Find the Content and Exercises with Solution
Lesson Objectives
Students will be able to understand the historical development of transportation from the wheel to supersonic aircraft, recognize key inventions and milestones in aviation, and identify important facts about modern airplanes and the Concorde.
Paper and Wheel
B. Read the following dialogue between the English teacher, Mr Ramis, and a student Rubina.
Communication of ideas is at the centre of civilisation. It needs written records. Most of our records in the modern age are on paper. Though writing was invented very early, paper is a more modern invention.
For long, people exchanged ideas through speaking and listening. Then there came the art of writing. But to record thoughts in writing was difficult. Writing materials were not available. People used the surface of stone, metal, wood, bark, leaves, etc. for writing. Those things were not easy to carry. Then for ages, people looked for easy writing materials. Finally, paper was invented in China in 105 CE.
Before the paper age, knowledge was very restricted. Can you think of that time? There were very few books in the world. Maybe, they were written on stone or on heavy wood planks or on metal sheets. Suppose, one page was a heavy stone block. So, think of a hundred-page book! In our time, you can carry the entire world of knowledge in digital form in your laptop. You can even carry a huge volume of paper encyclopedia. But who could produce and carry tons of heavy stone books and documents in those paperless days? In fact, paper has made publication and the spread of knowledge and information easy. So, you can see how paper has changed our life.
Multiple Choice Questions
- What, according to the passage, was at the centre of civilisation?
- Trade and commerce
- Communication of ideas
- Invention of paper
- Collection of books
- Before the invention of paper, which of the following was not commonly used as a writing material?
- Stone
- Metal
- Bark
- Plastic
- Why were early writing materials like stone or metal not practical?
- They decayed too quickly
- They were not durable enough
- They were too heavy and difficult to carry
- They absorbed too much ink
- When and where was paper invented, as mentioned in the passage?
- In Greece, 250 BCE
- In Egypt, 2000 BCE
- In China, 105 CE
- In Rome, 100 CE
- How does the passage contrast knowledge before and after the invention of paper?
- Earlier, knowledge was free but later it became restricted
- Earlier, knowledge was restricted but later it spread widely
- Earlier, books were easy to carry but later they became heavier
- Earlier, digital knowledge was unavailable but later it was invented
- Which example does the passage use to highlight the difficulty of recording knowledge before paper?
- Books written on thin papyrus scrolls
- A hundred-page book imagined as heavy stone blocks
- Documents kept on animal skins
- Manuscripts destroyed by fire
- According to the passage, what is the greatest contribution of paper to human civilisation?
- It replaced digital knowledge
- It made the spread of knowledge and information easy
- It made stone inscriptions unnecessary
- It ended the practice of oral communication
Short Questions
- According to Mr. Ramis, what lies at the centre of civilisation?
- Which materials did people use for writing before the invention of paper?
- Who invented paper and in which year?
- Why was knowledge very restricted before the paper age?
- How has paper changed human life, according to the passage?
Fill in the Blanks
Communication of ideas is at the __________ of civilisation. For long, people shared thoughts through __________ and listening. Later came the art of __________, but recording ideas was difficult because suitable __________ were not available. People wrote on stone, metal, wood, bark, and __________, though these were not easy to carry. After centuries of search, __________ was invented in China in 105 CE, which made the spread of __________ much easier.
Suffix and Prefix Exercise
The invention of paper was a great __________ (civilise) achievement. Before its __________ (invent), people faced great __________ (difficult) in writing and carrying records. Knowledge was very __________ (restrict) in those days. Paper made __________ (publish) and the __________ (inform) world accessible to ordinary people. It truly changed human __________ (live).
Complete the Table
Fill in the blanks in the Event/Action and What/Why columns using information from the passage.
| Subject | Event/Action | What/Why |
|---|---|---|
| People | (i) ____________________ | to share ideas before writing was invented |
| Early writers | Used stone, metal, wood, bark, and leaves | (ii) ____________________ |
| Paper | (iii) ____________________ | in China in 105 CE |
| Knowledge | (iv) ____________________ | before the invention of paper |
| Modern learners | Carry huge amounts of information digitally | (v) ____________________ |
| Paper | (vi) ____________________ | spread of knowledge and information easy |
Answers
Multiple Choice Questions
- What, according to the passage, was at the centre of civilisation?
