Alfred Nobel Reading Answers

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Content Writer at Study Abroad Exams | Updated On - Jan 5, 2023

Alfred Nobel Reading Answers is an IELTS reading topic with 13 questions. This topic has been taken from the book: Cambridge IELTS 10 Student's Book with Answers. Alfred Nobel Reading Answers is the third and the last part of the reading section. Candidates are allowed 20 minutes to complete the IELTS Reading questions. It is very important to read the Alfred Nobel Reading Answers passage with utmost attention to answer the questions timely. Candidates can practice topics from IELTS Reading practice papers. These practice papers contain similar topics to Alfred Nobel Reading Answers. This topic contains two types of questions. They are True/False/Not Given, No more than 2 words.

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Section 1

Read the passage to answer the following questions

Alfred Nobel Reading Answers

Since 1901, the Nobel Prize has been honoring men and women from all corners of the globe for outstanding achievements in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and for work in peace. The foundations for the prize were laid in 1895 when Alfred Nobel wrote his last will, leaving much of his wealth to the establishment of the Nobel Prize.
Alfred Nobel was born in Stockholm on October 21, 1833. His father Immanuel Nobel was an engineer and inventor who built bridges and buildings in Stockholm. In connection with his construction work, Immanuel Nobel also experimented with different techniques for blasting rocks. Successful in his industrial and business ventures, Immanuel Nobel was able, in 1842, to bring his family to St. Petersburg. There, his sons were given a first-class education by private teachers. The training included natural sciences, languages and literature. By the age of 17, Alfred Nobel was fluent in Swedish, Russian, French, English and German. His primary interests were in English literature and poetry as well as in chemistry and physics. Alfred’s father, who wanted his sons to join his enterprise as engineers, disliked Alfred’s interest in poetry and found his son rather introverted.
In order to widen Alfred’s horizons, his father sent him abroad for further training in chemical engineering. During a two year period, Alfred Nobel visited Sweden, Germany, France and the United States. In Paris, the city he came to like best, he worked in the private laboratory of Professor T. J. Pclouze, a famous chemist. There he met the young Italian chemist Ascanio Sobrero who, three years earlier, had invented nitroglycerine, a highly explosive liquid. But it was considered too dangerous to be of any practical use. Although its explosive power greatly exceeded that of gunpowder, the liquid would explode in a very unpredictable manner if subjected to heat and pressure. Alfred Nobel became very interested in nitroglycerine and how it could be put to practical use in construction work. He also realized that the safety problems had to be solved and a method had to be developed for the controlled detonation of nitroglycerine.
After his return to Sweden in 1863, Alfred Nobel concentrated on developing nitroglycerine as an explosive. Several explosions, including one (1864) in which his brother Emil and several other persons were killed, convinced the authorities that nitroglycerine production was exceedingly dangerous. They forbade further experimentation with nitroglycerine within the Stockholm city limits and Alfred Nobel had to move his experimentation to a barge anchored on Lake Malaren. Alfred was not discouraged and in 1864 he was able to start mass production of nitroglycerine. To make the handling of nitroglycerine safer Alfred Nobel experimented with different additives. He soon found that mixing nitroglycerine with kieselguhr would turn the liquid into a paste which could be shaped into rods of a size and form suitable for insertion into drilling holes. In 1867 he patented this material under the name of dynamite. To be able to detonate the dynamite rods he also invented a detonator (blasting cap) which could be ignited by lighting a fuse. These inventions were made at the same time as the pneumatic drill came into general use. Together these inventions drastically reduced the cost of blasting rock, drilling tunnels, building canals and many other forms of construction work.
The market for dynamite and detonating caps grew very rapidly and Alfred Nobel also proved himself to be a very skillful entrepreneur and businessman. Over the years he founded factories and laboratories in some 90 different places in more than 20 countries. Although he lived in Paris much of his life he was constantly traveling. When he was not traveling or engaging in business activities Nobel himself worked intensively in his various laboratories, first in Stockholm and later in other places. He focused on the development of explosives technology as well as other chemical inventions including such materials as synthetic rubber and leather, artificial silk, etc. By the time of his death in 18%, he had 355 patents.
Intensive work and travel did not leave much time for private life. At the age of 43, he was feeling like an old man. At this time he advertised in a newspaper “Wealthy, highly-educated elderly gentleman seeks the lady of mature age, versed in languages, as secretary and supervisor of household.” The most qualified applicant turned out to be an Austrian woman, Countess Bertha Kinsky. After working a very short time for Nobel she decided to return to Austria to marry Count Arthur von Suttner. In spite of this Alfred Nobel and Bertha von Suttner remained friends and kept writing letters to each other for decades. Over the years Bertha von Suttner became increasingly critical of the arms race. She wrote a famous book, Lay Down Your Arms and became a prominent figure in the peace movement. No doubt this influenced Alfred Nobel when he wrote his final will which was to include a Prize for persons or organizations who promoted peace. Several years after the death of Alfred Nobel, the Norwegian Storting (Parliament) decided to award the 1905 Nobel Peace Prize to Bertha von Suttner.
Alfred Nobel died in San Remo, Italy, on December 10, 1896. When his will was opened it came as a surprise that his fortune was to be used for Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature and Peace. The executors of his will were two young engineers, Ragnar Sohlman and Rudolf Lilljequist. They set about forming the Nobel Foundation as an organization to take care of the financial assets left by Nobel for this purpose and to coordinate the work of the Prize-Awarding Institutions. This was not without its difficulties since the will was contested by relatives and questioned by authorities in various countries.
Alfred Nobel’s greatness lay in his ability to combine the penetrating mind of the scientist and inventor with the forward-looking dynamism of the industrialist. Nobel was very interested in social and peace-related issues and held what were considered radical views in his era. He had a great interest in literature and wrote his own poetry and dramatic works. The Nobel Prizes became an extension and a fulfillment of his lifetime interests.

