READING
READING PASSAGE 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13 which are based on Reading
Passage 1 below.
Tea and the Industrial Revolution
A Cambridge professor says that a change in drinking habits was the reason for the
Industrial Revolution in Britain. Anjana Abuja reports.
A
Alan Macfarlane, professor of anthropological science at King’s College, Cambridge has, like
other historians, spent decades wrestling with the enigma of the Industrial Revolution. Why
did this particular Big Bang – the world-changing birth of industry-happen in Britain? And
why did it strike at the end of the 18th century?
B
Macfarlane compares the puzzle to a combination lock. ‘There are about 20 different factors
and all of them need to be present before the revolution can happen,’ he says. For industry
to take off, there needs to be the technology and power to drive factories, large urban
populations to provide cheap labour, easy transport to move goods around, an affluent
middle-class willing to buy mass-produced objects, a market-driven economy and a political
system that allows this to happen. While this was the case for England, other nations, such
as Japan, the Netherlands and France also met some of these criteria but were not
industrialising. All these factors must have been necessary. But not sufficient to cause the
revolution, says Macfarlane. ‘After all, Holland had everything except coal while China also
had many of these factors. Most historians are convinced there are one or two missing
factors that you need to open the lock.’
C
The missing factors, he proposes, are to be found in almost even kitchen cupboard. Tea and
beer, two of the nation’s favourite drinks, fuelled the revolution. The antiseptic properties
of tannin, the active ingredient in tea, and of hops in beer – plus the fact that both are
made with boiled water – allowed urban communities to flourish at close quarters without
succumbing to water-borne diseases such as dysentery. The theory sounds eccentric but
once he starts to explain the detective work that went into his deduction, the scepticism
gives way to wary admiration. Macfarlanes case has been strengthened by support from
notable quarters – Roy Porter, the distinguished medical historian, recently wrote a
favourable appraisal of his research.
D
Macfarlane had wondered for a long time how the Industrial Revolution came about.
Historians had alighted on one interesting factor around the mid-18th century that required
explanation. Between about 1650 and 1740, the population in Britain was static. But then
there was a burst in population growth. Macfarlane says: ‘The infant mortality rate halved
in the space of 20 years, and this happened in both rural areas and cities, and across all
Page | 1
classes. People suggested four possible causes. Was there a sudden change in the viruses
and bacteria around? Unlikely. Was there a revolution in medical science? But this was a
century before Lister’s revolution*. Was there a change in environmental conditions? There
were improvements in agriculture that wiped out malaria, but these were small gains.
Sanitation did not become widespread until the 19th century. The only option left is food.
But the height and weight statistics show a decline. So the food must have got worse. Efforts
to explain this sudden reduction in child deaths appeared to draw a blank.’
E
This population burst seemed to happen at just the right time to provide labour for the
Industrial Revolution. ‘When you start moving towards an industrial revolution, it is
economically efficient to have people living close together,’ says Macfarlane. ‘But then you
get disease, particularly from human waste.’ Some digging around in historical records
revealed that there was a change in the incidence of water-borne disease at that time,
especially dysentery. Macfarlane deduced that whatever the British were drinking must have
been important in regulating disease. He says, ‘We drank beer. For a long time, the English
were protected by the strong antibacterial agent in hops, which were added to help preserve
the beer. But in the late 17th century a tax was introduced on malt, the basic ingredient of
beer. The poor turned to water and gin and in the 1720s the mortality rate began to rise
again. Then it suddenly dropped again. What caused this?’
F
Macfarlane looked to Japan, which was also developing large cities about the same time,
and also had no sanitation. Water-borne diseases had a much looser grip on the Japanese
population than those in Britain. Could it be the prevalence of tea in their culture?
Macfarlane then noted that the history of tea in Britain provided an extraordinary
coincidence of dates. Tea was relatively expensive until Britain started a direct clipper trade
with China in the early 18th century. By the 1740s, about the time that infant mortality was
dipping, the drink was common. Macfarlane guessed that the fact that water had to be
boiled, together with the stomach-purifying properties of tea meant that the breast milk
provided by mothers was healthier than it had ever been. No other European nation sipped
tea like the British, which, by Macfarlanes logic, pushed these other countries out of
contention for the revolution.
G
But, if tea is a factor in the combination lock, why didn’t Japan forge ahead in a tea-soaked
industrial revolution of its own? Macfarlane notes that even though 17th-century Japan had
large cities, high literacy rates, even a futures market, it had turned its back on the essence
of any work-based revolution by giving up labour-saving devices such as animals, afraid
that they would put people out of work. So, the nation that we now think of as one of the
most technologically advanced entered the 19th century having ‘abandoned the wheel’.
