Cai Lun was born to a poor family in Guiyang, China, during the Eastern Han dynasty around 50 AD. He was a smart and 1._________ (ambition) man. He became a clerical official in a palace at 2.________ young age and was much trusted by the emperor He of Han. There is a story told about his journey to discovering paper. It all started one day when he was given a stack of documents to process at home by the emperor since he served 3._________ a court eunuch. These documents were carved on bamboo strips, 4._______ were given to several men to carry on a bull-drawn cart. On the way, the bull slipped and fell under the wheels halfway through the journey, making the bamboo strips fall to the ground as well. While trying to get another bull to carry the strips, Lun had time to think, and he 5.________(conclude) that the strips were just too heavy and difficult 6.________ carry and use. They were indeed a burden to the scholars. There must be another way out? So much energy and effort had gone into handling the cumbersome bamboo strips. What about something lighter? With what? Lun had no 7.________(solve). As he was walking, he passed a hemp stalk, and looked at the hemp fiber and thought, “ maybe that could be useful.” He 8.________(careful) removed one layer after another from its fibers, wondering if they could somehow be written on. But they were just too rough and loose. He then thought of the wool from the remains of silk cocoons that might be useful, and that’s when he had it. He ran around seeking help for his experiment. The servants gathered bark, hemp, old silk cocoons, fishing nets, and cloth. They chopped the 9._________(ingredient) finely before cooking them. The result was then pounded to a starchy mixture and dissolved in water before adding another type of starch. When this new mixture was lifted out of the water, it had separated into many fine layers of fabric. Once 10.________(dry), they became sheets of paper.
