William Henry Perkin Reading Answers

Check William Henry Perkin reading answers in the table given below. 

Solution for: William Henry Perkin

1. False	5. Not Given	9. commercial (possibilities)	13. malaria (is)
2. Not Given	6. True	10. mauve (was/ is)
3. False	7. Not Given	11. Robert (Pullar)
4. True	8. (the/ only) rich	12. (in) France

The passage of the William Henry Perkin Reading Answers with three different question types is given in this article. You can improve your answering skills with our academic reading practice test. Keep your attention level high while reading the passage and answering the questions in the IELTS reading test. 

William Henry Perkin's reading passage deals with his life and its achievements. It contains a wealth of information and facts which help you to improve your vocabulary. You are required to answer the following IELTS reading question types. And, remember to check your answers with our William Henry Perkin Reading Answers. 

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William Henry Perkin Reading Answers - IELTS Academic Reading Passage

Find the reading passage below along with the William Henry Perkin reading answers.  In addition, we designed william henry perkin reading answers with location to know why those answers are chosen. 

William Henry Perkin

On 12 March 1838, William Henry Perkin was born in London, England. 

Curiosity drives the early Perkins to the arts, sciences, photography and engineering till he gets into the laboratory of his late grandfather. It developed his enthusiasm towards chemistry. 

As a student at the City of London School, Perkin was wholly involved in the study of chemistry. Perkins' talent and devotion to the subject of chemistry is recognized by his teacher. He attended Michal Faraday's lectures at the Royal Institution by the encouragement of Thomas Hall. His speeches developed his interest towards chemistry further. Later, at the age of 15, 1853, Perkin attended the Royal College of Chemistry. 

German chemist August Wilhelm Hofmann was head at the Royal college of chemistry during the time of Perkin’s enrolment. Hofmann identified the perkin's scientific gifts and he became a youngest assistant of Hofmann. After some time, Perkin got his fame and both through his scientific breakthrough. 

Quinine is the only feasible medical treatment for malaria at that time. The drug is extracted from the cinchona tree's bark, which is situated in South America. The demand for the drug increased by 1856. Hofmann made some comments about the synthetic substitute for quinine and his star pupil takes up as a challenge. 

In 1856, during his vacation, he was trying to manufacture quinine from aniline (inexpensive and readily available coal tar waste) in his laboratory at the top of his family’s house. Out of his best efforts, he didn't get the quinine, but some mysterious dark sludge. Fortunately, Perkin's scientific training and nature made him explore the substance further. At the various stages of the experimental process, he added the potassium dichromate and alcohol into the aniline which produced a deep purple solution. Louis Pasteur’s words ‘chance favours only the prepared mind’, proved to be true, he saw the unexpected potential of his find. 

Usually, the textile dye was made from natural resources such as plants and animal excretions. Few of these, like glandular mucus of snails, were both expensive and difficult to get. At that time, the rich can only afford the purple colour which is extracted from the snail as this is so costly. Moreover, the tendency of the natural dyes is found to be muddy in hue and fade quickly. Perkin’s discovery was against this backdrop.  

Perkin understood that his purple solution could be used for colour fabric, which is the world’s first synthetic dye. He patented it as he realised the importance of his finding. One of the fascinating reactions of Perkin quickly found that the new dye has commercial possibilities. 

Originally, Perkin named his dye Tyrian Purple. Later, it became commonly known as mauve. By asking advice to the Scottish dye works owner Robert Pullar, he understood that the dye manufacturing would be worthwhile if the colour remained fast (i.e. would not fade) and if it is relatively low cost. His mentor Hofmann objected to him in a fierce manner, so he left the college and gave birth to the modern chemical industry. 
Perkin set up a factory, near London, with the help of his father and brother. Coal tar is cheap and plentiful as this is an almost limitless by-product of London’s street lighting. The dye works started producing the world’s first synthetically dyed material in 1857. The Empress Eugenie of France, boosted the commercial part of the company as the new colour flattered her. Mauve becomes a necessary shade for all the fashionable ladies in that country. 

In public, England’s Queen Victoria appears wearing a mauve gown which brought rage in England. The dye was both fast and bold, and the public demand was increased. Perkin returns to the drawing board. 

Though Perkin's first discovery itself brought him fortune and achievements, the chemist continued his research. He developed and introduced several other dyes including aniline red (1859) and aniline black (1863) and Perkin’s green in the late 1860s. Perkin’s synthetic dye discoveries resulted in more than just decorative purposes. The dyes also become important to medical research in many ways. For example, researchers are able to identify such bacilli as tuberculosis, cholera and anthrax, which were the invisible microbes and bacteria before. Artificial dyes continue to play an important role even today. Its current use in the search for a vaccine against malaria, which could have pleased the Perkin.