——–
* Joseph Lister was the first doctor to use antiseptic techniques during surgical operations
to prevent infections.
Page | 2
Questions 1-7
Reading Passage 1 has seven paragraphs, A-G.
Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number, i-ix, in boxes 1-7 on your answer sheet.
List of Headings
i The search for the reasons for an increase in population
ii Industrialisation and the fear of unemployment
iii The development of cities in Japan 4 The time and place of the Industrial Revolution
iv The time and place of the Industrial Revolution
v The cases of Holland, France and China
vi Changes in drinking habits in Britain
vii Two keys to Britain’s industrial revolution
viii Conditions required for industrialisation
ix Comparisons with Japan lead to the answer
1 Paragraph A
2 Paragraph B
3 Paragraph C
4 Paragraph D
5 Paragraph E
6 Paragraph F
7 Paragraph G
Questions 8-13
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?
In boxes 8-13 on your answer sheet, write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
8 China’s transport system was not suitable for industry in the 18th century.
9 Tea and beer both helped to prevent dysentery in Britain.
10 Roy Porter disagrees with Professor Macfarlane’s findings.
11 After 1740，there was a reduction in population in Britain.
12 People in Britain used to make beer at home.
13 The tax on malt indirectly caused a rise in the death rate.
Page | 3
READING PASSAGE 2
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26 which are based on Reading
Passage 2 below.
Gifted children and learning
A
Internationally, ‘giftedness’ is most frequently determined by a score on a general
intelligence test, known as an IQ test, which is above a chosen cutoff point, usually at
around the top 2-5%. Children’s educational environment contributes to the IQ score and
the way intelligence is used. For example, a very close positive relationship was found when
children’s IQ scores were compared with their home educational provision (Freeman, 2010).
The higher the children’s IQ scores, especially over IQ 130, the better the quality of their
educational backup, measured in terms of reported verbal interactions with parents, number
of books and activities in their home etc. Because IQ tests are decidedly influenced by what
the child has learned, they are to some extent measures of current achievement based on
age-norms; that is, how well the children have learned to manipulate their knowledge and
know-how within the terms of the test. The vocabulary aspect, for example, is dependent
on having heard those words. But IQ tests can neither identify the processes of learning
and thinking nor predict creativity.
B
Excellence does not emerge without appropriate help. To reach an exceptionally high
standard in any area very able children need the means to learn, which includes material
to work with and focused challenging tuition -and the encouragement to follow their dream.
There appears to be a qualitative difference in the way the intellectually highly able think,
compared with more average-ability or older pupils, for whom external regulation by the
teacher often compensates for lack of internal regulation. To be at their most effective in
their self-regulation, all children can be helped to identify their own ways of learning –
metacognition – which will include strategies of planning, monitoring, evaluation, and choice
of what to learn. Emotional awareness is also part of metacognition, so children should be
helped to be aware of their feelings around the area to be learned, feelings of curiosity or
confidence, for example.
C
High achievers have been found to use self-regulatory learning strategies more often and
more effectively than lower achievers, and are better able to transfer these strategies to
deal with unfamiliar tasks. This happens to such a high degree in some children that they
appear to be demonstrating talent in particular areas. Overviewing research on the thinking
process of highly able children, (Shore and Kanevsky, 1993) put the instructor’s problem
succinctly: ‘If they [the gifted] merely think more quickly, then .we need only teach more
quickly. If they merely make fewer errors, then we can shorten the practice’. But of course,
this is not entirely the case; adjustments have to be made in methods of learning and
teaching, to take account of the many ways individuals think.
Page | 4
D
Yet in order to learn by themselves, the gifted do need some support from their teachers.
Conversely, teachers who have a tendency to ‘overdirect’ can diminish their gifted pupils’
learning autonomy. Although ‘spoon-feeding’ can produce extremely high examination
results, these are not always followed by equally impressive life successes. Too much
dependence on the teachers risks loss of autonomy and motivation to discover. However,
when teachers o pupils to reflect on their own learning and thinking activities, they increase
their pupils’ self-regulation. For a young child, it may be just the simple question ‘What
have you learned today?’ which helps them to recognise what they are doing. Given that a
fundamental goal of education is to transfer the control of learning from teachers to pupils,
improving pupils’ learning to learn techniques should be a major outcome of the school
experience, especially for the highly competent. There are quite a number of new methods
which can help, such as child- initiated learning, ability-peer tutoring, etc. Such practices
have been found to be particularly useful for bright children from deprived areas.
