Charles Babbage Reading Answers

Jul 19, 2024

Charles Babbage Reading Answers is an academic reading answers topic. Charles Babbage Reading Answers have a total of 12 IELTS questions in total. In the questions, you have to choose the correct choice for the given statements. In the next section you have to fill in the blanks with proper words.

Candidates should read the IELTS Reading passage thoroughly to recognize synonyms, identify keywords, and answer the questions below. IELTS Reading practice papers, which feature topics such as How to Do a Cost-Benefit Analysis Reading Answers. Candidates can use IELTS reading practice questions and answers to enhance their performance in the reading section.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

Charles Babbage

Charles Babbage was an English polymath. A mathematician, theorist, inventor and mechanical engineer, Babbage created the notion of a digital programmable computer. Considered by some to be the "father of computer", Babbage is accredited with discovering the first mechanical computer that ultimately led to more composite electronic designs, though all the important ideas of modern computers are to be initiated in Babbage's Analytical Engine. His varied work in other fields has directed him to be described as "pre-eminent" among the many polymaths of his century.
Parts of Babbage's partial mechanisms are on display in the Science Museum in London. In 1991, a functioning difference engine was built from Babbage's original plans. Built to tolerances possible in the 19th century, the success of the finished engine specified that Babbage's machine would have worked. Babbage's birthplace is uncertain, but according to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography he was most likely born at 44 Crosby Row, Walworth Road, London, England. A blue plaque on the junction of Larcom Street and Walworth Road honours the event.
His date of birth was given in his funerary in The Times as 26 December 1792; but then a nephew wrote to say that Babbage was born one year earlier, in 1791. The parish register of St. Mary's, Newington, London, shows that Babbage was baptised on 6 January 1792, supporting a birth year of 1791. Babbage was one of four children of Benjamin Babbage and Betsy Plumleigh Teape. His father was a banking partner of William Praed in founding Praed's & Co. of Fleet Street, London, in 1801. In 1808, the Babbage family moved into the old Rowdens house in East Teignmouth. Around the age of eight, Babbage was sent to a country school in Alphington near Exeter to recuperate from a life-threatening fever. For a short time, he attended King Edward VI Grammar School in Totnes, South Devon, but his health required him back to private tutors for a time.
Babbage then joined the 30-student Holmwood Academy, in Baker Street, Enfield, Middlesex, under the Reverend Stephen Freeman. The academy had a library that encouraged Babbage's love of mathematics. He studied with two more private tutors after leaving the academy. The first was a clergyman near Cambridge; through him Babbage met Charles Simeon and his evangelical followers, but the tuition was not what he needed. He was brought home, to study at the Totnes School: this was at age 16 or 17. The second was an Oxford tutor, under whom Babbage touched a level in Mathematics enough to be accepted by Cambridge.
Babbage arrived at Trinity College, Cambridge, in October 1810. He was already self- taught in some parts of contemporary mathematics; he had read in Robert Woodhouse, Joseph Louis Lagrange, and Marie Agnesi. Therefore, he was disappointed with the standard mathematical instruction available at the university. Babbage, John Herschel, George Peacock, and several other friends formed the Analytical Society in 1812; they were also close to Edward Ryan. As a student, Babbage was also a member of other societies such as The Ghost Club, concerned with investigating supernatural phenomena, and the Extractors Club, devoted to liberating its members from the madhouse, should any be committed to one. In 1812 Babbage moved to Peterhouse, Cambridge. He was the top mathematician there but did not graduate with honours. He instead received a degree without examination in 1814. He had walled a thesis that was considered blasphemous in the preliminary public disputation; but it is not known whether this fact is connected to his not sitting the examination.
In view of his reputation, Babbage quickly made advancement. He lectured to the Royal Institution on astronomy in 1815 and was chosen a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1816. After graduation, on the other hand, he applied for positions unsuccessfully, and had little in the way of career. In 1816 he was a candidate for a teaching job at Haileybury College; he had references from James Ivory and John Playfair but lost out to Henry Walter. In 1819, Babbage and Herschel visited Paris and the Society of Arcueil, meeting leading French mathematics and physics. That year Babbage applied to be professor at the University of Edinburgh, with the reference of Pierre Simon Laplace; the post went to William Wallace.
With Herschel, Babbage worked on the electrodynamics of Arago's rotations, publishing in 1825. Their explanations were only temporary, being picked up and widened by Michael Faraday. The phenomena are now part of the theory of eddy currents, and Babbage and Herschel missed some of the clues to amalgamation of electromagnetic theory, staying close to Ampère's force law. Babbage purchased the actuarial tables of George Barrett, who died in 1821 leaving unpublished work, and surveyed the field in 1826 in Comparative View of the Various Institutions for the Assurance of Lives. This interest trailed a project to set up an insurance company, provoked by Francis Baily and mooted in 1824, but not carried out. Babbage did compute actuarial tables for that scheme, using Equitable Society mortality data from 1762 onwards.
During this whole period Babbage depended clumsily on his father's support, given his father's attitude to his early marriage, of 1814: he and Edward Ryan wedded the Whitmore sisters. He made a home in Marylebone in London and founded a large family. On his father's death in 1827, Babbage inherited a large estate (value around £100,000, equivalent to £8.72 million or $11.6 million today), making him independently wealthy. After his wife's death in the same year he spent time travelling. In Italy he met Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany, foreshadowing a later visit to Piedmont. In April 1828 he was i Rome and depend on Herschel to manage the difference engine project, when he heard that he had become professor at Cambridge, a position he had three times failed to obtain (in 1820, 1823 and 1826).

