William Henry Perkin — IELTS Reading Answers

Michael Faraday was the first person to recognise Perkin's ability as a student of chemistry.

“His talent and devotion to the subject were perceived by his teacher, Thomas Hall, who encouraged him to attend a series of lectures given by the eminent scientist Michael Faraday at the Royal Institution”

His talent was 'perceived by his teacher, Thomas Hall', who then sent him to Faraday's lectures, so Faraday was not first. FALSE.

Michael Faraday suggested Perkin should enrol in the Royal College of Chemistry.

“Those speeches fired the young chemist's enthusiasm further, and he later went on to attend the Royal College of Chemistry, which he succeeded in entering in 1853, at the age of 15”

Faraday's lectures fired his enthusiasm, but the passage never says Faraday advised him to enrol at the Royal College of Chemistry.

Perkin employed August Wilhelm Hofmann as his assistant.

“Perkin's scientific gifts soon caught Hofmann's attention and, within two years, he became Hofmann's youngest assistant”

'He became Hofmann's youngest assistant' reverses the roles: Hofmann employed Perkin, not the other way round. FALSE.

Perkin was still young when he made the discovery that made him rich and famous.

“he later went on to attend the Royal College of Chemistry, which he succeeded in entering in 1853, at the age of 15 Perkin's scientific gifts soon caught Hofmann's attention and, within two years, he became Hofmann's youngest assistant.”

He entered college at 15 and made the breakthrough 'not long after', so he was still young when fame and fortune came. TRUE.

The trees from which quinine is derived grow only in South America.

“The drug is derived from the bark of the cinchona tree, native to South America, and by 1856 demand for the drug was surpassing the available supply”

'Native to South America' does not say the tree grows only there, so the exclusiveness claimed is not stated.

Perkin hoped to manufacture a drug from a coal tar waste product.

“He was attempting to manufacture quinine from aniline, an inexpensive and readily available coal tar waste product”

He tried to make quinine 'from aniline... a coal tar waste product', exactly as the statement says. TRUE.

Perkin was inspired by the discoveries of the famous scientist Louis Pasteur.

“And, proving the truth of the famous scientist Louis Pasteur's words 'chance favours only the prepared mind', Perkin saw the potential of his unexpected find”

Pasteur is quoted only for the maxim that 'chance favours only the prepared mind'; the passage never says his discoveries inspired Perkin.

Before Perkin's discovery, with what group in society was the colour purple associated?

“Indeed, the purple colour extracted from a snail was once so costly that in society at the time only the rich could afford it”

Purple was so costly that 'only the rich could afford it', so the group is 'the rich'.

What potential did Perkin immediately understand that his new dye had?

“But perhaps the most fascinating of all Perkin's reactions to his find was his nearly instant recognition that the new dye had commercial possibilities”

Perkin recognised 'the new dye had commercial possibilities', the potential the question asks about.

What was the name finally used to refer to the first colour Perkin invented?

“Perkin originally named his dye Tyrian Purple, but it later became commonly known as mauve (from the French for the plant used to make the colour violet)”

Though first named Tyrian Purple, the dye 'later became commonly known as mauve', the final name.

What was the name of the person Perkin consulted before setting up his own dye works?

“He asked advice of Scottish dye works owner Robert Pullar, who assured him that manufacturing the dye would be well worth it if the colour remained fast (i.e. would not fade) and the cost was relatively low”

Before building his works Perkin 'asked advice of... Robert Pullar', the person consulted.

In what country did Perkin's newly invented colour first become fashionable?

“The company received a commercial boost from the Empress Eugénie of France, when she decided the new colour flattered her. Very soon, mauve was the necessary shade for all the fashionable ladies in that country”

The Empress Eugénie of France made mauve fashionable, and it became 'the necessary shade' in that country — France.

According to the passage, which disease is now being targeted by researchers using synthetic dyes?

“And, in what would have been particularly pleasing to Perkin, their current use is in the search for a vaccine against malaria”

Synthetic dyes are now used 'in the search for a vaccine against malaria', the disease named.