Section 2

Solution and Explanation
Questions 1-6:
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage?
In boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE if the statement is true
FALSE if the statement is false
NOT GIVEN if the information is not given in the passage

The first Nobel Prize was awarded in 1895.

Answer: FALSE
Supporting Sentence: Since 1901, the Nobel Prize has been honoring men and women from all corners of the globe for outstanding achievements in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and for work in peace.
Keywords: outstanding achievements in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature
Keyword Location: Paragraph A
Explanation: The first words of paragraph A say that the Nobel Prize has been awarding men and women from all across the world. The extraordinary achievements in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and peace work since 1901. The prize's roots were built in 1895, when Alfred Nobel made his last will and testament, donating much of his riches to the institution of the Nobel Prize. These lines reflect that the first Nobel Prize was awarded beginning in 1901. Alfred Nobel left most of his riches to establish the Nobel Prize in 1895. As a result of the assertion contradicting the information, the answer is False.

Nobel’s father wanted his son to have a better education than what he had had.

Answer: NOT GIVEN
Explanation: It is indicated in the last line of paragraph B that Alfred's father intended his boys to join his business as engineers. But he despised Alfred's passion in poetry and thought his son was very reclusive. However, there is no mention of Nobel's father wanting his son to acquire a higher education than he had. As a result, the solution is Not Given.

Nobel was an unsuccessful businessman.

Answer: FALSE
Supporting Sentence: The market for dynamite and detonating caps grew very rapidly and Alfred Nobel also proved himself to be a very skillful entrepreneur and businessman.
Keywords: Alfred Nobel, skillful entrepreneur, and businessman
Keyword Location: Paragraph E
Explanation: According to the first few words of paragraph E, the market of high explosives and detonating caps increased extremely quickly. Alfred Nobel also established himself to be a highly skilled entrepreneur and businessman. From these words, we may deduce that as the marketplace for dynamite and blowing up caps expanded. Alfredo established oneself as a competent entrepreneur and businessman. As a result of the assertion contradicting the information, the answer is False.

Bertha von Suttner was selected by Nobel himself for the first peace prize.

Answer: FALSE
Supporting Sentence: Several years after the death of Alfred Nobel, the Norwegian Storting (Parliament) decided to award the 1905 Nobel Peace Prize to Bertha von Suttner.
Keywords: Norwegian Storting, award the 1905 Nobel Peace Prize
Keyword Location: Paragraph F, last line
Explanation: According to the last sentence of paragraph F, some years after Alfred Nobel's death, the Norwegian Storting (Parliament). They agreed to give the 1905 Nobel Peace Prize to Bertha von Suttner. As a result, it is apparent that Nobel did not choose Suttner for the inaugural peace prize. As a result of the assertion contradicting the information, the answer is False.

The Nobel Foundation was established after the death of Nobel

Answer: TRUE
Supporting Sentence: The executors of his will were two young engineers, Ragnar Sohlman and Rudolf Lilljequist.
Keywords: two young engineers, Ragnar Sohlman
Keyword Location: Paragraph G, line 3
Explanation: According to the third line of paragraph G, Ragnar Sohlman and Rudolf Lilljequist have been the executors of Nobel's will. They established the Nobel Foundation to manage the financial resources left by Nobel for this purpose. To coordinate the activities of a Prize-Awarding Institution. As a result of the assertion agreeing with the information, the answer is True.

Nobel’s social involvement was uncommon in the 1800s.

Answer: TRUE
Supporting Sentence: Nobel was very much interested in social and peace-related issues and held what were considered radical views in his era.
Keywords: social and peace-related issues
Keyword Location: Paragraph H
Explanation: According to paragraph H, Nobel was particularly engaged in social and peace concerns and had what were considered unorthodox ideas at the time. As a result, there is no mention of Nobel's social activity, which was unusual in the 1800s. As a result, the solution is true.

