Question

( JOHANNES GUTENBERG )

One night Johannes Gutenberg worked until very late at his press. He was printing a large folio

edition of the Bible in Latin. For weeks he had given all his thoughts to this great work, and now he

was completing the last sheets. He was worn out with fatigue, but proud of that which he had

accomplished. He leaned his head upon the framework of his press, and gave himself up to

thought.

Suddenly from among the types two voices were heard. They were speaking in low but earnest

tones, and seemed to be talking about Gutenberg and his invention.

The first voice which was gentle and sweet and full of encouragement said books will now be

plentiful and cheap. The poorest man can buy them. Every child will learn to read. The words of

the wise and the good will be printed on thousands of sheets and carried all over the world. They

will be read in every household. The age of ignorance will be at an end. Men will learn to think and

know and act for themselves. They will no longer be the slaves of kings. And the name of

Johannes Gutenberg, inventor of printing, will be remembered to the end of time.

Then the other voice spoke. It was a stern, strong voice, although not unpleasant, and it spoke in

tones of warning that Johannes Gutenberg should be aware of what he is doing. His invention will

prove to be a curse rather than a blessing. It is true that books will be plentiful and cheap, but they

will not all be good books. The words of the vulgar and the vile will also be printed. They will be

carried into millions of households to poison the minds of children and to make men and women

doubt the truth and despise virtue. Otherwise Gutenberg will be remembered as one who brought

evil into the world rather than good.

And so the two voices went on, one claiming that the printing press would bless all mankind, the

other saying that it would surely prove to be a curse. Johannes Gutenberg felt much distressed.

He did not know what to do. He thought of the great harm that might be done through the printing

of bad books - how they would corrupt the minds of the innocent, how they would stir up the

passions of the wicked.

Suddenly Gutenberg seized a heavy hammer and began to break his press in pieces as he did not

want to be the one who helped to make the world worse. While he was madly destroying the

printing press, he heard a third voice. It seemed to come from the press itself, and it spoke in

tones of sweet persuasion.

The third voice told Gutenberg not to act rashly. The best of God’s gifts may be abused, and yet

they are all good. The art of printing will enlighten the world. Its power for blessing mankind will be

a thousand times greater than its power for doing harm.

The upraised hammer dropped from his hands. The sound of its striking the floor aroused him. He

rubbed his eyes and looked around. He wondered if he had been dreaming.

A. Answer these questions.

1. What was Johannes Gutenberg’s profession ?
2. In which language was he printing an edition of the Bible ?
3. Which voice said, ‘The age of ignorance will be at an end’: the first, the second or the

third ?​

Answer 1

Answer:

Explanation:

Johannes Gensfleisch zur Laden zum Gutenberg was a German goldsmith, inventor, printer, and publisher who introduced printing to Europe with his mechanical movable-type printing press

Latin Vulgate

Sorry, idk third