The History of the Pencil
Read The History of the Pencil and check the IELTS Reading answers. The history of the pencil starts with a violent thunderstorm. When some particularly ferocious weather struck the Lake District in North West England in the sixteenth century, locals in the village of Borrowdale discovered a large…
Passage preview
The history of the pencil starts with a violent thunderstorm. When some particularly ferocious weather struck the Lake District in North West England in the sixteenth century, locals in the village of Borrowdale discovered a large uprooted tree. Underneath the tree lay an unknown black substance which we now know as graphite, was slightly shiny and smooth to the touch. And it left a black smear on the hands of all who touched it.
Vocabulary from this passage
10 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- designate verb
To officially choose someone or something to fulfill a specific role or have a particular status
Several fragile coastal regions have been designated as protected marine reserves to preserve biodiversity.
- deterrent noun
Something that discourages or is intended to discourage someone from doing something through fear of consequences
Strict financial penalties often act as an effective deterrent against corporate fraud and environmental violations.
- exhaust verb
To drain of resources or properties completely; to deplete entirely so nothing remains
Continuous intensive farming will eventually exhaust the topsoil of its essential agricultural nutrients.
- ferocious adjective
Exhibiting extreme intensity or fierceness; often used to describe severe weather or savage animals
The ferocious storm caused widespread destruction across the coastal fishing villages.
- graphite noun
A soft, dark gray crystalline form of carbon used in lead pencils, lubricants, and batteries
Modern pencils use a mixture of clay and graphite rather than actual lead.
- invaluable adjective
Extremely useful or indispensable; having a value too great to be accurately estimated or measured
The internet has proven to be an invaluable resource for academic research and global communication.
- kiln noun
A furnace or oven for burning, baking, or drying, especially one used for firing pottery
The freshly molded clay vessels were placed in the high-temperature kiln to harden and set.
- mass production noun
Methods used to manufacture large quantities of standardized products, typically utilizing automated assembly lines
Mass production revolutionized the automobile industry by making personal vehicles affordable for the average consumer.
- resilient adjective
Able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions; tough and highly adaptable to stress
Some genetically modified crop varieties are remarkably resilient, capable of surviving extended periods of drought.
- staying power noun
Endurance or stamina; the ability to maintain an activity or remain relevant over a long period
Despite heavy criticism, the traditional lecture format has shown remarkable staying power in universities.
Answers with explanations
- 1. tree
The gap follows the article "a" and needs a **singular noun**. The question's phrase **blown down in a storm** paraphrases the passage's **uprooted**, while the storm is mentioned earlier as a violent thunderstorm. Scanning the text, locals found the **graphite** underneath a **large uprooted tree**. The word is lifted exactly from the source and fits the one-word limit.
- 2. sheep
The gap follows the preposition "on" and needs a **noun**. The phrase **first use of** bridges to the source text's **Initially**, while the question's **make marks on** matches the passage's **handy way to identify**. The text reveals that the local farmers used the material to identify their **sheep**. The word is lifted exactly and fits the word limit.
- 2-3: FALSE
2: The gap follows the preposition "on" and needs a **noun**. The phrase **first use of** bridges to the source text's **Initially**, while the question's **make marks on** matches the passage's **handy way to identify**. The text reveals that the local farmers used the material to identify their **sheep**. The word is lifted exactly and fits the word limit.
3: The gap requires an **adjective** describing a characteristic of raw graphite that makes it dirty. The question's term **dirty** paraphrases the passage's **messy**, and the idea of **raw graphite** links to **when it was untreated**. The sentence states the untreated material was very **soft**, explaining why it was messy. The word is extracted verbatim.
- 3. soft
The gap requires an **adjective** describing a characteristic of raw graphite that makes it dirty. The question's term **dirty** paraphrases the passage's **messy**, and the idea of **raw graphite** links to **when it was untreated**. The sentence states the untreated material was very **soft**, explaining why it was messy. The word is extracted verbatim.
- 3-4: E
3: The gap requires an **adjective** describing a characteristic of raw graphite that makes it dirty. The question's term **dirty** paraphrases the passage's **messy**, and the idea of **raw graphite** links to **when it was untreated**. The sentence states the untreated material was very **soft**, explaining why it was messy. The word is extracted verbatim.
4: The gap requires a **noun** indicating what graphite was wrapped in. The phrase **animal skin** clearly paraphrases **sheep hides**, and **wrapped in** links to the text's **enclosed a thin core... in**. Looking at this sentence, people used either stiff sheep hides or **rope** to make it fit for use. The word is lifted exactly.
- 4. rope
The gap requires a **noun** indicating what graphite was wrapped in. The phrase **animal skin** clearly paraphrases **sheep hides**, and **wrapped in** links to the text's **enclosed a thin core... in**. Looking at this sentence, people used either stiff sheep hides or **rope** to make it fit for use. The word is lifted exactly.
- 5. mines
The gap needs a **plural noun** identifying what the government took over. The phrase **took over** paraphrases the passage's **assumed control of all**. Scanning for the mention of the **government** in the fourth paragraph, we learn they realised the commercial potential and assumed control of all the **mines** at Borrowdale.
- 6. steal
The gap requires a **verb** describing an action taken by local people. The phrase **for the money involved** matches the idea that the graphite was **so valuable**. The text states that the locals, who called it wad, started to **steal** it. The answer is extracted verbatim and obeys the one-word limit.
- 7. TRUE
The claim is that the Italians were the **first** to use **wood** for pencils. The passage states that the Italians **originally invented** the **wooden casing** to hold the graphite. Because the concepts in the question are a direct match to the source evidence, the statement is supported and therefore TRUE.
- 8. NOT GIVEN
The claim is that Germans used **different types of wood**. The passage mentions that Germans took the Italian technique and developed it by applying **mass-production techniques**. However, the text is entirely silent on whether they used **different types of wood** or just one type. Because there is no information to confirm or deny this detail, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
- 9. FALSE
The claim states that **more clay** makes a pencil write **more darkly**. The passage explains that adding **more clay** made the mark **harder, sharper, and more precise**, whereas it was adding **more graphite** that made the mark **darker**. Because the passage explicitly contradicts the claim by assigning the darkening effect to graphite rather than clay, the answer is FALSE.
- 10. NOT GIVEN
The claim says the **HB code** became used **very quickly** by all manufacturers. The passage confirms that pencil manufacturers all over the world **still use** the HB grading system **today**. However, it says nothing about the speed of its adoption or whether it happened **very quickly**. Because this aspect cannot be verified or contradicted, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
- 11. FALSE
The claim is that English pencil factories have **all closed down**. The passage mentions the graphite at Borrowdale is exhausted, but explicitly states that **England's pencil industry continues to thrive** in Keswick. This directly contradicts the idea that all factories have closed, so the answer is FALSE.
- 12. TRUE
The claim is that **American astronauts** used **pencils** on early journeys. The passage states that it is a **myth** that Americans overlooked pencils in zero gravity, confirming in actual fact that both American and Russian astronauts were equipped with **pencils** on their **first space flights**. Because the statement is fully supported, the answer is TRUE.
- 13. FALSE
The claim predicts the use of pencils is **unlikely to continue** into the future. The passage's final sentence states there is **nothing to suggest** that we are likely to invent **anything better** than graphite for pencils. This implies pencils will remain in use, directly contradicting the claim that their use is unlikely to continue. Therefore, the answer is FALSE.