Test 1 Section 3 Reading comprehension (55 min)

Questions 1-10
It takes a long time to raise a family of owlets, so the great homed owl begins
early in the year In !an"ary and #ebr"ary, or as late as $arch in the %orth, the
male calls to the female with a resonant hoot The female is larger than the male
Line She sometimes reaches a body length of twenty&two to twenty&fo"r inches, with
(5) a wingspread "p to fifty inches To impress her, the male does a strange co"rtship
dance 'e bobs 'e bows 'e r"ffles his feathers and hops aro"nd with
an important air 'e fl"tters from limb to limb and makes flying sorties into the air
Sometimes he ret"rns with an offering of food They share the repast, after which
she (oins the dance, hopping and bobbing abo"t as tho"gh keeping time to the
(10) beat of an inner dr"m
)wls are poor home b"ilders They prefer to nest in a large hollow in a tree or
e*en to occ"py the deserted nest of a hawk or crow These str"ct"res are large and
ro"gh, b"ilt of sticks and bark and lined with lea*es and feathers Sometimes owls
nest on a rocky ledge, or e*en on the bare gro"nd
(15) The mother lays two or three ro"nd, d"ll white eggs Then she stoically settles
herself on the nest and spreads her feather skirts abo"t her to protect her precio"s
charges from snow and cold
It is fi*e weeks before the first downy white owlet pecks its way o"t of the shell
+s the yo"ng birds feather o"t, they look like wise old men with their wide eyes
(20) and ,"i--ical e.pressions They clamor for food and keep the parents b"sy
s"pplying mice, s,"irrels, rabbits, crayfish, and beetles /ater in the season baby
crows are taken $igrating songsters, waterfowl, and game birds all fall prey
to the h"ngry family It is nearly ten weeks before fledglings lea*e the nest to search
for their own food The parent birds weary of family life by %o*ember and dri*e
(25) the yo"ng owls away to establish h"nting ranges of their own
1 0hat is the topic of this passage1
(+) Raising a family of great homed owls
(2) $ating rit"als of great homed owls
(3) %est b"ilding of great homed owls
(4) 'abits of yo"ng great homed owls
5 In line 3, the phrase 6a resonant
hoot6 is closest in meaning to
(+) an instr"ment
(2) a so"nd
(3) a mo*ement
(4) an offering of food
3 It can be inferred from the passage that
the co"rtship of great horned owls
(+) takes place on the gro"nd
(2) is an acti*e process
(3) happens in the fall
(4) in*ol*es the male alone
7 +ccording to the passage, great homed owls
(+) are discriminate nest b"ilders
(2) need big nests for their n"mero"s eggs
(3) may inhabit a pre*io"sly "sed nest
(4) b"ild nests on tree limbs
5 +ccording to the passage, which of
the following is the mother owl8s (ob1
(+) To initiate the co"rtship rit"al
(2) To feed the yo"ng
(3) To sit on the nest
(4) To b"ild the nest
9 The phrase 6precio"s charges6 in lines 19&1: refers to
(+) the eggs
(2) the nest
(3) the hawks and crows
(4) other nesting owls
: +ccording to the passage, yo"ng
owlets eat e*erything ;<3;=T
(+) other small birds
(2) insects
(3) small mammals
(4) n"ts and seeds
> In line 1?, the word 6they6 refers to
(+) the wise old men
(2) the ad"lt birds
(3) the yo"ng birds
(4) the prey
? 0hat can be inferred from the passage abo"t the ad"lt
parents of the yo"ng great horned owls1
(+) They are sorry to see their yo"ng lea*e home
(2) They are la-y and careless abo"t feeding the small owlets
(3) They probably don8t see their yo"ng after %o*ember
(4) They don8t eat while they are feeding their yo"ng
1@ The phrase 6weary of6 in line 57 is closest in meaning to
(+) tire of
(2) become sad abo"t
(3) s"pport
(4) are attracted to
Questions 11-19
There are many theories of aging, b"t *irt"ally all fall into the category of being
hypotheses with a minim"m of s"pporting e*idence )ne *iewpoint is that aging
occ"rs as the body8s organ systems become less efficient Th"s fail"res in the imm"ne
