Cambridge 15 | Test 1 | Passage 1

Nutmeg – a valuable spice

The nutmeg tree is a large evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia. Until the late 18th century, it only grew in one place in the world: a small group of islands in the Banda Sea. The tree is thickly branched with dense foliage of tough, dark green oval leaves, and produces small, yellow, bell-shaped flowers and pale yellow pear-shaped fruits. The fruit is encased in a fleshy husk. When the fruit is ripe, this husk splits into two halves along a ridge running the length of the fruit. Inside is a purple-brown shiny seed, 2-4 cm long by about 2 cm across, surrounded by a lacy red or crimson covering called an “aril.” These are the sources of the two spices nutmeg and mace, the former being produced from the dried seed and the latter from the aril.

ripe (adjective)

/raɪp/

(of fruit or crops) completely developed and ready to be collected or eaten

e.g., Those bananas aren't ripe yet - they're still green.

former (noun) [S]

/ˈfɔːrmər/

the first of two things or people mentioned

e.g., He had to choose between giving up his job and giving up his principles. He chose the former.

latter (noun) [S]

/ˈlætər/

the second of two things or people mentioned

She offered me more money or a car and I chose the latter.