Le Hong Phong Highschool Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien (0903141108)

ELT Department

READING COMPREHENSION 1

TYPES OF READING QUESTIONS QUESTION FORMAT

Reading for details (Factual information questions)  According to the passage…
 It is stated in the passage…
Factual information questions ask you to identify facts,  The passage indicates that…
details, or other information that explicitly mentioned in  The author’s description of X mentions
the passage. The information is often found in just one or which of the following?
two paragraphs of the passage. So you can find the  Which of the following is NOT mentioned
correct answer without even reading the whole passage. in the passage?
You just need to quickly find the right spot in the  Which of the following is NOT true?
passage that has the information about which the
 According to the passage, all of the
question asks.
following are true EXCEPT…

Strategies for Answering Detail Questions

 The answers to detail question will follow the order of information presented in the passage.
 The correct answers to detail question are often a restatement of what is stated in the passage.
e.g. Lions are skilled and deadly predators. = Lions are excellent hunters.
 First, choose a key word in the question.
Then skim in the appropriate part of the passage for the key word or idea.
Next read the sentence that contains the key word or idea carefully.
Finally eliminate the definitely wrong answers and choose the best answer from the remaining choices.
 If the question has the word NOT or EXCEPT, choose the answer that is not true or not mentioned in
the passage. Answers that are true or mentioned in the passage are not correct.

PRACTICE TEST
PASSAGE 1 (Questions 1-5) Lake Baikal

Crescent-shaped Lake Baikal, in Siberia, is only the ninth largest lake in area at 385 miles (620 km) in
length and 46 miles (74 km) in width, yet it is easily the largest body of fresh water in the world. It holds one-fifth
of the world's total fresh water, which is more than the total of all the water in the five Great Lakes; it holds so
much fresh water in spite of its less-than-impressive area because it is by far the world's deepest lake. The
average depth of the lake is 1,312 feet (400 meters) below sea level, and the Olkhon Crevice, the lowest known
point, is more than 5,250 feet (1,600 meters) deep.
Lake Baikal, which today is located near the center of the Asian peninsula, is most likely the world's
oldest lake. It began forming 25 million years ago as Asia started splitting apart in a series of great faults. The
Baikal Valley dropped away, eventually filling with water and creating the deepest of the world's lakes.

1. What is stated in paragraph 1 about the shape of Lake Baikal?

A. It is wider than it is long. C. Its width is one-half of its length.
B. It is circular in shape. D. It is shaped like a new moon.
2. It is indicated in paragraph 1 that the area of Lake Baikal
A. is less than the area of eight other lakes C. is greater than the area of any other freshwater
B. is one-ninth the area of Siberia lake
D. is equal to the area of the five Great Lakes
3. According to paragraph 1, Lake Baikal
A. holds one-fifth of the world's water B. holds five times the water of the Great Lakes
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Le Hong Phong Highschool Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien (0903141108)
ELT Department

C. holds one-ninth of the world's water D. holds 20 percent of the world's fresh water
4. According to paragraph 1, the Olkhon Crevice is
A. outside of Lake Baikal C. the deepest part of Lake Baikal
B. 400 meters below sea level D. 5,000 meters deep
5. It is mentioned in paragraph 2 that Lake Baikal
A. is not as old as some other lakes
B. formed when sections of the Earth were moving away from each other
C. was fully formed 25 million years ago
D. is today located on the edge of the Asian peninsula

PASSAGE 2 (Questions 6-10)

The Postage Stamp

The postage stamp has been around for only a relatively short period of time. The use of stamps for
postage was first proposed in England in 1837, when Sir Rowland Hill published a pamphlet entitled "Post Office
Reform: Its Importance and Practicability" to put forth the ideas that postal rates should not be based on the
distance that a letter or package travels but should instead be based on the weight of the letter or package and
that fees for postal services should be collected in advance of the delivery, rather than after, through the use of
postage stamps.
The ideas proposed by Hill went into effect in England almost immediately, and other countries soon
followed suit. The first English stamp, which featured a portrait of then Queen Victoria, was printed in 1840. This
stamp, the "penny black," came in sheets that needed to be separated with scissors and provided enough
postage for a letter weighing 14 grams or less to any destination. In 1843, Brazil was the next nation to produce
national postage stamps, and various areas in what is today Switzerland also produced postage stamps later in
the same year. Postage stamps in five- and ten-cent denominations were first approved by the U.S. Congress in
1847, and by 1860 postage stamps were being issued in more than 90 governmental jurisdictions worldwide.

