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 luxuriousfabric,
from ancient China to the present day
Silk is a fine, smooth rnatelial produc:ed Originally, silkworm fanning 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 Wc.L'> hmvesting 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 finally during
in her husband's gardens, she discovered the Qing Dynasty (1644-191 l AD), 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, bowst1ings, musical instruments
fingers. Subsequently, she persuaded her and paper were all made using silk. The
husband to allow her to rear silkwonns em-Jiest 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 168 AD.
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 ce1tainly 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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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 l>e wo1th more producing centre in the tenth century. By
than gold. The Silk Hoad stretched over the thi1teenth century, however, Italy had
G,000 kilometres from Eastern China to hecome Europe's leader in silk production
the Mediterranean Sea, following the and export. Venetian merchants traded
Great Wall of China, climbing the Parnir extensively in silk and encouraged silk
mountain range, crossing modern-day growers to settle in Italy. Even now,
Afghanistan and going on to t.he Middle silk processed in the province of Como
East, with a major trading market in in no1thern Italy enjoys 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 tlw such as stockings an<l parachutes. The two
Mediterranean region of southern Europe, world wars, which int(•1-ruptecl the supply
. orth Africa and the Middle East dming of raw material from Japan, also stifled the
the period 330-1453 AD. According to European silk industiy. 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 Constantinople quality of raw silk. .Japan was to remain
(Istanbul in modem-day Turkey) in 550 the world's biggest producer of raw silk,
AD, concealed inside hollow bamboo and practically the only rnajor 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 centmies the weaving and recaptured its position as the world's
trading of silk fabric was a sttict imperial biggest producer and exp01ter of raw
monopoly. Then in the seventh century, silk and silk yarn. Today, around 125,000
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

. ' . �_. ..·.

 Reading

Questions 1-9
Complete the notes below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 1-9 on your answer sheet.

THE STORY OF SILK

Early silk production in China
• Around 3000 BC, according to legend:

silkworm cocoon fell into emperor's wife's 1 ..................... .

emperor's wife invented a 2 ...................... to pull out silk fibres
• Only 3 ...................... were allowed to produce sil
• Only 4 ...................... were allowed to wear silk
• Silk used as a form of 5 ......................

- e.g. farmers' taxes consisted partly of silk

• Silk used for many purposes
e.g. evidence found of 6 ...................... made from silk around 168 AD

Silk reaches rest of world

•
Merchants use Silk Road to take silk westward and bring back 7 ...................... and
precious metals
• 550 AD: 8 ...................... hide silkworm eggs in canes and take them to Constantinople

• Silk production spreads across Mid dle East and Europe

• 20th century: 9 ...................... and other manmade fibres cause decline in silk production

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Test 3
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 3
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27-40, which are based on Reading
Passage 3 below.

Preface to 'How the other half thinks:

Adventures in mathematical reasoning'
A Occasionally, in some difficult musical compositions, there are beautiful, but easy
parts - parts so simple a beginner could play them. So it is with mathematics as
well. There are some discoveries in advanced mathematics that do not depend on
specialized knowledge, not even on algebra, geometry, or trigonometry. Instead
they may involve, at most, a little arithmetic, such as 'the sum of two odd numbers
is even', and common sense. Each of the eight chapters in this book illustrates this
phenomenon. Anyone can understand every step in the reasoning.
The thinking in each chapter uses at most only elementary arithmetic, and
sometimes not even that. Thus all readers will have the chance to participate in a
mathematical experience, to appreciate the beauty of mathematics, and to become
familiar with its logical, yet intuitive, style of thinking.
B One of my purposes in writing this book is to give readers who haven't had the
opportunity to see and enjoy real mathematics the chance to appreciate the
mathematical way of thinking. I want to reveal not only some of the fascinating
discoveries, but, more importantly, the reasoning behind them.
In that respect, this book differs from most books on mathematics written for the
general public. Some present the lives of colorful mathematicians. Others describe
important applications of mathematics. Yet others go into mathematical procedures,
but assume that the reader is adept in using algebra.
C I hope this book will help bridge that notorious gap that separates the two cultures:
the humanities and the sciences, or should I say the right brain (intuitive) and the
left brain (analytical, numerical). As the chapters will illustrate, mathematics is not
restricted to the analytical and numerical; intuition plays a significant role. The
alleged gap can be narrowed or completely overcome by anyone, in part because
each of us is far from using the full capacity of either side of the brain. To illustrate
our human potential, I cite a structural engineer who is an artist, an electrical
engineer who is an opera singer, an opera singer who published mathematical
research, and a mathematician who publishes short stories.
D Other scientists have written books to explain their fields to non-scientists, but have
necessarily had to omit the mathematics, although it provides the foundation of their
theories. The reader must remain a tantalized spectator rather than an involved
participant, since the appropriate language for describing the details in much of
science is mathematics, whether the subject is expanding universe, subatomic
particles, or chromosomes. Though the broad outline of a scientific theory can be

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Test 3

sketched intuitively, when a part of the physical universe is finally understood, its
description often looks like a page in a mathematics text.
E Still, the non-mathematical reader can go far in understanding mathematical
reasoning. This book presents the details that illustrate the mathematical style
of thinking, which involves sustained, step-by-step analysis, experiments, and
insights. You will turn these pages much more slowly than when reading a novel
or a newspaper. It may help to have a pencil and paper ready to check claims and
carry out experiments.
F As I wrote, I kept in mind two types of readers: those who enjoyed mathematics
until they were turned off by an unpleasant episode, usually around fifth grade, and
mathematics aficionados, who will find much that is new throughout the book.
This book also serves readers who simply want to sharpen their analytical skills.
Many careers, such as law and medicine, require extended, precise analysis. Each
chapter offers practice in following a sustained and closely argued line of thought.
That mathematics can develop this skill is shown by these two testimonials:
G A physician wrote, 'The discipline of analytical thought processes [in mathematics)
prepared me extremely well for medical school. In medicine one is faced with a
problem which must be thoroughly analyzed before a solution can be found. The
process is similar to doing mathematics.'
A lawyer made the same point, 'Although I had no background in law - not even
one political science course - I did well at one of the best law schools. I attribute
much of my success there to having learned, through the study of mathematics,
and, in particular, theorems, how to analyze complicated principles. Lawyers who
have studied mathematics can master the legal principles in a way that most others
cannot.'
I hope you will share my delight in watching as simple, even naYve, questions
lead to remarkable solutions and purely theoretical discoveries find unanticipated
applications.

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 Reading

Questions 27-34
Reading Passage 3 has seven sections, A-G.

Which section contains the following information?

Write the correct letter, A-G, in boxes 27-34 on your answer sheet.

NB You may use any letter more than once.

27 a reference to books that assume a lack of mathematical knowledge

28 the way in which this is not a typical book about mathematics
29 personal examples of being helped by mathematics
30 examples of people who each had abilities that seemed incompatible
31 mention of different focuses of books about mathematics
32 a contrast between reading this book and reading other kinds of publication
33 a claim that the whole of the book is accessible to everybody
34 a reference to different categories of intended readers of this book

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Test 3