Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 44 to 48.
Marcel Bich, a French entrepreneur who manufactured traditional ink pens, revolutionized the ballpoint pen industry by creating an affordable and high-quality writing instrument. Bich was shocked at the poor quality of the ballpoint pens that were available, and also at their high cost. However, he recognised that the ballpoint was a firmly established invention, and he decided to design a cheap pen that worked well and would be commercially successful.
Bich sought permission from the Biro brothers to use their original invention's design in one of his pens and offered to compensate them for each pen sold. For two years, Bich meticulously studied the construction of every ballpoint pen available, even using a microscope to aid him in his research.
In 1950, Bich introduced the Bic Cristal, a plastic pen with a transparent barrel that wrote smoothly, didn't leak, and cost just a few cents. The public embraced the new pen, which became a practical writing instrument. In the UK, the pens are still referred to as Biros, and some Bic models bear the name "Biro" on their side as a nod to their original inventors.
Bich became extremely wealthy thanks to his invention, which had worldwide appeal. Over the next six decades, his company, Société Bic, expanded its product line to include inexpensive lighters, razors, and other goods. Today, Bic is renowned for its range of products, and consumers can even purchase Bic mobile phones.
