The Sunlight Soap Story
Read The Sunlight Soap Story and check the IELTS Reading answers. The first bars of Sunlight soap rolled off the Lever Brothers production line in January 1886 at their factory in England. The Lever brothers - William and James - were respectively the seventh and eighth in a family of ten, and the…
Passage preview
The first bars of Sunlight soap rolled off the Lever Brothers production line in January 1886 at their factory in England. The Lever brothers - William and James - were respectively the seventh and eighth in a family of ten, and the only boys. Their father was a grocer, and the youngsters were apprenticed to the family business, where William soon showed a good business sense and entrepreneurial ability. By the time he was in his mid-twenties he was virtually running the firm, and hungry for greater challenges. He found them in soap.
Vocabulary from this passage
6 words worth learning before you sit the test, each with the sentence it appears in.
- by-product noun
A secondary outcome or material created while manufacturing something main, or an unintended consequence of an event.
Air pollution is an unfortunate by-product of rapid industrial growth across developing nations.
- dismay verb
To cause someone to feel intense distress, disappointment, or sorrow regarding an unwelcome situation.
Local residents were dismayed to discover that the municipal council approved the demolition of the library.
- entrepreneurial adjective
Relating to the ability to identify commercial opportunities and take financial risks to create new business ventures.
Universities should foster an entrepreneurial mindset so graduates can launch their own tech firms.
- pass unnoticed verb
To occur or exist without being observed, acknowledged, or receiving any attention from people.
Minor errors in early drafts rarely pass unnoticed when reviewed by experienced journal editors.
- ready availability noun
The state of being immediately and easily accessible in sufficient quantities for immediate use.
The ready availability of fast food contributes significantly to rising obesity rates among teenagers.
- seize an opportunity verb
To act eagerly and decisively to take full advantage of a favourable situation that arises.
Developing nations must seize an opportunity to transition toward renewable energy while costs remain low.
Answers with explanations
- 1. TRUE
The statement claims that both brothers worked in the grocery trade. Scanning the opening paragraph for family background reveals that their father was a **grocer** and that the youngsters were **apprenticed to the family business**. In this context, **apprenticed** directly confirms that both William and James were formally trained and employed in their father's grocery firm. Because the text explicitly confirms the claim rather than contradicting it or remaining silent, the correct answer is **TRUE**.
- 2. NOT GIVEN
The statement asserts that domestic soap-making was widespread in the late 19th century. Scanning for the time phrase **late 19th century** directs the candidate to the second paragraph, which mentions that soap was **becoming popular** and that Lever saw an opening for a commercial brand. However, the text makes no mention of whether individuals manufactured soap at home or bought it manufactured. Because this specific claim is neither confirmed nor contradicted by the passage, the information is entirely missing, making the answer **NOT GIVEN**.
- 2-3: B
2: The statement asserts that domestic soap-making was widespread in the late 19th century. Scanning for the time phrase **late 19th century** directs the candidate to the second paragraph, which mentions that soap was **becoming popular** and that Lever saw an opening for a commercial brand. However, the text makes no mention of whether individuals manufactured soap at home or bought it manufactured. Because this specific claim is neither confirmed nor contradicted by the passage, the information is entirely missing, making the answer **NOT GIVEN**.
3: The statement tests William's knowledge of soap before launching Sunlight. Scanning the second paragraph for Lever's initial involvement locates the clause where Lever admits he was **not knowledgeable** about soap itself. The phrase **not knowledgeable** serves as an exact synonym for knowing very little. The sentence describes the period when he first investigated commercial formulas before creating his brand. Because the passage directly supports the claim that his **prior understanding** was minimal, the statement is **TRUE**.
- 3. TRUE
The statement tests William's knowledge of soap before launching Sunlight. Scanning the second paragraph for Lever's initial involvement locates the clause where Lever admits he was **not knowledgeable** about soap itself. The phrase **not knowledgeable** serves as an exact synonym for knowing very little. The sentence describes the period when he first investigated commercial formulas before creating his brand. Because the passage directly supports the claim that his **prior understanding** was minimal, the statement is **TRUE**.
- 3-4: ["cost","costs"]
3: The statement tests William's knowledge of soap before launching Sunlight. Scanning the second paragraph for Lever's initial involvement locates the clause where Lever admits he was **not knowledgeable** about soap itself. The phrase **not knowledgeable** serves as an exact synonym for knowing very little. The sentence describes the period when he first investigated commercial formulas before creating his brand. Because the passage directly supports the claim that his **prior understanding** was minimal, the statement is **TRUE**.
