Scribd
Upload
2 views2 pages

Day14 Reading Comprehension Test

The document discusses the evolution of timekeeping from ancient methods, such as shadow clocks and water clocks, to modern mechanical and atomic clocks. It highlights how early timekeeping was about meaning and events, while modern methods impose a rigid structure that can lead to anxiety and stress. The passage advocates for a return to experiencing time more organically, emphasizing that time was once viewed as an art rather than merely a measurement.

Uploaded by

astrafocused
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
2 views2 pages

Day14 Reading Comprehension Test

The document discusses the evolution of timekeeping from ancient methods, such as shadow clocks and water clocks, to modern mechanical and atomic clocks. It highlights how early timekeeping was about meaning and events, while modern methods impose a rigid structure that can lead to anxiety and stress. The passage advocates for a return to experiencing time more organically, emphasizing that time was once viewed as an art rather than merely a measurement.

Uploaded by

astrafocused
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Reading Comprehension Test – Day 14

Genre: History + Technology


Difficulty: Full-length | ~900 words | 92% IELTS Academic level
Instructions: Answer ALL 12 questions
Time Limit: 20 minutes

The Forgotten Engineers of Time


1. When we think of timekeeping, we often imagine clocks in glass towers, synchronized satellites, or
the digital ticking of a phone screen. But long before time was measured by quartz or atom, it was
sculpted by people whose names never appeared in textbooks — the early engineers of time.
2. In 1500 BCE, the Egyptians developed shadow clocks that tracked the movement of the sun.
These rudimentary devices were used by farmers, priests, and builders to coordinate tasks and
rituals. The alignment of sunlight on a carved line could determine when to plant crops, perform
offerings, or begin labor. Time was not a number. It was an event.
3. Centuries later, the Greeks introduced water clocks — ingenious devices that regulated flow from
one container to another, allowing judges in Athens to time courtroom speeches. Time here was
political — measured not for daily survival, but for fairness.
4. But perhaps the most underrated timekeepers were in the East. Ancient Chinese engineers
developed incense clocks, where scented ropes burned at known speeds, with embedded beads that
dropped onto metal plates to signal hours. In Japan, time was once seasonal — an hour in summer
was longer than one in winter. Time was personalized, adapted to light and culture.
5. These early methods might seem crude, but they reveal something profound: Timekeeping was
not about precision, but meaning. Time told people when to act, rest, worship, harvest — not what
minute it was.
6. The shift toward standardization began in the 14th century, with the rise of mechanical clocks in
European cathedrals. Unlike previous systems, these clocks didn’t rely on sun or season. They
imposed a fixed rhythm. By the 18th century, as industrialization spread, factory whistles replaced
sunrise. Time was no longer experienced — it was enforced.
7. This transformation accelerated with the invention of the pendulum clock (1656), and later the
chronometer, which enabled precise maritime navigation. By the 20th century, atomic clocks were
accurate to the billionth of a second. But with precision came abstraction. People no longer needed
to see the sky or smell the incense. They had watches — and now phones.
8. Ironically, as time became more accurate, our relationship with it became more anxious. Studies
show that people in highly synchronized societies report greater stress, sleep issues, and a distorted
sense of time passing “too quickly.” Even leisure is scheduled — from yoga at 6:00 to dinner at 7:30.
9. Today, there’s a growing movement to reclaim time as experience. Some architects design
buildings with “light wells” that change ambiance based on sun position. Some schools ditch bells
and let students transition naturally. The goal is not to abandon clocks — but to remember that time
is not just measured. It is also felt.
10. The early engineers of time did not invent hours. They translated the rhythm of the world into
something humans could hold. Maybe that’s the lesson we’ve forgotten: Time was once an art — not
just a count.
Answer ALL 12 Questions Below:
(1) What role did shadow clocks play in ancient Egypt?
(2) How were water clocks used in ancient Greece?
(3) What does the passage say about incense clocks?
(4) What philosophical point is made in paragraph 5?
(5) What change occurred with the rise of mechanical clocks?
(6) Choose the correct meaning of the word “enforced” in paragraph 6: (a) Suggested (b) Controlled
and imposed (c) Announced (d) Designed and built
(7) What ironic consequence is linked to increased time precision?
(8) Choose the correct definition of “abstract” as used in paragraph 7: (a) Complicated (b) Not
physically experienced (c) Hidden (d) Extremely technical
(9) What is the modern movement mentioned in paragraph 9 trying to achieve?
(10) What narrative device is used in the final line: “Time was once an art — not just a count”?
(11) How does the passage contrast early timekeeping with modern methods?
(12) What overall message does the passage convey about our evolving relationship with time?

You might also like