IELTSwithJurabek

PASSAGE 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-5 and 9-13, which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.

Andrew Carnegie, an industrialist and philanthropist

Andrew Carnegie was among the wealthiest and most famous industrialists of his day. Through Carnegie Corporation of New York, he established the innovative philanthropic foundation. He was born in 1835, in Dunfermline, Scotland. His family lived by weaving.

The town fell on hard times when industrialism made home-based weaving obsolete, leaving workers such as Carnegie's father, Will, hard pressed to support their families. Carnegie's family moved to Pennsylvania. His father worked in a cotton factory. In 1848, Carnegie worked in the same place. He educated himself through books, theatres and music.

Thomas A. Scot, superintendent of the western division of the Pennsylvania Railroad and Andrew Carnegie's boss, initiated the future millionaire's first investment. At that time, Carnegie worked as a secretary to him. Carnegie began to invest in car company. By 1865, Carnegie had amassed business interests in iron works.

In the 1870s, Carnegie was involved in steel production. He invented in steel business. In 1873, he built his first steel plant. He cut the price of steel down. He built the Carnegie Steel Corporation into the largest steel manufacturing company in the world.

In the 1880s, Carnegie bought out Henry Clay Frick's company, which owned coal fields as well as a large steel mill in Homestead, Pennsylvania. Frick and Carnegie became partners. Carnegie began to spend half of every year at an estate in Scotland, in charge of different projects. Frick stayed in Pittsburgh, running the day-to-day operations of the company.

Carnegie spent a lot time on travelling. He thought America is better than unequal European counties. Education is important in America. Andrew Carnegie's philanthropic career began around 1870. He founded universities and many educational institutes, donated money to education facilities, set up Funds in various fields.

Carnegie began to face a number of problems by the 1890s. With the development of technology, work efficiency improved, fewer workers are needed. Frick decided to lower the minimum wage of workers. Labor union was formed, and Carnegie believed the workers had the right to join the union. The union which represented workers at the Homestead Mill went on strike in 1892. Eventually, an armed militia had to take over the plant. Eight workers died finally.

Carnegie was informed by transatlantic cable of the events in Homestead. But he made no statement and did not get involved. He was later criticized for his silence. As the 1890s continued, Carnegie faced competition in business, and he found himself being squeezed by tactics similar to those he had employed years earlier. He refused to have conversations with his competitors.

Carnegie had already. been giving money to create museums, such as the Carnegie Institute of Pittsburgh. But his philanthropy accelerated after selling Carnegie Steel. Carnegie supported numerous causes, including scientific research, educational institutions, museums, and world peace. He is best known for funding more than 2,500 libraries throughout the English-speaking world.