E
But scientific progress is not all theoretical, knowledge is a so vital to outstanding
performance: individuals who know a great deal about a specific domain will achieve at a
higher level than those who do not (Elshout, 1995). Research with creative scientists by
Simonton (1988) brought him to the conclusion that above a certain high level,
characteristics such as independence seemed to contribute more to reaching the highest
levels of expertise than intellectual skills, due to the great demands of effort and time
needed for learning and practice. Creativity in all forms can be seen as expertise se mixed
with a high level of motivation (Weisberg, 1993).
F
To sum up, learning is affected by emotions of both the individual and significant others.
Positive emotions facilitate the creative aspects of earning and negative emotions inhibit it.
Fear, for example, can limit the development of curiosity, which is a strong force in scientific
advance, because it motivates problem-solving behaviour. In Boekaerts’ (1991) review of
emotion the learning of very high IQ and highly achieving children, she found emotional
forces in harness. They were not only curious, but often had a strong desire to control their
environment, improve their learning efficiency and increase their own learning resources.
Page | 5
Questions 14-17
Reading Passage 2 has six paragraphs, A-F.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A-F, in boxes 14-17 on your answer sheet
NB You may use any letter more than once.
14 a reference to the influence of the domestic background on the gifted child.
15 reference to what can be lost if learners are given too much guidance.
16 a reference to the damaging effects of anxiety.
17 examples of classroom techniques which favour socially-disadvantaged children.
Questions 18-22
Look at the following statements (Questions 18-22) and the list of people below.
Match each statement with the correct person or people, A-E.
Write the correct letter, A-E, in boxes 18-22 on your answer sheet.
18 Less time can be spent on exercises with gifted pupils who produce accurate work.
19 Self-reliance is a valuable tool that helps gifted students reach their goals.
20 Gifted children know how to channel their feelings to assist their learning.
21 The very gifted child benefits from appropriate support from close relatives.
22 Really successful students have learnt a considerable amount about their subject.
List of People
A Freeman
B Shore and Kanevsky
C Elshout
D Simonton
E Boekaerts
Questions 23-26
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 23-26 on your answer sheet.
23 One study found a strong connection between children’s IQ and the availability of
……………… and ………………. at home.
24 Children of average ability seem to need more direction from teachers because they
do not have ……………… .
Page | 6
25 Meta-cognition involves children understanding their own learning strategies, as well
as developing ………………. .
26 Teachers who rely on what is known as ……………… often produce sets of impressive
grades in class tests.
Page | 7
READING PASSAGE 3
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27-40 which are based on Reading
Passage 3 below.
Reducing the Effects of Climate Change
Mark Rowe reports on the increasingly ambitious geo-engineering projects being explored
by scientists
A
Such is our dependence on fossil fuels, and such is the volume of carbon dioxide already
released into the atmosphere, that many experts agree that significant global warming is
now inevitable. They believe that the best we can do is keep it at a reasonable level, and at
present the only serious option for doing this is cutting back on our carbon emissions. But
while a few countries are making major strides in this regard, the majority are having great
difficulty even stemming the rate of increase, let alone reversing it. Consequently, an
increasing number of scientists are beginning to explore the alternative of geo-engineering
— a term which generally refers to the intentional large-scale manipulation of the
environment. According to its proponents, geo-engineering is the equivalent of a backup
generator: if Plan A – reducing our dependency on fossil fuels – fails, we require a Plan B,
employing grand schemes to slow down or reverse the process of global warming.
B
Geo-engineering; has been shown to work, at least on a small localised scale. For decades,
MayDay parades in Moscow have taken place under clear blue skies, aircraft having
deposited dry ice, silver iodide and cement powder to disperse clouds. Many of the schemes
now suggested look to do the opposite, and reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the
planet. The most eye-catching idea of all is suggested by Professor Roger Angel of the
University of Arizona. His scheme would employ up to 16 trillion minute spacecraft, each
weighing about one gram, to form a transparent, sunlight-refracting sunshade in an orbit
1.5 million km above the Earth. This could, argues Angel, reduce the amount of light
reaching the Earth by two per cent.
C
The majority of geo-engineering projects so far carried out — which include planting forests
in deserts and depositing iron in the ocean to stimulate the growth of algae – have focused
on achieving a general cooling of the Earth. But some look specifically at reversing the
melting at the poles, particularly the Arctic. The reasoning is that if you replenish the ice
sheets and frozen waters of the high latitudes, more light will be reflected back into space,
so reducing the warming of the oceans and atmosphere.
