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The Rocket From East To West Reading Answers: IELTS Reading Practice Test

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Updated on Jul 02, 2024, 11:57

The IELTS Reading section is a crucial component of the IELTS test, designed to evaluate your ability to comprehend and interpret texts in English. This section consists of three passages, each increasing in difficulty, and a total of 40 questions that assess a variety of reading skills, including understanding the main ideas, recognising the writer’s opinions, and identifying specific information. You will have 60 minutes to complete this section, making effective time management essential.
 

The passage "The Rocket From East To West" explores the historical development and significance of rocket technology, tracing its origins from ancient China to its transformative impact on the Western world. This passage delves into the technological advancements and cultural exchanges that have shaped modern rocketry.

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1. The Rocket From East To West Reading Passage

You should spend approximately 20 minutes answering Questions 1 - 14 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 Rocket From East To West Reading Question & Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about The Rocket From East To West

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1.

The Rocket From East To West 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 Rocket From East To West Reading Passage


 

 

Paragraph A

The basic principle of the rocket, or preferably the apparatus behind the notion of moving an object into the air, has been around for well over 2 millennium years. Nevertheless, it wasn't till the finding of the reaction principle, which was the opener for space travel and so represented one of the immense milestones in the history of scientific concepts, that rocket technology was able to expand. Not only did it conclude an issue that had interested man for ages, but, more essentially, it opened the door to the study of the universe.

 

Paragraph B

An intellectual advancement, luminous though it may be, does not spontaneously make sure that the change is made from theory to practice. Notwithstanding the fact that rockets had been used occasionally for a few hundred folds, they dwelled as a comparatively minor artefact of civilisation till the 20th century. Colossal attempts, accelerated throughout two world wars, were needed before the technology of ancient rocket engineers could be translated into the actuality of worldly cosmonauts. It is unfamiliar that the rocket was normally disregarded by writers of novels to transport their heroes to puzzling kingdoms beyond the Earth, yet it has been often used in fireworks displays in China since the 13th century. The reaction principle is the notion of travelling through space to the nearest world.

 

Paragraph C

Through an analogy, we can realise how a rocket works. It is much like a machine gun ascending on the back of the boat. In response to the reverse discharge of bullets, the gun, and hence the boat, move ahead. A rocket motor's 'bullets' are tiny, high-speed specks manufactured by flaming propellants in an acceptable room. The response to the emission of these tiny specks causes the rocket to move ahead. There is proof that the reaction truth was appealed almost well before the rocket was innovated. In his Noctes Atticae or Greek Nights, Aulus Gellius explained ‘the squab of Archyats’, an innovation dating back to about 360 BC. Cylindrical in shape, made of wood, and hanging from twine, it was passed to and away by water vapour blowing out from the tiny exhaust boatyard at either conclusion. The reaction to the discharging stem provided the bird with the power of motive.

 

Paragraph D

The innovation of rockets is connected indistinguishably with the innovation of ‘black powder’. Most chroniclers of automation credit the Chinese with its discovery. They founded their faith on studies of Chinese writings or on the notepad of early Europeans who sought out or made wide visits to China to study its chronicle and advancement. It is likely that sometime in the 10th century, black powder was first aggravated from its origin components of nitre, carbon and brimstone. But this does not mean that it was instantly used to move rockets. By the 13th century, powder-moved fire shafts had become rather normal. The Chinese depend on this type of automation growth to manufacture combustible missiles of many kinds of device ammunition and perhaps cannons to repulse their opponent. One such shield was the ‘basket of fire’ or, as straightly translated from Chinese, the ‘arrows like flying leopards’. The 0.7 metre-long shaft, each with a lengthy tube of black power fixed near the point of each shaft, could be fired from a lengthy octadic-shaped basket at the same time and had a span of 400 paces. One more shield was the ‘arrow as a flying sabre’, which could be fired from ammunition. The rocket, spotted in a similar location to other rocket-moved shafts, was planned to increase the span. A tiny iron weight was connected to the 1.5m bamboo arrow, just beneath the feathers, to improve the shaft’s firmness by propelling the middle of gravity to a position beneath the rocket. At the same time, the Arabs had expanded the ‘egg which moves and burns’. This ‘egg’ was seemingly full of black powder and balanced by a 1.5m tail. It was fired using two rockets fixed to either side of the back end.

 

Paragraph E

It was not till the 18th century that Europe became solemnly attentive to the chance of utilising the rocket itself as a shield of war and not just to move other shields. Earlier to this, rockets were used only in fireworks displays. The inducement for the more hostile use of rockets came not from inside the European continent but from distant India, whose heads had built up a corps of astronauts and used rockets profitably opposed to the British in the late 18th century. The Indian rockets used against the British were narrated by a British commander serving in India as ‘an iron wrapper about 200 millimetres long and 40 millimetres in width with a sharp tip at the top and a 3m-lengthy bamboo leading stick’. In the early 19th century, the British started to test with combustible bombardment rockets. The British rocket varied from the Indian version in that it was totally framed in a stout, iron cylinder, ending in a conical head, measuring one metre in width and having a twig almost five metres lengthy and built in such a way that it could be firmly fond of to the body of the rocket. The Americans improved a rocket, entirely with its own bombarder, to use as opposed to the Mexicans in the mid-19th century. A lengthy cylindrical tube was buttressed up by two twigs and locked to the top of the launcher, thereby permitting the rockets to be inserted and set alight from the other end. However, the solutions were occasionally not impressive as the conduct of the rockets in aviation was less than foreseeable.

