A Significant Development in Mining Safety Reading Answers

Oct 18, 2023

A Significant Development in Mining Safety Reading Answers is a general reading subject that explores significant development in mining safety. A Significant Development in Mining Safety IELTS reading answers have a total of thirteen questions. The specified topic generates three types of questions: list of headings, fill in the blanks, and choose the correct letter. Candidates should read the IELTS Reading passage thoroughly in order to recognize synonyms, identify keywords, and answer the questions below. IELTS reading practice papers, which feature topics such as A Significant Development in Mining Safety Reading Answers. Candidates can use IELTS reading answers to enhance their performance in the reading section.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

A Significant Development in Mining Safety

Coal has been used as a source of fuel for over 5,000 years, but for most of that time it was probably gathered from places where it was exposed on the surface of the ground. It is possible that the Romans undertook some mining, but coal mines across Europe largely date from the 13th century. Thereafter coal production increased steadily and it gradually replaced charcoal and wood as a source of heat and energy. Initially, coal mines were fairly shallow, but they quickly reached the point where artificial lighting was necessary. At first the lights used would have been no different from those used domestically - candles and simple oil lamps. But as coal mines became deeper, miners encountered a new and terrible problem - firedamp. This was a natural gas, principally consisting of methane, that exploded on contact with a naked flame. The first known major firedamp explosion, which killed 99 people, took place in Belgium in 1514 and as new technology was used to mine at increasingly deep levels, the problem got worse.
The simplest solution was to improve the ventilation of the mine. Many mines had only one shaft leading from the surface down to the working area below. Ventilation could be improved to some extent by dividing this into a downcast (bringing in fresh air) and an upcast (returning foul air and firedamp to the surface). But what was really needed was a safe lamp that could not ignite firedamp. The earliest forms of safety lighting sought to produce light without using a naked flame. One early method tried to utilise the fact that skins removed from decaying fish contain the element phosphorus, which emits light in the form of phosphorescence. Unfortunately, this phosphorus is highly toxic, flammable and can self-ignite-hardly desirable properties in a safety light. An alternative was a device invented in about 1750, consisting of a flint which struck against a piece of iron when a handle was turned, creating a shower of sparks which lit up the surrounding area. These were believed to be too cool to ignite firedamp. This device had major drawbacks - extra manpower had to be used to operate it continuously, and it also required regular maintenance and replacement. But worst of all, it was not in fact safe, and numerous accidents were caused when the sparks ignited firedamp. Nonetheless, it was considered to be the least dangerous form of lighting at the time.
By about 1810 the problem was becoming acute, and in some cases there was no alternative to working in the dark. Some mines were being forced to stop production, with serious economic consequences for the mine owners and local communities. The general response, however, was to keep going and reluctantly accept the inevitable deaths from ignition of firedamp as a regrettable, but not especially remarkable, consequence of coal mining. The miners themselves could do little when they were largely illiterate, and depended on the mine owners for a livelihood. However, the clerical, medical and legal professions were beginning to take notice. After 92 men and boys were killed in 1812 by an explosion at Felling Colliery in northern England, several professional people took action and a society was set up to raise funds for the discovery of new methods of lighting and ventilating mines. The first report of the society stated, 'It is to scientific men only that we must look up for assistance in providing a cheap and effective remedy.'
As the leading chemist of the day, and an expert on gases, Sir Humphrey Davy was a natural choice from whom to seek help, and he was approached by the society in 1815. The general belief nowadays is that he was the inventor of the first miners' safety lamp, in which the flame was enclosed by a mesh screen containing very small holes. Air could enter the lamp through the holes, but they were too small to allow the flame of the lamp to pass through them and ignite any firedamp present in the mine tunnels. Davy presented a paper describing the lamp in November 1815, and it was trialled in January 1816. However, a few weeks prior to Davy's presentation, an engineer called George Stephenson had independently designed and demonstrated a lamp based on the same scientific principles. After much discussion and argument, he was eventually recognised as deserving equal credit for the discovery, but the time needed for this recognition to be given meant that the miners' safety lamp had already been called the 'Davy lamp' and it is called that today.
But in fact, the real inventor of the safety lamp was a man called Dr William Reid Clanny, who in 1813 had been awarded a silver medal by the Royal Society of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce for his own version of a safety lamp. Clancy's first lamp did not fulfill the needs of the ordinary working miner as it was rather heavy and cumbersome. But rather than seeking to glory in his achievement, he recognised its deficiencies and continued to work to improve it, as well as sharing his knowledge with others. George Stephenson acknowledged a debt to Clanny's research, and Humphrey Davy visited him in 1815 shortly before completing the design for his own safety lamp but to this day Dr Clanny remains a forgotten hero.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation
Questions 28-32
The text has five sections A-E. Choose the correct heading for each section from the list below.

List of Headings

A controversy over two versions of an invention
The need to mine deeper for good quality coal
Growing awareness of the need to improve conditioners for miners
A new danger caused by developments in mining
The impact of poor air quality in mines on miner's health
Early attempts to provide lighting without flames
A demand by miners for new technology
A person whose work never received full recognition

Section A

Answer: iv
Supporting statement: “..... But as coal mines became deeper, miners encountered a new and terrible problem - firedamp. This was a natural gas, principally consisting of methane, that exploded on contact with a naked flame. ....”
Keywords: firedamp, methane
Keyword Location: para A, line 8
Explanation: It is clearly given in the 8th line that there was a big problem regarding mining. The problem of firedamp. Mining deeper could lead to release of a natural gas which could explode from flame.

