An important language development
Read An important language development and check the IELTS Reading answers. Cuneiform, the world's first known system of handwriting, originated some 6,000 years ago in Sumer in what is now southern Iraq. It was most often inscribed on palm-sized, rectangular clay tablets measuring several centimet…
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Cuneiform, the world's first known system of handwriting, originated some 6,000 years ago in Sumer in what is now southern Iraq. It was most often inscribed on palm-sized, rectangular clay tablets measuring several centimetres across, although occasionally larger tablets or cylinders were used. Clay was an excellent medium for writing. Other surfaces which have been employed-for example, parchment, papyrus and paper-are not long-lasting and are easily destroyed by fire and water. But clay has proved to be resistant to those particular kinds of damage.
Vocabulary from this passage
10 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- conceptual abstraction noun
The process of formulating generalized ideas or concepts by separating them from specific, concrete physical realities
Mathematical formulas require a high degree of conceptual abstraction to solve complex theoretical problems.
- cuneiform noun
An ancient writing system characterized by wedge-shaped impressions made on clay tablets, originating in Mesopotamia
Scholars spent decades translating the cuneiform tablets discovered in the ancient library.
- decode verb
To translate a coded or encrypted message into intelligible language; to decipher a complex system of writing
Cryptographers worked tirelessly to decode the secret messages sent during wartime operations.
- excavate verb
To systematically dig up and uncover archaeological remains, artifacts, or ancient structures from the ground
Archaeologists plan to excavate the ancient ruins to uncover remnants of early civilizations.
- inscribe verb
To write, engrave, or carve words or symbols onto a hard surface such as stone, clay, or metal
Ancient scribes would inscribe royal decrees onto stone pillars for public viewing.
- intangible adjective
Unable to be touched or physically grasped; not having physical presence but possessing value or meaning
Intellectual property is an intangible asset that modern corporations seek to protect fiercely.
- naked eye noun
The human eye unassisted by any optical instrument or magnification device such as a microscope or telescope
The tiny markings on the ancient coin were barely visible to the naked eye.
- parchment noun
A stiff, thin material made from the prepared skin of an animal and used as a durable writing surface
The ancient monks preserved sacred texts by writing them carefully on animal parchment.
- stylus noun
A sharp, pointed tool used for engraving, writing, or marking on surfaces such as clay tablets or wax
Sumerian accountants used a reed stylus to press wedge-shaped signs into damp clay.
- unintelligible adjective
Impossible to understand, comprehend, or decipher due to being unclear, garbled, or written in an unknown script
The water damage rendered the ancient manuscript completely unintelligible to modern linguists.
Answers with explanations
- 1. TRUE
The question asks if the tablets came in different shapes and sizes. The text confirms they were typically 'rectangular' and 'several centimetres across', but also mentions 'larger tablets or cylinders' (a different shape and size). Since the text directly supports the statement, the answer is TRUE.
- 2. FALSE
The statement claims the tablets were dry when marked. However, the text explicitly states the writers would impress lines into 'wet clay'. Because the text directly contradicts the statement, the answer is FALSE.
- 2-3: D
2: The statement claims the tablets were dry when marked. However, the text explicitly states the writers would impress lines into 'wet clay'. Because the text directly contradicts the statement, the answer is FALSE.
3: The statement says cuneiform was difficult to read because of its size. The text supports this by explaining the signs were 'almost too small to see with the naked eye', making reading difficult. Therefore, the answer is TRUE.
- 3. TRUE
The statement says cuneiform was difficult to read because of its size. The text supports this by explaining the signs were 'almost too small to see with the naked eye', making reading difficult. Therefore, the answer is TRUE.
- 3-4: NO
3: The statement says cuneiform was difficult to read because of its size. The text supports this by explaining the signs were 'almost too small to see with the naked eye', making reading difficult. Therefore, the answer is TRUE.
4: The text explicitly mentions that cuneiform was used to write 'at least a dozen languages'. This directly supports the statement that 'a number of languages adopted' it, making the answer TRUE.
- 4. TRUE
The text explicitly mentions that cuneiform was used to write 'at least a dozen languages'. This directly supports the statement that 'a number of languages adopted' it, making the answer TRUE.
- 5. NOT GIVEN
The statement claims cuneiform signs can be found in some modern alphabets. The text compares the way cuneiform was shared among different languages to how the Latin alphabet is shared today. However, it does not say that cuneiform signs themselves are present in modern alphabets. Since there is not enough information to confirm or contradict the claim, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
- 6. stones
The notes need a noun indicating what tokens were made of or what was used as them. The text explains that people would take 'small stones' and use them as tokens. 'stones' fits the ONE WORD ONLY instruction.
- 7. cloth
The phrase 'containers made of' in the question matches 'container' in the text. The text specifies it was a 'cloth container'. Therefore, 'cloth' is the correct noun to complete the sentence.
- 8. receipt
The notes mention giving tokens when 'selling something' (a transaction). The text states these tokens were given to a buyer 'as a receipt'. The noun 'receipt' correctly fits the grammatical structure and meaning.
- 9. envelope
The phrase 'looked like a clay' corresponds to 'resembling an envelope, one made of clay' in the text. The correct noun to fill the blank is 'envelope'.
- 10. sheep
The notes mention signs looking like what they indicated and asks for an example. The text provides the example of a drawing of a 'sheep' to represent a real sheep. The answer is 'sheep'.
- 11. triangles
The question asks what shape cuneiform signs eventually took. The text notes that at the last stage of evolution, the signs took the form of 'triangles'. This fits the ONE WORD ONLY limit perfectly.
- 12. accounting
The question notes that experts (linguists and historians) agree cuneiform was mainly used for a specific purpose. The text reveals it was developed primarily as a 'tool for accounting'. Therefore, 'accounting' is the correct noun.
- 13. paper
The sentence requires a noun describing what Rawlinson copied the inscriptions onto. The text says he made impressions on large pieces of 'paper'. The answer 'paper' meets both the meaning and word limit constraints.