Free levelled English reading practice. Read for meaning first, then use the full Speed Reading tool to time yourself and track your progress.
For most of European history before the fifteenth century, books were copied by hand. Producing one book could take a very long time, so books were expensive and relatively rare. Around the 1450s, Johannes Gutenberg in Mainz, Germany, developed a practical printing system using movable metal type. Individual metal letters could be arranged to form a page, covered with ink and pressed onto paper. The letters could then be reused for another page. Gutenberg did not invent every part of printing, and forms of printing had existed in Asia for centuries. His important achievement was combining technologies into an effective system for producing many copies of texts in Europe. One of the most famous works connected with his press is the Gutenberg Bible. Printing spread rapidly to other European cities. Books became easier to produce and, over time, more affordable. Ideas could travel to large numbers of readers much faster than before. Printing supported changes in education, religion, science and politics. It also helped standardise written languages. Gutenberg could not have known all the consequences of his work, but the printing press transformed the way information was shared.
Comprehension questions
How were many books produced before Gutenberg’s system?
Where did Gutenberg work?
What could be reused?
Which famous work is connected with Gutenberg’s press?
