Timekeeper: Invention of the Marine Chronometer Reading Answers

Timekeeper: Invention of the Marine Chronometer is a real test passage that appeared in IELTS Reading. With diligent practice, this module can be the top-scoring category for IELTS aspirants. To score well, you must understand how to approach and answer the different question types in the Reading Module and solve sample reading questions to ensure that your reading skills are up to the mark.

The question types in the passage, Timekeeper: Invention of the Marine Chronometer, are:

• IELTS Reading Matching Information (Q. 1-5)
• IELTS Reading True/False/Not Given (Q. 6-8)
• IELTS Reading Sentence Completion (Q. 9-14)

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Timekeeper: Invention of the Marine Chronometer

1. Up to the middle of the 18th century, the navigators were still unable to exactly identify the position at sea, so they might face a great number of risks such as the shipwreck or running out of supplies before arriving at the destination. Knowing one’s position on the earth requires two simple but essential coordinates, one of which is the longitude.
2. Longitude is a term that can be used to measure the distance that one has covered from one’s home to another place around the world without the limitations of a naturally occurring baseline like the equator. To determine longitude, navigators had no choice but to measure the angle with the naval sextant between Moon centre and a specific star— lunar distance—along with the height of both heavenly bodies. Together with the nautical almanac, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) was determined, which could be adopted to calculate longitude because one hour in GMT means 15-degree longitude. Unfortunately, this approach laid great reliance on the weather conditions, which brought great inconvenience to the crew members. Therefore, another method was proposed, that is, the time difference between the home time and the local time served for the measurement. Theoretically, knowing the longitude position was quite simple, even for the people in the middle of the sea with no land in sight. The key element for calculating the distance travelled was to know, at the very moment, the accurate home time. But the greatest problem is: how can a sailor know the home time at sea?
3. The simple and again obvious answer is that one takes an accurate clock with him, which he sets to the home time before leaving. A comparison with the local time (easily identified by checking the position of the Sun) would indicate the time difference between the home time and the local time, and thus the distance from home was obtained. The truth was that nobody in the 18th century had ever managed to create a clock that could endure the violent shaking of a ship and the fluctuating temperature while still maintaining the accuracy of time for navigation.
4. After 1714, as an attempt to find a solution to the problem, the British government offered a tremendous amount of £20,000, which were to be managed by the magnificently named ‘Board of Longitude’. If timekeeper was the answer (and there could be other proposed solutions, since the money wasn’t only offered for timekeeper), then the error of the required timekeeping for achieving this goal needed to be within 2.8 seconds a day, which was considered impossible for any clock or watch at sea, even when they were in their finest conditions.
5. This award, worth about £2 million today, inspired the self-taught Yorkshire carpenter John Harrison to attempt a design for a practical marine clock. In the later stage of his early career, he worked alongside his younger brother James. The first big project of theirs was to build a turret clock for the stables at Brockelsby Park, which was revolutionary because it required no lubrication. Harrison designed a marine clock in 1730, and he travelled to London in search of financial aid. He explained his ideas to Edmond Halley, the Astronomer Royal, who then introduced him to George Graham, Britain’s first-class clockmaker. Graham provided him with financial aid for his early-stage work on sea clocks. It took Harrison five years to build Harrison Number One or HI. Later, he sought the improvement from alternate design and produced H4 with the giant clock appearance. Remarkable as it was, the Board of Longitude wouldn’t grant him the prize for some time until it was adequately satisfied.
6. Harrison had a principal contestant for the tempting prize at that time, an English mathematician called John Hadley, who developed sextant. The sextant is the tool that people adopt to measure angles, such as the one between the Sun and the horizon, for a calculation of the location of ships or planes. In addition, his invention is significant since it can help determine longitude.
7. Most chronometer forerunners of that particular generation were English, but that doesn’t mean every achievement was made by them. One wonderful figure in the history is the Lancastrian Thomas Earnshaw, who created the ultimate form of chronometer escapement—the spring detent escapement—and made the final decision on format and productions system for the marine chronometer, which turns it into a genuine modem commercial product, as well as a safe and pragmatic way of navigation at sea over the next century and half.

Questions

1. A description of Harrison’s background.
2. Problems caused by poor ocean navigation.
3. The person who gave financial support to Harrison.
4. An analysis of the long-term importance of sea clock invention.
5. The practical usage of longitude.

Questions 6-8

6. In theory, sailors can easily calculate their longitude position at sea.

7. To determine longitude, the measurement of the distance from the Moon to the given star is a must.

8. Greenwich Mean Time was set up by the English navigators.

Questions 9-14

9. Sailors were able to use the position of the Sun to calculate ______________.

10. An invention that could win the competition would lose no more than ____________ every day.

11. John and James Harrison’s clock worked accurately without _______________.

12. Harrison’s main competitor’s invention was known as ______________.

13. Hadley’s instrument can use ____________ to make a calculation of location of ships or planes.

14. The modem version of Harrison’s invention is called _______________.

Timekeeper: Invention of the Marine Chronometer IELTS Reading Answers with Location and Explanations

Check out the answer key for this IELTS Academic Reading passage, Timekeeper: Invention of the Marine Chronometer, with detailed explanations.

