The biggest house of cards, the longest tongue, and, of course, the tallest man—these are among the thousands of records logged in the famous Guinness Book of Records. Created in 1955 after a debate concerning Europe’s fastest game bird, what began as a marketing tool sold to pub landlords to promote Guinness, an Irish drink, became the bestselling copyright title of all time (a category that excludes books such as the Bible and the Koran). In time, the book would sell 120 million copies in over 100 countries—quite a leap from its humble beginnings.

In its early years, the book set its sights on satisfying man’s innate curiosity about the natural world around him. Its two principal fact finders, twins Norris and Ross McWhirter, scoured the globe to collect empirical facts. It was their task to find and document aspects of life that can be sensed or observed, things that can be quantified or measured—but not just any things. They were only interested in superlatives: the biggest and the best.

In its latest incarnation, the book has found a new home on the Internet. No longer restricted to the confines of physical paper, the Guinness World Records website contains seemingly innumerable facts concerning such topics as the most powerful combustion engine or the world’s longest train. What is striking, however, is that such facts are found sharing a page with the record of the heaviest train to be pulled with a beard. While there is no denying that each of these facts has its own individual allure, the latter represents a significant deviation from the education-oriented facts of earlier editions. Perhaps, there is useful knowledge to be gleaned regarding the tensile strength of a beard, but this seems to cater to an audience more interested in seeking entertainment than education.

Originating as a simple bar book, the Guinness Book of Records has evolved over decades to provide insight into the full spectrum of modern life. And although one may be more likely now to learn about the widest human mouth than the highest number of casualties in a single battle of the Civil War, the Guinness World Records website offers a telling glimpse into the future of fact finding and record recording.

1. What is the main purpose of the author in writing the passage?

(A) To discuss the origins of the Guinness Book and its evolution over the years.
(B) To criticize the fact that the Guinness Book, in its current form, stresses more on entertainment than on education.
(C) To explain the origin of the Guinness Book.
(D) To analyze what makes the Guinness Book the largest selling book in the world.
(E) To discuss how the Guinness Book originated and to advocate against the commercialization of the book in its current form.


2. Which of the following is mentioned in the passage as a record contained in the Guinness Book?

(A) The world’s largest combustion engine.
(B) The world’s longest train.
(C) The world’s heaviest train.
(D) The world’s widest mouth.
(E) The world’s strongest beard.


3. According to the author, how is the current version of the Guinness Book different from its older versions in terms of content?

(A) The book is now available on the Internet.
(B) The book now contains entertainment-oriented facts along with educational ones.
(C) The book now offers insight into the full spectrum of life.
(D) The focus of the book has shifted from providing education to providing entertainment.
(E) The Guinness Book offers a telling glimpse into the future of fact-finding and record recording.