Questions 7-13:
Complete the notes below using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage.
Write your answers in boxes 7-13 on your answer sheet.

Education:
Having accumulated a great fortune in his business, Nobel’s father determined to give his son the best education and sent him abroad to be trained in 7____________

Answer: chemical engineering
Supporting Sentence: widen Alfred’s horizons, his father sent him abroad for further training in chemical engineering.
Keywords: Alfred’s horizons, chemical engineering
Keyword Location: Paragraph C
Explanation: According to the first few words of paragraph C, Alfred's father sent him overseas for additional training in chemical engineering to broaden his horizons. These words show that Nobel's father was keen to provide his son with the greatest education possible, so he sent him overseas to study chemical engineering. As a result, the solution is Chemical Engineering.

during Nobel’s study in Paris, he worked in a private laboratory, where he came in contact with a young engineer 8_____________

Answer: Ascanio Sobrero
Supporting Sentence: city Nobel came to like best, he worked in the private laboratory of Professor T. J. Pclouze, a famous chemist.
Keywords: Professor T. J. Pclouze, a famous chemis
Keyword Location: Paragraph C
Explanation: According to paragraph C, Nobel worked at the personal laboratory of Professor T. J. Pclouze, a distinguished chemist, in Paris, the city he grew to love. There he encountered Ascanio Sobrero, a young Italian chemist who had produced nitroglycerine, a highly flammable liquid, three years before. These sentences imply that while working at a private laboratory in Paris. A Nobel met a young engineer named Ascanio Sobrero, with whom he invented Nitroglycerine. Hence the answer is Ascanio Sobrero.

and his invention nitroglycerine, a more powerful explosive than 9_____________

Answer: gunpower
Supporting Sentence: Although its explosive power greatly exceeded that of gunpowder, the liquid would explode in a very unpredictable manner if subjected to heat and pressure.
Keywords: explosive power, greatly exceeded, gunpowder
Keyword Location: Paragraph C, line 6
Explanation: The sixth sentence of paragraph C demonstrates that, while having several times the explosive strength of gunpowder. The liquid would explode in an unexpected manner if subjected to heat and pressure. These lines demonstrate that, although having more explosive strength than gunpowder, the liquid might detonate in an unpredictable manner. As a result, nitroglycerine is a more potent explosive than gunpowder. Therefore, the answer is gunpowder.

Benefits in construction works:
Nobel became really interested in this new explosive and experimented on it. But nitroglycerine was too dangerous and was banned for experiments within the city of 10____________

Answer: Stockholm.
Supporting Sentence: They forbade further experimentation with nitroglycerine within the Stockholm city limits.
Keywords: several explosions, including one (1864)
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, line 2
Explanation: According to the second line of paragraph D, multiple explosions, including one in 1864 that killed his brother Emil and several other people. It convinced authorities that nitroglycerine manufacture was extremely risky. They prohibited additional nitroglycerine experiments within the city borders of Stockholm. These markings show that nitroglycerine and its testing were prohibited inside the city boundaries of Stockholm due to its high explosiveness. As a result, the answer is Stockholm.

So Nobel had to move his experiments to a lake. To make nitroglycerine easily usable, Nobel invented dynamite along with 11_____________

Answer: detonator.
Supporting Sentence: To detonate the dynamite rods he also invented a detonator (blasting cap) which could be ignited by lighting a fuse.
Keywords: lighting a fuse
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, line 10
Explanation: According to the tenth line of paragraph D, he created a detonator (blasting cap) that could be triggered by igniting a fuse in order to detonate the dynamite rods. We may conclude from these lines that Nobel created dynamite and a detonator to make nitroglycerine more easily used (blasting caps). As a result, the solution is a detonator.

while in the meantime 12 _________________

Answer: pneumatic drill
Supporting Sentence: inventions were made at the same time as the pneumatic drill came into general use.
Keywords: pneumatic drill, same time
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, line 11
Explanation: It is indicated in the 11th line in paragraph D that these inventions were produced at the same time that the pneumatic drill became widely used. These phrases imply that pneumatic drills gained popularity after the invention of the detonator. As a result, pneumatic drills are the answer.

became popular, all of which dramatically lowered the 13 ____________ of construction works.

Answer: cost
Supporting Sentence: together these inventions drastically reduced the cost of blasting rock, drilling tunnels, building canals, and many other forms of construction work.
Keywords: drilling tunnels, building canals
Keyword Location: Paragraph D, last line
Explanation: It is indicated in the 11th line in paragraph D that these inventions were produced about the same time that the pneumatic drill became widely used. These phrases imply that after the detonator was introduced, pneumatic drills became popular. As a result, pneumatic drills are the solution.

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Alfred Nobel Reading Answers

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Alfred Nobel Reading Answers

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