Section 2

Solution and Explanation

Questions 1-8

Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write correct letter A-H in your answer sheet
NB you may use any letter more than once

Variation in the year of birth.

Answer: C
Supporting statement:“.........His date of birth was given in his funerary in The Times as 26 December 1792; but then a nephew wrote to say that Babbage was born one year earlier, in 1791........”
Keywords: birth, variation
Keyword Location: para C, line 1
Explanation: This paragraph discusses the discrepancy in the reported year of Babbage's birth, showing a variation between 1791 and 1792. Hence C is the correct answer.

Becoming a member of several clubs at university.

Answer: E
Supporting statement:“.........As a student, Babbage was also a member of other societies such as The Ghost Club, concerned with investigating supernatural phenomena, and the Extractors Club, devoted to liberating its
members from the madhouse, should any be committed to one........”
Keywords: clubs, university
Keyword Location: para E, line 5
Explanation: This paragraph mentions Babbage's involvement in various clubs during his university years, indicating his active participation in different societies that piqued his interests. Hence E is the correct answer.

Invention of the first mechanical computer by Charles Babbage.

Answer: A
Supporting statement:“........Babbage is accredited with discovering the first mechanical computer that ultimately led to more composite electronic designs.........”
Keywords: mechanical, computer
Keyword Location: para A, line 3
Explanation: This paragraph credits Babbage with inventing the first mechanical computer, which laid the foundation for more complex electronic designs, marking a significant achievement in computing history.

Babbage became rich after inheriting property after his father's death.

Answer: H
Supporting statement:“........On his father's death in 1827, Babbage inherited a large estate (value around £100,000, equivalent to £8.72 million or $11.6 million today), making him independently wealthy.........”
Keywords: inherited, estate
Keyword Location: para H, line 2
Explanation: This paragraph explains how Babbage became wealthy after inheriting a substantial estate from his father, providing him with financial independence and stability. Hence H is correct.

Babbage's machine parts are kept in a museum.

Answer: B
Supporting statement:“........Parts of Babbage's partial mechanisms are on display in the Science Museum in London..........”
Keywords: machine, museum
Keyword Location: para B, line 1
Explanation: This paragraph states that parts of Babbage's mechanical inventions are exhibited in the Science Museum in London, preserving his contributions to computing for public viewing.

