Question

Seven hundred years before the Wright brothers began experimenting with human flight, the Chinese had already mastered its secrets—with kites.

2

Kites may have been invented in China as early as 500 BCE. While some kites were flown for amusement, other kites provided key technologies for daily life. Chinese fishermen used kites to carry their lines far out to sea. Surveyors used them for signaling. Sailors used them to take a measurement of the wind. Kites also were flown during religious ceremonies, to create a link between earth and sky. At festivals, the air was filled with musical kites that "played" the wind in haunting melodies. Some Chinese kites remained aloft for days at a time.

3

Chinese craftsmen fashioned their bamboo-and-silk kites into remarkable shapes. They ranged from lifelike birds to 80-foot-long dragons. Many kites incorporated impressive technology. For example, their wings and tails could move. Chinese engineers unlocked the secrets of aerodynamics1 through their clever experiments with kites. They skillfully made the wings of their kites curved to create airfoils2—a groundbreaking design later used in modern aircraft.

4

It was natural for ancient Chinese leaders to look to kites as a way to protect their kingdom. General Han Xin used kites to measure the distance to an enemy fort in order to accurately aim his artillery. Another general, Huan Theng, flew kites for psychological warfare. During a night raid, the noise they made as they flew overhead frightened the enemy away.

5

The most amazing Chinese kites were the human-carriers. Daoist monks saw flying as a mystical3 experience. They may have made man-carrying kites a familiar technology by the 1200s. The kites were gigantic—much larger than a small airplane. They were built from sturdy bamboo poles lashed together and then covered with silk. A pilot was harnessed to the kite and steered it by grasping the bamboo poles.

6

During battle, Chinese scouts used man-carrying kites to fly aloft to observe troop movements—similar to a modern spy plane. Airborne archers fired arrows like today's fighter aircraft. In times of peace, man-carrying kites put on air shows. The men who flew them were considered daredevils. Their flights attracted huge crowds.

7

Centuries passed before Europeans learned the secrets—often by flying kites imported from China. In 1804, an English engineer, Sir George Cayley, built the first model airplanes. He used kites to make the wings. One hundred years later, American inventors, including the Wright brothers, also found inspiration for their flight experiments by flying kites first.


1. aerodynamics: The science that deals with forces (such as resistance and pressure) exerted by air or other gases in motion

2. airfoils: Shaped surfaces that produce lift and drag when moved through the air

3. mystical: Having a spiritual quality


Nick D'Alto, Cricket, © by Cricket Media, Inc. Reproduced with permission.

3Question 3
How does the author convey his perspective on the importance of Chinese kites?
A.
by emphasizing how they protected ancient kingdoms
B.
by explaining their significance to cultures all over the world
C.
by detailing how they inspired the invention of the airplane
D.
by providing the history of their invention

Answer 1

C. The author shows their importance by explaining how kites influenced later aviation—paragraph 7 notes engineers like Sir George Cayley and the Wright brothers used kites to develop airplane wings.