Line system, hormonal system, and ner*o"s system co"ld all prod"ce characteristics that
(5) we associate with aging #ollowing a different *ein, many c"rrent researchers are
looking for e*idence at the cell"lar and s"bcell"lar le*el It has been shown that
cells s"ch as h"man fibroblasts (generali-ed tiss"e cells) grown in c"lt"re di*ide only a
limited n"mber of times and then die ()nly cancer cells seem immortal in this
respect) #ibroblast cells from an embryo di*ide more times than those taken from
(10) an ad"lt Th"s some researchers belie*e that aging occ"rs at the cell"lar le*el and
is part of the cell8s genetic make"p +ny e*ent that dist"rbs the cell8s genetic
machinery s"ch as m"tation, damaging chemicals in the cell8s en*ironment, or loss
of genetic material, co"ld ca"se cells to lose their ability to di*ide and th"s bring on
aging )ther theories of aging look at different processes
(15) 3hronological aging refers to the passage of time since birth and is "s"ally
meas"red in years 0hile chronological age can be "sef"l in estimating the a*erage
stat"s of a large gro"p of people, it is a poor indicator of an indi*id"al person8s
stat"s beca"se there is a tremendo"s amo"nt of *ariation from one indi*id"al to the
ne.t in regard to the rate at which biological age changes occ"r #or e.ample, on the
(20) a*erage, aging res"lts in people losing m"ch of their ability to perform stren"o"s
acti*ities, yet some elderly indi*id"als are e.cellent marathon r"nners
+nother type of aging is cosmetic aging, which consists of changes in o"tward
appearance with ad*ancing age This incl"des changes in the body and changes in
other aspects of a person8s appearance, s"ch as the style of hair and clothing, the
(25) type of eyeglasses, and the "se of a hearing aid /ike chronological aging, it is
fre,"ently "sed to estimate the degree to which other types of aging ha*e
occ"rred 'owe*er, it is an inacc"rate indicator for either p"rpose beca"se of
*ariation among indi*id"als and beca"se a person8s appearance is affected by
many factors that are not part of aging, incl"ding illness, poor n"trition, and
(30) e.pos"re to s"nlight
11 The a"thor belie*es the theories of aging are
(+) well&s"pported hypotheses
(2) poorly s"pported hypotheses
(3) pro*en theories
(4) interesting ideas
15 In line 9, the word 6e*idence6 refers to
(+) e*idence of aging
(2) e*idence of cancer
(3) e*idence of h"man fibroblasts
(4) e*idence of cell di*ision
13 The word 6*ein6 in line 5 is closest in meaning to
(+) part of the body
(2) point of *iew
(3) blood*essel
(4) cell"lar le*el
(4) bring on aging
17 The a"thor of the article points o"t that cancer cells
(+) di*ide infinitely
(2) di*ide and then die
(3) di*ide more in ad"lts than in embryos
(4) bring on aging
15 The word 6c"lt"re6 in line : is closest
in meaning to
(+) libraries
(2) a special en*ironment
(3) a society8s traditions and *al"es
(4) a to.ic s"bstance
19 It can be inferred from the passage that
(+) fibroblast cells di*ide fewer times at later
stages in h"man life
(2) are not a foc"s in cell"lar research on aging
(3) are similar to cancer cells in rate of di*ision
(4) disf"nction in the aging process of the body's imm"ne
system
1: +s e.plained in this passage, the theory of aging which
e.amines the cell"lar le*el wo"ld %)T assign which of the
following as a ca"se of aging1
(+) $"tation
(2) #ail"re of the body8s organ system
(3) /oss of genetic material
(4) 3hemical damage from the en*ironment
1> +ccording to the passage, chronological aging is not a good
indicator of an indi*id"al8s stat"s regarding aging beca"se
(+) elderly people are often athletic
(2) there is indi*id"al *ariation in the rate of biological aging
(3) stren"o"s acti*ities are not good meas"res of age
(4) it is diffic"lt to get acc"rate records of birth dates
1? The a"thor implies all of the following abo"t
cosmetic aging ;<3;=T
(+) It does not occ"r at the same rate for all people
