WHY DO CLOCKS GO CLOCKWISE? - IELTS Reading Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Simulation Tests General Training Reading Test 1 · Part 3 · Questions 29–40
Reading Passage
Read the text below and answer Questions 29–40.
WHY DO CLOCKS GO CLOCKWISE?
The simple answer is that clocks always go clockwise! If the clock's hands moved in the opposite direction (to what we are used to), it would still be called 'clockwise', of course! But, seriously, why do the hands move from left to right at the top? Generally, the answer given is that clocks were invented in the northern hemisphere where the sun rises in the east, travels round to the south, and sets to the west. The shadow on a typical domestic sundial in olden times would move from left to right. So, the answer is completely logical. Or is it?
If we go back to early clocks, because of their sheer size and cost, there was generally only one turret clock in a town, usually placed high on a tower for all to see and frequently accompanied by a bell that could be heard when the clock face was not visible. If we go back in time to before mechanical clocks, even if people had a sundial at home, they needed a large public sundial that could be read from a distance when they were out. Sundials were therefore placed high on a wall in the town. This is where the explanation above about clockwise movement no longer rings true: for sundials on vertical walls have to have their hours arranged in an anti-clockwise progression. As vertical sundials would have been the predecessors of clock towers, one wonders why a right to left movement didn't become the standard. An old vertical sundial can still be seen in Queen's College, Cambridge, England. Not only does it go 'anticlockwise' but strangely (for us) the number 'I' is at the bottom rather than the top.
Surely the hands on clocks have always moved in the same direction, though? Surprisingly, the answer is no. There is a clock painted in fresco in a Cathedral in Florence that is peculiar in several ways. We are used to clocks with twelve hours on the dial but this one has twenty-four and the twenty-fourth hour does not signify midnight but the hour of sunset (a system that survived until the eighteenth century apparently); furthermore, the layout of the numbers has 'I' at the bottom, although of course XII is at the top, and it goes anticlockwise! This clock is not unique, however.
There were other clocks around in the 15th and 16th centuries with Roman numerals going anti-clockwise. Some of them had a hand that went around once in 24 hours, others went around once every twelve hours, and still others went around four times in 24 hours with the digits I to VI painted on the clock face. Then again, some went around once in 12 hours but the digits were marked I to VI and then I to VI again. Some of the 'once every 24 hours' ones were marked I to XII and I to XII again. There were probably even more variations than this. To find out why all clocks go clockwise and are numbered I to XII (or 1 to 12) today, we have to consider the phenomenon described in 1890 in Principles of Economics by Alfred Marshall.
Early clocks were massive and extremely heavy (not to mention very expensive) devices and technology over the centuries has reduced these to small timepieces that can sit on a little shelf, be carried (often in a waistcoat pocket), or worn on the wrist. When it comes to new technologies, there are often many designs in competition with one another. Occasionally, one design is obviously pre-eminent and the others soon become obsolete. In the case of the clocks, there would not seem to be one design that is outstandingly more advantageous than the others. That is where Marshall's theory comes in: 'whatever firm [design or technology] gets a good start' eventually wins. We can assume, therefore, that one type of clock face—although it may not have had any technological advantage over the others—was somewhat more common; and, once one technology secures a larger share of the market, there are economies of scale. It becomes more cost-efficient to produce thereby giving it even greater advantage over its rivals. In this way, one technology can completely eclipse the others.
Why do clocks go clockwise? Pure chance is probably the answer. Clockwise may have been more widespread and got off to a good start. After the invention of the first mechanical clock, for a century and a half, there was no consistency in the direction, the position of the numbers on the dial, or even the number of hours shown. All this changed with the mass production of clocks and watches as domestic items. For nearly five hundred years now, they have been consistent—a clockwise dial with twelve hours and two rotations in a 24-hour period.
Questions
Questions 29–34 True / False / Not Given
Do the following statements agree with the information given in the text?
Write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
Questions 35–40 Summary Completion
Complete the summary below using words from the box below.
assured | consistent | costly
domestic | economic | exclusive
logical | massive | mass-produced
obsolete | outstanding | popular
Improvement in technology has seen clocks develop from large, 35 mechanisms to very small gadgets. When new technologies arise, designs compete with one another. Sometimes, because one design is so 36, it will replace all the others. However, it is not always the best design that wins. There is a theory that asserts the most 37 design wins even if it has no obvious advantage over the others. Once this design starts being 38, its position in the market is 39. That is why there seems to be no 40 explanation for some of the accepted designs that are commonplace today.
