William Henry Perkin Reading Answers

Dec 17, 2022

William Henry Perkin Reading Answers contains a write up about William Henry Perkin and his achievements and contributions. William Henry Perkin Reading Answers comprises 13 different types of questions. Candidates in this IELTS Section will be shown various question types with clear instructions. William Henry Perkin Reading Answers comprises three types of questions: Matching heading, sentence completion, and Choose the correct option. For Matching heading in IELTS Reading passage, candidates need to thoroughly go through each passage. For sentence completion, candidates need to skim the passage for keywords and understand the concept. To choose the correct option, candidates must read the IELTS Reading passage and understand the statement provided. To gain proficiency, candidates can practice from IELTS reading practice test.

Check: Get 10 Free IELTS Sample Papers
Check: Register for IELTS Coaching - Join for Free Trial Class Now

Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

William Henry Perkin Reading Answers

William Henry Perkin was born on March 12, 1838, in London, England. As a boy, Perkin’s curiosity prompted early interests in the arts, sciences. photography, and engineering. But it was a chance stumbling upon a run-down, yet functional, laboratory in his late grandfather’s home that solidified the young man`s enthusiasm for chemistry.
As a student at the City of London School, Perkin became immersed in the study of chemistry. His talent and devotion to the subject were perceived by his teacher, Thomas Hall, who encouraged him to attend a series of lectures given by the eminent scientist Michael Faraday at the Royal Institution. Those speeches tired the young chemist`s enthusiasm further, and he later went on to attend the Royal College of Chemistry, which he succeeded in entering in 1853, at the age of 15.
At the time of Perkin’s enrollment, the Royal College of Chemistry was headed by the noted German chemist August Wilhelm Hofmann. Perkin’s scientific gifts soon caught Hofmann’s attention and within two years, he became Hofmann’s youngest assistant. Not long after that, Perkin made the scientific breakthrough that would bring him both fame and fortune.
At the time, quinine was the only viable medical treatment for malaria. The drug is derived from the bark of the cinchona tree, native to South America and by 1856 demand for the drug was surpassing the available supply. Thus, when Hofmann made some passing comments about the desirability of a synthetic substitute for quinine, it was unsurprising that his star pupil was moved to take up the challenge.
During his vacation in 1856, Perkin spent his time in the laboratory on the top floor of his family’s house. He was attempting to manufacture quinine from aniline, an inexpensive and readily available coal tar waste product. Despite his best efforts, however, he did not end up with quinine. Instead, he produced a mysterious dark sludge. Luckily, Perkins scientific training and nature prompted him to investigate the substance further. Incorporating potassium dichromate and alcohol into the aniline at various stages of the experimental process, he finally produced a deep purple solution. And, proving the truth of the famous scientist Louis Pasteur’s words ‘chance favors only the prepared mind’. Perkin saw the potential of his unexpected find.
Historically, textile dyes were made from such natural sources as plants and animal excretions. Some of these, such as the glandular mucus of snails, were difficult to obtain and outrageously expensive. Indeed, the purple colour extracted from a snail was once so costly that in society at the time only the rich could afford it. Further, natural dyes tended to be muddy in hue and fade quickly. It was against this backdrop that Perkin‘s discovery was made.
Perkin quickly grasped that his purple solution could be used to colour fabric, thus making it the world’s first synthetic dye. Realising the importance of this breakthrough, he lost no time in patenting it. But perhaps the most fascinating of all Perkin`s reactions to his find was his nearly instant recognition that the new dye had commercial possibilities.
Perkin originally named his dye Tyrian Purple, but it later became commonly known as mauve (from the French for the plant used to make the colour violet). He asked advice of Scottish dye works owner Robert Pullar, who assured him that manufacturing the dye would be well worth it if the colour remained fast (i.e. would not fade) and the cost was relatively low. So, over the fierce objections of his mentor Hofmann, he left college to give birth to the modern chemical industry.
With the help of his father and brother, Perkin set up a factory not far from London. Utilizing the cheap and plentiful coal tar that was an almost unlimited byproduct of London’s gas street lighting, the dye works began producing the world’s first synthetically dyed material in 1857. The company received a commercial boost from the Empress Eugenio of France, when she decided the new color flattered her. Very soon, mauve was the necessary shade for all the fashionable ladies in that country.
Not to be outdone, England`s Queen Victoria also appeared in public wearing a mauve gown, thus making it all the rage in England as well. The dye was bold and fast, and the public clamoured for more. Perkin went back to the drawing board.
Although Perkins fame was achieved and fortune assured by his first discovery, the chemist continued his research. Among other dyes he developed and introduced were aniline red (1859) and aniline black (1863) and in the late 1860s, Perkin’s green. It is important to note that Perkin’s synthetic dye discoveries had outcomes far beyond the merely decorative. The dyes also became vital to medical research in many ways. For instance, they were used to stain previously invisible microbes and bacteria, allowing researchers to identify such bacilli as tuberculosis. cholera, and anthrax. Artificial dyes continue to play a crucial role today. And, in what would have been particularly pleasing to Perkin, their current use is in the search for a vaccine against malaria.