4: The statement claims that Lever acquired the soap formula without paying. Scanning the second paragraph for how the formula was obtained leads to the sentence where William decided to **buy the recipe** for a **small sum of money**. Paying a financial amount, even a modest one, directly contradicts the claim that it was provided **free of charge**. Because the text explicitly negates the claim rather than leaving it unaddressed, the correct answer is **FALSE**.
- 4. FALSE
The statement claims that Lever acquired the soap formula without paying. Scanning the second paragraph for how the formula was obtained leads to the sentence where William decided to **buy the recipe** for a **small sum of money**. Paying a financial amount, even a modest one, directly contradicts the claim that it was provided **free of charge**. Because the text explicitly negates the claim rather than leaving it unaddressed, the correct answer is **FALSE**.
- 5. FALSE
The statement asserts that Sunlight soap included minor amounts of sodium silicate. Scanning paragraph three for the chemical name **Sodium silicate** reveals that although other soapmakers used it as a filler, Lever **preferred not to use it at all** in Sunlight soap. Stating that the substance was entirely excluded directly contradicts the claim that it was present in **small quantities**. Because the text actively disproves the presence of the ingredient, the answer is **FALSE** rather than NOT GIVEN.
- 6. profits
The sentence completion requires a **plural noun** denoting financial earnings following the adjective "annual". Scanning paragraph four for employee welfare cues leads to Lever's belief that staff should benefit from the company's financial success. The text refers to the **profits** created by his enterprise **each year**, which directly parallels the prompt's **annual** earnings. The word **profits** is copied verbatim from the text, preserves grammatical agreement, and strictly satisfies the one-word limit.
- 7. village
The gap requires a **singular noun** identifying a settlement built for workers. Scanning paragraph five for construction projects locates Lever's creation of Port Sunlight. The passage explicitly defines this development as a **village** complete with open spaces and civic facilities. The word **village** directly matches the sentence structure "built an entire...", providing the exact facility described. The word is extracted verbatim from the passage and adheres strictly to the **ONE WORD ONLY** restriction.
- 8. outings
The gap requires a **plural noun** specifying recreational events arranged for employees. Scanning paragraph four for how Lever supported workers alongside marking children's birthdays leads to the mention of **staff outings**. The noun **outings** accurately fills the prompt "he organised...", where the modifier **staff** is paraphrased as "for workers". Writing only **outings** ensures full compliance with the one-word limitation while maintaining precise grammatical and contextual accuracy.
- 9. packaging
The completion requires an **uncountable noun** acting as the subject of the passive construction "new... was developed". Scanning paragraph five for international distribution cues leads to the description of multi-language presentation. The text states that the **packaging** surrounding the soap was produced in thirty languages to attract customers **around the world**, paraphrasing "sold in different countries". The term **packaging** is lifted verbatim from the passage and fulfills the one-word limit.
- 10. ["headquarters","Headquarters"]
The gap follows "the division" and precedes the plural verb "were", requiring a **plural noun** or collective noun designating an administrative base. Scanning paragraph six for the Australian operations and the city cue **Sydney** pinpoints the opening sentence. The passage states that **Headquarters** for the Australasian division were situated there. The word **headquarters** fits the syntactic frame and is lifted verbatim from the text, complying with the one-word rule.
- 11. stamps
The prompt requires a **plural noun** functioning as the grammatical subject before "were used to advertise". Scanning paragraph six for promotional methods in Australasia reveals that the soap was featured on the backs of **postage stamps**. Because the instruction permits only one word, the head noun **stamps** must be selected rather than the compound phrase. The word **stamps** matches the plural verb, reflects the exact advertising medium, and meets the **ONE WORD ONLY** condition.
- 12. floor
The sentence needs a **singular noun** naming a physical surface inside the manufacturing facility. Scanning paragraph six for the New Zealand production process identifies the phrase describing workers running the **liquid soap base** onto the **floor** before raking soda ash into it. The word **floor** correctly completes the prepositional phrase "on the... of the factory", is lifted verbatim from the passage, and obeys the one-word limit.
- 13. powders
The gap requires a **plural noun** denoting a rival product that superseded traditional bar soap. Scanning paragraph seven for changes in domestic consumption locates the impact of rising living standards and washing machines. The text states that **powders** were replacing **bar soaps** in homes. The noun **powders** precisely fits the grammatical context after "introduction of", is lifted directly from the source text, and strictly obeys the one-word constraint.