Tulip Mania
Read Tulip Mania and check the IELTS Reading answers. A Centuries before anyone ever heard of high-tech stocks such as Qualcomm, CMGI, or Cisco Systems, a tulip in 17th century Holland caused quite the stir. The Semper Augustus was a tulip of extraordinary grandeur, with midnight blue petals topped…
Passage preview
A Centuries before anyone ever heard of high-tech stocks such as Qualcomm, CMGI, or Cisco Systems, a tulip in 17th century Holland caused quite the stir. The Semper Augustus was a tulip of extraordinary grandeur, with midnight blue petals topped by a pure white band and highlighted with crimson flares. For the Dutch, there were few things more valuable than the Semper Augustus tulips.
Vocabulary from this passage
10 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- cautionary tale noun
A story told to raise awareness of potential dangers or to discourage certain risky behaviors
The history of the dot-com bubble serves as a cautionary tale for modern technology investors.
- coveted adjective
Greatly desired or envied; describing something that many people wish to possess or achieve
Winning the Nobel Prize is the most coveted honor for researchers in the field of medicine.
- exorbitant adjective
Unreasonably high in price or amount; exceeding the bounds of custom, propriety, or reason
Many families find it difficult to afford the exorbitant cost of housing in major metropolitan areas.
- fallout noun
The adverse results or negative consequences of a particular situation or an unexpected event
The political fallout from the scandal led to the resignation of several high-ranking government officials.
- flaunt verb
To display something ostentatiously, especially in order to provoke envy or admiration or to show defiance
Wealthy individuals often flaunt their success by purchasing expensive luxury vehicles and designer clothing.
- horticultural adjective
Relating to the art or practice of garden cultivation and management of plants and flowers
The city is famous for its horticultural excellence and its vast collection of rare botanical specimens.
- lucrative adjective
Producing a great deal of profit or wealth; highly rewarding in a financial sense
The export of high-quality electronics has become a lucrative industry for the developing nation.
- periphery noun
The outer limits or edge of an area or object; a marginal or secondary position
The new housing developments were built on the periphery of the city to avoid high taxes.
- stagnant adjective
Showing no activity; dull and sluggish; failing to develop, progress, or advance in any way
Economists are concerned about the stagnant wages that have affected the middle class for decades.
- zenith noun
The time at which something is most powerful or successful; the highest point or peak
The Roman Empire reached its zenith during the second century under the rule of Emperor Trajan.
Answers with explanations
- 1. C
The text identifies **Mike Dash**, a journalist, whose book serves as a **cautionary tale** for **modern-day investors**. This term implies a specific warning about the **dangers of investing** in unproven assets. The reasoning process requires linking the concept of a 'cautionary tale' to the 'warning' mentioned in the question. Dash specifically compares historical tulip speculation to modern financial risks, providing the necessary reference to an individual advisor. Answer: C.
- 2. A
This section provides a detailed **description** of the **Semper Augustus**, a **famous tulip** of the era. By using highly visual terms like **midnight blue petals** and **crimson flares**, the text illustrates its **outstanding appearance**. To find this, scan for descriptions of specific flowers. The passage highlights these unique physical traits to explain why the flower was so highly valued by the Dutch. Answer: A.
- 2-3: FALSE
2: This section provides a detailed **description** of the **Semper Augustus**, a **famous tulip** of the era. By using highly visual terms like **midnight blue petals** and **crimson flares**, the text illustrates its **outstanding appearance**. To find this, scan for descriptions of specific flowers. The passage highlights these unique physical traits to explain why the flower was so highly valued by the Dutch. Answer: A.
3: The question seeks a **reference** to **another society** besides the Dutch. The text points to the **Persians** and the **Ottoman Empire** as people who valued the flower long before it reached Europe. The reasoning involves identifying cultures mentioned in a historical context preceding the Dutch Golden Age. These examples confirm that fascination with tulips was not exclusive to Holland. Answer: D.
- 3. D
The question seeks a **reference** to **another society** besides the Dutch. The text points to the **Persians** and the **Ottoman Empire** as people who valued the flower long before it reached Europe. The reasoning involves identifying cultures mentioned in a historical context preceding the Dutch Golden Age. These examples confirm that fascination with tulips was not exclusive to Holland. Answer: D.