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q29 | FALSE | If the clock's hands moved in the opposite direction (to what we are used to), it would still be called 'clockwise', of course | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that if clocks had been made to turn in the other direction, that opposite direction would still be known as 'clockwise'. Answer Explanation: The answer is FALSE because the word 'clockwise' simply means the direction a clock's hands turn; if hands had moved the other way (right-to-left), that direction would still be called 'clockwise'. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the text explains in the first paragraph that 'clockwise' refers to the movement of a clock's hands regardless of direction. If hands moved in the opposite direction, that movement would still be called 'clockwise'. Therefore, the term has not always uniquely meant moving from left to right. |
| Q30 | NOT GIVEN | Generally, the answer given is that clocks were invented in the northern hemisphere where the sun rises in the east, travels round to the south, and sets to the west. The shadow on a typical domestic sundial in olden times would move from left to right | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage discusses sundials in the northern hemisphere, but it never gives any information about sundials or shadows in the southern hemisphere. Answer Explanation: The answer "NOT GIVEN" means that the text does not provide information about how shadows move on sundials in the southern hemisphere. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is NOT GIVEN because the text only mentions what happens to a sundial's shadow in the northern hemisphere ("The shadow on a typical domestic sundial in olden times would move from left to right"). It does not mention or discuss sundials in the southern hemisphere anywhere in the text. |
| Q31 | TRUE | If we go back in time to before mechanical clocks, even if people had a sundial at home, they needed a large public sundial that could be read from a distance when they were out | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that before mechanical clocks existed, people had sundials in their houses and also used large public sundials outside to read the time. Answer Explanation: The answer "TRUE" means the statement matches the information in the reading text. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the text clearly mentions that in the time before mechanical clocks existed, people used sundials both at home and in public places to tell the time. The phrase "before mechanical clocks" in the text directly matches "Before the invention of mechanical clocks" in the statement, and "had a sundial at home" / "large public sundial" matches "people used sundials to tell the time." |
| Q32 | TRUE | The shadow on a typical domestic sundial in olden times would move from left to right for sundials on vertical walls have to have their hours arranged in an anti-clockwise progression |
Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that on a normal home sundial, the shadow moves clockwise (from left to right), but on a vertical wall sundial, the movement goes anti-clockwise (the opposite direction). Answer Explanation: The answer "TRUE" means that the statement accurately reflects what is written in the text. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the passage explains that a typical domestic sundial (a sundial used at home) has a shadow that moves clockwise (from left to right), whereas a sundial placed on a vertical wall has its movement going in an anti-clockwise direction (a different direction). |
| Q33 | TRUE | An old vertical sundial can still be seen in Queen's College, Cambridge, England. Not only does it go 'anticlockwise' but strangely (for us) the number 'I' is at the bottom rather than the top There is a clock painted in fresco in a Cathedral in Florence that is peculiar in several ways. We are used to clocks with twelve hours on the dial but this one has twenty-four and the twenty-fourth hour does not signify midnight but the hour of sunset (a system that survived until the eighteenth century apparently); furthermore, the layout of the numbers has 'I' at the bottom, although of course XII is at the top, and it goes anticlockwise |
Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage clearly states that the sundial at Queen's College runs "anticlockwise" and the clock in the Florence Cathedral also runs "anticlockwise", which means both devices move in the exact same direction. Answer Explanation: The answer is TRUE because both the sundial at Queen's College and the clock in the cathedral in Florence turn in an anticlockwise direction. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is TRUE because the passage mentions both timepieces and explicitly states their directions. In paragraph 2, the text states that the vertical sundial at Queen's College goes "anticlockwise". In paragraph 3, the text describes the clock painted in a cathedral in Florence and notes that "it goes anticlockwise!". Since both timepieces move anticlockwise, they move in the same direction. |
| Q34 | FALSE | We are used to clocks with twelve hours on the dial but this one has twenty-four and the twenty-fourth hour does not signify midnight but the hour of sunset (a system that survived until the eighteenth century apparently); furthermore, the layout of the numbers has 'I' at the bottom, although of course XII is at the top, and it goes anticlockwise | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that on the 24-hour clock, the number for the 24th hour represented sunset rather than midnight. Answer Explanation: The answer FALSE means that the given statement contradicts what is written in the text. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is FALSE because the passage explicitly states that on the old 24-hour clock, the twenty-fourth hour did not mean midnight. Instead, it showed the time of sunset. Key words to notice are "twenty-fourth hour", "does not signify midnight", and "hour of sunset". |
