IELTS Reading: fill the gaps

The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, were two American brothers, inventors, and aviation pioneers who were credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903. In the two years afterward, the brothers developed their flying machine into the first practical fixed-wing aircraft.

The brothers' fundamental breakthrough was their invention of three-axis control, which enabled the pilot to steer the aircraft effectively and to maintain its equilibrium. This method became standard and remains standard on fixed-wing aircraft of all kinds. From the beginning of their aeronautical work, the Wright brothers focused on developing a reliable method of pilot control as the key to solving "the flying problem". This approach differed significantly from other experimenters of the time who put more emphasis on developing powerful engines. Using a small homebuilt wind tunnel, the Wrights also collected more accurate data than anyone had before, enabling them to design and build wings and propellers that were more efficient than rival models.

They gained the mechanical skills essential for their success by working for years in their shop with printing presses, bicycles, motors, and other machinery. Their work with bicycles in particular influenced their belief that an unstable vehicle like a flying machine could be controlled and balanced with practice.

Fill each gap in the summary below with a maximum of 2 words.

In 1903, the Wright brothers completed development of the first airplane that was capable of sustaining controlled ______. The key to their success was a system that gave the pilot the means to control and ______ the airplane. This set them apart from other inventors who had focused on building ______. The brothers had previous experience with a wide variety of ______, but it was their work with ______ that had the greatest influence on their ideas.

Comments

[AAH]

how can we check answers?

[Pham]

1. human flight
2. maintain
3. reliable methods
4. accurate data
5. printing presses

[Kasem]

1. human flight
2. maintain
3. engines
4. machinery
5. bicycles

[Suzi]

human flight
maintain
powerful engines
machinery
bicycles

[Ramazan]

Human flight
BALANCE?
powerful engines
machinery
bicycles

[lucy]

Power
Maintain
Powerful engines
Machinery
Bicycles

[Pradeep]

humnan flight
steer
powerful engines
mechanical skills
bicycles

[Rashida Perveen]

1-human flight
2-balance
3-powerful engines
4-machinery
5-bicycles

[Mehdi]

human flight
steer
powerful engines
mechanical system
bicycles

[Ray]

1 human flight
2 maintain
3 powerful engines
4 machinery
5 bicycles

[Grace]

human flight
maintain
engines
machinery
bicycles

[abbas]

human flight
maintain
powerful engines
accurate data
bicycles

[ANERBAS]

three-axis
steer
powerful engines
machinery
bicycles

[thangngovan]

Dear Simon and everyone. Here is my answer
three- axis
maintain
powerful engines
mechanical skills
bicycles
Could you please give me some tips about this summary question, please?

[mike]

equilibrium
steer
powerful engines
mechanical skills
bicycles

[amir malik]

hi friends my answers are here below

1.human flight
2.maintain
3.powerful engine
4.mechanical skills
5.bicycles

[Petonia]

1.Heavier-than-air
2.Maintain
3.powerful engines
4.data
5.homebuild

[Petonia]

I am sorry I left a paragraph
Here my new answers:

1.Human Flight
2.Maintain
3.powerful engines
4.data
5.bicycles

[thong]

Here are my answers:
1-fix-wing aircraft
2-balance
3-powerful engine
4-mechanical skills
5-bicycles

[robert]

human flight
steer
powerful engines
machanical skills
bicycles

[Thao Huong]

1. human flight
2. maintain
3. powerful engines
4. machinery
5. bicycles

[Sarah]

Human flight
To steer
Powerful engines
Machinery
Bicycles

[Janaka]

1.human flight
2.maintain
3.powerful engines
4.machinery
5.bicycle

[Trang]

1- equilibrium
2- maintain
3- powerful engines
4- mechanic skills
5- bicycles

[Trang]

Sorry! Here is my answers. I have a mistake

1- equilibrium
2- maintain
3- powerful engines
4- mechanical skills
5- bicycles

[chhu]

1.flight
2.maintain
3.engines
4.machinery
5.bicycles

[sanju]

1. three-axis
2. equilibrium
3. developing
4. printing press
5. bicycles

[farhana]

1.and powered
2.maintain
3.powerful engines
4.accurate data
5. practice

[Shahnoza]

1.human flight
2.balance
3.powerful engines
4.machinery
5.bicycles

[Martin]

It's great to read about the history of aviation. I personally had the chance to visit Kitty Hawk in North Carolina several years ago and it truly was a nice experience to see where it all started.

