Thomas Harriot: The Discovery of Refraction Reading Answers
Thomas Harriot: The Discovery of Refraction Reading Answers has 14 questions that have to be answered in 20 minutes. Thomas Harriot: The Discovery of Refraction IELTS Reading Answers comprises only two types of questions, namely- matching the headings, and summary completion. In matching the headings, candidates are required to answer based on a given cue within a word limit of two words. In summary completion, candidates are required to answer based on a given cue. They are required to choose from multiple options. Candidates must read the IELTS reading passage, identify keywords, and recognize synonyms to answer the question.
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Section 1
Read the Passage to Answer the Following Questions
Thomas Harriot: The Discovery of Refraction Reading Answers
- When light travels from one medium to another, it generally bends or refracts. The law of refraction gives us a way of predicting the amount of bending. Refraction has many applications in optics and technology. A lens uses refraction to form an image of an object for many different purposes, such as magnification. A prism uses refraction to form a spectrum of colors from an incident beam of light. Refraction also plays a vital role in the formation of a mirage and other optical illusions. The law of refraction is also known as Snell’s Law, named after Willobrord, Snell, who discovered the law in 1621. Although Snell’s sine law of refraction is now taught routinely in undergraduate courses, the quest for it spanned many centuries and involved many celebrated scientists. Perhaps the most interesting thing is that the first discovery of the sine law, made by the sixteenth-century English scientist Thomas Harriot (1560-1621), has been almost entirely overlooked by physicists, despite a lot of published material describing his contribution.
- A contemporary of Shakespeare, Elizabeth I, Johannes Kepler and Galilei Galileo, Thomas Harriot (1560-1621) was an English scientist and mathematician. His principal biographer, J. W. Shirley, was quoted saying that in his time he was “England’s most profound mathematician, most imaginative and methodical experimental scientist”. As a mathematician, he contributed to the development of algebra, and introduced the symbols of ”>”, and ”<” for ”more than” and ”less than.” He also studied navigation and astronomy. On September 17, 1607, Harriot observed a comet, later identified as Hailey-s. With his detailed observations, later workers were able to compute the comet’s orbit. Harriot was also the first to use a telescope to observe the heavens in England. He made sketches of the moon in 1609 and then developed lenses of increasing magnification. By April 1611, he had developed a lens with a magnification of 32. Between October 17， 1610 and February 26, 1612，he observed the moons of Jupiter, which had already discovered by Galileo. While observing Jupiter’s moons, he made a discovery of his own: sunspots, which he viewed 199 times between December 8, 1610 and January 18, 1613. These observations allowed him to figure out the sun’s period of rotation.
- He was also an early English explorer of North America. He was a friend of the English courtier and explorer Sir Walter Raleigh and travelled to Virginia as a scientific observer on a colonising expedition in 1585. On June 30, 1585, his ship anchored at Roanoke Island ，off Virginia. On shore, Harriot observed the topography, flora and fauna, made many drawings and maps, and met the native people who spoke a language the English called Algonquian. Harriot worked out a phonetic transcription of the native people’s speech sounds and began to learn the language, which enabled him to converse to some extent with other natives the English encountered. Harriot wrote his report for Raleigh and published it as A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia in 1588. Raleigh gave Harriot his own estate in Ireland, and Harriot began a survey of Raleigh’s Irish holdings. He also undertook a study of ballistics and ship design for Raleigh in advance of the Spanish Armada’s arrival.
- Harriot kept regular correspondence with other scientists and mathematicians, especially in England but also in mainland Europe, notably with Johannes Kepler. About twenty years before Snell’s discovery, Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) had also looked for the law of refraction, but used the early data of Ptolemy. Unfortunately, Ptolemy’s data was in error, so Kepler could obtain only an approximation which he published in 1604. Kepler later tried to obtain additional experimental results on refraction, and corresponded with Thomas Harriot from 1606 to 1609 since Kepler had heard Harriot had carried out some detailed experiments. In 1606, Harriot sent Kepler some tables of refraction data for different materials at a constant incident angle, but didn’t provide enough detail for the data to be very useful. Kepler requested further information, but Harriot was not forthcoming, and it appears that Kepler eventually gave up the correspondence, frustrated with Harriot’s reluctance.
- Apart from the correspondence with Kepler, there is no evidence that Harriot ever published his detailed results on refraction. His personal notes, however, reveal extensive studies significantly predating those of Kepler, Snell and Descartes. Harriot carried out many experiments on refraction in the 1590s, and from his notes it is clear that he had discovered the sine law at least as early as 1602. Around 1606, he had studied dispersion in prisms (predating Newton by around 60 years), measured the refractive indices of different liquids placed in a hollow glass prism, studied refraction in crystal spheres, and correctly understood refraction in the rainbow before Descartes.