- 3-4: A
3: The question seeks a **reference** to **another society** besides the Dutch. The text points to the **Persians** and the **Ottoman Empire** as people who valued the flower long before it reached Europe. The reasoning involves identifying cultures mentioned in a historical context preceding the Dutch Golden Age. These examples confirm that fascination with tulips was not exclusive to Holland. Answer: D.
4: The passage describes an **auction** held for seven orphans. It explicitly mentions a specific price of **5,200 guilders**, characterizing it as an **all-time record**. This is the **highest price** mentioned in the context of a public sale. Test-takers should look for currency values and keywords like 'record' or 'auction' to locate this specific financial milestone in the history of the mania. Answer: G.
- 4. G
The passage describes an **auction** held for seven orphans. It explicitly mentions a specific price of **5,200 guilders**, characterizing it as an **all-time record**. This is the **highest price** mentioned in the context of a public sale. Test-takers should look for currency values and keywords like 'record' or 'auction' to locate this specific financial milestone in the history of the mania. Answer: G.
- 5. H
This paragraph details the **incident** that triggered the **ending** of the bubble. It describes a **routine bulb auction** where buyers **refused to pay**, leading to widespread panic and a subsequent **market crash**. The reasoning involves identifying the chronological conclusion of the mania and the specific event (the Haarlem auction) that served as the catalyst for the price collapse. Answer: H.
- 6. NOT GIVEN
The statement claims **Rembrandt** spent a **considerable sum** on tulips. However, the text only mentions Rembrandt to provide a **price comparison** for his famous painting, 'The Night Watch'. It states how much he was paid as an artist, but there is **no information** regarding his personal spending habits or whether he purchased flowers. Because the claim cannot be verified or refuted, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
- 7. FALSE
The statement claims there was **little incentive** to travel to the **East Indies**. The text directly contradicts this by describing the trade as a **hub of lucrative trade** that resulted in **substantial profits** for merchants. Since high profits provide a strong incentive for trade, the passage explicitly negates the claim. The keyword bridge connects 'incentive' to the 'substantial profits' described. Answer: FALSE.
- 8. TRUE
The text confirms that the **supply** of bulbs remained **stagnant** because they **reproduced too slowly**. Specifically, it mentions a **seven-year** growth period from seed, which was insufficient to meet the **growing demand** in the 1630s. The claim that they reproduced in **too small a quantity** to keep up is explicitly supported by the description of the 'supply squeeze'. Answer: TRUE.
- 9. FALSE
The statement asserts the market was **entirely professional** and **inaccessible** to most. The text contradicts this by stating that **weavers and farmers** (non-professionals) mortgaged their assets to participate. This shows the market was actually very accessible to the general public, not just 'florists'. Because the text provides examples of common people entering the market, the claim is contradicted. Answer: FALSE.
- 10. TRUE
The text states that speculation existed at the **margins** or **periphery** of Dutch economic life. Consequently, when the market crashed, the **fallout** had **little effect** on the economy as a whole. This matches the statement's claim of a **negligible impact** despite the drop in demand. The reasoning involves connecting 'periphery' and 'little effect' to the concept of 'negligible impact'. Answer: TRUE.
- 11. commerce
The blank requires a **noun** representing what the Dutch invested in after the war. The passage explains that resources once used for **independence** from Spain were redirected toward **commerce**. This fits both the grammatical context of the sentence (the object of the preposition 'in') and the historical narrative of the Dutch Golden Age described in the text. Answer: commerce.
- 12. ["colours","colors"]
The blank requires a **plural noun** that describes a visual feature of the tulips. The text states that the **colours** of the tulips were **brighter** and more **eye-catching** than those of **ordinary plants**. 'Colours' fits syntactically as the subject and semantically as the reason for the flowers' attractiveness. Both British and American spellings are typically accepted in IELTS. Answer: colours/colors.
- 13. speculators
The blank requires a **plural noun** identifying the group of people selling or entering the market. The text mentions that prices **skyrocketed** as more **speculators** 'wedged into the market'. While professional traders are mentioned elsewhere, the specific context of the 1630s price surge is attributed to the influx of speculators. This fits the sentence's description of who was involved during the price peak. Answer: speculators.