(2) It is a poor indicator of chronological age
(3) Illness, poor n"trition, and e.pos"re to s"nlight ca"se
aging to occ"r
(4) It is described by changes in o"tward appearance
Questions 20-31
In the early 1>@@s, to reach the ("mp&off point for the 0est, a family from the ;ast
of the Anited States co"ld either b"y steamboat passage to $isso"ri for themsel*es,
their wagons, and their li*estock or B as happened more often B simply pile
Line e*erything into a wagon, hitch "p a team, and begin their o*erland trek right in
(5) their front yard
+long the macadami-ed roads and t"rnpikes east of the $isso"ri Ri*er, tra*el
was comparati*ely fast, camping easy, and s"pplies plentif"l Then, in one ri*er
town or another, the neophyte emigrants wo"ld pa"se to lay in pro*isions #or
o"tfitting p"rposes, the town of Independence had been preeminent e*er since 1>5:,
b"t the rising moment"m of pioneer emigration had prod"ced some ri*al ("mp&off
points 0estport and #ort /ea*enworth flo"rished a few miles "pri*er St !oseph had
spr"ng "p 55 miles to the northwestC in fact, emigrants who went to $isso"ri
by ri*erboat co"ld sa*e fo"r days on the trail by staying on the paddle&wheelers to
St !oe before striking o*erland
(15) +t whate*er ("mp&off point they chose, the emigrants st"died g"idebooks and
directions, asked ,"estions of others as green as themsel*es, and made their final
decisions abo"t o"tfitting They had *ario"s, sometimes conflicting, options #or
e.ample, either pack animals or two&wheel carts or wagons co"ld be "sed for the
o*erland crossing + family man "s"ally chose the wagon It was the costliest and
(20) slowest of the three, b"t it pro*ided space and shelter for children and for a wife
who likely as not was pregnant ;*erybody knew that a top&hea*y co*ered wagon
might blow o*er in a prairie wind or be o*ert"rned by mo"ntain rocks, that it
might mire in ri*er m"d or sink to its h"bs in desert sand B b"t maybe if those
things happened on this trip, they wo"ld happen to someone else +nyway, most
pioneers,
(25) with their farm backgro"nd, were "sed to wagons
5@ 0hat is the topic of this passage1
(+) Important ri*er towns
(2) Detting started on the trip west
(3) The ad*antages of tra*eling by wagon
(4) 3hoosing a point of depart"re
51 +ll of the following can be inferred from the passage
abo"t tra*el east of the $isso"ri ;<3;=T that it
(+) was faster than in the 0est
(2) was easier than in the 0est
(3) took place on good roads
(4) was "s"ally by steamboat
55 The phrase 6("mp&off point6 in lines 1,
1@&11 and 15 is closest in meaning to
(+) a bridge across a ri*er
(2) a point of depart"re
(3) a gathering place
(4) a trading post
53 0hich of the cities that ser*ed as a
("mp&off point can be inferred from
the passage to be farthest west1
(+) Independence
(2) St !oseph
(3) 0estport
(4) #ort /ea*enworth
57 The word 6preeminent6 in line ? is closest in meaning to
(+) oldest
(2) s"perior
(3) most easily reached
(4) closest
55 The a"thor implies in the passage that the early emigrants
(+) knew a lot abo"t tra*el
(2) were well stocked with pro*isions
when they left their homes
(3) left from the same place in $isso"ri
(4) preferred wagon tra*el to other types of tra*el
59 The word 6neophyte6 in line > is closest
in meaning to
(+) eager
(2) co"rageo"s
(3) prospero"s
(4) ine.perienced
5: +ll of the following were mentioned in the passage as
options for modes of transportation from the $isso"ri Ri*er
to the 0est ;<3;=T
(+) a wagon
(2) a ri*erboat
(3) a pack animal
(4) a two&wheel cart
5> In line 17, the word 6striking6 is closest in
meaning to
(+) hitting
(2) orienting
(3) departing
(4) marking
5? The e.pression 6green6 in line 19 is closest in meaning to
(+) frightened
(2) optimistic
(3) ine.perienced
(4) weary
3@ +ll of the following feat"res of the co*ered wagon
made it "nattracti*e to the emigrants ;<3;=T
(+) the speed at which it co"ld tra*el
