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4 Silk
4 Silk
Reading Comprehension
Where Does Silk Come From?
The silkworm is the larva (caterpillar) of the domesticated silkmoth, Bombyx mori, which
translates from the Latin as "silkworm of the mulberry tree.” The silkworm is the primary
producer of silk, having been selectively bred for this purpose. Silkworms have been bred in China for the last 5,000 years, and from
there has spread to Korea, Japan, India and the West.
Eggs hatch into larvae after about 14 days, at which point they begin to eat continuously. They are white, and are covered with
tiny black hairs. When the color of their heads darkens, this is a sign they are about to molt. After molting, the silkworm emerges
white, naked, and with little horns on its back. They molt four times before entering their pupal stage, at which time they enclose
themselves in a cocoon made of raw silk produced by their salivary glands. This cocoon protects them while they are in their
vulnerable, motionless state.
To harvest the silk, which can be up to a mile in length in a single cocoon, the silkworm cocoons are boiled. The process of
harvesting the silk from the cocoon, called sericulture, makes the cocoons easier to unravel. However, it kills the larvae, and thus it
has become the target of animal rights activists.
1. Where does silk come from? __________________________________________________________________________________
2. In what areas of the world is silk produced? _____________________________________________________________________
3. How long can the silk be in a single cocoon? ______________________________________________________________________
4. Explain why silk production has caught the attention of animal rights activists. _________________________________________
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