The History of Pencil
Read The History of Pencil and check the IELTS Reading answers. The beginning of the story of pencils started with lightning. Graphite, the main material for producing pencil, was discovered in 1564 in Borrowdale in England when lightning struck a local tree during a thunderstorm. Local people foun…
Passage preview
The beginning of the story of pencils started with lightning. Graphite, the main material for producing pencil, was discovered in 1564 in Borrowdale in England when lightning struck a local tree during a thunderstorm. 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, which is equally black but much heavier. It was soon put to use by locals in marking their sheep for signs of ownership and calculation.
Vocabulary from this passage
10 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- bleak adjective
Not hopeful or encouraging; unlikely to have a favorable outcome
Some analysts predicted a bleak future for traditional writing instruments in the digital age.
- blueprint noun
A design plan or technical drawing; a model or template for a project
Italian inventors created the first blueprints for the modern wood-encased carpentry pencil.
- counterpart noun
A person or thing holding a position or performing a function that corresponds to that of another in a different place
American astronauts used mechanical pencils, while their counterparts in Russia favored grease pencils.
- digitalized adjective
Converted into a digital form for use by a computer; adapted to digital technology
Even in a highly digitalized world, manual writing tools retain their utility.
- drastically adverb
In a way that is likely to have a strong or far-reaching effect; substantially
The demand for graphite increased drastically following the mass production of pencils.
- encasement noun
The action of covering or enclosing something in a close-fitting surround or case
Since graphite is soft and brittle, it requires a wooden encasement for stability during use.
- mass production noun
The production of large quantities of a standardized article by an automated mechanical process
The mass production of pencils made them affordable and accessible to the general public.
- prospect noun
The possibility or likelihood of some future event occurring
Despite the rise of digital tools, the prospect of the pencil disappearing remains unlikely.
- spectrum noun
A wide range or variety of something, often used to describe a broad classification
A broad spectrum of professionals, from architects to artists, continue to rely on pencils.
- successive adjective
Following one another or following others in an uninterrupted sequence
The hardness of pencil lead is indicated by successive letters, such as H, HH, and HHH.
Answers with explanations
- 1. tree
The question asks what graphite was found under in Borrowdale. The text states that lightning struck a local **tree** in Borrowdale, revealing the graphite at its root. Therefore, **tree** is the correct word to complete the sentence.
- 2. sheep
The sentence requires the object that ancient people marked for possession. The passage indicates that locals used it for marking their **sheep** for signs of ownership. Thus, **sheep** perfectly fits the blank.
- 2-3: firm
2: The sentence requires the object that ancient people marked for possession. The passage indicates that locals used it for marking their **sheep** for signs of ownership. Thus, **sheep** perfectly fits the blank.
3: The question asks what graphite was wrapped in besides animal skin (sheepskin). The text explicitly mentions that graphite sticks were wrapped in **string** or sheepskin. The correct answer is **string**.
- 3. string
The question asks what graphite was wrapped in besides animal skin (sheepskin). The text explicitly mentions that graphite sticks were wrapped in **string** or sheepskin. The correct answer is **string**.
- 3-4: F
3: The question asks what graphite was wrapped in besides animal skin (sheepskin). The text explicitly mentions that graphite sticks were wrapped in **string** or sheepskin. The correct answer is **string**.
4: The question asks who protected the mines when graphite's value was realized. The passage states that the mines were taken over by the **government** and guarded. Hence, **government** is the correct noun for the blank.
- 4. government
The question asks who protected the mines when graphite's value was realized. The passage states that the mines were taken over by the **government** and guarded. Hence, **government** is the correct noun for the blank.
- 5. steal
The question requires a verb indicating an action that was condemnable (an offense) alongside receiving the "wad". The passage clearly states it was an offense to **steal** or receive the wad. Thus, **steal** is the correct answer.
- 6. grease
The sentence asks what kind of pencils Russian astronauts preferred. The text confirms that astronauts in Russia used **grease** pencils. The word **grease** fits grammatically and factually.
- 7. TRUE
The statement claims Italy is probably the first country to make pencils. The text supports this by saying the graphite wrapped in string in Italy became "perhaps the very first pencil in the world." Therefore, the answer is **TRUE**.
- 8. NOT GIVEN
The statement claims Germany used various kinds of wood. The text mentions that German people carved "two wooden halves," but it does not specify whether they used "various kinds" of wood. Because this specific detail is absent, the answer is **NOT GIVEN**.
- 9. FALSE
The statement claims graphite makes a pencil harder. The text directly contradicts this, explaining that adding more *clay* makes the core harder, whereas graphite is inherently soft. Therefore, the answer is **FALSE**.
- 10. FALSE
The statement says pencils are no longer produced. The text contradicts this entirely, noting that the "application of pencils has by now become so widespread" and that they can be seen everywhere. Therefore, the answer is **FALSE**.
- 11. NOT GIVEN
The statement says a pencil was used during the *first* American space expedition. The text confirms Americans used pencils before the zero gravity pencil was invented, but it never specifies if this happened on the *first* expedition. Therefore, it is **NOT GIVEN**.
- 12. TRUE
The statement claims American astronauts did not replace mechanical pencils immediately. The passage confirms this by stating that even after inventing zero gravity pencils, they "stuck to mechanical pencils for many years." This makes the statement **TRUE**.
- 13. FALSE
The statement claims pencils are unlikely to be used in the future. The concluding paragraph directly contradicts this, stating a "spectrum of users are likely to continue to use it into the future." Thus, the answer is **FALSE**.