
- 4. Cords
The blank needs a plural noun describing what held the shoe pieces together. The text explicitly mentions that the pieces were 'joined using leather **cords**'. The question already specifies these were 'made of leather', matching the source text. The term **cords** fits the grammatical requirement of the sentence. Answer: CORDS.
- 5. Grass
The question looks for a material the shoe was filled with to provide warmth. The passage states the shoe was 'stuffed with **grass**' for 'warmth for the wearer'. This provides a direct match to the logic of keeping out the cold. The noun **grass** completes the description of the shoe's internal packing. Answer: GRASS.
- 6. Temperature
The question identifies a 'great variation' in a specific environmental factor. The text refers to 'extremes of **temperature**' and provides specific numerical examples (45°C and -10°C) to illustrate this variation. The noun **temperature** acts as the keyword that encompasses these weather extremes. Answer: TEMPERATURE.
- 7. Stones
The question asks for an object found in the cave that proves long-distance travel. Dr. Areshian notes that they found **stones** which originated from 120 kilometers away, serving as evidence of wide travel. The plural noun **stones** correctly identifies the physical evidence mentioned in the passage. Answer: STONES.
- 8. Tribe
The question focuses on the social use of the shoe to show membership. The expert Manolo Blahnik states that the shoe's appearance signified 'belonging to a certain **tribe**'. This matches the prompt's focus on 'membership'. The singular noun **tribe** is the specific social group identified. Answer: TRIBE.
- 9. TRUE
The statement claims the Otzi shoe used leather from more than one animal. The text confirms it had 'bearskin soles' and 'deerskin sides'. Since bears and deer are different animals, this explicitly confirms the use of multiple animal sources for the leather. The information is present and consistent. Answer: TRUE.
- 10. FALSE
The statement describes the sandals from Missouri and Oregon as 'leather footwear'. However, the text explicitly identifies them as being 'made of **plant fibers**'. This is a direct contradiction of the material used (plant fibers vs leather). Because the passage states they were not leather, the statement is incorrect. Answer: FALSE.
- 11. TRUE
The statement asserts that early footwear use is seen in human fossils. The text provides the example of 'toe bones found in 40,000-year-old **fossils**' as evidence that shoes were being worn at that time. This directly supports the claim that fossil remains provide evidence of early footwear. Answer: TRUE.
- 12. NOT GIVEN
The statement claims that Aran Islanders travelled to the Near East for trade. While the passage mentions similarities between Aran 'pampooties' and Armenian shoes, and discusses the Near East as a potential origin for shoes, it never mentions any **travel** or **trading** activities between these two specific groups. There is no information to support or refute the claim. Answer: NOT GIVEN.
- 13. FALSE
The statement claims the design was for 'one specific area'. However, the text says the shoe style was found 'across Europe' and used in a '**large and environmentally diverse region**'. This directly contradicts the idea of it being limited to a single specific area. Answer: FALSE.