Reading

READING

READING PASSAGE 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13, which are based on Reading
Passage 1 below.

THE STORY OF SILK

The history of the world's most luxurious fabric,
from ancient China to the present day
Silk is a fine, smooth material produced Originally, silkworm farming was solely
from the cocoons - soft protective shells restricted to women, and it was they
- that are made by mulberry silkworms who were responsible for the growing,
(insect larvae). Legend has it that it was harvesting and weaving. Silk quickly grew
Lei Tzu, wife of the Yellow Emperor, into a symbol of status, and originally,
ruler of China in about 3000 BC, who only royalty were entitled to have clothes
discovered silkworms. One account of the made of silk. The rules were gradually
story goes that as she was taking a walk relaxed over the years until flnally during
in her husband's gardens, she discovered the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911AD), even
that silkworms were responsible for the peasants, the lowest caste, were also
destruction of several mulberry trees. She entitled to wear silk. Sometime during the
collected a number of cocoons and sat Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), silk was
down to have a rest. It just so happened so prized that it was also used as a unit of
that while she was sipping some tea, one currency. Government officials were paid
of the cocoons that she had collected their salary in silk, and farmers paid their
landed in the hot tea and started to taxes in grain and silk. Silk was also used
unravel into a fine thread. Lei Tzu found as diplomatic gifts by the emperor. Fishing
that she could wind this thread around her lines, bowstrings, musical instruments
fingers. Subsequently, she persuaded her and paper were all made using silk The
husband to allow her to rear silkworms earliest indication of silk paper being used
on a grove of mulberry trees. She also was discovered in the tomb of a noble
devised a special reel to draw the fibres who is estimated to have died around
from the cocoon into a single thread so 168AD.
that they would be strong enough to be
woven into fabric. While it is unknown Demand for this exotic fabric eventually
just how much of this is true, it is certainly created the lucrative trade route now
known that silk cultivation has existed in known as the Silk Road, taking silk
China for several millennia. westward and bringing gold, silver and

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Test3

wool to the East. It was named the Silk swept through these lands. Andalusia in
Road after its most precious commodity, southern Spain was Europe's main silk­
which was considered to be worth more producing centre in the tenth century. By
than gold. The Silk Road stretched over the thirteenth century, however, Italy had
6,000 kilometres from Eastern China to become Europe's leader in silk production
the Mediterranean Sea, following the and export. Venetian merchants traded
Great Wall of China, climbing the Pamir extensively in silk and encouraged silk
mountain range, crossing modem-day growers to settle in Italy. Even now,
Afghanist.an and going on to the Middle silk processed in the province of Como
East, with a major trading market in in northern Italy eajoys an esteemed
Damascus. From there, the merchandise reputation.
was shipped across the Mediterranean
Sea Few merchants travelled the entire The nineteenth century and
route; goods were handled mostly by a industrialisation saw the downfall of the
series of middlemen. European silk industry. Cheaper Japanese
silk, trade in which was greatly facilitated
With the mulberry silkworm being native by the opening of the Suez Canal, was one
to China, the country was the world's sole of the many factors driving the trend. Then
producer of silk for many hundreds of in the twentieth century, new manmade
years. The secret of silk-making eventually fibres, such as nylon, started to be used in
reached the rest of the world via the what had traditionally been silk products,
Byzantine Empire, which ruled over the such as stockings and parachutes. The two
Mediterranean region of southern Europe, world wars, which interrupted the supply
North Africa and the Middle East during of raw material from Japan, also stifled the
the period 330-1453 AD. According to European silk industry. After the Second
another legend, monks working for the World War, Japan's silk production was
Byzantine emperor Justinian smuggled restored, with improved production and
silkworm eggs to Const.antinople quality of raw silk. Japan was to remain
(lst.anbul in modem-day Turkey) in 660 the world's biggest producer of raw silk,
AD, concealed inside hollow bamboo and practically the only major exporter
walking canes.. The Byzantines were as of raw silk, until the 1970s. However, in
secretive as the Chinese, however, and more recent decades, China has gradually
for many centuries the weaving and recaptured its position as the world's
trading of silk fabric was a strict imperial biggest producer and exporter of raw
monopoly. Then in the seventh century, silk and silk yam. Today, around 126,000
the Arabs conquered Persia, capturing metric tons of silk are produced in the
their magnificent silks in the process. world, and almost two thirds of that
Silk production thus spread through production takes place in China.
Africa, Sicily and Spain as the Arabs

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Test3

Questions 10-13

Do the following statements agree with the information in Reading Passage 1?

In boxes 10-13 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

10 Gold was the most valuable material transported along the Silk Road.
11 Most tradesmen only went along certain sections of the Silk Road.
12 The Byzantines spread the practice of silk production across the West.
13 Silk yarn makes up the majority of silk currently exported from China.