(2) its b"lk
(3) its familiarity and si-e
(4) its cost
31 In line 53, the phrase 6those things6 refers to
(+) the types of transportation
(2) the belongings of the pioneers
(3) the problems of wagon tra*el
(4) the o*erland ro"tes
Questions 32-40
6The economic history of the Anited States,6 one scholar has written, 6is the
history of the rise and de*elopment of the capitalistic system6 The colonists of the
eighteenth cent"ry p"shed forward what those of the se*enteenth cent"ry had
Line beg"nE the e.pansion and elaboration of an economy born in the great age of
(5) capitalist e.pansion
)"r e.cellent nat"ral reso"rces pa*ed the way for the de*elopment of ab"ndant
capital to increase o"r growth 3apital incl"des the toolsBs"ch as machines,
*ehicles, and b"ildings B that make the o"tp"ts of labor and reso"rces more
*al"able 2"t it also incl"des the f"nds necessary to b"y those tools If a society
(10) had to cons"me e*erything it prod"ced ("st to stay ali*e, nothing co"ld be p"t
aside to increase f"t"re prod"ctions 2"t if a farmer can grow more corn than his
family needs to eat, he can "se the s"rpl"s as seed to increase the ne.t crop, or to
feed workers who b"ild tractors This process of capital acc"m"lation was aided
in the +merican economy by o"r c"lt"ral heritage Sa*ing played an
important
(15) role in the ;"ropean traditionC it contrib"ted to +mericans8 moti*ation to p"t
something aside today for the tools to b"y tomorrow
The great b"lk of the acc"m"lated wealth of +merica, as disting"ished from that
which was cons"med, was deri*ed either directly or indirectly from trade Tho"gh
some man"fact"ring e.isted, its role in the acc"m"lation of capital was negligible
(20) + merchant class of op"lent proportions was already *isible in the seaboard cities,
its wealth the ob*io"s conse,"ence of shrewd and reso"rcef"l management of the
carrying trade ;*en the rich planters of tidewater Firginia and the rice coast of
So"th 3arolina finally depended for their genteel way of life "pon the ships and
merchants who sold their tobacco and rice in the markets of ;"rope +s
colonial
(25) prod"ction rose and trade e.panded, a b"siness comm"nity emerged in the
colonies, linking the pro*inces by lines of trade and identity of interest
35 0ith what s"b(ect is this passage mainly concerned1
(+) Deography
(2) #inance
(3) ;conomics
(4) 3"lt"re
33 The phrase 6pa*ed the way for6 in line 9 is closest in
meaning to
(+) paid for
(2) s"pported
(3) acc"m"lated
(4) resembled
37 In line ? the word 6it6 refers to
(+) growth
(2) reso"rces
(3) labor
(4) capital
35 +ccording to the passage, capital
incl"des all of the following ;<3;=T
(+) factories
(2) tractors
(3) money
(4) workers
39 In line ?, the word 6f"nds6 is closest in meaning to
(+) money (2) reso"rces
(3) o"tp"t (4) s"pport
3: The phrase 6p"t aside6 in lines 1@&11
is closest in meaning to
(+) hidden
(2) sa*ed
(3) re*iewed
(4) cons"med
3> +ccording to the passage, which of the
following wo"ld lead to acc"m"lating capital1
(+) Training workers who prod"ce goods
(2) St"dying the c"lt"ral history of the co"ntry
(3) 3ons"ming what is prod"ced
(4) =lanting more of a crop than is needed
3? It can be inferred from the passage
that the ;"ropean ancestors of early +mericans
(+) sent many tools to +merica
(2) ta"ght their skills to their offspring
(3) were acc"stomed to sa*ing
(4) were good farmers
7@ +ccording to the passage, the emergence of a
b"siness comm"nity in the colonies was a res"lt of
(+) efficient sa*ing
(2) the immigration of wealthy bankers
(3) the s"ccess of prod"ction and trade
(4) the e.istence of man"fact"ring
Questions 41-50
Scientists do not yet thoro"ghly "nderstand ("st how the body of an indi*id"al
becomes sensiti*e to a s"bstance that is harmless or e*en wholesome for the
a*erage person $ilk, 0heat, and egg, for e.ample, rank among the most healthf"l
Line and widely "sed foods Get these foods can ca"se persons sensiti*e to them to