Section B

Answer: vi
Supporting statement: “....The earliest forms of safety lighting sought to produce light without using a naked flame.....”
Keywords: lighting, naked
Keyword Location: para B, line 5
Explanation:It is given that the people were struggling to develop a light that could be used to light the area without any naked flame.

Section C

Answer: iii
Supporting statement: “....The miners themselves could do little when they were largely illiterate, and depended on the mine owners for a livelihood.....”
Keywords: illiterate, livelihood
Keyword Location: para C, line 7
Explanation: It is given that the miners were not educated and they depended upon their contractor for security. Hence awareness was not there.

Section D

Answer: i
Supporting statement: “....After much discussion and argument, he was eventually recognised as deserving equal credit for the discovery.....”
Keywords: discussion, recognised
Keyword Location: para D, line 10
Explanation: There was an argument between two innovators regarding the light lamps. Sir humphrey Davy and Reid, both invented lamps on the same scientific principle.

Section E

Answer: viii
Supporting statement: “....But rather than seeking glory in his achievement, he recognised its deficiencies and continued to work to improve it, as well as sharing his knowledge with others......”
Keywords: glory, deficiencies
Keyword Location: para E, line 6
Explanation: It is given that the lamp by william reid has its own demerits due to its design and hence he could not receive full recognition for his work. Though later he became an unforgettable hero.

Questions 33-36

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage.

The problem of providing artificial lighting in coal mines

Coal mines in Europe only really developed from the 13th century. As they became

deeper, the methods used for lighting them created a risk of (33).......

.............. due to the presence of firedamp. One solution was to improve ventilation by separating the (34)........... into two parts. However better lighting was also needed. One suggestion was to use a chemical found in the skins of fish, but this was found to be unsafe. Another possibility was a device which created 35)............. as it was believed these would not ignite the gas. However, this required additional (36).............. as well as maintenance and replacement and it was also unsafe.

Q.33

Answer: EXPLOSION
Supporting statement: “....The first known major firedamp explosion, which killed 99 people ....”
Keywords: firedamp, explosion
Keyword Location: para A, line 10
Explanation: It is given that when the mines became deeper , then they released a natural gas which was highly inflammable and could be lit by a naked flame. Also explosions took place in Belgium due to this issue.

Q.34

Answer: SHAFT
Supporting statement: “....The simplest solution was to improve the ventilation of the mine. Many mines had only one shaft leading from the surface down to the working area below....”
Keywords: ventilation, shaft
Keyword Location: para B, line 1
Explanation: the easiest solution was to increase the number of shafts, so that there will be more air ventilation as fresh air could come down into the mines.

Q.35

Answer: SPARKS
Supporting statement: “....An alternative was a device invented in about 1750, consisting of a flint which struck against a piece of iron when a handle was turned, creating a shower of sparks which lit up the surrounding area.....”
Keywords: flint, sparks
Keyword Location: para B, line 11
Explanation: It is given that they thought about creating a lamp that would make continuous sparks such that it would lit up the surrounding area.

Q.36

Answer: MANPOWER
Supporting statement: “....This device had major drawbacks - extra manpower had to be used to operate it continuously, and it also required regular maintenance and replacement. ....”
Keywords: manpower, replacement
Keyword Location: para B, line 13
Explanation: It is given that the device that created light using sparks. This device required a huge manpower for maintenance and replacement purposes.

Questions 37-40

Choose the correct letter A-D.

What does the write say about mine owners in 1810?
Most of them disregarded safety issues
They were criticized for conditions in the mines
Most of them used unfair pressure to keep mines open
They were unaware of how dangerous the mines were

Answer: A
Supporting statement: “....The miners themselves could do little when they were largely illiterate, and depended on the mine owners for a livelihood....”
Keywords: illiterate, depended
Keyword Location: para C, line 7
Explanation: The miners were not much educated in 1810 and hence they had little idea regarding safety. They mostly relied on their mine owners for their safety.

According to the writer, what was the significance of the explosion at Felling Colliery in 1812?

It led to increased legal protection for miners
It led to a change in public attitudes to mining safety
It demonstrated the lack of concern of certain groups towards the miners
It started a movement to give miners proper training in safety procedures

Answer: B
Supporting statement: “....After 92 men and boys were killed in 1812 by an explosion at Felling Colliery in northern England, several professional people took action and a society was set up to raise funds....”
Keywords: explosion, society
Keyword Location: para C, line 13
Explanation: After the tragedy when 92 men and boys were killed, people started taking action for the safety of mine workers and people's attitude changed towards mining.

The lamp presented by Davy was safer than previous methods of lighting because its flame?

Could not remain alight for long time
Did not get large enough to ignite the firedamp
Did not have any contact with the air
Could not pass beyond the mesh screen

Answer: D
Supporting statement: “....The general belief nowadays is that he was the inventor of the first miners' safety lamp, in which the flame was enclosed by a mesh screen containing very small holes. ....”
Keywords: inventor, mesh
Keyword Location: para D, line 3
Explanation: It is clearly mentioned that the inventor was concerned about the safety of the miner hence they enclosed it in a mesh screen with very small holes. It flame could not come out of it.

What does the writer say about Davy and Stephenson?

Davy refused to accept Stephenson's work as it had not been fully trialled
Davy insisted on the safety lamp being named after him rather than Stephenson
Stephenson claimed Davy's work was based on false principles
Stephenson produced a working example of a safety lamp before Davy

Answer: D
Supporting statement: “...However, a few weeks prior to Davy's presentation, an engineer called George Stephenson had independently designed and demonstrated a lamp based on the same scientific principles. ....”
Keywords: designed, lamp
Keyword Location: para D, line 9
Explanation: It is given that the few weeks before Davy presentations, an engineer named Stephenson created the same lamp with the same scientific principles.

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