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Scientific mapping of the land came into its own with the achievements of the Cassini family - father, son, grandson and great-grandson. In the late 17th century, the Italian-born founder, Jean-Dominique, invented a complex method of determining longitude based on observations of Jupiter's moons. Using this technique, surveyors were able to produce an accurate map of France. The family continued to map the French countryside and his great-grandson finally published their famous Cassini map in 1793 during the French Revolution. While it may have lacked the artistic appeal of earlier maps, it was the model of a social and geographic map showing roads, rivers, canals, towns, abbeys, vineyards, lakes and even windmills. With this achievement, France became the first country to be completely mapped by scientific methods.
Mapmaking has come a long way since those days. Today's surveyors rarely go into the field without being linked to navigation satellites. Their hand-held receivers are the most familiar of the new mapping technologies, and the satellite system,
developed and still operated by the US Defense Department, is increasingly used by surveyors. Even ordinary hikers, sailors and explorers can tap into it for data telling them where they are. Simplified civilian versions of the receivers are available for a few hundred dollars and they are also the heart of electronic map displays available in some cars. Cartography is pressing on to cosmic frontiers, but its objective is, and always has been, to communicate a sense of 'here' in relation to 'there', however far away 'there' may be.
Questions 1-5
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
Write the correct letter in boxes 1-5 on your answer sheet.
以下红色部分为孩子选择的答案。
1 According to the first paragraph, mapmakers in the 21st century A combine techniques to chart unknown territory. B still rely on being able to see what they map. C are now able to visit the darkest jungle.
2 The Library of Congress offers an opportunity to
A B C D
borrow from their collection of Dutch maps. learn how to restore ancient and fragile maps. enjoy the atmosphere of the reading room. create individual computer maps to order.
3 Ptolemy alerted his contemporaries to the importance of
A measuring the circumference of the world. B organising maps to reflect accurate ratios of distance. C working out the distance between parallels of latitude. D accuracy and precision in mapping.
4 The invention of the printing press
A revitalised interest in scientific knowledge. B enabled maps to be produced more cheaply. C changed the approach to mapmaking.
D ensured that the work of Ptolemy was continued.
5 The writer concludes by stating that
A mapmaking has become too specialised. B cartographers work in very harsh conditions.
C the fundamental aims of mapmaking remain unchanged. D the possibilities of satellite mapping are infinite.
New Channel School IELTS Practice Materials
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Questions 6-8
Look at the following list of achievements (Questions 6-8) and the list of mapmakers below. Match each achievement with the correct mapmaker. A, B. C or D. Write the correct letter, A, B, C or D, in boxes 6-8 on your answer sheet.
6 D came very close to accurately measuring the distance round the Earth 7 C produced maps showing man-made landmarks 8 B laid the foundation for our modern time zones
List of Mapmakers A B C D
Mercator Ptolemy
Cassini family Eratosthenes
Questions 9 - 13
Complete the summary below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 9-13 on your answer sheet.
Ancient maps allow us to see how we have come to make sense of the world. They also
reflect the attitudes and knowledge of the day. The first great step in mapmaking took place in 9 tgypt ........ in the 3 century BC. Work continued in this tradition until the 2 century AD but was then abandoned for over a thousand years, during which time maps were the responsibility of 10 geographer
rather than scientists. Fortunately, however, the writings
of 11 ................. had been kept, and interest in scientific mapmaking was revived as scholars sought to produce maps, inspired by the accounts of travellers.
These days, 12 ................... are vital to the creation of maps and radar has allowed
cartographers to map areas beyond our immediate world. In addition, this high-tech equipment is not only used to map faraway places, but cheaper versions have also been developed for use in 13 .......................
rd
nd
This is the end of the test.
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