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The Birth Of Scientific English Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test

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Updated on Jul 02, 2024, 11:57

The IELTS Reading section is designed to assess your reading skills. In this section, you'll encounter a variety of texts, ranging from descriptive and narrative to argumentative and expository, reflecting the types of texts you may encounter in an academic or professional environment. Your task is to read these passages carefully and answer questions to demonstrate your comprehension and ability to extract information efficiently.
 

Key highlights of the IELTS Reading section:
 

  • You'll be presented with three passages of increasing difficulty, each followed by a set of questions.
  • The questions may include multiple-choice, matching headings, true/false/not given, sentence completion, summary completion, and others. This variety tests your ability to understand different types of written information and respond accordingly.
  • With only 60 minutes to complete the entire Reading section, time management is crucial. You'll need to allocate your time wisely between reading, understanding the passages, and answering the questions.

 

The passage about "The Birth Of Scientific" delves into the historical evolution of scientific inquiry and discovery, tracing its origins and significant milestones. This passage explores how the scientific method emerged as a systematic approach to understanding the natural world, revolutionising human knowledge and shaping the course of history.

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1. The Birth Of Scientific Reading Passage

You should spend approximately 20 minutes answering Questions 1 - 13 based on the Reading Passage below. This approach can help manage time effectively during a reading comprehension activity or exam. 

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2. The Birth Of Scientific Reading Question & Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about The Birth Of Scientific

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1.

The Birth Of Scientific Reading Passage

General Information

  • Read Instructions: Understand each question before answering.
  • Manage Time: Spend about 20 minutes per passage.
  • Skim and Scan: Quickly get the main idea and find specific information.
  • Highlight Key Info: Underline essential words or phrases.
  • Answer All Questions: Attempt every question; no penalty for wrong answers.
  • Stay Focused: Avoid distractions and keep your attention on the task.
  • Check Spelling: Ensure correct spelling and grammar.
  • Transfer Answers Clearly: Write answers neatly on the answer sheet.
  • Don’t Dwell: Move on if stuck and return later.
  • Review: If time allows, review your answers.

 

 

 

 

The Birth Of Scientific Reading Passage


 

Paragraph A

In today's world, science is based on a few languages, including Japanese, French, and German; however, the English language is probably the widely-known global language of science. This fact is not due to the dominance of English-speaking countries like the USA in scientific research. But it's the scientists from non-English speaking countries thinking that they need to write their research in English to gain global outreach. Because of the prominence of scientific English in the present world, it may look astonishing that nobody would know how to write science in English back in the 17th century. Previously, Latin was considered the lingua franca for European intellectuals.

 

Paragraph B

The European Renaissance (c. 14th-16th century), also known as the `revival of learning, was a period of refreshing interest pertaining to the 'lost knowledge' of ancient times. Meanwhile, many research scholars also started to do research and spread their knowledge and experience. During this time, the developed countries in Europe created an atmosphere to develop competitive interest in world exploration and to intensify trade. This form of expansion policy, that is, to spread the English language to the West in the US and to the East in India, was ultimately welcomed by scientific developments like the innovation of magnetism (resulting in the invention of the compass). Similarly, developments in cartography and - in fact, the most significant revolution in the scientific world is - the new facts and theories of astronomy along the rotation of the Earth from the various stars and planets, described by Copernicus between 1473 and 1543.

 

Paragraph C

Amongst various countries, England was the first country to come forward and adopt the Copernican ideas, and published happily by their scientists. Some of the research scholars include John Wallis and John Wilkins, who were patrons of language, pioneered in the Royal Society in the year 1660 to establish an empirical approach in scientific research.

 

Paragraph D

Similar forms of academies and societies emerged in other parts of Europe, setting a path to a new national tradition of science. At the start of this scientific revolution, almost all published work in the national languages were from popular works, encyclopaedias, language translations, academic textbooks and so on. There was no sign of science in the English language till the mid-17th century. For example, Newton officially researched and published his mathematical treatise, called the Principa, in Latin. However, he later published research on the properties of light - Opticks in the English language.

 

Paragraph E

Original science continued to write in Latin for various reasons. The major reason was to reach a wider audience. Since Latin was comfortable for international audiences consisting of research scholars, many choosed Latin. Whereas, English was emerging and spread to a socially wider population, more of the local community. Thus, popular science was developed in English.

 

Paragraph F

The next best reason for preferring Latin may be to maintain secrecy. Publishing openly and giving access to all might lead to some sort of danger. That is putting the research work into the public domain, where the initial ideas of the author did not reach their full potential. Besides, above all, there was a rising concern about intellectual property rights during that time. It portrayed both the humanist intention of the individual, rational-thinking scientist who brings new inventions and discovers many things via private intellectual labour, followed by the rising attachment between original science and business exploitation. It is important to note that there was a social class distinction among scholars and gentlemen who could read, write, and understand Latin and a pool of men of trade who didn't know much Latin or lacked knowledge of classical texts. When we go back to the mid-17th century, many mathematicians had a common practice of not disclosing their discoveries and proofs outside. They did it by writing them in cypher, in some other languages, or else in secret messages kept in a sealed box with the Royal Society. On the other hand, some scientists preferred Latin for ease because of its audience. Even though it is open to international audiences, it was restricted socially.

