Section
3: Questions 28-40
Read the text below and answers
questions 28-40 on
your answer sheet.
You should take around 20 minutes to
complete this task.
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GT Reading Sample - "Bicycles: From Push to Pedal"
Read the text below and answer Questions 1–7.
Bicycles: From Push to Pedal
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A. Before
they were equipped with pedals and
a chain, what we refer to as a ‘bicycle’ today used to be called a Dandy Horse
or ‘Pushbike’. German inventor Karl Drais first assembled pushbikes in 1818.
They had two wheels, both
in-line, and were propelled by the rider pushing along the ground with his feet
to rotate the wheels. The front wheel had a handlebar attached
that the rider gripped to control the direction. They were speedier than
walking and were considered a fast mode of transportation at the time. Unlike
today, these first generation bicycles were owned only by the wealthy.
B.
In 1821 an English inventor, Louis Gompertz, added a hand-driven ratchet
mechanism, to the front of the bicycle wheel that permitted motion in one
direction and created more speed out of every up and down push of the feet.
Another significant change to the bicycle occurred in 1839 when Scottish
blacksmith Kirkpatrick MacMillan invented a special part for bicycles known as
a mechanical crank. The crank was a kind of lever that allowed more force and
speed to both front and rear wheels. Six years later in 1845, another
English inventor, R. W. Thompson, developed a special kind of pneumatic
(air-containing) tyre. When wrapped around the iron-made wheels of the bike,
this tyre made the ride much smoother.
C. A
revolutionary change took place in 1850 when Frenchmen Pierre Michaux refined
the design of bicycles in such a way that no longer required the rider to push
down toward the ground in order to rotate the wheels. He redesigned it by
making the front wheel exceptionally large and then placed a seat on top of
it. Michaux added pedals to the large front wheel and kept the diminutive
rear wheel to help with balance. This addition meant that rather than the
operator having to push along the ground as though walking or running, the
bicycle could cover longer distances much faster. Up to that point, the design
of Michaux’s bicycle most closely resembled the modern bicycles of today.
However, these primitive bicycles, known as Boneshakers or penny-farthings,
were extremely difficult to ride due to their high-seats and the need for
expert balancing skills. In 1885, John Kemp Starley, a British inventor and
industrialist, solved most of the problems of the Boneshakers by introducing a
chain drive – a device that connected the pedals with the rear wheel. He
also redesigned the frame of the bicycle and reduced the front wheel diameter
ensuring more stability and enabling people with only average balancing skills
to ride them. Starley’s Rover Safety Bicycle was warmly welcomed by the masses
and was exported to many countries. Many historians define Starley’s Rover as
the first modern bicycle.
D. The
next big step forward for the bicycle was the development of an efficient
braking mechanism. Prior to the advent of brakes, riders had to use their feet
to reduce their speed. However, in 1898 hand-operated cable-pull brakes
attached to the handlebars were first introduced by a German inventor, Achim
Conrad. During the beginning of 19th-century derailleur gears were invented.
They contained a chain and multiple sprockets (1) that
could create more speed out of every rotation of the pedals. Gradually, the
technology used in making and setting the chain improved. Chains made of
stronger metal with small sprockets were introduced as part of the bicycle
wheel, which made it easier for the rider to pedal without losing speed.
Another important change was in the weight of bicycles. The configuration of
two same-sized wheels with rubber tyres and the body of the bicycle made of
hollow rods rather than solid metal, considerably reduced the weight and
enabled riders to have more control. These design changes also helped to reduce
the risk of injury caused by a heavy bicycle.
E. It
was not until the 1930s that bicycles became a popular form of transportation
for the working class. This was due to dramatic improvements in the production
process of bicycles,
which, in turn, led to a fall in their price. The supply of bicycles increased
in the market as a lot of manufacturing businesses and individual entrepreneurs
started making and selling bicycles in large quantities. The widespread use of
the bicycle during that time inspired several manufacturers like Mead, Sears
Roebuck, and Montgomery Ward to design bicycles for children who were a new and
unexplored segment of the bicycle user market. The design of these bicycles
incorporated unique design elements such as bent handlebars for easier
manoeuvrability, carriers above the rear wheel for school bags and even a pair
of small safety wheels on
both sides of the rear wheel for children learning to ride for the first time.
F. Considered
by many to be the most significant innovation in the history of the bicycle
after the invention of the Boneshaker almost 100 years earlier, running gear
was invented by engineer Glenn Wright in the 1950s. This running gear featured
quick-release wheels, derailleur gears and cable-operated brakes. During
the 1960s, manufacturers started using aluminium alloy in wheel rims,
handlebars and seat posts that made the bicycles even lighter and also more
visually appealing. These aluminium alloys helped prevent the body of the
bicycles from rusting which also made them last longer.
G.
Since the 1980's the technological improvements in bicycle manufacturing have
reached a new peak. New materials such as titanium and carbon fibre have become
widespread. The separate brake and gear systems in bicycles have become one,
combined system. New accessories such as front and back lights, drink
carriages, tyre pumps and non-slip handlebar covers have become standard parts
of most bicycles. In the late 1980s, mountain bikes were formally introduced to
the market. These bikes became the focus of a new and adventurous sport,
where bikers raced through rugged terrain. For reasons of being environmentally
friendly, user-friendly and widely available throughout the world, bicycles
will continue to grow in popularity well into the future.
1) a device like a wheel with one or more rows of tooth-like parts
sticking out which keep a chain moving on a bicycle
School supplies
Distance learning system
Questions 28–33
Look at the following statements 28-33 and the
list of people below A-H.
Match each statement with the person it refers to.
Write your answers A-H in
boxes 28-33 on
your answer sheet.
28. This
person encouraged the use of hands rather than feet to stop.
29. This
person built expensive bikes.
30. This
person’s invention reached many parts of the world.
31. This person’s design involved wheels of
different sizes.
32. This person’s invention made riding more
comfortable for the user.
33. This person combined other people’s
inventions with his own.
List of People
A. Kirkpatrick
MacMillan
B. Karl
Drais
C. John
Kemp Starley
D. Louis
Gompertz
E. Pierre
Michaux
F. Glenn
Wright
G. Achim
Conrad
H. R.
W. Thompson
Questions 34–40
Do the following information agree with the information given in
the passage?
In boxes 34-40 on
your answer sheet, write
TRUE
if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE
if the statement contradicts with the information
NOT
GIVEN if there is no
information in this
34. MacMillan’s
mechanical crank divided pedal force equally between the front and rear wheels.
35. Michaux’s
bicycle looked like today’s bicycles.
36. Starley’s
changes to the boneshaker involved making the front wheel smaller.
37. The
sprockets in the derailleur made the bike go faster.
38. The
use of hollow rods made bicycles easier to ride.
39. Running
gear was invented around 100 years prior to the boneshaker.
40. It
is expected that the bicycles of the future will be even more environmentally
friendly.
Answer
28. G
29. B
30. C
31. E
32. H
33. F
34. NOT GIVEN
35. TRUE
36. TRUE
37. TRUE
38. TRUE
39. FALSE
40. NOT GIVEN
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