Section 2

Solution with Explanations

Question 1-7

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?
In boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet, write:

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this more than once.

Michael Faraday was the first person to recognize Perkin’s ability as a student of chemistry.

Answer: FALSE
Explanation: The essential phrase demonstrates how Thomas Hall was the one who discovered the spark and drove him to see Michael Faraday's lectures. So Perkin's aptitude as a chemical student was not first identified by Michael Faraday. Instead, it was Thomas Hall, his instructor. It is obvious from these sentences that Thomas Hall was aware of Perkin's superior proficiency in Chemistry.
Supporting sentence: His talent and devotion to the subject were perceived by his teacher, Thomas Hall,
Keywords: His talent and devotion to the subject, perceived by his teacher, Thomas Hall, who encouraged him to attend a series of lectures, by the eminent scientist Michael Faraday
Location in the passage: Paragraph B

Michael Faraday suggested Perkin should enroll in the Royal College of Chemistry.

Answer: Not Given
Explanation: No relevant information has been found associated with the question in the paragraphs.

Perkin employed August Wilhelm Hofmann as his assistant.

Answer: False
Explanation:Hofmann, not Perkin, was the one who hired Perkin as his assistant, making answer choice accurate. It suggests that August Wilhelm Hofman was not Perkin's helper. A German chemist by the name of Hoffmann oversaw the Royal College of Chemistry when Perkin enrolled there. Hoffmann was drawn to Perkin's scientific abilities, and he was hired as his assistant.
Supporting sentence: At the time of Perkin’s enrollment, the Royal College of Chemistry was headed by the noted German chemist August Wilhelm Hofmann. Perkin’s scientific gifts soon caught Hofmann’s attention and within two years, he became Hofmann’s youngest assistant.
Keywords: Perkin’s scientific gifts, caught Hofmann’s attention, he became Hofmann’s youngest assistant
Location in the passage: Paragraph C

Perkin was still young when he made the discovery that made him rich and famous.

Answer: TRUE
Explanation:It is often noted that Perkin was still a child when the discovery was made. It is mentioned in the chapter that he achieved renown and wealth. These two expressions in the paragraph indicate that he rose to fame as a result of a scientific discovery or breakthrough. This assertion therefore applies to the passage and is true.
Supporting sentence: Not long after that, Perkin made the scientific breakthrough that would bring him both fame and fortune.
Keywords: Not long after that, Perkin made the scientific breakthrough, bring him both fame and fortune.
Location in the passage: Paragraph C

The trees from which quinine is derived grow only in South America.

Answer: NOT GIVEN
Explanation:No relevant information has been found associated with the question in the paragraphs.

Perkin hoped to manufacture a drug from a coal tar waste product.

Answer: TRUE
Explanation: Perkin wanted to create quinine out of the leftover coal tar. He was trying to make quinine from aniline, it is mentioned here. It denotes that he had high expectations for this. Quinine is a medication used to treat malaria, and coal tar residue was also available.
Supporting sentence: During his vacation in 1856, Perkin spent his time in the laboratory on the top floor of his family’s house. He was attempting to manufacture quinine from aniline, an inexpensive and readily available coal tar waste product.
Keywords: Attempting to manufacture quinine from aniline, an inexpensive and readily available coal tar waste product.
Location in the passage: Paragraph E

Perkin was inspired by the discoveries of the famous scientist Louis Pasteur.