 

Paragraph G

The third reason for not writing the original science in English and being delayed may have been to work on the lack of linguistic capacity in English in the early modern era. Unlike other languages, English was not well prepared to face the argument based on scientific research. First, it did not have the technical vocabulary required for arguments. Second, it lacked the grammatical resources to represent the world and discuss the connections, like the cause and effect, that could come between complex and hypothetical entities.

 

Paragraph H

Surprisingly, many members of the Royal Society showed a distinct interest in language and connected in various linguistic assignments. Some proposals came in the year 1664 to launch a committee for the purpose of developing the English language. The members of the Royal Society made several attempts, achieved a great deal to encourage the publication of science in English and encouraged the development of a convenient writing style. Besides that, some members also published monographs in English. Amongst them, Robert Hooke was the first one. He was the first curator of experiments from the society to explain his experiments with the help of microscopes in Micrographia (1665). His entire work was based on a narration style, an oral transcript and lectures.

 

Paragraph I

A new scientific journal called 'Philosophical Transactions' was inaugurated in 1665. It is the first officially announced International English-language scientific journal that motivated a new form of scientific writing that highlighted the aspects of specific experiments. Hence, the 17th century is regarded as a starting stage for establishing the concept of scientific English. However, in the subsequent years, this momentum had gone in vain because the German language took the lead and became the leading European language of science. Before the beginning of the 19th century, it was evident that 401 German scientific journals were published compared to 91 in France and 50 in England. Nevertheless, throughout the 19th century, scientific English again flourished with the substantial growth of the lexical part as it supplemented the Industrial Revolution's need for new technical vocabulary. It included new optimised societies filled with professionals in order to boost new disciplines and publish new research studies.

2.

The Birth Of Scientific Reading Question & Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about The Birth Of Scientific

Questions and Answers 1-7
  • Complete the notes below.
  • Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.

 

 

1. Proposals came in the year 1664 to launch a committee for the purpose of developing the 1. __________.

2. Many 2. ___________ had a common practice that they do not disclose their discoveries and proofs outside.
 

3. Some of the research scholars include 3. ___________ and 4. ___________, who were patrons of language pioneered in the Royal Society.

4. The reason for not writing the original science in English and being delayed may have been to work on the lack of 5. ___________ .

5. Besides that, some members also made publications on monographs in English. Amongst them, 6. ____________ was the first one.

6. A new scientific journal called 7. _____________ was inaugurated in 1665.


 

The Birth Of Scientific Reading Answers with Explanations (1-7)

 

Type of question: Notes completion

 

Under this task, you will be required to fill in missing information within a given text, often in the form of words, phrases, or sentences. These questions are designed to test your comprehension, attention to detail, and ability to infer meaning from context.

 

How to answer: 

 

  • Read the passage carefully to understand the context and main ideas.
  • Identify the type of information missing, such as words, phrases, or sentences.
  • Look for contextual clues or keywords surrounding the missing information.
  • Use logical reasoning and inference to fill in the missing parts.
  • Ensure that the completed notes are concise and grammatically correct.
  • Verify and finalise your answers. 

 

 

1. English language

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph H: "Some proposals came in the year 1664 to launch a committee for the purpose of developing the English language."
 

Explanation

The proposal to form a committee for developing the English language in 1664 indicates a concerted effort towards standardising English for scientific discourse, as mentioned in the line.


 

2. Mathematicians

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph F:  "When we go back to the mid-17th century, many mathematicians had a common practice of not disclosing their discoveries and proofs outside."

 

Explanation

Mathematicians of the mid-17th century commonly withheld their discoveries, suggesting a culture of secrecy prevalent among scholars during that time, as highlighted by the above statement.

 

 

3. John Wallis

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph C: "Some of the research scholars include John Wallis and John Wilkins, who were patrons of language, pioneered in the Royal Society."
 

Explanation

John Wallis, along with John Wilkins, played a significant role in promoting language and scientific advancement within the Royal Society, reflecting their pivotal position in fostering scientific discourse, as stated in the above line.


 

4. John Wilkins

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph C: "Some of the research scholars include John Wallis and John Wilkins, who were patrons of language, pioneered in the Royal Society."

 

Explanation

John Wilkins, alongside John Wallis, contributed significantly to the Royal Society's efforts in language development and scientific innovation, underscoring their influential role in advancing scientific communication, as mentioned in the line.


 

5. Linguistic capacity

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph G: "Reason for not writing the original science in English and being delayed may have been to work on the lack of linguistic capacity."