Timekeeper: Invention of the Marine Chronometer IELTS Reading Answers Explanation

1. Answer: E

Explanation: A description of Harrison’s background is given in Paragraph E, where it is stated that he was awarded £2 million for attempting a design for a practical marine clock. He also worked alongside his younger brother James on a big project to build a turret clock for the stables at Brockelsby Parkin. Furthermore, he designed a marine clock in 1730, and he travelled to London in search of financial aid, and Graham provided him with financial aid for his early-stage work on sea clocks. From this information, Harrison's background can be understood. Thus, paragraph E is the appropriate answer.

2. Answer: A

Explanation: The information revealed in Paragraph A regarding the problems caused by poor ocean navigation includes risks such as shipwrecks or running out of supplies before arriving at the destination. Moreover, knowing one’s position on the earth requires two simple but essential coordinates, one of which is the longitude. Therefore, paragraph A is the correct answer.

3. Answer: E

Explanation: It is discussed in Paragraph E, Line 5, that Harrison designed a marine clock in 1730 and travelled to London in search of financial aid. He explained his ideas to Edmond Halley, the Astronomer Royal, who then introduced him to George Graham, Britain’s first-class clockmaker. Graham provided him with financial aid for his early-stage work on sea clocks. This implies that Harrison travelled to London in search of financial aid. Edmond Halley then introduced him to George Graham, who provided him with financial aid for his early-stage work on sea clocks. Thus, paragraph E is the correct answer.

4. Answer: G

Explanation: In Paragraph G, Last Lines, it has been mentioned that the Lancastrian Thomas Earnshaw, who created the ultimate form of chronometer escapement—the spring detent escapement—made the final decision on format and production system for the marine chronometer, which turns it into a genuine modern commercial product as well as a safe and pragmatic way of navigation at sea over the next century and a half. This sentence signifies that the commercial marine chronometer, with its format and production system, turned out to be a safe and pragmatic way of navigation at sea over the next century and a half. Thereby, in paragraph G, an analysis of the long-term importance of the sea clock invention is made.

5. Answer: B

Explanation: The practical usage of longitude is elaborated in Paragraph B, where the introductory lines state that navigators had no choice but to measure the angle with the naval sextant between the moon's centre and a specific star—the lunar distance—along with the height of both heavenly bodies. Longitude can be used to measure the distance that one has covered from one’s home to another place around the world without the limitations of a naturally occurring baseline like the equator. Hence, paragraph B is the appropriate answer.

6. Answer: True

Explanation: It is clearly illustrated in Paragraph B, Last Fifth Line, that theoretically, knowing the longitude position was quite simple, even for the people in the middle of the sea with no land in sight. It can be deduced from the sentence that, in theory, sailors can easily calculate their longitude position at sea. On this account, the given statement is accurate.

7. Answer: True

Explanation: In Paragraph B, Line 3, it is discussed that to determine longitude, navigators had no choice but to measure the angle with the naval sextant between the moon's centre and a specific star—the lunar distance—along with the height of both heavenly bodies. Here, to determine longitude, the measurement of the distance from the moon to the given star must, statement is accurate.

8. Answer: Not Given

Explanation: There is no context for the following sentence and it is not included in the text.

9. Answer: Local Time

Explanation: It is mentioned in Paragraph C, Line 2, that a comparison with the local time (easily identified by checking the position of the sun) would indicate the time difference between the home time and the local time, and thus the distance from home was obtained. This infers that sailors were able to use the position of the sun to calculate local time.

10. Answer: 2.8 seconds

Explanation: In Paragraph D, Line 3, it is said that if timekeeper was the answer (and there could be other proposed solutions since the money wasn’t only offered for timekeeper), then the error of the required timekeeping for achieving this goal needed to be within 2.8 seconds a day. According to this sentence, an invention that could win the competition would lose no more than 2.8 seconds every day.

11. Answer: Lubrication

Explanation: In Paragraph E, Line 3, it is revealed that the first big project of theirs was to build a turret clock for the stables at Brockelsby Park, which was revolutionary because it required no lubrication. This implies that John and James Harrison’s clock worked accurately without lubrication. 

12. Answer: (a/the) Sextant

Explanation: From Paragraph F, Initial Lines, it can be depicted that Harrison had a principal contestant for the tempting prize at that time, an English mathematician called John Hadley, who developed the sextant. So, it infers that Harrison’s main competitor’s invention was known as the sextant.

13. Answer: Angles

Explanation: In Paragraph F, Line 2, it is pointed out that John Hadley’s sextant can be adopted to measure angles, such as the one between the sun and the horizon, for a calculation of the location of ships or planes. This explains that Hadley’s instrument can use angles to make a calculation of the location of ships or planes.

14. Answer: Marine Chronometer

Explanation: It is demonstrated in Paragraph G, Line 3, where it is stated that Thomas Earnshaw, who created the ultimate form of chronometer escapement—the spring detent escapement—and made the final decision on format and production system for the marine chronometer, provided a safe and pragmatic way of navigation at sea over the next century and a half. It indicates that the modern version of Harrison’s invention is called a marine chronometer.

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