Question 1: What is the main theme of the news article?

Answer: The main theme is a significant scientific discovery during the industrial revolution and its impact on society.

Question 2: Identify one literary technique used in the headline and explain its effect.

Answer: The headline uses metaphor ('A New Dawn') to evoke optimism and a sense of beginning for scientific progress.

Question 3: Describe the tone of the article and support your answer with a phrase from the text.

Answer: The tone is optimistic and cautious, as shown in the phrase ‘epoch-defining breakthrough’ and ‘harbingers of change’.

Question 4: What vocabulary in the passage suggests a serious and scholarly style?

Answer: Words like ‘revolutionise’, ‘epoch-defining’, and ‘harbingers’ suggest a scholarly tone.

Question 5: Explain the significance of the phrase ‘a turning point in technological progress’ in the context of the article.

Answer: It indicates that the discovery was a critical moment that would influence future technological developments.

Question 6: Identify and explain one visual or descriptive detail used in the passage.

Answer: The description of the city’s skyline silhouetted against clouds of smoke creates an atmospheric setting reflecting the industrial era.

Question 7: Discuss how the article’s language reflects its historical context.

Answer: The sophisticated vocabulary and formal tone mirror the journalistic style of the late 19th century. The emphasis on scientific progress and societal change reflects the era’s focus on industrial advancement and innovation.

Question 8: Identify and analyse one technique used to evoke a sense of gravity or importance in the article.

Answer: The use of phrases like ‘epoch-defining’ and ‘revolution’ lends a sense of significance and grandeur to the event, heightening its perceived importance.

Question 9: What does the phrase ‘public and marked a turning point’ reveal about the historical impact of the event?

Answer: It shows that the event was widely recognised at the time and considered a major milestone in history.

Question 10: Based on the passage, how might future historians perceive this event?

Answer: Future historians are likely to see this event as a pivotal moment that catalysed technological innovation and societal change during the industrial revolution.