The technique of tattooing was similar through Polynesia. Traditional tattoo artists create their indelible tattoos using pigment made from the candlenut or kukui nut. First, they burn the nut inside a bowl made of half a coconut shell. They then scrape out the soot and use a pestle to mix it with liquid. Bluing is sometimes added to counteract the reddish hue of the carbon-based pigment. It also makes the outline of the inscribed designs bolder on the dark skin of tattooing subjects.
For the instruments used when tattooing, specialists used a range of chisels made from albatross wing bone which were hafted onto a handle which was made from the heart wood of the bush and struck with a mallet. The tattooer began by sketching with charcoal a design on the supine subject, whose skin at that location was stretched taut by one or more apprentices. The tattooer then dipped the appropriate points – eighter a single one or a whole comb – into the ink (usually contained in a coconut-shell cup) and tapped it into the subject’s skin, holding the blade handle in one hand and tapping it with the other. The blood that usually trickled from the punctures was wiped away either by the tattooer or his apprentice, the latter having also inevitably painful – a test of fortitude that tattooers sought to shorten by working as fas as possible. In fact, tattoos nearly always festered and often led to sickness – and in some cases death.
AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.
Question Focus: The diagram shows the nut being burned inside something. We need to label what container is used.
Correct Answer: C
Why this is correct: The diagram shows the first step where the nut is burned. The passage clearly says it is burned inside half a coconut shell. So the answer is coconut shell.
Passage Reference: First, they burn the nut inside a bowl made of half a coconut shell.
Common Mistake: Some students choose cup because a cup is mentioned later. But that cup is used for ink, not for burning the nut. This is a wrong section trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'burn the nut inside a bowl made of half a coconut shell' = Diagram: 'the nut is burned in a ___'
Tips: For diagrams, always follow the process order in the passage. This is clearly the first step.
Key Vocabulary:
- bowl = container
- burn = set on fire
Question Focus: The diagram shows what is taken out after burning the nut.
Correct Answer: H
Passage Reference: They then scrape out the soot and use a pestle to mix it with liquid.
Why this is correct: After burning the nut, the passage says they scrape out the soot. That matches the diagram stage exactly. So the answer is soot.
Common Mistake: Students sometimes choose liquid because it appears in the same sentence. But the diagram asks what is scraped out, not what it is mixed with. This is a context shift trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'scrape out the soot' = Diagram: 'they remove the ___'
Tips: Look for action verbs like 'scrape out'. They usually point directly to the label you need.
Key Vocabulary:
- scrape out = remove by rubbing
- soot = black powder from burning
Question Focus: The diagram shows what the soot is mixed with.
Correct Answer: G
Passage Reference: They then scrape out the soot and use a pestle to mix it with liquid.
Why this is correct: The passage explains that the soot is mixed with liquid to make the pigment. This matches the diagram step. So the answer is liquid.
Common Mistake: Some students choose cup because liquid is later kept in a cup. But the diagram is asking what is mixed with the soot, not where it is stored. This is a wrong section trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'mix it with liquid' = Diagram: 'the soot is mixed with ___'
Tips: If two options are related, ask yourself what action the diagram sentence is focusing on.
Key Vocabulary:
- mix = combine
- pigment = colored substance
Question Focus: The diagram labels the material used to make the handle of the tool.
Correct Answer: F
Passage Reference: specialists used a range of chisels made from albatross wing bone which were hafted onto a handle which was made from the heart wood of the bush and struck with a mallet.
Why this is correct: The passage says the handle was made from the heart wood of the bush. The diagram is labeling the handle material. So the answer is heart wood.
Common Mistake: Students often choose bush because it appears in the same phrase. But the handle is not made from the whole bush, only the heart wood. This is a partial truth trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'handle ... made from the heart wood' = Diagram: 'handle made from ___'
Tips: Be precise. IELTS often tests specific parts of something, not the general word.
Key Vocabulary:
- handle = part you hold
- heart wood = hard inner wood
Question Focus: The diagram labels what the chisels were made from.
Correct Answer: A
Passage Reference: specialists used a range of chisels made from albatross wing bone
Why this is correct: The passage clearly states that the chisels were made from albatross wing bone. This matches the diagram label. So the answer is wing bone.
Common Mistake: Some students choose blade because it sounds like part of a tool. But the passage is talking about the material, not the shape. This is a context shift trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'chisels made from albatross wing bone' = Diagram: 'chisels made of ___'
Tips: When a diagram asks 'made from', look for material words like bone, wood, or metal.
Key Vocabulary:
- chisel = cutting tool
- bone = hard part of body
General Tips:
- Diagram questions follow the passage order. Use the first answer to help you find the next one.
- Always read the whole sentence in the passage, not just one word.
- Be careful with options that appear close together in the text. They often test different steps.
- Ask yourself what the diagram sentence is really asking: material, action, or object.
The rest of this explanation is for members. Sign in free to read why the other options are wrong, key words and tips.
Sign in to read the full explanation