27-8 HW Reading Ielts 15
27-8 HW Reading Ielts 15
27-8 HW Reading Ielts 15
READING PASSAGE 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-15 which are based on Reading
Passage 1 below
20
Reading
eqimalent of several hundred pounds per That was 62 years after a Swedish chemist
ounce, the hrst matches were expensive. called Pasch had discovered non-toxic red
The quest for a practical match really began or amorphous phosphorus, a development
after 1781 when a group of French chemists exploited commercially by Pasch’s
came up with the Phosphoric Candle or compatriot J E Lundstrom in 1885.
Ethereal Match, a sealed glass tube Lundstrom’s safety matches were safe
containing a twist of paper tipped with because the red phosphorus was non-toxic;
phosphorus. When the tube was broken, air it was painted on to the striking surface
rushed in, causing the phosphorus to self- instead of the match tip, which contained
combust. An even more hazardous device, potassium chlorate with a relatively high
popular in America, was the Instantaneous ignition temperature of 182 degrees
Light Box — a bottle filled with sulphuric centigrade.
acid into which splints treated with chemicals America lagged behind Europe in match
were dipped. technology and safety standards. It wasn’t
The first matches resembling those used until 1900 that the Diamond Match
today were made in 1827 by John Walker, Company bought a French patent for safety
an English pharmacist who borrowed the matches — but the formula did not work
formula from a military rocket-maker called properly in the different climatic conditions
Congreve. Costing a shilling a box, prevailing in America and it was another 11
Congreves were splints coated with sulphur years before scientists finally adapted the
and tipped with potassium chlorate. To light French patent for the US.
them, the user drew them quickly through The Americans, however, can claim several
folded glass paper. “firsts” in match technology and marketing.
Walker never patented his invention, and In 1892 the Diamond Match Company
three years later it was copied by a Samuel pioneered book matches. The innovation
Jones, who marketed his product as Lucifers. didn’t catch on until after 1896, when a
About the same time, a French chemistry brewery had the novel idea of advertising
student called Charles Sauria produced the its product in match books. Today book
first “strike-anywhere” match by substituting matches are the most widely used type in
white phosphorus for the potassium chlorate the US, with 90 percent handed out free by
in the Walker formula. However, since white hotels, restaurants and others.
phosphorus is a deadly poison, from 1845 Other American innovations include an anti-
match-makers exposed to its fumes afterglow solution to prevent the match from
succumbed to necrosis, a disease that eats smouldering after it has been blown out; and
away jaw-bones. It wasn’t until 1906 that the the waterproof match, which lights after
substance was eventually banned. eight hours in water.
Practice Test 1
Questions 1-8
Complete the summary below. Choose your answers from the box at the bottom of the page
and write them in boxes 1 8 on your answer sheet.
NB There are more words than spaces so you will not use them all You may use any of the
words more than once.
Primitive societies saw fire as a ... (Example) ... gift. Answer heavenly
They tried to ... (1) ... burning logs or charcoal ... (2) ... that they could create
fire themselves. It is suspected that the first man-made flames were produced
by ... (3) ...
The very first fire-lighting methods involved the creation of ... (4) ... by, for
example, rapidly ... (5) ... a wooden stick in a round hole. The use of ... (6) ...
or persistent chipping was also widespread in Europe and among other peoples
such as the Chinese and ... (7) ... . European practice of this method continued
until the 1850s ... (8) ... the discovery of phosphorus some years earlier.
List of Words
Mexicans random rotating
despite preserve realising
sunlight lacking heavenly
percussion chance friction
unaware without make
heating Eskimos surprised
until smoke
22
Rreading
Questions 9-15
Look at the following notes that have been made about the matches described in Reading
Passage 1. Decide which type of match (A-H) corresponds with each description and write
your answers in boxes 9 15 on your answer sheet.
NB There are more matches than descriptions so you will not use them all. You may use any
match more than once.
Example Answer
could be lit after soaking in water H
NOTES
9 made using a less poisonous type of phosphorus
10 identical to a previous type of match
11 caused a deadly illness
12 first to look like modern matches
13 first matches used for advertising
14 relied on an airtight glass container
15 made with the help of an army design
Types of Matches
A the Ethereal Match
B the Instantaneous Lightbox
C Congreves
D Lucifers
E the first strike-anywhere match
F Lundstrom’s safety match
G book matches
H waterproof matches