# A brief history of glassmaking - 科目：雅思阅读真题（Part 1） - 最近考试：2026.9.16河北工业职业技术大学 - 题目数：13 - 来源页：https://www.yaquan.site/paper/fb7f94ee-48dd-44da-bd2a-d797e9a1ac2b（在线机考练习与音频请访问该页面） - 数据更新：2026-10-29 ## 题目原文 A The first known glass objects can be traced back to the ancient Eastern emires, in about 3500 BC, building on existing knowledge about glazes, a new material, including sand and metal oxides, was developed. This material – glass – was initially used for small pieces of jewellery and inlays in small statues. Then it was used increasingly for vessels made to hold perfumes, oils, and fragrances. Transparency was not a characteristic of these works. Of greater interest to the early glass artisans was the ability to reproduce the colour- and -structures of highly valued semi-precious stones. B By about 450 BC, artisans in the glass workshops of the Persian Empire had learned to apply other techniques to glassmaking, probably producing vessels of considerable size on a turning wheel. Cutting techniques were also used for some of their complex decorations. Meanwhile, the Greeks still concentrated their energies on ceramics, and used glass simply for coloured inlays in sculptures – especially for magnificent monumental statues in public sites. C However, in the 1st and 2nd centuries BC, an industry of luxury glass items of various forms did emerge in former Greek areas strongly influenced by eastern cultures. This industry was in turn to have a profound effect on the glass art of the early-Roman Empire. D The rise of the Roman Empire (1st century BC) was accompanied by an increase in glass production in the Mediterranean region. Initially glass retained its status as a luxury material – indeed from the earliest years of its development it had been generally considered equal to precious stones and valuable metals. Coloured glass bowls, mosaic-glass plates, and glass vessels with gold décor were very popular with the wealthy. However, as the empire expanded, the steps from luxury to mass production, and from decorative objects to vessels for daily use, were gradually taken. E The grounding for this was the Syrian glassmakers' discovery at the beginning of the 1st century BC that glass, when melted, can be made into shapes by blowing down a hollow metal tube. Thus it became possible for these craftsmen to produce a large variety of vessels for different uses – from simple bottles to more decorative and complex pieces. Starting with the leading Syrian glassworks, glass as a manufactured product spread across the entire area of Roman rule. With mass production, glass increasingly became a trade item – of no minor importance in convincing the so-called 'barbarians' from the border areas such as Germany of the superiority of Roman civilization. F The well-planned network of roads in the Roman Empire ensured that the new shapes of manufactured glass objects, and the newly developed techniques used to produce them, were quickly spread and adopted. Wherever suitable materials were found, the same or very similar glass forms, with hardly any variation in quality, were made. This is true of the Italian peninsula, including Rome itself, where numerous workshops producing high-quality goods existed, as well as of Spain and along the shores of the Black Sea. Because of their particularly well-suited sand and large deposits of soda ash, however, the main centres of glass production remained in Syria, Mesopotamia, and Lower Egypt. G Starting in the 1st century AD, small vessels and utensils in Roman households came to be made predominantly of wheel-blown glass, but also of glass. Beside the large number of everyday small vessels for storing fragrances and medicinal extracts, there were bowls in all shapes – some formed on the humming-wheel; some blown – plates, lamps, and much more. Even vessels technically very difficult to produce have been found, such as playful bottles in the shape of birds or other animals. H Whereas colour characterised the appearance of early Roman glass – in keeping with the Greek tradition – from the 2nd century AD, the transparency and also lightness of the material as well as its shiny surface, came to be valued more. Usually it was left in its natural state, typical are vessels having a blue-green coloration of varying intensity. There was, though, an increasing tendency to apply intricate details, and a few coloured accents can be observed. Different coloured glass was also used for simple handles, or for one or two threads or strings of extra glass wrapped around the rims to give emphasis to the vessels' mouths. I In the late Roman period (3rd and 4th centuries AD) the tendency towards complexity was also reflected in the growing popularity of cut and engraved work. Blowing and the use of moulds were developed in new directions, surpassing the designs of the early period of glass blowing. Later vessels such as the so-called shellfish beaker represented a climax in glassmaking of the later Roman period: fish and similar objects were blown separately, formed with special tools, and melted onto the walls of simply-shaped vessels. J Roman glass art continued to be exemplary, and much of the world-famous Venetian glass art from the early 15th century was based on the revival of such methods as thread-glass decoration or mosaic glass. In fact, most methods of glassmaking and glass-decoration changed very little in the centuries following the Roman Empire. This is true of the development of European glass art, even up to the early 19th century. Until chemistry became an established scientific discipline in the second quarter of that century, glassmaking technology underwent only minor improvements. Even now, however, several of the techniques used in the Roman Empire remain a puzzle that modern glass technicians cannot resolve. ## 题目与答案 ### 1. 1 By about 450 BC, glass had become as important as ceramics in Greece. 