D
The concept of releasing aerosol sprays into the stratosphere above the Arctic has been
proposed by several scientists. This would involve using sulphur or hydrogen sulphide
aerosols so that sulphur dioxide would form clouds, which would, in turn, lead to a global
dimming. The idea is modelled on historic volcanic explosions, such as that of Mount
Pinatubo in the Philippines in 1991, which led to a short-term cooling of global temperatures
by 0.5 °C. Scientists have also scrutinised whether it’s possible to preserve the ice sheets
Page | 8
of Greenland with reinforced high-tension cables, preventing icebergs from moving into the
sea. Meanwhile in the Russian Arctic, geo-engineering plans include the planting of millions
of birch trees. Whereas the -regions native evergreen pines shade the snow an absorb
radiation, birches would shed their leaves in winter, thus enabling radiation to be reflected
by the snow. Re-routing Russian rivers to increase cold water flow to ice-forming areas
could also be used to slow down warming, say some climate scientists.
E
But will such schemes ever be implemented? Generally speaking, those who are most
cautious about geo-engineering are the scientists involved in the research. Angel says that
his plan is ‘no substitute for developing renewable energy: the only permanent solution’.
And Dr Phil Rasch of the US-based Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is equally guarded
about the role of geo-engineering: ‘I think all of us agree that if we were to end geo-
engineering on a given day, then the planet would return to its pre-engineered condition
very rapidly, and probably within ten to twenty years. That’s certainly something to worry
about.’
F
The US National Center for Atmospheric Research has already suggested that the proposal
to inject sulphur into the atmosphere might affect rainfall patterns across the tropics and
the Southern Ocean. ‘Geo-engineering plans to inject stratospheric aerosols or to seed
clouds would act to cool the planet, and act to increase the extent of sea ice,’ says Rasch.
‘But all the models suggest some impact on the distribution of precipitation.’
G
‘A further risk with geo-engineering projects is that you can “overshoot”,’ says Dr Dan Hunt,
from the University of Bristol’s School of Geophysical Sciences, who has studied the likely
impacts of the sunshade and aerosol schemes on the climate. ‘You may bring global
temperatures back to pre-industrial levels, but the risk is that the poles will still be warmer
than they should be and the tropics will be cooler than before industrialisation.’ To avoid
such a scenario,” Hunt says, “Angel’s project would have to operate at half strength; all of
which reinforces his view that the best option is to avoid the need for geo-engineering
altogether.”
H
The main reason why geo-engineering is supported by many in the scientific community is
that most researchers have little faith in the ability of politicians to agree – and then bring
in — the necessary carbon cuts. Even leading conservation organisations see the value of
investigating the potential of geo-engineering. According to Dr Martin Sommerkorn, climate
change advisor for the World Wildlife Fund’s International Arctic Programme, ‘Human-
induced climate change has brought humanity to a position where we shouldn’t exclude
thinking thoroughly about this topic and its possibilities.’
Page | 9
Questions 27-29
Reading Passage 3 has eight paragraphs A-H
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A-H, in boxes 27-29 on your answer sheet.
27 mention of a geo-engineering project based on an earlier natural phenomenon
28 an example of a successful use of geo-engineering
29 a common definition of geo-engineering
Questions 30-36
Complete the table below.
Choose ONE WORD from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 30-36 on your answer sheet.
GEO-ENGINEERING PROJECTS
Procedure Aim
put a large number of tiny spacecraft into to create a 30………….. that would reduce the
orbit far above Earth amount of light reaching Earth
place 31…………… in the sea to encourage 32…………… to form
to create 33……………. that would reduce the
release aerosol sprays into the stratosphere
amount of light reaching Earth
fix strong 34…………… to Greenland ice sheets to prevent icebergs moving into the sea
plant trees in Russian Arctic that would lose
to allow the 35…………… to reflect radiation
their leaves in winter
to bring more cold water into ice-forming
change the direction of 36……………
areas
Page | 10
Questions 37-40
Look at the following statements (Questions 37-40) and the list of scientists below.
Match each statement with the correct scientist, A-D.
Write the correct letter, A-D, in boxes 37-40 on your answer sheet.
List of Scientists
A Roger Angel
B Phil Rasch
C Dan Lunt
D Martin Sommerkorn
37 The effects of geo-engineering may not be long-lasting.
38 Geo-engineering is a topic worth exploring.
39 It may be necessary to limit the effectiveness of geo-engineering projects.
40 Research into non-fossil-based fuels cannot be replaced by geo-engineering.
Page | 11