| Q35 | costly | Early clocks were massive and extremely heavy (not to mention very expensive) devices and technology over the centuries has reduced these to small timepieces that can sit on a little shelf, be carried (often in a waistcoat pocket), or worn on the wrist | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that old clocks were huge, very heavy, and cost a lot of money, but new technology over time made them small enough to put on a shelf, carry in a pocket, or wear on the wrist. Answer Explanation: The answer "costly" means very expensive or costing a lot of money. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is supported by the passage, which explains that early clocks were not only large and heavy, but also "very expensive." In the summary sentence, "large, costly mechanisms" matches the description of early timepieces before technology reduced them into small devices. |
| Q36 | outstanding | Occasionally, one design is obviously pre-eminent and the others soon become obsolete | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that sometimes a single design is clearly better than the rest, leading all other competing designs to fall out of use. Answer Explanation: The answer "outstanding" means clearly much better or superior compared to others. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "outstanding" because the passage discusses what happens when different designs compete. It explains that sometimes one design is clearly superior or dominant ("obviously pre-eminent"), which causes other designs to quickly disappear ("become obsolete"). In the summary, "outstanding" matches the meaning of being noticeably superior ("pre-eminent") and causing other designs to be replaced. |
| Q37 | popular | We can assume, therefore, that one type of clock face—although it may not have had any technological advantage over the others—was somewhat more common; and, once one technology secures a larger share of the market, there are economies of scale | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that one clock style became the standard simply because it was more common (popular) at the beginning, even though it was not technologically better than the other styles. Answer Explanation: The answer "popular" means liked, used, or seen more often by many people. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "popular" because the passage explains that a design wins if it starts out being more common, even without any technological benefit. In the text, the phrase "was somewhat more common" directly matches the idea of being "popular" despite having no real advantage over rival designs. |
| Q38 | mass-produced | All this changed with the mass production of clocks and watches as domestic items | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage states that clock designs became consistent and standardized once clocks and watches started being produced in very large numbers for people's homes. Answer Explanation: The answer "mass-produced" means made in large quantities using machines and factories. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "mass-produced" because the summary discusses what happens when a clock design begins to be manufactured on a large scale. In the text, the author explains that variations in clock styles ended and a standard design took over with the "mass production" of clocks and watches. |
| Q39 | assured | once one technology secures a larger share of the market, there are economies of scale. It becomes more cost-efficient to produce thereby giving it even greater advantage over its rivals. In this way, one technology can completely eclipse the others | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that when one type of product sells more than others, it becomes cheaper to manufacture in large numbers. This gives it a major advantage and guarantees that it completely beats its competition in the market. Answer Explanation: The answer "assured" means guaranteed, certain, or made completely safe and secure. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "assured" because the text explains that once a design captures a larger part of the market and becomes cheaper to produce, it gains a huge advantage and outshines all its competitors. In the summary sentence, "its position in the market is assured" matches the passage's idea that gaining this strong advantage makes the design's market dominance certain ("secures a larger share", "giving it even greater advantage over its rivals", "completely eclipse the others"). |
| Q40 | logical | Why do clocks go clockwise? Pure chance is probably the answer | Excerpt/Passage Explanation: The passage explains that clocks move clockwise mostly because of luck or random chance, not because of a strictly reasoned or necessary cause. Answer Explanation: The answer "logical" means reasonable, sensible, or based on clear facts and reasons rather than luck. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is "logical" because the passage explains that the winning clock design did not succeed because of special advantages or clear reasoning, but simply due to "pure chance" and getting a good market start. Therefore, there is no sensible or "logical" reason why that specific design won out over others. |