Free levelled English reading practice. Read for meaning first, then use the full Speed Reading tool to time yourself and track your progress.
Paper is so ordinary today that its historical importance is easy to overlook. Writing materials existed long before paper: people used clay tablets, papyrus, bamboo, silk, parchment and other surfaces. In China, papermaking developed from plant fibres and recycled textiles, and the Han dynasty official Cai Lun is traditionally associated with improvements reported in 105 CE, although archaeological evidence shows that forms of paper existed earlier. The technology gradually spread across Central Asia and into the Islamic world, where paper mills supported administration, scholarship and commerce. It later became increasingly important in Europe. Paper was cheaper and easier to produce in large quantities than parchment, and its availability eventually complemented printing technologies. The consequences were cumulative rather than immediate: more affordable writing surfaces helped expand record-keeping, education and the circulation of texts. Paper's history shows how a seemingly simple material technology can reshape institutions by reducing the cost of storing and transmitting information.
Comprehension questions
What materials were used for writing before paper?
Who is traditionally linked with papermaking improvements in 105 CE?
Why must that traditional account be qualified?
How did paper support institutions in the Islamic world?
What broad effect did cheaper writing material have on information?