1 By about 450 BC, glass had become as important as ceramics in Greece. - TRUE - FALSE - NOT GIVEN **答案**：FALSE 原文定位：Meanwhile, the Greeks still concentrated their energies on ceramics, and used glass simply for coloured inlays in sculptures – especially for magnificent monumental statues in public sites 同义替换：「as important as」↔「concentrated their energies on」 ### 10. Late Roman period -high point of later Roman glassmaking can be seen in containers like the 10_____ Late Roman period -high point of later Roman glassmaking can be seen in containers like the 10_____ **答案**：shellfish beaker 原文定位：Later vessels such as the so;called shellfish beaker represented a climax in glassmaking of the later Roman period;fish and similar objects were blown separately, formed with special tools, and melted onto the walls of simply;shaped vessels; 同义替换：「high point」↔「climax」 ### 11. Later developments -from the 15th century, Venetians used old techniques like 11_____ and thread-glass decoration Later developments -from the 15th century, Venetians used old techniques like 11_____ and thread-glass decoration **答案**：mosaic glass 原文定位：Roman glass art continued to be exemplary, and much of the world;famous Venetian glass art from the early 15th century was based on the revival of such methods as thread-glass decoration or mosaic glass; 同义替换：「old techniques」↔「revival of such methods」 ### 12. -acceptance of 12_____ as a subject for serious study in the 19th century led to improvements in glassmaking technology -acceptance of 12_____ as a subject for serious study in the 19th century led to improvements in glassmaking technology **答案**：chemistry 原文定位：Until chemistry became an established scientific discipline in the second quarter of that century, glassmaking technology underwent only minor improvements 同义替换：「acceptance of」↔「became」；「as a subject for serious study」↔「an established scientific discipline」 ### 13. -some methods dating back to the Roman Empire continue to be a 13_____ for today's glassmakers. -some methods dating back to the Roman Empire continue to be a 13_____ for today's glassmakers. **答案**：puzzle 原文定位：Even now, however, several of the techniques used in the Roman Empire remain a puzzle that modern glass technicians cannot resolve 同义替换：「some methods dating back to」↔「several of the techniques used in」；「continue to be」↔「remain」；「today」↔「modern」 ### 2. 2 The glassmakers of the early Roman Empire made copies of luxury Greek items. 2 The glassmakers of the early Roman Empire made copies of luxury Greek items. - TRUE - FALSE - NOT GIVEN **答案**：NOT GIVEN 原文定位：However, in the 1st and 2nd centuries BC, an industry of luxury glass items of various forms did emerge in former Greek areas strongly influenced by eastern cultures. This industry was in turn to have a profound effect on the glass art of the early‑Roman Empire ### 3. 3 With the rise of the Roman Empire, glass objects became more common. 3 With the rise of the Roman Empire, glass objects became more common. - TRUE - FALSE - NOT GIVEN **答案**：TRUE 原文定位：However, as the empire expanded, the steps from luxury to mass production, and from decorative objects to vessels for daily use, were gradually taken 同义替换：「became more common」↔「from luxury to mass production」 ### 4. 4 Syrian glassmakers created many different types of objects by blowing glass. 4 Syrian glassmakers created many different types of objects by blowing glass. - TRUE - FALSE - NOT GIVEN **答案**：TRUE 原文定位：Thus it became possible for these craftsmen to produce a large variety of vessels for different uses – from simple bottles to more decorative and complex pieces 同义替换：「glassmakers」↔「craftsmen」；「created many different types of objects」↔「produce a large variety of vessels」 ### 5. 5 The Roman road network provided a safer way of transporting glass than previous methods. 5 The Roman road network provided a safer way of transporting glass than previous methods. - TRUE - FALSE - NOT GIVEN **答案**：NOT GIVEN 原文定位：The well‑planned network of roads in the Roman Empire ensured that the new shapes of manufactured glass objects, and the newly developed techniques used to produce them, were quickly spread and adopted ### 6. 6 Roman glass vessels produced in the 1st century AD were restricted to simple designs. 6 Roman glass vessels produced in the 1st century AD were restricted to simple designs. - TRUE - FALSE - NOT GIVEN **答案**：FALSE 原文定位：Beside the large number of everyday small vessels for storing fragrances and medicinal extracts, there were bowls in all shapes – some formed on the humming‑wheel; some blown – plates, lamps, and much more. Even vessels technically very difficult to produce have been found, such as playful bottles in the shape of birds or other animals 同义替换：「vessels」↔「bottles」；「were restricted to simple designs」↔「very difficult to produce have been found」 ### 7. Developments in glassmaking 2nd century AD -greater emphasis on glass having a 7_____ , lightness and transparency Developments in glassmaking 2nd century AD -greater emphasis on glass having a 7_____ , lightness and transparency **答案**：shiny surface 原文定位：Whereas colour characterised the appearance of early Roman glass – in keeping with the Greek tradition – from the 2nd century AD, the transparency and also lightness of the material as well as its shiny surface, came to be valued more 同义替换：「greater emphasis on」↔「came to be valued more」 ### 8. -complex 8_____ were often added, as well as coloured accents -complex 8_____ were often added, as well as coloured accents **答案**：intricate details 原文定位：There was, though, an increasing tendency to apply intricate details, and a few coloured accents can be observed 同义替换：「complex」↔「intricate」 ### 9. -extra threads of glass used to highlight the 9_____ of vessels. -extra threads of glass used to highlight the 9_____ of vessels. **答案**：mouths 原文定位：Different coloured glass was also used for simple handles, or for one or two threads or strings of extra glass wrapped around the rims to give emphasis to the vessels' mouths 同义替换：「highlight」↔「give emphasis to」 --- 以上内容由鸭圈雅思真题库（www.yaquan.site）提供，收录近期雅思考试真题回忆，支持在线机考模式免费练习。