Passage 3 - The Story of Kites
Read the following passage.
Paragraph 1
For generations, people of all ages have enjoyed the simple pleasure of flying a kite on a windy day – the rush of air, the gentle tug of its string, the sight of it lifting into the sky. However, did you know that kites were not always the colourful toys we think of today?
Paragraph 2
Kites were first used as instruments of war over 3,000 years ago. Chinese soldiers used them to send signals, spy on enemies, and deliver messages. Kites were also used to measure distances. One Chinese General flew a kite above a city to find out how far he would need to dig a tunnel to sneak beneath the city walls. With this information, his troops were above to surprise the enemy.
Paragraph 3
The first kites were useful, but not pretty. However, about 1400 years ago, during the Tang Dynasty, kite-makers in China started to experiment with different materials, including silk, bamboo and decorative paper. They began to focus more on the appearance of their kites and, over time, they became things of beauty. By the 1300s, kite-making had become an art form and kites were skillfully decorated with pictures of birds, animals and flowers, as well as calligraphy (an artistic form of Chinese writing). Kites were flown for enjoyment and also at festivals and celebrations. As time passed, kites became even more colourful and elaborate. Some people added whistles, so their kites would make sounds as they danced in the sky. There were also many new kite shapes, such as butterflies, centipedes and dragons.
Paragraph 4
Over time, kite flying became popular across Southeast Asia and North Africa, before spreading to Europe and the Americas. When the famous Italian explorer Marco Polo (1254 – 1324) returned from his travels to Asia, he brought home many stories, including lots about kites. At the same time, goods and ideas from the East were reaching Europe via the Silk Road (the name given to important trading routes that connected Europe and Asia). Both Marco Polo’s stories, and the increasing flow of goods and ideas from Asia, led to kites becoming popular in Europe. From there, knowledge of kites crossed the Atlantic Ocean when European travellers went to the Americas at the end of the fifteenth century.
Paragraph 5
Since then, kites have become more than just interesting pieces of flying art. They have played a meaningful role in some scientific discoveries. Perhaps the best-known use of a kite was in an experiment conducted by Benjamin Franklin in 1752. Franklin (1706 – 1790) wanted to prove the connection between lightning and electricity. He believed that if he attached a metal key to a kite and flew it during a thunderstorm, the electricity in the air would travel down the wet kite string to the key and produce an electric shock. From this experiment, Franklin went on to invent the lightning rod. The Wright brothers, Wilbur (1867 – 1912) and Orville (1871 – 1948) used kites in the early 1900 to test their ideas about flight. Their experiments led to the design of the world’s first successful aeroplane.
Paragraph 6
For centuries, kites have contributed to human exploration, scientific advancement and the arts. Even today, kites remain an important and much-loved part of many religious, cultural and festive traditions around the world, not to mention their continued recreational popularity. While their appearance and use may have changed through the ages, kites continue to hold an important place in human history.
Questions
Answer the following questions:
From paragraph 1
1. According to the writer, who enjoys kites?
Choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) and write the letter in the box.
A. Adults
B. Children
C. Everyone
D. Teenagers
From paragraph 2
2. The writer says ‘Chinese soldiers used them to send signals….’
Find another word used in this paragraph that has the same meaning as ‘soldiers’. Write the word below.
3. How did the Chinese General plan to enter the city? Choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) and write the letter in the box.
A. By destroying the city walls
B. By flying over the city walls
C. By going under the city walls
D. By putting snakes around the city walls
From paragraph 3
4. What is the main purpose of this paragraph?
Choose the best answer (A, B, C or D) and write the letter in the box.
A. To describe how kites became for beautiful and artistic
B. To explain why kites were flown at festivals and celebrations
C. To give examples of materials that kite-makers used
D. To show how kite-making has become an important business.
5. Complete each sentence below by writing a word that is used in this paragraph.
i) ……………….. is a type of wood
ii) ………………….is a type of cloth.
iii) A ………………….is a type of mythical creature.
From paragraph 4
6. Write three facts about Marco Polo
i)_________________________________________________________________________
ii)_________________________________________________________________________
ii)__________________________________________________________________________
Answer Scheme
- C
- Troops
- C
- A
- Bamboo, silk, dragon
- Marco Polo was Italian. He was an explorer. He was also a story teller.
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