The Humble Pencil

C1 Advanced · Word Formation · Cambridge Ready original exercise

For questions 1–8, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals at the end of some of the lines to form a word that fits in the gap in the same line. There is an example at the beginning (0).

CONCEIVE

MISTAKE

VALUE

AUTHORISE

INVENT

HARD

ARRIVE

REPLACE

Despite its (0) ___ , the pencil has a surprisingly colourful history. The widespread belief that pencils contain lead is a (1) ___ that dates back to the sixteenth century, when a large deposit of graphite was discovered in the north of England. Local people (2) ___ assumed that the shiny black substance was a form of lead, and the name stuck. Graphite proved so (3) ___ that the mine was guarded day and night, and (4) ___ removal of the material was eventually made a serious criminal offence. Early pencils were simply sticks of graphite wrapped in string or sheepskin, but (5) ___ soon found ways of encasing them in wood. Later, by mixing powdered graphite with clay in varying proportions, manufacturers were able to control the (6) ___ of the core, which is why pencils are still graded by letters and numbers today. Despite the (7) ___ of digital devices, the pencil remains (8) ___ for many artists, architects and carpenters, who value its precision and the ease with which its marks can be erased.

The Humble Pencil

SIMPLE

Available as a free printable PDF worksheet with an optional answer key.

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