- Trade and commerce
- Communication of ideas ✅
- Invention of paper
- Collection of books
- Before the invention of paper, which of the following was not commonly used as a writing material?
- Stone
- Metal
- Bark
- Plastic ✅
- Why were early writing materials like stone or metal not practical?
- They decayed too quickly
- They were not durable enough
- They were too heavy and difficult to carry ✅
- They absorbed too much ink
- When and where was paper invented, as mentioned in the passage?
- In Greece, 250 BCE
- In Egypt, 2000 BCE
- In China, 105 CE ✅
- In Rome, 100 CE
- How does the passage contrast knowledge before and after the invention of paper?
- Earlier, knowledge was free but later it became restricted
- Earlier, knowledge was restricted but later it spread widely ✅
- Earlier, books were easy to carry but later they became heavier
- Earlier, digital knowledge was unavailable but later it was invented
- Which example does the passage use to highlight the difficulty of recording knowledge before paper?
- Books written on thin papyrus scrolls
- A hundred-page book imagined as heavy stone blocks ✅
- Documents kept on animal skins
- Manuscripts destroyed by fire
- According to the passage, what is the greatest contribution of paper to human civilisation?
- It replaced digital knowledge
- It made the spread of knowledge and information easy ✅
- It made stone inscriptions unnecessary
- It ended the practice of oral communication
Short Questions with Answers
-
What does Mr. Ramis say is at the centre of civilisation?
According to Mr. Ramis, communication of ideas is at the centre of civilisation. -
How did people exchange ideas before the invention of writing?
Before writing, people exchanged ideas through speaking and listening. -
Which materials were used for writing before paper was invented?
People used stone, metal, wood, bark, and leaves as writing materials. -
When and where was paper invented, according to the passage?
Paper was invented in China in 105 CE. -
Why does the passage describe knowledge as very restricted before the paper age?
Knowledge was restricted because books were few, heavy, and difficult to produce or carry.
Fill in the Blanks – Answer Key
Communication of ideas is at the centre of civilisation. For long, people shared thoughts through speaking and listening. Later came the art of writing, but recording ideas was difficult because suitable materials were not available. People wrote on stone, metal, wood, bark, and leaves, though these were not easy to carry. After centuries of search, paper was invented in China in 105 CE, which made the spread of knowledge much easier.
Suffix and Prefix Exercise – Answer Key
The invention of paper was a great civilisation (civilise) achievement. Before its invention (invent), people faced great difficulties (difficult) in writing and carrying records. Knowledge was very restricted (restrict) in those days. Paper made publication (publish) and the information (inform) world accessible to ordinary people. It truly changed human life (live).
Complete the Table – Answer Key
| Subject | Event/Action | What/Why |
|---|---|---|
| People | Exchanged ideas through speaking and listening | to share ideas before writing was invented |
| Early writers | Used stone, metal, wood, bark, and leaves | because paper was not available |
| Paper | Invented in China in 105 CE | to provide easy and portable writing material |
| Knowledge | Was very restricted | because books were few, heavy, and difficult to carry |
| Modern learners | Carry huge amounts of information digitally | to access the world of knowledge easily |
| Paper | Made publication possible | to spread knowledge and information widely |
📖 Key Features
- 📌 Format: Reading Text with High Quality Graphics
- 📌Content: Class VIII – Unit Nine, Lesson 6: Paper and Wheel (Page 125)
- 📌 Exercise: Multiple Choice Questions, Short Questions, Fill-in-the-Blanks, suffix and prefix, information transfer
- 📌 Ideal for: IT-Assisted Classrooms
- 📌 Perfect for: Presentation Purposes and Personal Learning too
🚀 Contact us to get your password!
🚀 Confirm or Renew Your Membership!
✅ Reading Course for Grade 8!
✅ Grammar Course for Grade 8!