Listen&Learn: The history of printing

Learn about the development of the printing press.

Pre-listening vocabulary

• print: to transfer text to paper mechanically
• carve: to cut shapes into something
• character: a letter or symbol in a written language
• revolutionize: to change something completely
• accessible: easy for people to get or use
• prompt: to cause something to happen

Listening activity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:25 — 1.3MB)

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Gapfill exercise

Printing has shaped the world in many ways. The first printed date back to 6th century China, when monks printed messages using carved wood and ink. In the 11th century, a Chinese inventor named Bi Sheng created a moveable type press, which made it easier to quickly texts. However, Bi Sheng’s invention did not become immediately . This was because it was difficult to include enough Chinese characters to communicate every kind of message. Around 300 years later, German inventor Johannes Gutenberg developed a printing press for European . The Gutenberg press revolutionized written in Europe. It made books, news, and religious texts accessible to everyone. This spread of information also prompted many more technological advancements throughout history.

Comprehension questions

Discussion/essay questions

1. How has our access to information changed in recent years? How do you think it will continue to change in the future?

Transcript

Printing has shaped the world in many ways. The first printed texts date back to 6th century China, when monks printed messages using carved wood and ink. In the 11th century, a Chinese inventor named Bi Sheng created a moveable type press, which made it easier to quickly copy texts. However, Bi Sheng’s invention did not become immediately popular. This was because it was difficult to include enough Chinese characters to communicate every kind of message. Around 300 years later, German inventor Johannes Gutenberg developed a printing press for European languages. The Gutenberg press revolutionized written information in Europe. It made books, news, and religious texts accessible to everyone. This spread of information also prompted many more technological advancements throughout history.