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 Reading

READING PASSAGE 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26, which are based on Reading
Passage 2 below.

Great Migrations
Animal migration, however it is defined, Reaching some gravelly coastline in the
is far more than just the movement of Arctic, upon which other arctic terns have
animals. It can loosely be described as travel converged, will serve its larger purpose
that takes place at regular intervals - often as shaped by evolution: finding a place, a
in an annual cycle - that may involve many time, and a set of circumstances in which it
members of a species, and is rewarded only can successfully hatch and rear offspring.
after a long journey. It suggests inherited
instinct. The biologist Hugh Dingle has But migration is a complex issue, and
identified five characteristics that apply, in biologists define it differently, depending
varying degrees and combinations, to all in part on what sorts of animals they study.
migrations. They are prolonged movements Joel Berger, of the University of Montana,
that carry animals outside familiar habitats; who works on the American pronghorn
they tend to be linear, not zigzaggy; they and other large terrestrial mammals, prefers
involve special behaviours concerning what he calls a simple, practical definition
preparation (such as overfeeding) and suited to his beasts: ' movements from
arrival; they demand special allocations a seasonal home area away to another
of energy. And one more: migrating home area and back again' . Generally the
animals maintain an intense attentiveness reason for such seasonal back-and-forth
to the greater mission, which keeps movement is to seek resources that aren't
them undistracted by temptations and available within a single area year-round.
undeterred by challenges that would turn
other animals aside. But daily vertical movements by
zooplankton in the ocean - upward by
An arctic tern, 0n its 20,000 km flight night to seek food, downward by day to
from the extreme south of South America escape predators - can also be considered
to the Arctic circle, will take no notice migration. So can the movement of aphids
of a nice smelly herring offered from a when, having depleted the young leaves
bird-watcher's boat along the way. While on one food plant, their offspring then
local gulls will dive voraciously for such fly onward to a different host plant, with
handouts, the tern flies on. Why? The arctic no one aphid ever returning to where it
tern resists distraction because it is driven started.
at that moment by an instinctive sense of
something we humans find admirable: Dingle is an evolutionary biologist who
larger purpose. In other words, it is studies insects. His definition is more
determined to reach its destination. The intricate than Berger's, citing those five
bird senses that it can eat, rest and mate features that distinguish migration from
later. Right now it is totally focused on other forms of movement. They allow
the journey; its undivided intent is arrival. for the fact that, for example, aphids will

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Test3

become sensitive to blue light (from the pass through again in autumn. escaping
sky) when it's time for takeoff on their south onto those windblown plains. they
big journey, and sensitive to yellow light are likely to die trying to overwinter in the
(reflected from tender young leaves) when deep snow. Pronghorn. dependent on
it's appropriate to land. Birds will fatten distance vision and speed to keep safe from
themselves with heavy feeding in advance predators, traverse high, open shoulders
of a long migrational flight. The value of his of land, where they can see and run. At
definition. Dingle argues, is that it focuses one of the bottlenecks, forested hills rise to
attention on what the phenomenon form a V, leaving a corridor of open ground
of wildebeest migration shares with only about 150 metres wide, filled with
the phenomenon of the aphids. and private homes. Increasing development is
therefore helps guide researchers towards leading toward a crisis for the pronghorn,
understanding how evolution has produced threatening to choke off their passageway.
them all.
Conservation scientists, along with some
Human behaviour, however, is having a biologists and land managers within the
detrimental impact on animal migration. USA's National Park Service and other
The pronghorn, which resembles an agencies, are now working to preserve
antelope, though they are unrelated, migrational behaviours, not just species
is the fastest land mammal of the New and habitats. A National Forest has
World. One population, which spends the recognised the path of the pronghorn.
summer in the mountainous Grand Teton much of which passes across its land, as a
National Park of the western USA, follows a protected migration corridor. But neither
narrow route from its summer range in the the Forest Service nor the Park Service
mountains, across a river, and down onto can control what happens on private
the plains. Here they wait out the frozen land at a bottleneck. And with certain
months, feeding mainly on sagebrush other migrating species, the challenge is
blown clear of snow. These pronghorn are complicated further - by vastly greater
notable for the invariance of their migration distances traversed, more jurisdictions,
route and the severity of its constriction more borders, more dangers along the way.
at three bottlenecks. If they can't pass We will require wisdom and resoluteness to
through each of the three during their ensure that migrating species can continue
spring migration, they can't reach their their journeying a while longer.
bounty of summer grazing; if they can't

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 Reading

Questions 14-18

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2?

In boxes 14-18 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

14 Local gulls and migrating arctic terns behave in the same way when offered food.
15 Experts' definitions of migration tend to vary according to their area of study.
16 Very few experts agree that the movement of aphids can be considered migration.
17 Aphids' journeys are affected by changes in the light that they perceive.
18 Dingle's aim is to distinguish between the migratory behaviours of different species.