[Aleksandra Bucholc]

1.human flight
2.equilibrate(or balance) or maintain?
3.powerful engines
4.machinery
5.bicycles

[Nafisa]

Hi,
My answers are:

1-human flight
2-Equilibrium
3-Powerful engines
4-Machinery
5-Bicycles

[emam]

Hello , this is Emam

1- power
2- steer
3- powerful engines
4- Machines
5- bicycles

[Makhabbat]

1. human flight
2. to maintain
3. powerful engines
4. machines
5. bicycles

[Neha]

1. human flight
2. steer
3. powerful engine
4. mechanical skills
5. bicycles.

[nixpp]

1.human flight
2. maintain
3. powerful engines
4. macinery
5. bicycles

[xem]

1.flight
2.equilibrium
3.powerful engines
4.machinery
5.bicycles

[Michelle]

1. Human flight
2. Equilibrium
3. Powerful engines
4. Data
5. Bicycles

[ziaul huada]

my answers are-
1-Human flight
2-to steer
3-reliable method
4-mechanical skills
5-bicycle

[Cathy Lo]

here's my answer:
1. human flight
2. balance
3. powerful engines
4. machines
5. bicycles

Thanks.

[TrungKien]

1. human flight
2. maintain
3. powerful engines
4. machinery
5. bicycles

[sunnyhong]

1.heavier-than-air flight
2.maintain equilibrium
3.powerful engines
4.machinery
5.bicyclies

thanks

[Preet]

Human flight
steer
powerful engines
machinery
bicycle

[Simon]

CORRECT ANSWERS FROM SIMON:

1. (human) flight
2. steer
3. powerful engines
4. machinery
5. bicycles

PS. Martin, you're lucky to have been there - it's a fascinating story, especially because the brothers were not 'qualified' engineers yet they were able to do what well-funded university experts couldn't!

[Daniela]

Hi Simon,

I just discovered your site and it's amazing. I find it very helpful and inspirational. I want to take the academic exam in summer, on July. I'm not a native speaker so I have to work very hard to achieve band 7. In the next few days I will order your book, Ideas for IELTS Topics. Could you recommend me other books for Ielts academic exam. What do you think about these books i found on the internet: Target band 7, Barron's, Kaplan ? Should I order them ?
I look forward to a reply at your convenience.

[Ngoc]

1. Human flight
2. Steer
3. Powerful engines
4. Mechanical Skills
5. Bicycles

[shirish]

hey Daniela.

Mr. Simon's classes are really amazing, i swear these are much helpful in IELTS to achieve more than 7 bands with your little effort.

Thanks and regards.
INDIAN.

Thanks Simon for this blog.

[Andy]

Hi all

1. human flight
2. maintain
3. powerful engines
4. mechanical skills
5. bicycles

[V.H]

Could you please give me the answers of the reading?
Bunch of Thanks

[Abdul]

1. heavier-than-air human
2. equilibrium
3. powerful engines
4. accurate data
5. wings

[Abdul]

I want ask , if any1 know the answer :

Is this one word :(heavier-than-air / free-time /self-esteem /etc.. ) or they count it as 2 words

[Umair Zafar]

1 human flight
2 maintain
3 Wind tunnel
4 machinery
5 bicycles

[amzad]

1. human flight
2. maintain
3. reliable methods
4. accurate data
5. printing presses

[amzad]

1. human flight
2. maintain
3. reliable methods
4. mechanical skills
5. bicycles

[Inna]

1. power
2. steering
3. powerful engines
4. wings and propellers
5. other machinery

[Firoz]

HI SIMON
My answers are:

flight
steer
powerful engines
machinery
bicycles

[Mehdi]

1-equilibrium
2-data
3-powerful engines
4-machinery
5-bicycles

[Mehdi]

HI SIMON
would you write the correct answers?

[Venky]

powered
maintain equilibrium
powerful engines
rival models
bicycles

[Vishal]

In question 2, I wonder if "steer" is right answer.

definition of steer is control
definition of maintain is enable to move

The answer should be "maintain" as control is already mentioned.
Can you please clarify me?

[modest]

I absolutely agree with Vishal, second answer should be maintain, because "steer" means "to control"..

[Ngo Thi Bao Ngoc]

human flight
maintain equilibrium(why the correct answer is steer??)
powerful engines
machinery
bicycles

[mohanmed]

Dear Simon

i,m hvn difficulty in praragraph type questions, i gt confused whr to find? Plz help me..suggest a goid way to tackle...

[Ranya]

could you post the correct answer

[ali]

heavier flight
sreer
powerful engines
machiery/mchineries
bicycles

[fahad]

Hi simon,

for fourth blank if i write other machinery
will it be correct or it will be counted as wrong?

[Sabina]

Hey Simon which one is right machinery or mechanical skills thank you

[Huong Nguyen]

Human flight
Steer
Powerful engine
Machinery
Bicycles

[Phong Lan]

I think the answer for the second gap should be "maintain" cause "steer" and "control" have a similar meaning.