 

Explanation

The delay in adopting English for scientific discourse can be attributed to its lack of linguistic capacity, including technical vocabulary and grammatical resources, hindering its suitability for scholarly arguments, as highlighted in the paragraph discussing the deficiencies of English in handling scientific discourse.


 

6. Robert Hooke

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph H: "Besides that, some members also made publications on monographs in English. Amongst them, Robert Hooke was the first one."
 

Explanation

Robert Hooke's pioneering publication of monographs in English, notably "Micrographia," signifies a pivotal moment in promoting scientific writing in English, as his work set a precedent for future scientific communication, as mentioned in line.

 

7. Philosophical Transactions

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph I: "A new scientific journal called 'Philosophical Transactions' was inaugurated in 1665."
 

Explanation

The establishment of "Philosophical Transactions" in 1665 marked a significant milestone in the development of scientific writing in English, as it provided a platform for disseminating scientific knowledge and experiments, as mentioned in the line.

Questions and Answers 8-13
  • This reading passage has nine paragraphs, A - I.
  • Write the correct letter, A - I, as your answer to each question.
Note: You may use any letter more than once.

 

 

8. The Latin is used for maintaining secrecy.

9. The first International English-language scientific journal motivated a new form of scientific writing.

10. Developed nations in Europe created an atmosphere for competitive interest and trade.

11. England first came and adopted the Copernican ideas.

12. Latin was used to reach a wide audience.

13. During the 17th century, nobody knew how to write science in English.

 

 

The Birth Of Scientific Reading Answers with Explanations (8-13)

 

Type of question: Matching Headings

 

In this question type, you will be asked to choose the correct heading for each paragraph from a list of headings provided. This type of question assesses your ability to understand the main idea or theme of each paragraph.

 

How to best answer: 

 

  • Familiarise yourself with the list of headings before reading the paragraphs. This helps you know what to look for.
  • Identify the main idea or theme of each paragraph by looking for topic sentences or recurring themes.
  • Find keywords or phrases that are similar to those in the headings. This can help you make connections.
  • Eliminate incorrect options that don't match any paragraphs to narrow down your choices.
  • Skim and Scan each paragraph efficiently to get a context about the content.


 

8. Paragraph F

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph F: "- The next best reason for preferring Latin may be to maintain secrecy."
 

Explanation

This line explicitly states that Latin was chosen to keep scientific research confidential, preventing ideas from being prematurely exposed to the public and potential competitors.


 

9. Paragraph I

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph I: "It is the first officially announced International English-language scientific journal that motivated a new form of scientific writing that highlighted the aspects of specific experiments."
 

Explanation

This line indicates that the launch of the first English-language scientific journal introduced and promoted a novel approach to documenting and sharing experimental research in the scientific community.


 

10. Paragraph B

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph B: "During this time, the developed countries in Europe created an atmosphere to develop competitive interest in world exploration and to intensify trade."
 

Explanation

This line describes the proactive efforts of European nations during the Renaissance to foster an environment conducive to exploration and trade, driven by a desire for competitive advantage and economic expansion.


 

11. Paragraph C

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph C: "Amongst various countries, England was the first country to come forward and adopt the Copernican ideas, and published happily by their scientists."
 

Explanation

This line highlights England's pioneering role in embracing and disseminating Copernican ideas, illustrating their early acceptance and promotion of these revolutionary astronomical theories.

 

12. Paragraph E

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph E: "Original science continued to write in Latin for various reasons. The major reason was to reach a wider audience."
 

Explanation

This line explains that Latin was used in scientific writing primarily to communicate with a broad international audience of scholars, ensuring that research could be widely understood and disseminated.


 

13. Paragraph A

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph K: "The flexibility to respond to this will be essential for those involved in manufacturing the vehicles that will implement future mobility."
 

Explanation

This line explicitly states that during the 17th century, the concept of writing scientific works in English was virtually unheard of, highlighting the dominance of Latin and other languages in scientific discourse at the time.

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FAQs

Q. What is the minimum preparation time required for the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. The minimum preparation time for the IELTS reading test is four weeks. This duration allows for enhancing reading skills, vocabulary development, sample test practice, and improvement of skimming and scanning abilities. However, the required preparation time depends on individual proficiency and familiarity with the test format.

Q. How can I answer multiple choice questions for the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. To answer multiple-choice questions in the IELTS reading test effectively, carefully read instructions and questions, swiftly skim the text to locate relevant sections, eliminate incorrect choices, and make educated guesses when uncertain. Practice enhances skills, leading to better performance on the test.

Q. How can I improve my comprehension skills for the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. Improving comprehension skills for the IELTS reading test involves regular reading, practising skimming and scanning, focusing on vocabulary, utilising context clues, and taking practice tests. Following these strategies enhances understanding and performance on the test.