6. According to paragraph 1, postage stamps were first suggested

A. in the first half of the eighteenth century
B. in the second half of the eighteenth century
C. in the first half of the nineteenth century
D. in the second half of the nineteenth century

7. It is indicated in paragraph 1 that Sir Rowland Hill believed that postage fees
A. should be paid by the sender
B. should be related to distance
C. should have nothing to do with how heavy a package is
D. should be collected after the package is delivered

8. What is stated in paragraph 2 about the first English postage stamp?

A. It was designed by Queen Victoria.
B. It contained a drawing of a black penny.
C. It was produced in sheets of 14 stamps.
D. It could be used to send a lightweight letter.

9. According to paragraph 2, Brazil introduced postage stamps

A. before England C. after the United States
B. before Switzerland D. after Switzerland

10. It is mentioned in paragraph 2 that in 1847

A. postage stamps were in use in 90 different countries
B. it cost fifteen cents to mail a letter in the United States
C. two different denominations of postage stamps were introduced in the United States
D. the U.S. Congress introduced the "penny black" stamp

PASSAGE 3 (Questions 11-15)

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Le Hong Phong Highschool Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien (0903141108)
ELT Department

The Clovis Culture

Archeologists have found sites all over North America that contain similar tools dating from a period
about 12,000 years ago. The culture that developed these tools has been named Clovis after the site near
Clovis, New Mexico, where the first tools of this sort were discovered in 1932. The tools are quite sophisticated
and are unlike any tools that have been found in the Old World.
In the years since the first tools of this sort were discovered in New Mexico, archeologists have
discovered Clovis tools in areas ranging from Mexico to Montana in the United States and Nova Scotia in
Canada. All of the Clovis finds date from approximately the same period, a fact which suggests that the Clovis
spread rapidly throughout the North American continent.
From the evidence that has been discovered, archeologists have concluded that the Clovis were a mobile
culture. They traveled in groups of 40 to 50 individuals, migrating seasonally and returning to the same hunting
camps each year. Their population increased rapidly as they spread out over the continent, and they were quite
possibly motivated to develop their sophisticated hunting tools to feed their rapidly expanding populace.

11. What is stated in paragraph 1 about Clovis tools?

A. They date from around 10,000 B.C.
B. They have been in use for 12,000 years.
C. They have been found at only one location.
D. They were discovered by archeologists hundreds of years ago.

12. According to paragraph 1, the town of Clovis

A. is in Mexico
B. was founded in 1932
C. is where all members of the Clovis culture lived
D. is where the first remnants of an ancient culture were found

13. It is indicated in paragraph 1 that the tools found near Clovis, New Mexico, were
A. very rudimentary
B. similar to others found prior to 1932
C. rather advanced
D. similar to some found in Africa and Europe

14. According to paragraph 2, what conclusion have archeologists drawn from the Clovis finds?
A. That the Clovis tended to remain in one place
B. That the Clovis expanded relatively quickly
C. That the Clovis lived throughout the world
D. That the Clovis were a seafaring culture

15. It is mentioned in paragraph 3 that it is believed that the Clovis

A. lived in familial groups of four or five people
B. had a relatively stable population
C. lived only in New Mexico
D. spent summers and winters in different places

PASSAGE 4 (Questions 16-22)

Brown Dwarfs

A brown dwarf is a celestial body that has never quite become a star. A typical brown dwarf has a mass
that is 8 percent or less than that of the Sun. The mass of a brown dwarf is too small to generate the internal
temperatures capable of igniting the nuclear burning of hydrogen to release energy and light.
A brown dwarf contracts at a steady rate, and after it has contracted as much as possible, a process that
takes about 1 million years, it begins to cool off. Its emission of light diminishes with the decrease in its internal
temperature, and after a period of 2 to 3 billion years, its emission of light is so weak that it can be difficult to
observe from Earth.

