Reading Passage 1 - Cambridge 9 Test 1.

WILLIAM HENRY PERKIN - The man who invented synthetic dyes

William Henry Perkin was born on March 12, 1838, in London, England. As a boy, Perkin’s curiosity prompted early
interests in the arts, sciences. photography, and engineering. But it was a chance stumbling upon a run-down, yet
functional, laboratory in his late grandfather's home that solidified the young man`s enthusiasm for chemistry.

As a student at the City of London School, Perkin became immersed in the study of chemistry. His talent and devotion
to the subject were perceived by his teacher, Thomas Hall, who encouraged him to attend a series of lectures given by
the eminent scientist Michael Faraday at the Royal Institution. Those speeches tired the young chemist`s enthusiasm
further, and he later went on to attend the Royal College of Chemistry, which he succeeded in entering in 1853, at the
age of 15.

At the time of Perkin’s enrollment,  the Royal College of Chemistry was headed by the noted German chemist August
Wilhelm Hofmann. Perkin’s scientific gifts soon caught Hofmann’s attention and within two years, he became
Hofmann’s youngest assistant. Not long after that, Perkin made the scientific breakthrough that would bring him both
fame and fortune.

At the time, quinine was the only viable medical treatment for malaria. The drug is derived from the bark of the
cinchona tree, native to South America and by 1856 demand for the drug was surpassing the available supply. Thus,
when Hofmann made some passing comments about the desirability of a synthetic substitute for quinine, it was
unsurprising that his star pupil was moved to take up the challenge.

During his vacation in 1856, Perkin spent his time in the laboratory on the top floor of his family's house. He was
attempting to manufacture quinine from aniline, an inexpensive and readily available coal tar waste product. Despite
his best efforts, however, he did not end up with quinine. Instead, he produced a mysterious dark sludge. Luckily,
Perkin’s scientific training and nature prompted him to investigate the substance further. Incorporating potassium
dichromate and alcohol into the aniline at various stages of the experimental process, he finally produced a deep
purple solution. And, proving the truth of the famous scientist Louis Pasteur's words 'chance favors only the prepared
mind'. Perkin saw the potential of his unexpected find.

Historically, textile dyes were made from such natural sources as plants and animal excretions. Some of these, such as
the glandular mucus of snails, were difficult to obtain and outrageously expensive. Indeed, the purple color extracted
from a snail was once so costly that in society at the time only the rich could afford it. Further, natural dyes tended to
be muddy in hue and fade quickly. It was against this backdrop that Perkin‘s discovery was made.

Perkin quickly grasped that his purple solution could be used to color fabric, thus making it the world’s first synthetic
dye. Realizing the importance of this breakthrough, he lost no time in patenting it. But perhaps the most fascinating of
all Perkin`s reactions to his find was his nearly instant recognition that the new dye had commercial possibilities.

Perkin originally named his dye Tyrian Purple, but it later became commonly known as mauve (from the French for
the plant used to make the color violet). He asked advice of Scottish dye works owner Robert Pullar, who assured him
that manufacturing the dye would be well worth it if the color remained fast (i.e. would not fade) and the cost was
relatively low. So, over the fierce objections of his mentor Hofmann, he left college to give birth to the modern
chemical industry.

With the help of his father and brother, Perkin set up a factory not far from London. Utilizing the cheap and plentiful
coal tar that was an almost unlimited byproduct of London's gas street lighting, the dye works began producing the
world’s first synthetically dyed material in 1857. The company received a commercial boost from the Empress
Eugenio of France, when she decided the new color flattered her. Very soon, mauve was the necessary shade for all
the fashionable ladies in that country. Not to be outdone, England`s Queen Victoria also appeared in public wearing a
mauve gown, thus making it all the rage in England as well. The dye was bold and fast, and the public clamored for
more. Perkin went back to the drawing board.

Although Perkin’s fame was achieved and fortune assured by his first discovery, the chemist continued his research.
Among other dyes he developed and introduced were aniline red (1859) and aniline black (1863) and in the late 1860s,
Perkin's green. It is important to note that Perkin's synthetic dye discoveries had outcomes far beyond the merely
decorative. The dyes also became vital to medical research in many ways. For instance, they were used to stain
previously invisible microbes and bacteria,  allowing researchers to identify such bacilli as tuberculosis. cholera, and
anthrax. Artificial dyes continue to play a crucial role today. And, in what would have been particularly pleasing to
Perkin, their current use is in the search for a vaccine against malaria.
Question 1-7
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?
In boxes 1-7 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 more than once.

1. Michael Faraday was the first person to recognize Perkin's ability as a student of chemistry.
2. Michael Faraday suggested Perkin should enroll in the Royal College of Chemistry.
3. Perkin employed August Wilhelm Hofmann as his assistant.
4. Perkin was still young when he made the discovery that made him rich and famous.
5. The trees from which quinine is derived grow only in South America.
6. Perkin hoped to manufacture a drug from a coal tar waste product.
7. Perkin was inspired by the discoveries of the famous scientist Louis Pasteur.
Reading Passage 2 - Cambridge 10 Test 1.1

A millennium ago, stepwells were fundamental to life in the driest parts of India. Although many have been
neglected, recent restoration has returned them to their former glory. Richard Cox travelled to north-western India to
document these spectacular monuments from a bygone era.