 

Paragraph F

Later, there has been enormous enlargement in rocket technology, frequently with destructive outcomes in the form of war. However, the present-day space programs owe their achievement to the respectful origination of those in the preceding centennial who expanded the base of the reaction basis. Who knows what it will be like in the upcoming days?

2.

The Rocket From East To West Reading Question & Answers

Discover exciting and informative IELTS reading answers about The Rocket From East To West

Questions and Answers 1-4
  • Reading Passage has six paragraphs: A-F
  • Choose the most suitable headings for paragraphs A-E from the list of headings below.
  • Write the appropriate numbers I-IX in boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet.

 

 

List of Headings


 

I. How the reaction principle works

II. The impact of the reaction principle

III. Writers’ theories of the reaction principle

IV. Undeveloped for centuries

V. The first rockets

VI. The first use of steam

VII. Rockets for military use

VIII. Developments of fire

IX. What’s next?


 

  1. Paragraph A
  2. Paragraph B
  3. Paragraph C
  4. Paragraph D
  5. Paragraph E


 

The Rocket From East To West Reading Answers with Explanations (1-4)

 

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.

 

 

1. IV

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph B: "An intellectual advancement, luminous though it may be, does not spontaneously make sure that the change is made from theory to practice."
 

Explanation

Despite intellectual advancements, the practical application of rocket technology remained stagnant for centuries, as discussed in this paragraph.


 

2. I

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph C: "An effortless resemblance can help us to realise how a rocket works."

 

Explanation

This paragraph elucidates the operation of rockets through an analogy, shedding light on the underlying principle, which is the focus of heading I.


 

3. V

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph D:  "Most chroniclers of automation credit the Chinese with its finding."

 

Explanation

The passage discusses the origins and early history of rockets, attributing their development to the Chinese, aligning with heading V.


 

4. VII

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph E: "It was not till the 18th century that Europe became solemnly attentive to the chance of utilising the rocket itself as a shield of war."

 

Explanation

Paragraph E illustrates the shift towards the military application of rockets, marking a significant progression in their usage, aligning with heading VII.

Questions and Answers 5-6
  • Choose the appropriate letters A-D and write them in boxes 5-6 on your answer sheet.

 

 

5. The greatest outcome of the discovery of the reaction principle was that
 

  1. rockets could be propelled into the air.
  2. space travel became a reality.
  3. a major problem had been solved.
  4. bigger rockets were able to be built.
     

6. According to the text, the greatest progress in rocket technology was made
 

  1. from the tenth to the thirteenth centuries.
  2. from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries.
  3. from the early nineteenth to the late nineteenth century.
  4. from the late nineteenth century to the present day.


 

The Rocket From East To West Reading Answers with Explanations (5-6)

 

Type of question: Multiple choice questions

 

In this question type, you are asked to answer the question followed by several options, typically lettered A, B, C, or D. The task is to select the correct answer from the given choices based on the information provided in the reading passage.

 

How to best answer: 
 

  • Read the question carefully and understand what it asks.
  • Pay attention to the keywords in the question.
  • Skim the passage quickly to locate relevant information.
  • Eliminate the clearly incorrect options.
  • Select the answer that best fits the information in the passage.


 

5. B

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph A: "Nevertheless, it wasn't till the finding of the reaction principle, which was the opener for space travel and so represented one of the immense milestones in the history of scientific concepts, that rocket technology was able to expand."
 

Explanation

The discovery of the reaction principle enabled space travel, marking a significant milestone in rocket technology and making the exploration of the universe possible.

 

 

6. D

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph F: “Later, there has been enormous enlargement in rocket technology, frequently with destructive outcomes in the form of war.”

 

Explanation

From the late nineteenth century to the present day, rocket technology has seen significant advancements, leading to the greatest progress in this period, which includes the development of modern space programs.

Questions and Answers 7-10
  • From the information in the text, indicate who FIRST in-vented or used the items in the list below.
  • Write the appropriate letters A-E in boxes 7-10 on your answer sheet.
  • You may use any letter more than once.

 

 

FIRST invented or used by


 

  1. the Chinese
  2. the Indians
  3. the British
  4. the Arabs
  5. the Americans


 

7. Black powder
 

8. Rocket-propelled arrows for fighting

 

9.  Rockets  as war weapons
 

10. The rocket launcher

 

 

The Rocket From East To West Reading Answers with Explanations (7-10)

 

Type of question: Matching information

 

In this question type, you will be asked to match specific pieces of information, often dates, names, or events, from the reading passage with corresponding options provided in the question.

