Table of Contents
BEST IELTS Academic Reading Test 219
IELTS ACADEMIC READING TEST 219 – PASSAGE – 3
IELTS ACADEMIC READING TEST – 219
READING PASSAGE – 3
Military Uniforms
A battle between hierarchy and practicality
Since humanity first invented war, soldiers have looked distinctive from the rest of the population. The very act of carrying of arms such as spears, shield, clubs and helmets made them look clearly different. However, specialized military uniforms are relatively recent, and probably derived from the clothes that palace guards were issued to distinguish them from other courtiers. This survives in the ceremonial dress of the Papal Guards in Rome (legend has it, designed by Michelangelo) and London’s Yeomen of the Guard whose uniform is unchanged from Tudor times. Uniforms for the military, however, did not come into use until the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, with the arrival of musket fire.
The musket was an early gun capable of penetrating armour, though its weight had caused the disuse of armour some time before. As a weapon used by individuals the musket was rather ineffective, but large groups of users in mass formations became dominant on Europe’s battlefields. This changed the structure of armies into professional military organizations with trained groups of soldiers in permanent organizations. The units were at first raised by individuals who sold them to monarchs and leaders, and the unit commander would provide clothing for his troops, leading to the first uniforms.
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Soldiers need to be able to distinguish who the enemy is while they are in combat. Traditionally this had been managed with standards and banners, usually with a royal coat of arms on it or some kind of symbol such as an animal. Colored scarves and armbands were also used to recognize allies. The amount of smoke that arose in battle from the use of muskets and cannons meant these old forms of identification were dropped because they had become almost useless. Uniforms were the solution.
Kingdoms and states began to put together their own controlled armies, beyond the old practice of purchasing military units during times of war. Permanent military establishments were created in Europe and each was provided with its own uniform, and by the mid-eighteenth century, certain colours became associated with different countries or monarchs. Britain largely clothed its army in red, France in pale grey or white and after the French Revolution, in light blue. Prussians wore dark blue, Bavarians sky blue, Austrians white, and Russians wore dark green.
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Two factors had to be taken into account in uniform design. Firstly, the uniform had to be practical. Then, it was important to be able to distinguish rank, for example between a standard foot soldier and an officer. These days though, the displays of rank on a uniform are more subtle. A feathered hat is an easy target for the enemy. Similarly, tight-fitting, ‘smart’ uniforms of the parade ground are often replaced by looser dress allowing the ease of movement necessary in combat.
Though modern military uniforms are easily distinguishable from civilian clothing, this is really only due to the fact that military uniforms do not change over time with fashion. Since the time armour was dispensed with, most military uniform designs have been based on the civilian clothing that was worn at the time the uniform was first designed. The only different touch was perhaps the colour of a uniform which would indicate which state or leader the soldier was serving, and certainly if they were carrying arms, they would clearly not be a civilian.
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The European conflict of the Napoleonic Wars and the long period of peace that followed highlighted the differences in practicality and utility of military uniforms. The armies that fought in the Napoleonic Wars had a much more drab appearance than would be thought. Uniforms wore out or faded in the sun on long campaigns and were replaced by locally obtained clothing.
When the long period of peace followed Napoleon’s defeat, uniforms only appeared on the parade ground and reached a degree of elaborate fantasy not seen before or since. The series of wars that began at the end of the nineteenth century until the middle of the next, saw the end of these styles, perhaps due to the sheer number of soldiers that need to be clothed, and the nature of modern warfare, which requires practicality.
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Advances in gun technology meant the musket gave way to rifles that were fast to load and could fire multiple bullets at far greater distances. Smokeless powder meant that vision was no longer obscured on the battlefield. This led to uniforms that were meant to inhibit recognition, rather than colours that indicated which side soldiers were on. Steel helmets and gas masks were universally adopted during the trench warfare of the First World War.
New weapons and more guerrilla style tactics meant that horses, and the riding clothes that went with them, were relegated to ceremonial occasions, and motorized vehicles were used instead. The image of the soldier completely changed. They were no longer used as decorative symbols of power, but as working units on the battlefield, where comfort and survival were the main aims. The elaborate designs of nineteenth century uniforms were a thing of the past.
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The uniforms since the Second World War have focused on making the soldier invisible to the enemy rather than trying to make them look intimidating. Even the greens and khakis have been changed to more camouflage-style patterns to hide the soldier from the night vision cameras that have evolved. Any form of colour has been removed in order to protect the soldier from being seen, so much so that losses from friendly fire have become more frequent.
Modern warfare has seen an emphasis on uniforms protecting the soldier in combat. Modern technology has brought back armour in the form of bullet-proof clothing to protect the torso. Some nations even provide their soldiers with suits that would enable them to fight on a nuclear or bio-contaminated battlefield. As more and more warfare is waged by drones and unmanned vehicles, perhaps the next change in the uniform will be that they will no longer be necessary at all.
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Questions 27-30
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
27. The writer asserts that soldiers have always stood out from other people because they
A. wear distinctive uniforms.
B. have been given clothes similar to palace servants.
C. have carried weapons.
D. wore bright colours.
28. According to the writer, why was the musket pivotal in the development of military uniforms?
A. It altered the way soldiers trained.
B. It changed how wars were fought.
C. It was able to go through armour.
D. It meant soldiers needed heavier clothes.
29. The writer says that armies stopped using standards and banners because
A. soldiers needed to keep their hands free for weapons.
B. they could no longer be seen due to the smoke from weapons.
C. they were too easily recognized by the enemy.
D. soldiers would drop them in the middle of battle.
30. Uniforms in different colours started to be worn
A. only during times of war.
B. when national armies were created.
C. after the French revolution
D. when Britain instated red as its uniform colour.
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Questions 31-34
Look at the following statements (Questions 31-34) and the list of wars.
Match each statement with the correct conflict, A, B, C, D or E.
Write the correct letter, A, B, C, D or E in boxes 31-34 on your answer sheet.
31. Uniforms have a greater focus on body protection.
32. Uniforms come with life-saving equipment.
33. Uniforms become extravagant after this time.
34. Uniforms had all colors removed after this time.
List of conflicts
A. French Revolution
B. Napoleonic Wars
C. The First World War
D. The Second World War
E. Modern warfare
Questions 35-40
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
35. Rifles were more effective than muskets because they had greater range and took less time to ……… .
36. As visibility on the battlefield improved it became more important to avoid ………. .
37. First World War uniforms reflected life on the …………. rather than the parade ground.
38. These days, casualties from ………… can be caused by uniforms that are designed to conceal.
39. A form of armour has returned to use with the inclusion of ………… clothing in uniforms.
40. The writer hints that modern forms of ………… may result in the elimination of the need for uniforms.
ANSWERS ARE BELOW
ANSWERS
27-C
28-B
29-B
30-B
31-E
32-C
33-B
34-D
35-LOAD
36-RECOGNITION
37-BATTLEFIELD
38-FRIENDLY FIRE
39-BULLET-PROOF
40-WARFARE