Answer: NOT GIVEN
Explanation:No relevant information has been found associated with the question in the paragraphs.

Question 8-13

Answer the Questions below:
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer
Write your answers in boxes 8-13 on your answer sheet.

Before Perkin’s discovery, with what group in society was the colour purple associated?

Answer: (the/ only) rich
Explanation: The keyword is appropriate because the passage mentions how only wealthy people could afford the color purple. It can be inferred from the information in lines 6–9 of paragraph F that the color purple was once thought to be a sign of wealth. It was before Perkin Thorough was founded.
Supporting sentence: Indeed, the purple colour extracted from a snail was once so costly that in society at the time only the rich could afford it.
Keywords: purple colour, extracted from a snail, so costly that in society at the time only the rich could afford it.
Location in the passage: Paragraph F

What potential did Perkin immediately understand that his new dye had?

Answer: commercial possibilities
Explanation: Perking recognized the vast potential of economic uses right away. According to paragraph G, Perkin recognized the dye immediately and understood that it might be sold commercially. Therefore, this response unequivocally demonstrates Perkin's quick realization.
Supporting sentence: But perhaps the most fascinating of all Perkin`s reactions to his find was his nearly instant recognition that the new dye had commercial possibilities.
Keywords: most fascinating of all Perkin’s reactions to his find, instant recognition, that the new dye had commercial possibilities.
Location in the passage: Paragraph G

What was the name finally used to refer to the first color Perkin invented?

Answer: mauve
Explanation: The color was originally called Tyrian Purple by Perkin, but it eventually came to be known as Mauve by people. The word "mauve" is French in origin, and it actually refers to the plant that is used to produce the violet hue. Thus, mauve was the final word used to describe the first color Perkin created.
Supporting sentence: Perkin originally named his dye Tyrian Purple, but it later became commonly known as mauve (from the French for the plant used to make the colour violet).
Keywords: Perkin originally named his dye Tyrian Purple,later became commonly known as mauve
Location in the passage: Paragraph H

What was the name of the person Perkin consulted before setting up his own dye works?

Answer: Robert Pullar
Explanation: Perkin chose to accept his own dye business after speaking with Robert Pullar, the proprietor of the dye works. According to paragraph H, Perkin consulted Scottish dye-works owner Robert Pullar for assistance. Pullar told Perkin that producing the dye would be worthwhile provided the color did not fade and the manufacture is relatively inexpensive.
Supporting sentence: He asked advice of Scottish dye works owner Robert Pullar, who assured him that manufacturing the dye would be well worth it if the colour remained fast (i.e. would not fade) and the cost was relatively low.
Keywords: He asked advice of Scottish dye works owner Robert Pullar, who assured him that manufacturing the dye would be well worth it if the colour remained fast
Location in the passage: Paragraph H

In what country did Perkins newly invented colour first become fashionable?

Answer: France
Explanation:Empress Eugenie of France was the first to praise Perkin's hue, making France the first nation. It is made obvious that the business saw a growth spurt once Empress Eugenio of France opted to try this new hue to flatter. Mauve quickly became a popular tint among French women. Therefore, this is the right response to the question.
Supporting sentence: The company received a commercial boost from the Empress Eugenio of France, when she decided the new color flattered her. Very soon, mauve was the necessary shade for all the fashionable ladies in that country.
Keywords: company received a commercial boost from the Empress Eugenie of France, when she decided the new colour flattered her.
Location in the passage: Paragraph I

According to the passage, which disease is now being targeted by researchers using synthetic dyes?

Answer: malaria
Explanation: The hunt is on for a malaria vaccine. To bolster this response, the passage's final sentence may be cited. Researchers are thinking about using synthetic colors to treat malaria. Perkin finds this particular aspect to be quite fulfilling.
Supporting sentence: And, in what would have been particularly pleasing to Perkin, their current use is in the search for a vaccine against malaria.
Keywords: what would have been particularly pleasing to Perkin, their current use is in the search for a vaccine against malaria
Location in the passage: Paragraph K

Read More IELTS Reading Related Samples