[2026] PTE Academic Reading - Multiple Choice, Multiple Answers

The invention of the movable type printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in the mid-15th century is often cited as one of the most influential events in human history.Prior to this innovation, books were painstakingly copied by hand, a process that made them expensive and accessible only to the social elite and religious institutions.The printing press drastically reduced the cost of book production, leading to a surge in the availability of written materials.This democratization of knowledge facilitated the rapid spread of revolutionary ideas during the Protestant Reformation and the Scientific Revolution.Furthermore, the mass production of texts contributed significantly to the standardization of grammar, spelling, and regional vernaculars across Europe.As literacy rates climbed among the general population, the demand for news and secular literature increased, giving rise to the first newspapers.However, the shift also faced resistance from some authorities who feared that the uncontrolled dissemination of information could undermine their social control.Despite these challenges, the printing press laid the essential groundwork for the modern knowledge-based economy and global communication.