     During the sixth and seventh centuries, the inhabitants of the modern-day states of Gujarat and Rajasthan in North-
western India developed a method of gaining access to clean, fresh groundwater during the dry season for drinking,
bathing, watering animals and irrigation. However, the significance of this invention – the stepwell – goes beyond its
utilitarian application.

     Unique to the region, stepwells are often architecturally complex and vary widely in size and shape. During their
heyday, they were places of gathering, of leisure, of relaxation and of worship for villagers of all but the lowest castes.
Most stepwells are found dotted around the desert areas of Gujarat (where they are called vav) and Rajasthan (where
they are known as baori), while a few also survive in Delhi. Some were located in or near villages as public spaces for
the community; others were positioned beside roads as resting places for travellers.

     As their name suggests, stepwells comprise a series of stone steps descending from ground level to the water
source (normally an underground aquifer) as it recedes following the rains. When the water level was high, the user
needed only to descend a few steps to reach it; when it was low, several levels would have to be negotiated.

     Some wells are vast, open craters with hundreds of steps paving each sloping side, often in tiers. Others are more
elaborate, with long stepped passages leading to the water via several storeys built from stone and supported by
pillars, they also included pavilions that sheltered visitors from the relentless heat. But perhaps the most impressive
features are the intricate decorative sculptures that embellish many stepwells, showing activities from fighting and
dancing to everyday acts such as women combing their hair and churning butter.

     Down the centuries, thousands of wells were constructed throughout northwestern India, but the majority have now
fallen into disuse; many are derelict and dry, as groundwater has been diverted for industrial use and the wells no
longer reach the water table. Their condition hasn’t been helped by recent dry spells: southern Rajasthan suffered an
eight-year drought between 1996 and 2004.

     However, some important sites in Gujarat have recently undergone major restoration, and the state government
announced in June last year that it plans to restore the stepwells throughout the state.

     In Patan, the state’s ancient capital, the stepwell of Rani Ki Vav (Queen’s Stepwell) is perhaps the finest current
example. It was built by Queen Udayamati during the late 11th century, but became silted up following a flood during
the 13th century. But the Archaeological Survey of India began restoring it in the 1960s, and today it’s in pristine
condition. At 65 metres long, 20 metres wide and 27 metres deep, Rani Ki Vav features 500 distinct sculptures carved
into niches throughout the monument, depicting gods such as Vishnu and Parvati in various incarnations. Incredibly,
in January 2001, this ancient structure survived a devastating earthquake that measured 7.6 on the Richter scale.

     Another example is the Surya Kund in Modhera, northern Gujarat, next to the Sun Temple, built by King Bhima I
in 1026 to honour the sun god Surya. It’s actually a tank (kund means reservoir or pond) rather than a well, but
displays the hallmarks of stepwell architecture, including four sides of steps that descend to the bottom in a stunning
geometrical formation. The terraces house 108 small, intricately carved shrines between the sets of steps.

     Rajasthan also has a wealth of wells. The ancient city of Bundi, 200 kilometres south of Jaipur, is renowned for its
architecture, including its stepwells. One of the larger examples is Raniji Ki Baori, which was built by the queen of
the region, Nathavatji, in 1699. At 46 metres deep, 20 metres wide and 40 metres long, the intricately carved
monument is one of 21 baoris commissioned in the Bundi area by Nathavatji.

     In the old ruined town of Abhaneri, about 95 kilometres east of Jaipur, is Chand Baori, one of India’s oldest and
deepest wells; aesthetically, it’s perhaps one of the most dramatic. Built in around 850 AD next to the temple of
Harshat Mata, the baori comprises hundreds of zigzagging steps that run along three of its sides, steeply descending 11
storeys, resulting in a striking geometric pattern when seen from afar. On the fourth side, covered verandas supported
by ornate pillars overlook the steps.

     Still in public use is Neemrana Ki Baori, located just off the Jaipur–Dehli highway. Constructed in around 1700,
it’s nine storeys deep, with the last two levels underwater. At ground level, there are 86 colonnaded openings from
where the visitor descends 170 steps to the deepest water source.
    Today, following years of neglect, many of these monuments to medieval engineering have been saved by the
Archaeological Survey of India, which has recognised the importance of preserving them as part of the country’s rich
history. Tourists flock to wells in far-flung corners of northwestern India to gaze in wonder at these architectural
marvels from 1,000 years ago, which serve as a reminder of both the ingenuity and artistry of ancient civilisations and
of the value of water to human existence.

Questions 1–5
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 191?

In boxes 1–5 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
 
1. Examples of ancient stepwells can be found all over the world.
2. Stepwells had a range of functions, in addition to those related to water collection.
3. The few existing stepwells in Delhi are more attractive than those found elsewhere.
4. It took workers many years to build the stone steps characteristic of stepwells.
5. The number of steps above the water level in a stepwell altered during the course of a year.