- As his studies of refraction, Harriot’ s discoveries in other fields were largely unpublished during his lifetime, and until this century, Harriot was known only for an account of his travels in Virginia published in 1588, ，and for a treatise on algebra published posthumously in 1631. The reason why Harriot kept his results unpublished is unclear. Harriot wrote to Kepler that poor health prevented him from providing more information, but it is also possible that he was afraid of the seventeenth century’s English religious establishment which was suspicious of the work carried out by mathematicians and scientists.
- After the discovery of sunspots, Harriot’ s scientific work dwindled. The cause of his diminished productivity might have been a cancer discovered on his nose. Harriot died on July 2, 1621, in London, but his story did not end with his death. Recent research has revealed his wide range of interests and his genuinely original discoveries. What some writers describe as his “thousands upon thousands of sheets of mathematics and of scientific observations” appeared to be lost until 1784, when they were found in Henry Percy’s country estate by one of Percy’s descendants. She gave them to Franz Xaver Zach, her husband’s son’s tutor. Zach eventually put some of the papers in the hands of the Oxford University Press, but much work was required to prepare them for publication, and it has never been done. Scholars have begun to study them，, and an appreciation of Harriot’s contribution started to grow in the second half of the twentieth century. Harriot’s study of refraction is but one example where his work overlapped with independent studies carried out by others in Europe, but in any historical treatment of optics his contribution rightfully deserves to be acknowledged.
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Section 2
Solution and Explanation
Question 27 – 31
Reading Passage 3 has 7 paragraphs A-G. Choose the correct heading for paragraphs B-E and G from the list of headings below. Write the correct number, i-x, in boxes 27-31 on your answer sheet.
List of Headings
- A misunderstanding in the history of science
- Thomas Harriot’s biography
- Unknown reasons for his unpublished works
- Harriot’s 1588 publication on North America studies
- Expedition to the New World
- Reluctant cooperation with Kepler
- Belated appreciation of Harriot’s contribution
- Religious pressures keeping him from publishing
- Correspondence with Kepler
- Interests and researches into multiple fields of study
| Example | Answer |
| Para A | i |
- Paragraph B
- Paragraph C
- Paragraph D
- Paragraph E
- Paragraph G
(Guide: Candidates need to answer questions 27 to 31 by selecting the correct heading from the list of headings - i to x)
Question: 27
Answer: x
Supporting Sentence: A contemporary of Shakespeare, Elizabeth I, Johannes Kepler and Galilei Galileo, Thomas Harriot (1560-1621) was an English scientist and mathematician. His principal biographer, J. W. Shirley, was quoted saying that in his time he was “England’s most profound mathematician, most imaginative and methodical experimental scientist”. As a mathematician, he contributed to the development of algebra, and introduced the symbols of ”>”, and ”<” for ”more than” and ”less than.” He also studied navigation and astronomy.
Keyword: mathematician, contributed, researched into various fields of study
Keyword location: Para B
Explanation: Paragraph B explains that Harriot’s principal biographer, J. W. Shirley, was quoted saying that as a ‘mathematician’, Thomas Harriot contributed to the ‘development of algebra’, and ‘introduced the symbols of ”>”, and ”<” for ”more than” and ”less than.”’ He also studied navigation and astronomy. This shows that he had interest and as result, researched into various fields of study. Hence, the answer is x (Interests and researches into multiple fields of study).
Question: 28
Answer: v
Supporting Sentence: He was also an early English explorer of North America. He was a friend of the English courtier and explorer Sir Walter Raleigh and travelled to Virginia as a scientific observer on a colonising expedition in 1585.
Keyword: expedition
Keyword location: Para C
Explanation: Paragraph C reveals that Thomas Harriot was also an ‘early English explorer of North America’. He was a friend of the English courtier and explorer Sir Walter Raleigh and ‘travelled to Virginia as a scientific observer’ (expedition) on a colonising expedition in 1585. ‘Harriot wrote his report’ for Raleigh and ‘published it as A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia’ (New World of Virginia) in 1588. Hence, the answer is v (Expedition to the New World).
Question: 29
Answer ix
Supporting Sentence: Harriot kept regular correspondence with other scientists and mathematicians, especially in England but also in mainland Europe, notably with Johannes Kepler.