(5) s"ffer greatly +t first, the body of the indi*id"al is not harmed by coming into
contact with the s"bstance +fter a *arying inter*al of time, "s"ally longer than a
few weeks, the body becomes sensiti*e to it, and an allergy has beg"n to de*elop
Sometimes it8s hard to fig"re o"t if yo" ha*e a food allergy, since it can show "p
so many different ways Go"r symptoms co"ld be ca"sed by many other problems
(10) Go" may ha*e rashes, hi*es, (oint pains mimicking arthritis, headaches, irritability,
or depression The most common food allergies are to milk, eggs, seafood, wheat,
n"ts, seeds, chocolate, oranges, and tomatoes $any of these allergies will not
de*elop if these foods are not fed to an infant "ntil her or his intestines mat"re at
aro"nd se*en months 2reast milk also tends to be protecti*e $igraines can be set
(15) off by foods containing tyramine, phenathylamine, monosodi"m gl"tamate, or
sodi"m nitrate 3ommon foods which contain these are chocolate, aged cheeses,
so"r cream, red wine, pickled herring, chicken li*ers, a*ocados, ripe bananas,
c"red meats, many )riental and prepared foods (read the labelsH) Some people
ha*e been s"ccessf"l in treating their migraines with s"pplements of 2&*itamins,
(20) partic"larly 29 and niacin 3hildren who are hyperacti*e may benefit from
eliminating food additi*es, especially colorings, and foods high in salicylates from
their diets + few of these are almonds, green peppers, peaches, tea, grapes This
is the diet made pop"lar by 2en(amin #eingold, who has written the
book Why Child is Hyper!ti"e# )ther researchers ha*e had mi.ed res"lts
when testing whether the diet is effecti*e
71 The topic of this passage is
(+) reactions to foods
(2) food and n"trition
(3) infants and allergies
(4) a good diet
75 +ccording to the passage, the diffic"lty in
diagnosing allergies to foods is d"e to
(+) the *ast n"mber of different foods we eat
(2) lack of a proper treatment plan
(3) the similarity of symptoms of
the allergy to other problems
(4) the "se of prepared form"la to feed babies
73 The word 6symptoms6 in line ? is closest in
meaning to
(+) indications
(2) diet
(3) diagnosis
(4) prescriptions
77 The phrase 6set off6 in lines 17&15
is closest in meaning to
(+) relie*ed
(2) identified
(3) a*oided
(4) triggered
75 0hat can be inferred abo"t babies from this passage1
(+) They can eat almost anything
(2) They sho"ld ha*e a caref"lly restricted diet as infants
(3) They gain little benefit from being breast fed
(4) They may become hyperacti*e if fed solid food too early
79 The word 6hyperacti*e6 in line 5@
is closest in meaning to
(+) o*erly acti*e
(2) "n"s"ally low acti*ity
(3) e.cited
(4) in,"isiti*e
7: The a"thor states that the reason that
infants need to a*oid certain foods related to
allergies has to do with the infant8s
(+) lack of teeth
(2) poor metabolism
(3) "nderde*eloped intestinal tract
(4) inability to swallow solid foods
7> The word 6these6 in line 55 refers to
(+) food additi*es
(2) food colorings
(3) "nn"tritio"s foods
(4) foods high in salicylates
7? 0hich of the following was a s"ggested
treatment for migraines in the passage1
(+) ;ating more ripe bananas
(2) +*oiding all )riental foods
(3) Detting plenty of sodi"m nitrate
(4) Asing Fitamin 2 in addition to a good diet
5@ +ccording to the article the #eingold diet is %)T
(+) *erified by researchers as being consistently effecti*e
(2) a*ailable in book form
(3) beneficial for hyperacti*e children
(4) designed to eliminate foods containing certain food additi*es
Test 1 0RITI%D IA;STI)%
TimeE 3@ min"tes
Some people feel that competition is an important part of ad"lt life and that children sho"ld be e.posed to
competiti*e acti*ities at an early age )thers feel that children sho"ld not be in*ol*ed in competition
0hich position do yo" agree with and why1 Ase specific reasons and e.amples to s"pport yo"r answer