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 Reading

READING PASSAGE 2
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26, which are based on Reading
Passage 2 below.

THE FALKIRK WHEEL

A unique engineering achievement

The Falkirk Wheel in Scotland is the headed axe, but also the vast turning
world's first and only rotating boat lift. propeller of a ship, the ribcage of a whale
Opened in 2002, it is central to the or the spine of a fish.
ambitious £84.5m Millennium Link project
to restore navigability across Scotland by The various parts of The Falkirk Wheel
reconnecting the historic waterways of the were all constructed and assembled, like
Forth & Clyde and Union Canals. one giant toy building set, at Butterley
Engineering's Steelworks in Derbyshire,
The major challenge of the project lay in some 400 km from Falkirk. A team there
the fact that the Forth & Clyde Canal is carefully assembled the 1,200 tonnes
situated 35 metres below the level of the of steel, painstakingly fitting the pieces
Union Canal. Historically, the two canals together to an accuracy of just 10 mm to
had been joined near the town of Falkirk ensure a perfect final fit. In the summer of
by a sequence of 11 locks - enclosed 2001, the structure was then dismantled
sections of canal in which the water level and transported on 35 lorries to Falkirk,
could be raised or lowered - that stepped before all being bolted back together
down across a distance of 1.5 km. This had again on the ground, and finally lifted into
been dismantled in 1933, thereby breaking position in five large sections by crane. The
the link. When the project was launched Wheel would need to withstand immense
in 1994, the British Waterways authority and constantly changing stresses as it
were keen to create a dramatic twenty-first­ rotated, so to make the structure more
century landmark which would not only be robust, the steel sections were bolted
a fitting commemoration of the Millennium, rather than welded together. Over 45,000
but also a lasting symbol of the economic bolt holes were matched with their bolts,
regeneration of the region. and each bolt was hand-tightened.

Numerous ideas were submitted for the The Wheel consists of two sets of opposing
project, including concepts ranging from axe-shaped arms, attached about 25
rolling eggs to tilting tanks, from giant see­ metres apart to a fixed central spine.
saws to overhead monorails. The eventual Two diametrically opposed water-filled
winner was a plan for the huge rotating ' gondolas' , each with a capacity of 360,000
steel boat lift which was to become The litres, are fitted between the ends of the
Falkirk Wheel. The unique shape of the arms. These gondolas always weigh the
structure is claimed to have been inspired same, whether or not they are carrying
by various sources, both manmade and boats. This is because, according to
natural, most notably a Celtic double- Archimedes' principle of displacement,

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Test 1

floating objects displace their own weight Wheel, which begin to rotate at a speed
in water. So when a boat enters a gondola, of 1/8 of a revolution per minute. As the
the amount of water leaving the gondola wheel rotates, the gondolas are kept in
weighs exactly the same as the boat. This the upright position by a simple gearing
keeps the Wheel balanced and so, despite system. Two eight-metre-wide cogs orbit
its enormous mass, it rotates through 180° a fixed inner cog of the same width,
in five and a half minutes while using very connected by two smaller cogs travelling
little power. It takes just 1.5 kilowatt-hours in the opposite direction to the outer cogs
(5.4 MJ) of energy to rotate the Wheel - - so ensuring that the gondolas always
roughly the same as boiling eight small remain level. When the gondola reaches
domestic kettles of water. the top, the boat passes straight onto the
aqueduct situated 24 metres above the
Boats needing to be lifted up enter the canal basin.
canal basin at the level of the Forth &
Clyde Canal and then enter the lower T he remaining 11 metres of lift needed
gondola of the Wheel. Two hydraulic steel to reach the Union Canal is achieved by
gates are raised, so as to seal the gondola means of a pair of locks. The Wheel could
off from the water in the canal basin. The not be constructed to elevate boats over
water between the gates is then pumped the full 35-metre difference between the
out. A hydraulic clamp, which prevents two canals, owing to the presence of the
the arms of the Wheel moving while the historically important Antonine Wall, which
gondola is docked, is removed, allowing was built by the Romans in the second
the Wheel to turn. In the central machine century AD. Boats travel under this wall via
room an array of ten hydraulic motors a tunnel, then through the locks, and finally
then begins to rotate the central axle. The on to the Union Canal.
axle connects to the outer arms of the

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 Reading

Questions 14-19

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2?

In boxes 14-19 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

14 The Falkirk Wheel has linked the Forth & Clyde Canal with the Union Canal for the
first time in their history.
15 There was some opposition to the design of the Falkirk Wheel at first.
16 The Falkirk Wheel was initially put together at the location where its components
were manufactured.
17 The Falkirk Wheel is the only boat lift in the world which has steel sections bolted
together by hand.
18 The weight of the gondolas varies according to the size of boat being carried.
19 The construction of the Falkirk Wheel site took into account the presence of a
nearby ancient monument.

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