The History of Pencil Reading Answers

Dec 17, 2022

The History of Pencil Reading Answers contains a write up about the emergence of pencils and the pencil making procedure. The History of Pencil Reading Answers comprising 13 different types of questions. Candidates in this IELTS Section will be shown various question types with clear instructions. The History of Pencil 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.

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Section 1

Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions

The History of pencil IELTS Reading Sample

The beginning of the story of pencils started with a lightning. Graphite, the main material for producing pencil, was discovered in 1564 in Boirowdale in England when a lightning struck a local tree during a thunder. Local people found out that the black substance spotted at the root of the unlucky tree was different from burning ash of wood. It was soft, thus left marks everywhere. Chemistry was barely out of its infancy at the time, so people mistook it for lead, equally black but much heavier. It was soon put to use by locals in marking their sheep for signs of ownership and calculation.
Britain turns out to be the major country where mines of graphite can be detected and developed. Even so, the first pencil was invented elsewhere. As graphite is soft, it requires some form of encasement. In Italy, graphite sticks were initially wrapped in string or sheepskin for stability, becoming perhaps the very first pencil in the world. Then around 1560, an Italian couple made what are likely the first blueprints for the modem, wood-encased carpentry pencil. Their version was a flat, oval, more compact type of pencil. Their concept involved the hollowing out of a stick of juniper wood. Shortly thereafter in 1662，a superior technique was discovered by German people: two wooden halves were carved, a graphite stick inserted, and the halves then glued together – essentially the same method in use to this day. The news of usefulness of these early pencils spread far and wide, attracting the attention of artists all over the known world.
Although graphite core in pencils is still referred to as lead, modem pencils do not contain lead as the “lead “of the’ pencil is actually a mix of finely ground graphite and clay powders. This mixture is important because the amount of clay content added to the graphite depends on intended pencil hardness, and the amount of time spent on grinding the mixture determines the quality of the lead. The more clay you put in, the higher hardness the core has. Many pencils across the world, and almost all in Europe, are graded on the European system. This system of naming used B for black and H for hard; a pencil’s grade was described by a sequence or successive Hs or Bs such as BB and BBB for successively softer leads, and HH and HHH for successively harder ones. Then the standard writing pencil is graded HB.
In England, pencils continued to be made from whole sawn graphite. But with the mass production of pencils, they are getting drastically more popular in many countries with each passing decade. As demands rise, appetite for graphite soars. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), world production of natural graphite in 2012 was 1,100,000 tonnes, of which the following major exporters are: China, India, Brazil, North Korea and Canada.

When the value of graphite was realised, the mines were taken over by the government and guarded. One of its chief uses during the reign of Elizabeth I in the second half of the 16th century was as moulds for the manufacture of camion balls. Graphite was transported from Keswick to London in armed stagecoaches. In 1751 an Act of Parliament was passed making it an offence to steal or receive “wad”. This crime was punishable by hard labour or transportation.

That the United States did not use pencils in the outer space till they spent $1000 to make a pencil to use in zero gravity conditions is in fact a fiction. It is widely known that astronauts in Russia used grease pencils, which don’t have breakage problems. But it is also a fact that their counterparts in the United States used pencils in the outer space before real zero gravity pencil was invented .They preferred mechanical pencils, which produced fine lines, much clearer than the smudgy lines left by the grease pencils that Russians favoured. But the lead tips of these mechanical pencils broke often. That bit of graphite floating around the space capsule could get into someone’s eye, or even find its way into machinery or electronics short or other problems. But despite the fact that the Americans did invent zero gravity pencil later, they stuck to mechanical pencils for many years.
Against the backcloth of a digitalized world, the prospect of pencils seems bleak. In reality, it does not. The application of pencils has by now become so widespread that they can be seen everywhere, such as classrooms, meeting rooms and art rooms, etc. A spectrum of users are likely to continue to use it into the future: students to do math works, artists to draw on sketch pads, waiters or waitresses to mark on order boards, make-up professionals to apply to faces, and architects to produce blue prints. The possibilities seem limitless

Section 2

Solution With Explanation
Questions 1- 6:
Complete the sentence below. Choose one word only from the passage.

Graphite was found under a__________ in Borrowdale

Answer: Tree
Supporting sentence: Graphite, the main material for producing a pencil, was discovered in 1564 in Borrowdale in England when lightning struck a local tree during a thunder.
Keywords: Graphite, Tree, Borrowdale
Keyword location: Line 1 to 3
Explanation: When lightning hit a tree and humans saw the black residue was distinct from the typical ash, they realized it was graphite, the primary component needed to manufacture a pencil.

Ancient people used graphite to sign possession and number of__________ .