Keyword: regular correspondence
Keyword location: Para D
Explanation: The first sentence of paragraph D points out that ‘Harriot kept regular correspondence’ with other scientists and mathematicians, especially in England but also in mainland Europe, ‘notably with Johannes Kepler’. In 1606, ‘Harriot sent Kepler some tables of refraction data’ for different materials at a constant incident angle. Hence, the answer is ix (Correspondence with Kepler).
Question: 30
Answer: iii
Supporting Sentence: Apart from the correspondence with Kepler, there is no evidence that Harriot ever published his detailed results on refraction.
Keyword: no evidence
Keyword location: Para E
Explanation: In the beginning of paragraph E, it is mentioned that apart from the correspondence with Kepler,there is ‘no evidence’ (unknown reasons) that Harriot ‘ever published his detailed results on refraction’ (unpublished works). Hence, the answer is iii (Unknown reasons for his unpublished works).
Question: 31
Answer: vii
Supporting Sentence: Harriot died on July 2, 1621, in London, but his story did not end with his death. Recent research has revealed his wide range of interests and his genuinely original discoveries.
Keyword: recent research, revealed
Keyword location: Para G
Explanation: Paragraph G states that Harriot died on July 2, 1621, in London, but his story did not end with his death. ‘Recent research has revealed his wide range of interests and his genuinely original discoveries’. Scholars have begun to study Harriot’s works and ‘an appreciation of Harriot’s contribution started to grow in the second half of the twentieth century’ (belated appreciation of his works). Hence, the answer is vii (Belated appreciation of Harriot’s contribution).
Answer the questions below using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 32-36 on your answer sheet.
Various modem applications base on an image produced by lens uses refraction , such as 32…………………. And a spectrum of colors from a beam of light can be produced with 33…………………. Harriot travelled to Virginia and mainly did research which focused on two subjects of American 34…………………. After, he also enter upon a study of flight dynamics and 35…………………. for one of his friends much ahead of major European competitor. He undertook extensive other studies which were only noted down personally yet predated than many other great scientists. One result, for example, corrected the misconception about the idea of 36………………….
(Guide: Candidates need to fill the blanks by not taking more than three words)
Question: 32
Answer: magnification
Supporting Sentence: Refraction has many applications in optics and technology. A lens uses refraction to form an image of an object for many different purposes, such as magnification.
Keyword: magnification, refraction, image
Keyword location: Para A
Explanation: Paragraph A informs that refraction has ‘many applications in optics and technology’ (modern applications). A ‘lens uses refraction to form an image of an object’ for many different purposes, ‘such as magnification’. Hence, the answer is ‘magnification’.
Question: 33
Answer: a prism
Supporting Sentence: A prism uses refraction to form a spectrum of colors from an incident beam of light. Refraction also plays an important role in the formation of a mirage and other optical illusions.
Keyword: prism, colors
Keyword location: Para A
Explanation: Paragraph A declares that ‘a prism’ uses refraction to ‘form a spectrum of colors from an incident beam of light’. Hence, the answer is ‘a prism’.
Question: 34
Answer: land and lanuage
Supporting Sentence: He was a friend of the English courtier and explorer Sir Walter Raleigh and travelled to Virginia as a scientific observer on a colonising expedition in 1585. On June 30, 1585, his ship anchored at Roanoke Island ，off Virginia. On shore, Harriot observed the topography, flora and fauna, made many drawings and maps, and met the native people who spoke a language the English called Algonquian.
Keyword: language
Keyword location:Para C
Explanation: Paragraph C let out the fact that Harriot ‘travelled to Virginia’ as a scientific observer on a colonising expedition in 1585.On shore, Harriot observed the topography (land), flora and fauna, made many drawings and maps, and met the native people who ‘spoke a language’ the English called Algonquian. Harriot worked out a phonetic transcription of the native people’s speech sounds and ‘began to learn the language’, which enabled him to converse to some extent with other natives the English encountered. Hence, the answer is ‘land and language’
Question: 35
Answer: ship design
Supporting Sentence: Harriot wrote his report for Raleigh and published it as A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia in 1588. Raleigh gave Harriot his own estate in Ireland, and Harriot began a survey of Raleigh’s Irish holdings. He also undertook a study of ballistics and ship design for Raleigh in advance of the Spanish Armada’s arrival.
Keyword: study of ballistics, ship design
Keyword location: Para G
Explanation: Paragraph G relates that ‘Harriot’ began a survey of Raleigh’s Irish holdings. He also ‘undertook a study of ballistics’ (flight dynamics) and ‘ship design’ for ‘Raleigh’ (one of his friends) in ‘advance of the Spanish Armada’s arrival’ (much ahead of major European competitor). Hence, the answer is ‘ship design’.
