50-minute English Lesson
We have many ESL articles. In this one, we talk about the evolution of the printing press.

Read the story
Printing press
The printing press with metal letters that can be moved is one of the world’s great inventions. It changed the way people learn and think.
Early printing systems used blocks of wood. Words or pictures were carved into the block. Ink was put on the board. A piece of paper was then pushed down on the ink.
Book printing with blocks of wood likely started in China around the year 600. Books about medicine were common. By 1300, woodblock printing was in Europe.
Printing with blocks had one key weak point. Making new blocks was a slow process that needed lots of labour. Each new block took weeks to make.
Printing with movable letters was a big improvement. Each letter was on a separate block. Put some blocks together and you spell a word. String many blocks together and you create sentences. When it was time to print a new page, shifting the letters around was relatively easy.
The printing press with movable letters started in China around 1000. It wasn’t popular because the Chinese language has so many characters. That was a problem because print shops needed many workers to find letters and make words.
In the 1430s, Johannes Gutenberg made a printing press with movable metal letters. He also made a special ink that worked well on paper. The printing press was popular in Europe. By 1480, there were more than 100 printing presses. By 1500, there were millions of books.
His press expanded the range of information people could read. Books helped scientists share information and learn new things. People like Galileo and Newton were sharing ideas that started a revolution in science. Books also made religion less powerful because people had more information and were thinking for themselves.
New information and innovative ideas encouraged people to ask questions. They wondered about nature, stars, and the purpose of government. Thanks to the printing press, they found some answers.
Listen to the story
ESL Articles
Audio
Here is the listening file for this lesson.
Audio file: 2:19 min
Story length: 312 words

English listening lesson: Gap Fill
LISTEN TO THE STORY AGAIN AND FILL IN THE BLANKS.
The printing press with __________ letters that can be moved is one of the world’s great __________ . It changed the way people learn and think.
Early printing systems used __________ of wood. Words or pictures were __________ into the block. Ink was put on the board. A piece of paper was then __________ down on the ink.
Book __________ with blocks of wood likely started in China around the year __________ . Books about medicine were common. By 1300, woodblock printing was in __________ .
Printing with blocks had one key __________ point. Making new blocks was a slow __________ that needed lots of labour. Each new block took __________ to make.
Printing with movable letters was a big __________ . Each letter was on a __________ block. Put some blocks together and you spell a word. String many blocks together and you __________ sentences. When it was time to print a new page, __________ the letters around was relatively easy.
The printing press with __________ letters started in China around 1000. It wasn’t popular because the Chinese __________ has so many characters. That was a problem because __________ shops needed many workers to find letters and make words.
In the __________ , Johannes Gutenberg made a printing press with movable metal letters. He also made a special __________ that worked well on paper. The printing press was __________ in Europe. By 1480, there were more than __________ printing presses. By 1500, there were __________ of books.
His press __________ the range of information people could read. Books helped __________ share information and learn new things. People like Galileo and Newton were __________ ideas that started a revolution in science. Books also made religion less __________ because people had more information and were __________ for themselves.
New information and __________ ideas encouraged people to ask questions. They __________ about nature, stars, and the purpose of government. Thanks to the printing press, they __________ some answers.
ESL discussion questions
Talk about the esl article.
- What kind of story is this?
- Describe the state of printing press technology before Gutenberg.
- What was Gutenberg’s unique contribution?
- Why did printing with movable letters not catch on in China ?
- Speculate about the possible causal relationship between Gutenburg and future scientific achievements.
Synonym match
MATCH THE WORD OR PHRASE ON THE LEFT WITH THE CORRECT SYNONYM.
1. string 2. weak point 3. improvement 4. range 5. easy | a. enhancement b. variety c. sequence d. effortless e. flaw |
English listening lesson: anagrams
MOVE LETTERS. MAKE A WORD FROM the English online story about inventions.
- FUPROELW
- AVELOBM
- ITSNGIFH
- ECPORSS
- ENIMCDIE
- SGNTRI
Writing practice
Write the sentences. Put the words in the correct order.
- create / and / sentences / blocks / together / you / many / String
- of / wood / systems / printing / used / blocks / Early
- on / paper / well / ink / worked / made / special / He / also / that / a
- presses / than / 100 / 1480 / there / printing / were / more / By
- was / of / needed / new / Making / slow / lots / a / labour / blocks / that / process
More listening and reading
ESL articles
Learn more English online about inventions and people? Try this English listening comprehension lesson about YouTube.
Watch a video and take notes
extending ESL articles
Learn more? Watch a short video about book history. It’s about four minutes.
- Watch the video.
- Take notes.
- Make a list with at least eight facts.
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