Answer: sheep
Supporting sentence: It was soon put to use by locals in marking their sheep for signs of ownership and calculation.
Keywords: ancient people, graphite, sheep
Keyword location: Line 5,6
Explanation: Initially, because to the marks it left behind, graphite was confused for lead and used in this manner.

The first pencil was graphite wrapped in __________ or animal skin.

Answer: strings
Supporting sentence: As graphite is soft, it requires some form of the encasement. In Italy, graphite sticks were initially wrapped in string or sheepskin for stability, becoming perhaps the very first pencil in the world.
Keywords: first pencil, graphite, animal skin
Keyword location: Line 2,3
Explanation: Italians created a pencil out of strings, despite the fact that it was strictly not a pencil, because of how soft graphite is.

In the eighteenth century, the__________ value of graphite was realized.

Answer: government
Supporting sentence: When the value of graphite was realised, the mines were taken over by the government and guarded.
Keywords: eighteenth century, government, guarded.
Keyword location: Paragraph 4. Line 6.
Explanation:Governments had not previously acknowledged graphite. However, governments acquired control of mining and graphite protection as the mass manufacture of pencils and other products made from graphite increased.

During the reign of Elizabeth I，people was condemnable if they __________ or receive the “wad”.

Answer: steal
Supporting sentence: In 1751 an Act of Parliament was passed making it an offence to steal or receive “wad”. This crime was punishable by hard labour or transportation.
Keywords: Elizabeth I, receive WAD
Keyword location: Paragraph 4. Line 6.
Explanation: Wad was another word for graphite, thus the authorities outlawed dealing in graphite.

Russian astronauts preferred __________ pencils to write in the outer space.

Answer: grease
Supporting sentence: But it is also a fact that their counterparts in the United States used pencils in the outer space before real zero gravity pencil was invented. They preferred mechanical pencils, which produced fine lines, much clearer than the smudgy lines left by the grease pencils the Russians favoured.
Keywords: Russian astronauts, outer space, pencils.
Keyword location: Paragraph 5, Line 1 to 3
Explanation: Russians utilized grease pencils in space, which the US did not like because it favored mechanical pencils.

Questions 7-13(YES, NO, NOT GIVEN)

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.

Italy is probably the first country of the whole world to make pencils. ______

Answer: true
Supporting sentence: As graphite is soft, it requires some form of the encasement. In Italy, graphite sticks were initially wrapped in string or sheepskin for stability, becoming perhaps the very first pencil in the world.
Keywords: Italy, first country, make pencils
Keyword location: Line 4 to 6
Explanation: Italy became the first country to construct graphite using strings so that contemporary pencils could be made from it.

Germany used various kinds of wood to make pencils. ________

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

Graphite makes a pencil harder and sharper. ______

Answer: FALSE
Supporting sentence: This mixture is important because the amount of clay content added to the graphite depends on intended pencil hardness, and the amount of time spent on grinding the mixture determines the quality of the lead. The more clay you put in, the higher hardness the core has.
Keywords: Graphite, Pencils, Harder and sharper.
Keyword location: Para 3, Line 1 to 4
Explanation: Since graphite is a soft substance by nature, it cannot potentially make pencils rigid unless it is transformed by external pressures.

Pencils are not produced any more since the reign of Elizabeth ______

Answer: False
Supporting sentence: In England, pencils continued to be made from whole sawn graphite. But with the mass production of pencils, they are getting drastically more popular in many countries with each passing decade.
Keywords: Pencils, Elizabeth I
Keyword location: Para 4, Line 1 to 3
Explanation: Such information is not mentioned in any of the passage's paragraphs, and it is also well known that pencil production in the UK dates back to the reign of Elizabeth I.

Pencil was used during the first American space expedition. ______

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

American astronauts did not replace mechanical pencils immediately after the zero gravity pencils were invented. ______

Answer: true
Supporting sentence: But it is also a fact that their counterparts in the United States used pencils in the outer space before real zero gravity pencil was invented.
Keywords: American astronauts, mechanical pencils, zero gravity
Keyword location: Para 5, Line 3,4
Explanation: After its development, zero gravity pencils were used instead of mechanical pencils in the USA.

Pencils are unlikely to be used in the fixture. ______

Answer: false
Supporting sentence: Against the backcloth of a digitalized world, the prospect of pencils seems bleak. In reality, it does not. The application of pencils has by now become so widespread that they can be seen everywhere, such as classrooms, meeting rooms and art rooms, etc.
Keywords: Pencils, fixture
Keyword location: Para 6, Line 2 to 5
Explanation: Although they appear to be out of style, pencils still have more practical functions than any substitute.

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