 

How to best answer: 
 

  • Read each statement carefully to understand the specific information being asked for.
  • Scan the passage for relevant dates or events in the reading passage that corresponds to each statement.
  • Eliminate incorrect options that do not match the information found in the passage.
  • Match the remaining options based on the information provided in the passage.
  • Verify your answers to ensure they match the information in the passage before finalising them.


 

7. A

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph D: "The innovation of rockets is connected indistinguishably with the innovation of ‘black powder’. Most chroniclers of automation credit the Chinese with its discovery."
 

Explanation

The Chinese are credited with inventing black powder, as it's mentioned that the innovation of rockets is closely linked to the innovation of black powder in the paragraph.


 

8. A

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph D: "The rocket, spotted in a similar location to other rocket-moved shafts, was planned to increase the span."
 

Explanation

Rocket-propelled arrows for fighting were first invented by the Chinese, as indicated by the mention of rocket-moved shafts in the paragraph, referring to similar technology.


 

9. B

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph E: "The inducement for the more hostile use of rockets came not from inside the European continent but from distant India, whose heads had built up a corps of astronauts and used rockets profitably opposed to the British in the late 18th century."

 

Explanation

Indians were the first to use rockets as war weapons against the British, as highlighted in the paragraph discussing India's utilisation of rockets in warfare during the late 18th century.


 

10. E

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph E: “The Americans improved a rocket, entirely with its own bombarder, to use as opposed to the Mexicans in the mid-19th century.”
 

Explanation

The Americans invented the rocket launcher, as specified in the paragraph referring to their improvement of a rocket with its own launcher, demonstrating their innovation in rocket technology.

Questions and Answers 11-14
  • Look at the drawings of different projectiles below, A-H, and the names of types of projectiles given in the passage.
  • Match each name with one drawing.
  • Write the appropriate letters A-H in boxes 11-14 on your answer sheet.

 

 

11. The Chinese ‘basket of fire’
 

12. The Arab ‘egg which moves and burns’
 

13. The Indian rocket
 

14. The British barrage rocket

 

 

 

 

The Rocket From East To West Reading Answers with Explanations (11-14)

 

Type of question: Matching information

 

In this question type, you will be asked to match specific pieces of information, often dates, names, or events, from the reading passage with corresponding options provided in the question.

 

How to best answer: 
 

  • Read each statement carefully to understand the specific information being asked for.
  • Scan the passage for relevant dates or events in the reading passage that corresponds to each statement.
  • Eliminate incorrect options that do not match the information found in the passage.
  • Match the remaining options based on the information provided in the passage.
  • Verify your answers to ensure they match the information in the passage before finalising them.


 

11. B

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph D: "The 0.7 metre-long shaft, each with a lengthy tube of black power fixed near the point of each shaft, could be fired from a lengthy octadic-shaped basket at the same time and had a span of 400 paces."
 

Explanation

The Chinese 'basket of fire' is described as projectiles fired from an octadic-shaped basket, showcasing early rocket technology.


 

12. E

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph D: "At the same time, the Arabs had expanded the ‘egg which moves and burns’. This ‘egg’ was seemingly full of black powder and balanced by a 1.5m tail. It was fired using two rockets fixed to either side of the back end.."
 

Explanation

The Arab 'egg which moves and burns' refers to rockets filled with black powder and balanced by a tail, illustrating another historical example of rocket design.


 

13. F

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph E: "The Indian rockets used against the British were narrated by a British commander serving in India as ‘an iron wrapper about 200 millimetres long and 40 millimetres in width with a sharp tip at the top and a 3m-lengthy bamboo leading stick’."
 

Explanation

The Indian rocket, characterised by an iron wrapper and a bamboo leading stick, highlights India's early use of rockets in warfare against the British.


 

14. G

 

Reference:

 

From paragraph E: "The British rocket varied from the Indian version in that it was totally framed in a stout, iron cylinder, ending in a conical head, measuring one metre in width and having a twig almost five metres lengthy and built in such a way that it could be firmly fond of to the body of the rocket."
 

Explanation

The British barrage rocket, distinct with its iron cylinder and conical head, demonstrates advancements in rocket design during the 19th century.

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FAQs

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

Ans. To do well in the multiple-choice questions in the IELTS reading test, carefully read the instructions and questions. Quickly skim the text to find the relevant parts. Cross out the wrong options. Make your best guess if you're not sure. With practice, you can improve and get a good score on the test.

Q. What is the IELTS Reading test format?

Ans. The IELTS Reading test consists of three sections, each with a different type of text (such as passages from books, newspapers, magazines, or online resources). You'll have 60 minutes to answer 40 questions, and you must transfer your answers onto an answer sheet within this time.

Q. How are the passages selected for the IELTS Reading test?

Ans. The passages are carefully selected to represent the kinds of texts you might encounter in an academic or general English-speaking environment. They cover various topics and may include excerpts from books, journals, newspapers, or online articles.