Acceptance by Cambridge due to attaining a level in mathematics.

Answer: D
Supporting statement:“........The second was an Oxford tutor, under whom Babbage touched a level in Mathematics enough to be accepted by Cambridge..........”
Keywords: Accepted, mathematics
Keyword Location: para D, line 4
Explanation: This paragraph indicates that Babbage's mathematical proficiency under an Oxford tutor earned him acceptance into Cambridge, highlighting his academic capabilities and achievements in mathematics. Hence D is correct.

Becoming an associate with the royal society.

Answer: F
Supporting statement:“........He lectured to the Royal Institution on astronomy in 1815 and was chosen a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1816..........”
Keywords: Royal, Society
Keyword Location: para F, line 1
Explanation: This paragraph mentions Babbage's election as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1816, marking his recognition and association with this prestigious scientific institution. Hence F is the correct answer.

Michael Faraday improved the findings of Babbag and Herschel.

Answer: G
Supporting statement:“........Their explanations were only temporary, being picked up and widened by Michael Faraday..........”
Keywords: Faraday, improved
Keyword Location: para G, line 1
Explanation: This paragraph explains how Michael Faraday expanded on the initial findings of Babbage and Herschel, enhancing their work and contributing to the development of electromagnetic theory.

Questions 9-14

Write no more than THREE WORDS AND OR

NUMBERS for each answer.

Some people considered Charles Babbage as the ........ because he discovered the first mechanical computer.

Answer: FATHER OF COMPUTER
Supporting statement:“.........Considered by some to be the 'father of computer', Babbage is accredited with discovering the first mechanical computer.........”
Keywords: father, computer
Keyword Location: para A, line 2
Explanation: This paragraph explains that some people consider Babbage the "father of computers" due to his invention of the first mechanical computer, highlighting his pivotal role in computing history.

Babbage's birthplace is ………..- as per the oxford dictionary.

Answer: 44 CROSBY ROW
Supporting statement:“........According to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography he was most likely born at 44 Crosby Row, Walworth Road, London, England..........”
Keywords: birthplace, Oxford
Keyword Location: para B, line 2
Explanation: This paragraph states Babbage's likely birthplace according to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, providing a specific address for his birth. Hence the given address is the correct answer.

Babbage's relative claimed that Charles Babbage was born in …………….

Answer: 1791
Supporting statement:“........A nephew wrote to say that Babbage was born one year earlier, in 1791..........”
Keywords: relative, 1791
Keyword Location: para C, line 2
Explanation: This paragraph mentions a relative's claim that Babbage was born in 1791, despite other sources stating 1792, highlighting a discrepancy in the recorded year of his birth. Hence the given year is the correct answer.

Babbage studied at ………… college in Cambridge.

Answer: TRINITY
Supporting statement:“........Babbage arrived at Trinity College, Cambridge, in October 1810.........”
Keywords: studied, Trinity
Keyword Location: para E, line 1
Explanation: This paragraph specifies that Babbage studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, marking an important period in his academic career. Hence Trinity is the correct answer.

Babbage and his friends formed …….. society.

Answer: ANALYTICAL
Supporting statement:“.......Babbage, John Herschel, George Peacock, and several other friends formed the Analytical Society in 1812..........”
Keywords: formed, Analytical
Keyword Location: para E, line 3
Explanation: This paragraph indicates that Babbage and his friends formed the Analytical Society, a group dedicated to advancing mathematical understanding and practices.

He lectured to the Royal institution on ………….

Answer: ASTRONOMY
Supporting statement:“.......He lectured to the Royal Institution on astronomy in 1815..........”
Keywords: lectured, astronomy
Keyword Locationp: para F, line 1
Explanation: This paragraph notes that Babbage delivered lectures on astronomy to the Royal Institution in 1815, showcasing his expertise and interest in the field. Hence astronomy is the correct answer.

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