History of Fireworks in Europe - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From Official Cambridge Guide to IELTS Academic Listening Test 7 · Part 4 · Questions 31–40
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Questions
Questions 31–40 Note Completion
Complete the notes below.
Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
History of Fireworks in Europe
13th–16th centuries
- Fireworks were introduced from China.
- Their use was mainly to do with:
- war
- 31 (in plays and festivals)
17th century
- Various features of 32 were shown in fireworks displays.
- Scientists were interested in using ideas from fireworks displays:
- to make human 33 possible
- to show the formation of 34
- London:
- Scientists were distrustful at first
- Later, they investigated 35 uses of fireworks (e.g. for sailors)
- St Petersburg:
- Fireworks were seen as a method of 36 for people
- Paris:
- Displays emphasised the power of the 37
- Scientists aimed to provide 38
18th century
- Italian fireworks specialists became influential.
- Servandoni's fireworks display followed the same pattern as an 39
- The appeal of fireworks extended to the middle classes.
- Some displays demonstrated new scientific discoveries such as 40
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q31 | religions / religion | Up to the 16th century they were generally used for military purposes, with rockets and fire tubes being thrown at the enemy, but they were also sometimes a feature of plays and festivals where their chief purpose was related to religion | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that until the 1500s, fireworks were used by soldiers in battle, but in celebrations and shows, their primary goal was connected to faith or spiritual beliefs. Answer Explanation: The answer is religion, which refers to the belief in and worship of a god or gods, or a particular system of faith. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is religion because the speaker describes the early uses of fireworks in Europe between the 13th and 16th centuries. The speaker mentions that while fireworks were often used for war (military purposes), their main use in festivals and performances during this specific time period was linked to religious themes or spiritual meanings. |
| Q32 | nature | Technicians were employed to stage spectacular shows which displayed aspects of nature, with representations of the sun, snow and rain | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that workers were hired to create amazing firework shows that showed parts of the natural world, specifically mentioning the sun, snow, and rain as examples. Answer Explanation: The answer "nature" refers to the world and everything in it that is not made by people, like the weather or the sun. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "nature" because the transcript mentions that in the 17th century, special workers were hired to create grand shows that displayed parts of the natural world. These shows specifically included images of the sun, snow, and rain, which are all features or aspects of nature. |
| Q33 | flight | After seeing one firework display where a model of a dragon was propelled along a rope by rockets, scientists thought that in a similar way, humans might be able to achieve flight – a dream of many scientists at the time | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that when scientists saw a fake dragon move across a rope using rockets, they thought that people might also be able to find a way to fly. Answer Explanation: The answer 'flight' refers to the action or process of flying through the air. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'flight' because the transcript explains that scientists in the 17th century were inspired by seeing firework displays. Specifically, after watching a rocket-powered model dragon move, they began to believe it might be possible for humans to travel through the air as well. The transcript uses the phrase 'achieve flight' to describe this dream or goal of the scientists. |
| Q34 | stars | Other scientists, such as the chemist Robert Boyle, noticed how in displays one firework might actually light another, and it occurred to him that fireworks might provide an effective way of demonstrating how stars were formed | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that a famous scientist named Robert Boyle thought fireworks were a great way to show people the process of how stars come into existence. Answer Explanation: The answer "stars" refers to the bright balls of burning gas that appear in the night sky. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is supported by the part of the transcript discussing 17th-century scientists. It specifically mentions that the chemist Robert Boyle believed fireworks could be a useful tool for showing how stars are created. The word "demonstrating" in the text is a synonym for the task's phrase "to show," and "formation" matches the idea of how they "were formed." |
| Q35 | practical | However, later in the century scientists and technicians started to look at the practical purposes for which fireworks might be employed, such as using rockets to help sailors establish their position at sea | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that later in the 1600s, scientists in London began to find useful ('practical') jobs for fireworks. One example is using rocket fireworks to help people on ships (sailors) find their position in the ocean. Answer Explanation: The answer 'practical' means that something is useful for real tasks or solving everyday problems, rather than being just for decoration or fun. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'practical' because the text describes how scientists in London changed their minds about fireworks. After being unsure at first, they began looking for 'practical purposes' (useful ways) to use them. The text gives an example of this by mentioning how fireworks could help sailors find their location while at sea, which matches the 'e.g. for sailors' hint in the notes. |
| Q36 | education | Here, those in power regarded fireworks as being an important element in the education of the masses, and the displays often included a scientific message | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that the leaders in Russia thought firework shows were a very important way to teach many people, and these shows often carried scientific lessons. Answer Explanation: The answer 'education' means the process of teaching or learning, especially in a school or through special events. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'education' because the speaker explains how fireworks were used in Russia (St Petersburg). Leaders there believed that these firework shows were a useful tool for teaching the general public, also called 'the masses'. Because they wanted to teach people things like science, they saw the displays as a form of education. |