William Henry Perkin Reading Answers - Questions

Read the following questions carefully and write the William henry perkin reading answers. You will find william henry perkin reading answers with explanation at the end of the practice test. 

Questions 1 - 5

Complete the flowchart below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS  from the passage for each answer.

Read IELTS Reading Flow Chart Completion to expand your knowledge about flow chart completion question type

Questions 6 - 10

Choose the correct letter, a, b, c or d, as you answer each question.

6.   Whose lectures Perkin attended at the Royal Institution ?

1. August Wilhelm Hofmann
2. Thomas Hall
3. Michal Faraday
4. Niels Bohr

7.   What is the age when Perkin attended the Royal College of Chemistry ?

1. 15
2. 18
3. 20
4. 14

8.   Where is the quinine extracted from ?

1. Tree’s bark
2. Herbs
3. Cinchona tree’s bark
4. Dye

9.   How the Tyrian Purple became commonly known as ?

1. Purple
2. Perkin’s Purple
3. Aniline
4. Mauve

10.   Where did Perkin set up a factory ?

1. London
2. Bristol
3. Leicester 
4. Norwich

To know more about multiple choice questions, read IELTS Reading Multiple Choice Questions

Questions 11 - 14

Answer the questions below.

Write THREE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER  from the passage for each answer.

11. Which subject that Perkin is interested in ?
12. When the quinine drug demand increased ?
13. Who was head at the Royal College of Chemist when Perkin enrolled ?
14. Who appeared in the public wearing a mauve gown which brought rage in England ?

Check out: IELTS Reading Short Answer Questions

William Henry Perkin Reading Answers Key

Spot your mistakes and errors with the following William Henry Perkin reading answers with explanation. We hope you have downloaded william henry perkin reading answers pdf. 

(Note: The text in italics is from the reading passage and shows the location from where the answer is taken or inferred. The text in the regular font explains the answer in detail.)

1.  Answer: London

Keywords: born, London, England

Explanation: On 12 March 1838, William Henry Perkin was born in London, England.

2.  Answer: Chemistry

Keywords: enthusiasm, chemistry

Explanation: As a student at the City of London School, Perkin was wholly involved in the study of chemistry.

3.  Answer: Purple

Keywords: potassium dichromate, alcohol, aniline

Explanation: At the various stages of the experimental process, he added the potassium dichromate and alcohol into the aniline which produced a deep purple solution.

4.  Answer: Tyrian Purple 

Keywords: dye, mauve

Explanation: Originally, Perkin named his dye Tyrian Purple

5.  Answer: Green

Keywords: late 1860s

Explanation: He developed and introduced several other dyes including aniline red (1859) and aniline black (1863) and Perkin’s green in the late 1860s.

6.  Answer: c. Michal Faraday 

Keywords: lectures, royal institution, thomas hall

Explanation: He attended Michal Faraday's lectures at the Royal Institution by the encouragement of Thomas Hall.

7.  Answer: a. 15

Keywords: royal college of chemistry, chemistry

Explanation: Later, at the age of 15, 1853, Perkin attended the Royal College of Chemistry. 

8.  Answer: c. Cinchona Tree’s bark

Keywords: quinine, drug, south america

Explanation: Quinine is the only feasible medical treatment for malaria at that time. The drug is extracted from the cinchona tree's bark, which is situated in South America.

9.  Answer: d. Mauve

Keywords: dye, tyrian purple

Explanation: Originally, Perkin named his dye Tyrian Purple. Later, it became commonly known as mauve. 

10.  Answer: a. London

Keywords: chemical industry, factory

Explanation: Perkin set up a factory, near London, with the help of his father and brother.

11.  Answer: Chemistry 

Keywords: london school, wholly involved

Explanation: As a student at the City of London School, Perkin was wholly involved in the study of chemistry. Perkins' talent and devotion to the subject of chemistry is recognized by his teacher. 

12.  Answer: 1856 

Keywords: demand, drug, increased

Explanation: Quinine is the only feasible medical treatment for malaria at that time. The drug is extracted from the cinchona tree's bark, which is situated in South America. The demand for the drug increased by 1856. 

13.  Answer: August Wilhelm Hofmann

Keywords: german chemist, during, royal college of chemistry

Explanation: German chemist August Wilhelm Hofmann was head at the Royal college of chemistry during the time of Perkin’s enrolment.

14.  Answer: England’s Queen Victoria

Keywords: England, mauve gown, rage

Explanation: In public, England’s Queen Victoria appears wearing a mauve gown which brought rage in England. 

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