Cashmere wool

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/cashmere-wool

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Capra aegagrus hircus (domesticated goat)
2. What is the fiber diameter?Average 14-19 micrometers (µm)
3. What makes cashmere wool so soft and fluffy?Cashmere fibers are extremely fine, about 14-19 micrometers, which makes them softer than most sheep wool. Their natural crimp creates loft that traps air, giving a fluffy feel.
4. Where do cashmere goats live and why does it matter?Cashmere goats live on the high‑altitude plateaus of Tibet and the Himalayan regions, where the cold climate helps produce the fine undercoat that becomes cashmere.

Hygroscopic: Possessing the ability to attract and hold water molecules from the surrounding atmosphere.
Dehairing: The process of separating the fine cashmere undercoat from the coarser guard hairs of the goat.
Desertification: The process by which fertile land becomes desert, typically as a result of drought, deforestation, or inappropriate agriculture.
Anglicization: The adoption or adaptation of a word or name into the English language.