Reading Passage for IELTS Academic Preparation
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-10, which are based on the Reading Passage below.
How Tennis Rackets Have Changed 🎾
The history of tennis is inextricably linked to the evolution of its primary instrument: the racket. From handcrafted wooden frames to scientifically engineered composite marvels, the development of the tennis racket has not only mirrored advances in material science but has also profoundly reshaped how the game is played. Each era of racket technology brought with it a new set of possibilities, fundamentally altering the balance between power, control, and finesse on the court.
Early frames of Tennis Rackets
For centuries, tennis rackets were constructed from wood, typically ash or maple. These early frames were characterized by their substantial weight, often exceeding 400 grams, and a very small head size, usually around 65 square inches. The strings were made from natural gut, derived from the intestines of sheep. This combination of materials demanded immense skill from the player. The racket’s small “sweet spot”—the optimal area for hitting the ball—meant that precision was paramount. Players of the wooden racket era, such as the legendary Björn Borg, relied heavily on timing and technique rather than raw power. The inherent flexibility of the wood absorbed much of the ball’s energy, resulting in a game dominated by longer rallies and strategic placement. Indeed, the last man to win a Grand Slam with a wooden racket was Yannick Noah at the 1983 French Open, marking the end of an epoch.
Metal Frames
The 1970s heralded the first major technological disruption with the introduction of metal frames. Jimmy Connors’ aggressive baseline game, famously showcased with the steel Wilson T2000, demonstrated the potential of this new technology. Metal, first steel and later aluminum, was stronger and lighter than wood, allowing manufacturers to create rackets with significantly larger head sizes. In 1976, Prince introduced an “oversized” racket with a 110-square-inch head, a revolutionary concept at the time. This larger surface area created a much bigger sweet spot, offering more power and forgiveness on off-center hits. However, these early metal frames had their drawbacks. They were often stiff and transmitted considerable vibration to the player’s arm, leading to a rise in tennis-related injuries like tennis elbow.
Graphite
The true revolution, however, arrived with graphite. Introduced in the early 1980s, graphite composites offered a superior combination of lightness, stiffness, and strength. Unlike the pliable wood or the jarringly stiff aluminum, graphite frames could be engineered to provide power without sacrificing control or feel. Iconic models like the Dunlop Max 200G and the Wilson Pro Staff became the weapons of choice for a new generation of champions like Steffi Graf and Pete Sampras. The inherent stability of graphite allowed players to swing faster and hit with more force, accelerating the trend towards powerful, serve-and-volley and baseline-dominant styles of play.
Modern Tennis Rackets
The modern era is defined by the use of advanced composites and sophisticated engineering. Today’s rackets are a blend of materials, including graphite, carbon fiber, titanium, and graphene—a one-atom-thick layer of carbon renowned for its incredible strength-to-weight ratio. These materials allow for meticulous customization of racket characteristics like flex, stability, and weight distribution. Furthermore, string technology has co-evolved to become just as critical. The shift from natural gut to durable synthetic polyester strings in the late 1990s, famously utilized by Gustavo Kuerten, unlocked unprecedented levels of topspin. This combination of advanced frame composition and high-performance strings has cultivated the modern athletic, spin-heavy game we see today, a style almost unrecognizable from the tactical duels of the wooden racket era.
Questions 1-5
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.
1. What was a primary requirement for players using wooden rackets?
- Exceptional physical strength
- Precise timing and technique
- A powerful serving motion
- The ability to play a fast-paced game
2. The introduction of metal rackets in the 1970s led to
- a decrease in the speed of the game.
- rackets that were heavier than wooden ones.
- a greater margin for error when hitting the ball.
- fewer instances of tennis-related injuries.
3. According to the passage, what made graphite a revolutionary material for rackets?
- It was much cheaper to produce than wood or aluminum.
- It was the first material to be used by champions like Björn Borg.
- It balanced power with control more effectively than previous materials.
- It was more flexible than wood, which absorbed more energy.
4. The passage identifies Gustavo Kuerten as a player who demonstrated the potential of
- oversized racket heads.
- graphene composite frames.
- the serve-and-volley style.
- synthetic polyester strings.
5. What is the main purpose of the passage?
- To argue that modern rackets have made tennis too focused on power.
- To compare the careers of famous tennis players from different eras.
- To document how technological advancements in rackets have changed tennis.
- To explain the scientific principles behind modern composite materials.
Questions 6-10
Complete the sentences below.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
6. The optimal hitting area on a racket head is known as the .
7. Early metal rackets were known to transmit a lot of to a player’s arm.
8. The arrival of graphite composites is described in the passage as the .
9. A key modern material noted for its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio is .
10. The use of advanced frames and strings has fostered a modern, game.
Answer Key
- B (Precise timing and technique)
- C (a greater margin for error when hitting the ball)
- C (It balanced power with control more effectively than previous materials)
- D (synthetic polyester strings)
- C (To document how technological advancements in rackets have changed tennis)
6. sweet spot
7. vibration
8. true revolution
9. graphene
10. spin-heavy
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