| Q37 | king | Instead, the fireworks and the spectacle they created were all designed to encourage the public to believe in the supreme authority of the king | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that in Paris, fireworks were used as a tool to make people believe that the king had the highest level of power. Answer Explanation: The answer is king. In 17th-century Paris, fireworks were used to show how powerful the king was. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'king' because the transcript states that in Paris, firework shows were made so that the public would believe in the 'supreme authority' – which means total power – of the king. The notes ask what the displays emphasized the power of, and the transcript directly links these displays to the king's authority. |
| Q38 | entertainment | The purpose of scientists was basically to offer entertainment to fashionable society, and academicians delighted in amazing audiences with demonstrations of the universal laws of nature | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that scientists in Paris wanted to give fun shows to rich people, and they really liked making the audience feel amazed by showing them how nature works. Answer Explanation: The answer means providing fun or amusement for people so they enjoy themselves. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'entertainment' because the transcript explains that in Paris, scientists used their knowledge to perform shows for high society. Instead of just doing research, their main goal or 'purpose' was to make people happy and surprised with their demonstrations, which is the definition of providing entertainment. |
| Q39 | opera | A fireworks display staged by Servandoni would be structured in the same way as an opera, and was even divided into separate acts | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that when Servandoni organized a fireworks show, he made it look and move like an opera, even having different sections called acts. Answer Explanation: The answer is a type of theater play where the actors sing most or all of their lines. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "opera" because the transcript mentions a specialist named Giovanni Servandoni who made firework shows. It states his shows were "structured in the same way" as an opera. In English, when something is structured in the same way as something else, it follows the same pattern or organization. |
| Q40 | electricity | As in the previous century, fireworks provided resources for demonstrating scientific laws and theories, as well as new discoveries, and displays now showed a fascinated public the curious phenomenon of electricity | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that during the 18th century, fireworks displays were used to teach people about science and new things that had been found, such as electricity. Answer Explanation: The answer is electricity, which is a form of energy that scientists showed to the public using fireworks displays in the 1700s. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is electricity because the text explains that in the 18th century, fireworks were used as a way to show the public new scientific findings and laws. It specifically mentions that these shows presented the 'curious phenomenon of electricity' as one of these new discoveries. |
Transcript
An interesting aspect of fireworks is that their history tells us a lot about the changing roles of scientists and technicians in Europe. Fireworks were introduced from China in the 13th century. Up to the 16th century they were generally used for military purposes, with rockets and fire tubes being thrown at the enemy, but they were also sometimes a feature of plays and festivals where their chief purpose was related to religion.
By the 17th century, the rulers of Europe had started using fireworks as a way of marking royal occasions. Technicians were employed to stage spectacular shows which displayed aspects of nature, with representations of the sun, snow and rain. These shows were designed for the enjoyment of the nobility and to impress ordinary people. But fireworks also aroused the interest of scientists, who started to think of new uses for them. After seeing one firework display where a model of a dragon was propelled along a rope by rockets, scientists thought that in a similar way, humans might be able to achieve flight – a dream of many scientists at the time. Other scientists, such as the chemist Robert Boyle, noticed how in displays one firework might actually light another, and it occurred to him that fireworks might provide an effective way of demonstrating how stars were formed.
Scientists at the time often depended on the royal courts for patronage, but there was considerable variation in the relationships between the courts and scientists in different countries. This was reflected in attitudes towards fireworks and the purposes for which they were used. In London in the middle of the 17th century there was general distrust of fireworks among scientists. However, later in the century scientists and technicians started to look at the practical purposes for which fireworks might be employed, such as using rockets to help sailors establish their position at sea.
It was a different story in Russia, where the St Petersburg Academy of Science played a key role in creating fireworks displays for the court. Here, those in power regarded fireworks as being an important element in the education of the masses, and the displays often included a scientific message. Members of the Academy hoped that this might encourage the Royal Family to keep the Academy open at a time when many in the government were considering closing it.
In Paris, the situation was different again. The Paris Academy of Sciences played no role in staging fireworks displays. Instead the task fell to members of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture. As in Russia, the work of the technicians who created the fireworks was given little attention. Instead, the fireworks and the spectacle they created were all designed to encourage the public to believe in the supreme authority of the king. However, science was also enormously popular among the French nobility, and fashionable society flocked to demonstrations such as Nicolas Lemery's display representing an erupting volcano. The purpose of scientists was basically to offer entertainment to fashionable society, and academicians delighted in amazing audiences with demonstrations of the universal laws of nature.
[pause]
In the course of the 18th century, the circulation of skills and technical exchange led to further developments. Fireworks specialists from Italy began to travel around Europe staging displays for many of the European courts. The architect and stage designer Giovanni Servandoni composed grand displays in Paris, featuring colourfully painted temples and triumphal arches. A fireworks display staged by Servandoni would be structured in the same way as an opera, and was even divided into separate acts. Italian fireworks specialists were also invited to perform in London, St Petersburg and Moscow.
As these specialists circulated around Europe, they sought to exploit the appeal of fireworks for a wider audience, including the growing middle classes. As in the previous century, fireworks provided resources for demonstrating scientific laws and theories, as well as new discoveries, and displays now showed a fascinated public the curious phenomenon of electricity. By the mid-18th century, fireworks were being sold for private consumption.
So the history of fireworks shows us the diverse relationships which existed between scientists, technicians and the rest of society ...