The Clipper Races: An Era Of Competition Between Cargo Ships Reading Answers

Feb 4, 2023

The Clipper Races: An Era Of Competition Between Cargo Ships Reading Answers comprises a total of 13 questions. This IELTS reading topic;The Clipper Races: An Era Of Competition Between Cargo Ships Reading Answers comprises question types such as; one word only and true/false/Not Given. To solve these questions in the IELTS reading topic, candidates must go through the passage carefully and identify the major keywords. The Clipper Races: An Era Of Competition Between Cargo Ships Reading Answers are to be solved by the candidates within a timeframe of 20 minutes which remains the same for all the IELTS Reading assessments. To practice more such IELTS reading topics, candidates can refer to the book Cambridge 13 Readig Test 4. Moreover, candidates might consider IELTS Reading practice papers to practice such relevant questions.

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Section 1

Read the passage to answer the following questions

The Clipper Races Reading Answers

During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the British East India Company had the monopoly on trade with China and India. This meant that because no rival could legally import tea or other goods from these countries at this time, the company was rarely in a hurry to transport its merchandise. Instead, its priority was to minimise costs by carrying as much as possible on each ship. This meant that its ships - known as East Indiamen - were enormous, strong and very slow.

By 1800, the average East Indiaman could carry 1,200 tons of merchandise. The trading pattern for China tea usually meant the East Indiamen set sail from Britain in January, sailed round the Cape of Good Hope at the southernmost tip of Africa, and arrived in China in September. There they would load up that year's tea harvest, set off again and, depending on the wind and weather, aim to arrive back by the following September. So even with favourable sailing conditions, the round trip lasted almost two years, and if anything went wrong it could take a lot longer.

However, by 1834 the company had lost its trading monopolies, and tea had become a freely traded item. Having no more use for its great ships, the company sold them off, and many were bought by merchants or their captains, who continued to plough the seas between Britain and China. But now that tea could be traded freely, a few smart sailors began to realise that whoever brought each new harvest of tea to Britain first, stood to make the most money.

This was partly because if you were home first, you could sell your shipment of tea before your competitors even arrived, and partly because consumers in Britain in the nineteenth century believed that the fresher and earlier-picked the tea, the better the resulting drink. Tea traders now needed faster, sleeker ships to bring their precious cargo back. Nevertheless, in Britain this idea only caught on slowly, and white the 1840s saw a few faster ships launched, for the time being many merchants remained satisfied with the slow but reliable East Indiamen.

In fact it was the Americans who pioneered the first clipper ships. These vessels were fast and slender, with a narrow hull that was deeper at the back than at the front and masses of sails on tall masts. They earned their name from the way that they clipped off journey times British merchants resolved to build their own clippers to rival the Americans and the first British tea clipper, Stornaway, was built in Aberdeen in 1850 More tea clippers were designed and built in Britain throughout the 1850s and 1860s, they had a narrower beam than their American equivalents, making them less powerful during storms, but faster in calmer weather.

There was a great spirit of competition between the British and American ships plying the tea trade, but to begin with the Americans had the edge. Then in 1851 a British ship owner, Richard Green, built the aptly named clipper Challenger, with the stated intention of beating the American ships. Loaded with tea, Challenger left China for London in 1852 at the same time as the American clipper Challenge, a much larger, older ship, already greatly admired for its speed. Large sums were bet on which would complete the journey first. In the event, the British ship beat its rival to London by two days, amid much jubilation. From then on, such international races grew in popularity.

After 1855, American participation in the British tea trade gradually stopped. But even without the Anglo-American rivalry, the competitive spirit continued. It was really ignited when new ports were opened up for trade in China. These included Fouchow, which was much closer to the tea-producing areas than Canton, the port used previously. As a result, tea could be loaded onboard earlier and fresher, and the clippers could set off in late May or early June - sometimes not even taking time to fill out the official paperwork - racing back to Britain whatever the difficulties.