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ELT Department

Because of these characteristics of a brown dwarf, it can be easily distinguished from stars in different
stages of formation. A brown dwarf is quite distinctive because its surface temperature is relatively cool and
because its internal composition-approximately 75 percent hydrogen-has remained essentially the same as it
was when first formed. A white dwarf, in contrast, has gone through a long period when it burns hydrogen,
followed by another long period in which it burns the helium created by the burning of hydrogen and ends up with
a core that consists mostly of oxygen and carbon with a thin layer of hydrogen surrounding the core.
It is not always as easy, however, to distinguish brown dwarfs from large planets. Though planets are not
formed in the same way as brown dwarfs, they may in their current state have some of the same characteristics
as a brown dwarf. The planet Jupiter, for example, is the largest planet in our solar system with a mass 317
times that of our planet and resembles a brown dwarf in that it radiates energy based on its internal energy. It is
the mechanism by which they were formed that distinguishes a high-mass planet such as Jupiter from a low-
mass brown dwarf.

16. It is stated in the passage that the mass of an average brown dwarf
A. is smaller than the mass of the Sun
B. generates an extremely high internal temperature
C. is capable of igniting nuclear burning
D. causes the release of considerable energy and light

17. According to paragraph 2, a brown dwarf cools off

A. within the first million years of its existence
B. after its contraction is complete
C. at the same time that it contracts
D. in order to begin contracting

18. What is stated in paragraph 2 about a brown dwarf that has cooled off for several million years?
A. Its weak light makes it difficult to see from Earth.
B. It no longer emits light.
C. Its weak light has begun the process of restrengthening.
D. Scientists are unable to study it.

19. It is indicated in paragraph 3 that

A. the amount of hydrogen in a brown dwarf has increased dramatically
B. a brown dwarf had far more hydrogen when it first formed
C. three-quarters of the core of a brown dwarf is hydrogen
D. the internal composition of a brown dwarf is always changing

20. According to paragraph 3, a white dwarf

A. is approximately 75 percent hydrogen
B. still burns a considerable amount of hydrogen
C. creates hydrogen from helium
D. no longer has a predominantly hydrogen core

21. What is mentioned in paragraph 4 about brown dwarfs?

A. They are quite different from large planets.
B. They are formed in the same way as large planets.
C. They can share some similarities with large planets.
D. They have nothing in common with large planets.

22. It is indicated in paragraph 4 that Jupiter

A. radiates far less energy than a brown dwarf
B. is a brown dwarf
C. formed in the same way as a brown dwarf
D. is in at least one respect similar to a brown dwarf

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Le Hong Phong Highschool Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien (0903141108)
ELT Department

PASSAGE 5 (Questions 23-27) Flatfish

Members of the flatfish family, sand dabs and flounders, have an evolutionary advantage over many
colorfully decorated ocean neighbors in that they are able to adapt their body coloration to different
environments. These aquatic chameleons have flattened bodies that are well-suited to life along the ocean floor
in the shallower areas of the continental shelf that they inhabit. They also have remarkably sensitive color vision
that registers the subtlest gradations on the sea bottom and in the sea life around them. Information about the
coloration of the environment is carried through the nervous system to chromatophores, which are pigment-
carrying skin cells. These chromatophores are able to accurately reproduce not only the colors but also the
texture of the ocean floor. Each time that a sand dab or flounder finds itself in a new environment, the pattern on
the body of the fish adapts to fit in with the color and texture around it.

