A Chronicle Of Timekeeping — IELTS Reading Answers

a description of an early timekeeping invention affected by cold temperatures

“Although these devices performed satisfactorily around the Mediterranean, they could not always be depended on in the cloudy and often freezing weather of northern Europe”

Paragraph D describes devices that failed in 'cloudy and often freezing weather of northern Europe', the invention affected by cold.

an explanation of the importance of geography in the development of the calendar in farming communities

“Hence, the calendars that were developed at the lower latitudes were influenced more by the lunar cycle than by the solar year. In more northern climes, however, where seasonal agriculture was practised, the solar year became more crucial”

Paragraph B contrasts lunar calendars at low latitudes with the solar year in 'more northern climes, where seasonal agriculture was practised', explaining geography's role.

a description of the origins of the pendulum clock

“By the 16th century, a pendulum clock had been devised, but the pendulum swung in a large arc and thus was not very efficient”

Paragraph F introduces the first 'pendulum clock' in the sixteenth century and its large swing, i.e. the clock's origins.

details of the simultaneous efforts of different societies to calculate time using uniform hours

“The schemes that divided the day into 24 equal parts varied according to the start of the count: Italian hours began at sunset, Babylonian hours at sunrise, astronomical hours at midday and 'great clock' hours, used for some large public clocks in Germany, at midnight”

Paragraph E lists Italian, Babylonian, astronomical and German 'great clock' hours — different societies dividing the day into 24 equal parts.

They devised a civil calendar in which the months were equal in length.

“Centuries before the Roman Empire, the Egyptians had formulated a municipal calendar having 12 months of 30 days, with five days added to approximate the solar year”

The Egyptians made 'a municipal calendar having 12 months of 30 days' — equal-length months, which is feature B.

They divided the day into two equal halves.

“Eventually these were superseded by 'small clock', or French, hours, which split the day into two 12-hour periods commencing at midnight”

'French hours... split the day into two 12-hour periods' means two equal halves, so F.

They developed a new cabinet shape for a type of timekeeper.

“To address this, a variation on the original escapement was invented in 1670, in England. It was called the anchor escapement, which was a lever-based device shaped like a ship's anchor.”

The English anchor escapement 'led to the development of a new floor-standing case design', the grandfather clock — feature D.

They created a calendar to organise public events and work schedules.

“According to archaeological evidence, at least 5,000 years ago, and long before the advent of the Roman Empire, the Babylonians began to measure time, introducing calendars to co-ordinate communal activities, to plan the shipment of goods and, in particular, to regulate planting and harvesting”

'Calendars to co-ordinate communal activities' and plan shipments is organising public events and work schedules, so A.

“It was called the anchor escapement, which was a lever-based device shaped like a ship's anchor”

The anchor escapement is 'shaped like a ship's anchor', the phrase the diagram needs.

“The motion of a pendulum rocks this device so that it catches and then releases each tooth of the escape wheel, in turn allowing it to turn a precise amount”

The device catches and releases 'each tooth of the escape wheel', so the wheel labelled is the 'escape wheel'.

“The motion of a pendulum rocks this device so that it catches and then releases each tooth of the escape wheel, in turn allowing it to turn a precise amount”

The part the anchor catches and releases is 'each tooth', the singular noun the diagram requires.

“Moreover, this invention allowed the use of a long pendulum which could beat once a second and thus led to the development of a new floor-standing case design, which became known as the grandfather clock”

The invention permitted 'a long pendulum', so the diagram's pendulum label is 'long pendulum'.

“Moreover, this invention allowed the use of a long pendulum which could beat once a second and thus led to the development of a new floor-standing case design, which became known as the grandfather clock”

The pendulum 'could beat once a second', so the gap after 'once a' takes 'second'.