They sped down through the South China Sea and into the Indian Ocean, then raced to get round the southernmost tip of Africa at the Cape of Good Hope. Then it was north across the vast Atlantic, past the Azores, through the English Channel and into the estuary of the River Thames. Once there, they would be towed by tugs, up the river and into the docks.

The cargo of the winning ship could earn a premium of up to sixpence per pound-and so the captain and crew were rewarded by the owners of the cargo. But the races were about more than just money the crews, about 40 men on each clipper, were expert sailors, proud of their ships, and they delighted in competing against each other. Without their enthusiasm, the races would never have happened, since getting the ship home as fast as possible required the crew to be totally dedicated and to sacrifice much of their rest for the duration of the race.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation
Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions
Questions 15-20:
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage

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

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the British East India Company faced a lot of competition.

Answer: False
Supporting Sentence: During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the British East India Company had the monopoly on trade with China and India. This meant that because no rival could legally import tea or other goods from these countries at this time, the company was rarely in a hurry to transport its merchandise.
Keywords: seventeenth, eighteenth, British East India Company
Keyword Location: Paragraph 1, lines 1-3
Explanation: During the 17th and 18th centuries, the British East India Company held a monopoly on trade. It was with China and India, allowing them to have a monopoly on imported goods such as tea. As a result, the company had no pressure to quickly transport its merchandise since no competition was legally allowed to import these goods.

Before 1800, cargo size was the most important consideration for the East India Company.

Answer: True
Supporting Sentence: By 1800, the average East Indiaman could carry 1,200 tons of merchandise. The trading pattern for China tea usually meant the East Indiamen set sail from Britain in January, sailed round the Cape of Good Hope at the southernmost tip of Africa, and arrived in China in September.
Keywords: 1800, average, East Indiaman, 1,200
Keyword Location: paragraph 2, lines 1-3
Explanation: An average East Indiaman, by the year 1800, had a capacity of carrying 1,200 tons of goods. The typical route for trading China tea involved departing from Britain in January. Sailing through the Cape of Good Hope at the bottom of Africa, and reaching China in September.

At best, voyages of the East Indiamen to China and back took nearly two years to Complete.

Answer: True
Supporting Sentence: There they would load up that year's tea harvest, set off again and, depending on the wind and weather, aim to arrive back by the following September. So even with favourable sailing conditions, the round trip lasted almost two years, and if anything went wrong it could take a lot longer.
Keywords: year's, wind, weather, two year
Keyword Location: Paragraph 2, lines 3-6
Explanation: Upon arrival in China, the East Indiamen would load the tea harvest of that year. Further, embark on their return journey, targeting to arrive back in Britain by the following September, depending on wind and weather conditions. Despite favorable sailing conditions, the round trip took nearly two years, and in case of any disruptions, it could take significantly longer.

Before 1834, voyages to and from China were considered to be highly dangerous.

Answer: Not Given
Explanation: No relevant information has been provided in the reading passage mentioned above.

After 1834, the ships which had served the East India Company stopped being used for commercial purposes.

Answer: False
Supporting Sentence: However, by 1834 the company had lost its trading monopolies, and tea had become a freely traded item. Having no more use for its great ships, the company sold them off, and many were bought by merchants or their captains, who continued to plough the seas between Britain and China.
Keywords: 1834, monopolies, great ships, merchants
Keyword Location: Paragraph 3, lines 1-3
Explanation: By 1834, however, the company had lost its exclusive trading rights, and tea became a commodity that could be traded freely. As a result, the company had no further use for its massive ships and sold them off. Many of these vessels were purchased by merchants or their captains who continued to navigate the waters between Britain and China.

In the nineteenth century, British drinkers preferred tea made from mature leaves to that made from younger leaves.