23. It is NOT stated in the passage that sand dabs

A. are a type of flatfish
B. are in the same family as flounders
C. have evolved
D. are colorfully decorated
24. According to the passages, it is NOT true that sand dabs and flounders
A. have flattened bodies
B. live along the ocean floor
C. live in the deepest part of the ocean
D. live along the continental shelf
25. All of the following are stated about the vision of sand dabs and flounders EXCEPT that they are
A. overly sensitive to light C. able to see the sea bottom
B. able to see colors D. aware of their surroundings
26. It is NOT true that chromatophores
A. are skin cells C. adapt to surrounding colors
B. carry pigment D. change the ocean floor
27. It is NOT mentioned in the passage that sand dabs and flounders
A. move to new environments C. can change color
B. adapt their behavior D. adapt to textures around them

PASSAGE 6 (Questions 28-32)

Limestone Caves

Limestone caves can be spectacular structures filled with giant stalactites and stalagmites. These caves
are formed when rainwater, which is a weak acid, dissolves calcite, or lime, out of limestone. Over time, the lime-
laden water drips down into cracks, enlarging them into caves. Some of the lime is then redeposited to form
stalactites and stalagmites.
Stalactites, which grow down from cave ceilings, are formed in limestone caves when groundwater
containing dissolved lime drips from the roof of the cave and leaves a thin deposit as it evaporates. Stalactites
generally grow only a fraction of an inch each year, but over time a considerable number may grow to be several
yards long. In cases where the supply of water is seasonal, they may actually have growth rings resembling
those on tree trunks that indicate how old the stalactites are.
Stalagmites are formed on the floor of a limestone cave where water containing dissolved lime has
dripped either from the cave ceiling or from a stalactite above. They develop in the same way as stalactites,
when water containing dissolved limestone evaporates. In some limestone caves with mature limestone
development, stalactites and stalagmites grow together, creating limestone pillars that stretch from the cave floor
to the cave ceiling.

28. It is indicated in paragraph 1 that all of the following are part of the process of forming limestone caves
EXCEPT that
A. rainwater dissolves lime from limestone
B. the lime-filled water seeps into breaks in the ground
C. the lime in the water evaporates
D. the cracks in the ground develop into caves
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Le Hong Phong Highschool Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien (0903141108)
ELT Department

29. According to paragraph 2, it is NOT true that stalactites

A. enlarge cave ceilings C. grow in a downward direction
B. are found in limestone caves D. grow quite slowly
30. It is NOT mentioned in paragraph 2
A. how long stalactites may grow C. what one of the effects of a limited water supply is
B. how the age of a stalactite is determined D. what causes stalactites to disappear
31. According to paragraph 3, stalagmites are NOT formed
A. on cave floors
B. from lime dissolved in water
C. above stalactites
D. as water containing lime evaporates
32. It is NOT indicated in paragraph 3 that limestone pillars
A. result when a stalactite and a stalagmite grow together
B. are attached to both the floor and the ceiling of a cave
C. are relatively aged limestone formations
D. are more durable than stalactites and stalagmites

PASSAGE 7 (Questions 33-37)

Wrigley's Chewing Gum

Wrigley's chewing gum was actually developed as a premium to be given away with other products rather
than as a primary product for sale. As a teenager, William Wrigley Jr. was working for his father in Chicago
selling soap that had been manufactured in his father's factory. The soap was not very popular with merchants
because it was priced at five cents, and this selling price did not leave a good profit margin for the merchants.
Wrigley convinced his father to raise the price to ten cents and to give away cheap umbrellas as a premium for
the merchants. This worked successfully, confirming to Wrigley that the use of premiums was an effective sales
tool.
Wrigley then established his own company; in his company he was selling soap as a wholesaler, giving
baking soda away as a premium, and using a cookbook to promote each deal. Over time, the baking soda and
cookbook became more popular than the soap, so Wrigley began a new operation selling baking soda. He
began hunting for a new premium item to give away with sales of baking soda; he soon decided on chewing
gum. Once again, when Wrigley realized that demand for the premium was stronger than the demand for the
original product, he created the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company to produce and sell chewing gum.
Wrigley started out with two brands of gum, Vassar and Lotta Gum, and soon introduced Juicy Fruit and
Spearment. The latter two brands grew in popularity, while the first two were phased out. Juicy Fruit and
Spearment are two of Wrigley's main brands to this day.