Question: 36
Answer: (the) rainbow refraction/refraction in rainbow
Supporting Sentence: Around 1606, he had studied dispersion in prisms (predating Newton by around 60 years), measured the refractive indices of different liquids placed in a hollow glass prism, studied refraction in crystal spheres, and correctly understood refraction in the rainbow before Descartes.
Keyword: prisms, rainbow, refraction
Keyword location: Para E
Explanation: Paragraph E states that around 1606, Harriot had studied dispersion in prisms (predating Newton by around 60 years), measured the refractive indices of different liquids placed in a hollow glass prism, studied refraction in crystal spheres, and ‘correctly understood refraction in the rainbow’ (corrected the misconception) ‘before Descartes’ (predated than many other great scientists). Hence, the answer is ‘(the) rainbow refraction/refraction in rainbow’.
Look at the following researchers (listed A-D) and findings. Match each researcher with the correct finding. Write your answers in boxes 37-40 on your answer sheet. NB You may use any researcher more than once.
- Willobrord Snell
- Johannes Kepler
- Ptolemy
- Galileo
- Harriot
(Guide: Candidates need to answer questions 37 to 40 by selecting from options A to D)
Question: 37: discovered the moons of Jupiter
Answer: D
Supporting Sentence: He made sketches of the moon in 1609, and then developed lenses of increasing magnification. By April 1611, he had developed a lens with a magnification of 32. Between October 17, 1610 and February 26, 1612, he observed the moons of Jupiter, which had already discovered by Galileo. While observing Jupiter’s moons, he made a discovery of his own: sunspots, which he viewed 199 times between December 8, 1610 and January 18, 1613. These observations allowed him to figure out the sun’s period of rotation.
Keyword: Galileo
Keyword location: Para B
Explanation: Paragraph B mentions that between October 17， 1610 and February 26, 1612, Harriot observed the ‘moons of Jupiter’, which had ‘already discovered by Galileo’. Hence, the answer is ‘D’ (Galileo).
Question: 38
Answer: B
Supporting Sentence: Unfortunately, Ptolemy’s data was in error, so Kepler could obtain only an approximation which he published in 1604. Kepler later tried to obtain additional experimental results on refraction, and corresponded with Thomas Harriot from 1606 to 1609 since Kepler had heard Harriot had carried out some detailed experiments.
Keyword: Kepler
Keyword location: Para D
Explanation: In paragraph D, it is conveyed that ‘Johannes Kepler’ (1571-1630) had also looked for the law of refraction. Unfortunately, Ptolemy’s data was in error, so ‘Kepler could obtain only an approximation which he published in 1604’. Kepler later tried to obtain additional experimental results on refraction, and corresponded with Thomas Harriot from 1606 to 1609. In 1606, Harriot sent Kepler some tables of refraction data for different materials at a constant incident angle, but didn’t provide enough detail for the data to be very useful. Kepler requested further information, but Harriot was not forthcoming. As a result, Kepler eventually gave up the correspondence, frustrated with Harriot’s reluctance. We can conclude that Kepler’s original data that he obtained from Ptolemy’s data was erroneous and the tables of refraction sent by Harriot were also not accurate. They were distracted experimental calculations on refraction. Hence, the answer is ‘B’ (Johannes Kepler).
Question: 39
Answer: E
Supporting Sentence: While observing Jupiter’s moons, he made a discovery of his own: sunspots, which he viewed 199 times between December 8, 1610 and January 18, 1613. These observations allowed him to figure out the sun’s period of rotation.
Keyword: discovery
Keyword location: Para B
Explanation: Paragraph B refers to the fact that while observing Jupiter’s moons, ‘Harriot made a discovery of his own: sunspots’, which he viewed 199 times between December 8, 1610 and January 18, 1613. Hence, the answer is ‘E’ (Harriot).
Question: 40
Answer: A
Supporting Sentence: About twenty years before Snell’s discovery, Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) had also looked for the law of refraction, but used the early data of Ptolemy.
Keyword: snell’s discovery, refraction
Keyword location: Para C
Explanation: Paragraph C points out that although the first discovery of the sine law, made by the sixteenth-century English scientist Thomas Harriot, ‘Snell’s sine law of refraction is now taught routinely in undergraduate courses’, the quest for it spanned many centuries and involved many celebrated scientists. So, the person whose name the sin law was attributed to is Willobrord Snell. Hence, the answer is ‘A’ (Willobrord Snell).
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