Answer: False
Supporting Sentence: This was partly because if you were home first, you could sell your shipment of tea before your competitors even arrived, and partly because consumers in Britain in the nineteenth century believed that the fresher and earlier-picked the tea, the better the resulting drink.
Keywords: shipment, Britain, fresher, tea
Keyword Location: paragraph 4, lines 1-3
Explanation: This was driven by two factors. Firstly, the early arrival meant selling the tea shipment before competitors. Secondly, the belief among consumers in nineteenth-century Britain that fresher and earlier-picked tea produced a better-tasting drink.

Questions 21-27:
Complete the notes below.
Choose ONE WORD ONL Y from the passage for each answer

Clipper races
The ships
Clipper ships were first used for trading by American merchants.
The ships were remarkable for the number of 21 _____ . they had.

Answer: sails
Supporting Sentence: These vessels were fast and slender, with a narrow hull that was deeper at the back than at the front and masses of sails on tall masts.
Keywords: fast, slender, narrow, sails
Keyword Location: paragraph 5, lines 1-3
Explanation: These ships were designed for speed and had a sleek shape, featuring a narrow hull that was deeper at the stern and towering masts with an abundance of sails.

The performance of British tea clippers was particularly affected when there were 22 _____ at sea.

Answer: storms
Supporting Sentence: they had a narrower beam than their American equivalents, making them less powerful during storms, but faster in calmer weather.
Keywords: narrower, American, storms
Keyword Location: paragraph 5, lines 6-7
Explanation: They had a smaller width compared to their American counterparts, making them less sturdy in storms but faster in calm weather conditions.

The races

It was in a ship called 23 _____. that the British first competed successfully against the Americans.

Answer: Challenger
Supporting Sentence: Then in 1851 a British ship owner, Richard Green, built the aptly named clipper Challenger, with the stated intention of beating the American ships.
Keywords: 1851, Challenger
Keyword Location: paragraph 6, lines 2-3
Explanation: In 1851, British ship owner Richard Green built the Challenger, a clipper named with the purpose of surpassing American ships.

Richard Green's ship arrived two days ahead of its competitor.

Competition increased when additional Chinese trading 24 _____ were established.

Answer: ports
Supporting Sentence: But even without the Anglo-American rivalry, the competitive spirit continued. It was really ignited when new ports were opened up for trade in China.
Keywords: Anglo-American, competitive
Keyword Location: paragraph 7, lines 1-2
Explanation: However, even without the Anglo-American competition, the spirit of competition persisted. This was particularly fueled by the opening of new trade ports in China.

Merchants were occasionally in such a hurry that they failed to complete the 25 _____.

Answer: paperwork
Supporting Sentence: As a result, tea could be loaded onboard earlier and fresher, and the clippers could set off in late May or early June - sometimes not even taking time to fill out the official paperwork - racing back to Britain whatever the difficulties.
Keywords: tea, onboard, clippers, official
Keyword Location: paragraph 7, lines 4-6
Explanation: Consequently, tea could be loaded on the ships earlier and in fresher condition. The clippers could depart as early as late May or early June. Sometimes even without completing official formalities, and race back to Britain despite any challenges.

before leaving China.

At the end of their journey, the ships needed the help of 26 _____ .

Answer: tugs
Supporting Sentence: Once there, they would be towed by tugs, up the river and into the docks.
Keywords: towed, tugs, docks
Keyword Location: Paragraph 8, lines 3-4
Explanation: Upon arrival in Britain, the clippers would be towed into the docks by tugs, up the river.

The rewards

The crews were motivated by both 27 _____. and their enthusiasm for the competition.

Answer: money
Supporting Sentence: But the races were about more than just money the crews, about 40 men on each clipper, were expert sailors, proud of their ships, and they delighted in competing against each other.
Keywords: races, 40 men, delighted
Keyword Location: Paragraph 9, lines 2-4
Explanation: However, the races were not just about financial gain, the crew of around 40 men on each clipper were highly skilled sailors and took pride in their ships. They relished the competition against each other.

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