33. It is NOT indicated in paragraph 1 that young William was working

A. in Chicago C. as a soap salesman
B. for his father D. in his father's factory

34. According to paragraph 1, it is NOT true that the soap that young Wrigley was selling
A. was originally well-liked
B. was originally priced at five cents
C. originally provided little profit for merchants
D. eventually became more popular with merchants

35. According to paragraph 2, it is NOT true that, when Wrigley first founded his own company, he was
A. selling soap C. giving away cookbooks
B. selling chewing gum D. using baking soda as a premium

36. It is NOT mentioned in paragraph 2 that Wrigley later

A. sold baking soda
B. used chewing gun as a premium to sell baking soda
C. sold chewing gum
D. used baking soda as a premium to sell chewing gum
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Le Hong Phong Highschool Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien (0903141108)
ELT Department

37. According to paragraph 3, the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company did all of the following EXCEPT
A. begin with two brands of gum C. phase out the last two brands
B. add new brands to the original two D. phase out the first two brands
PASSAGE 8 (Questions 38-44)
Dissociative Identity Disorder (Hội chứng đa nhân cách)

Dissociative identity disorder is a psychological condition in which a person's identity dissociates, or

fragments, thereby creating distinct independent identities within one individual. Each separate personality can
be distinct from the other personalities in a number of ways, including posture, manner of moving, tone and pitch
of voice, gestures, facial expressions, and use of language. A person suffering from dissociative identity disorder
may have a large number of independent personalities or perhaps only two or three.
Two stories of actual women suffering from dissociative identity disorder have been extensively
recounted in books and films that are familiar to the public. One of them is the story of a woman with 22 separate
personalities known as Eve. In the 1950s, a book by Corbett Thigpen and a motion picture starring Joanne
Woodward, each of which was titled The Three Faces of Eve, presented her story; the title referred to 3 faces,
when the woman known as Eve actually experienced 22 different personalities, because only 3 of the
personalities could exist at one time. Two decades later, Carolyn Sizemore, Eve's 22 nd personality, wrote about
her experiences in a book entitled I'm Eve. The second well-known story of a woman suffering from dissociative
personality disorder is the story of Sybil, a woman whose 16 distinct personalities emerged over a period of 40
years. A book describing Sybil's experiences was written by Flora Rheta Schreiber and was published in 1973; a
motion picture based on the book and starring Sally Field followed.

38. It is NOT stated in paragraph 1 that someone suffering from dissociative identity disorder has
A. a psychological condition C. a number of independent identities
B. a fragmented identity D. some violent and some nonviolent identities

39. It is indicated in paragraph 1 that distinct personalities can differ in all of the following ways EXCEPT
A. manner of dressing C. manner of speaking
B. manner of moving D. manner of gesturing

40. It is indicated in paragraph 2 that it is NOT true that Eve

A. suffered from dissociative identity disorder D. had only 3 distinct personalities at any one
B. starred in the movie about her life time
C. had 22 distinct personalities

41. It is NOT stated in paragraph 2 that The Three Faces of Eve

A. was based on the life of a real woman C. was the title of a movie
B. was the title of a book D. was made into a movie in 1950

42. All of the following are mentioned in paragraph 2 about Carolyn Sizemore EXCEPT that she
A. wrote I'm Eve C. wrote a book in the 1970s
B. was one of Eve's personalities D. was familiar with all 22 personalities

43. According to paragraph 2, it is NOT true that Sybil

A. was a real person
B. suffered from dissociative identity disorder
C. developed all her personalities over 16 years
D. developed 16 distinctive personalities over a long period of time

44. It is NOT indicated in paragraph 2 that the book describing Sybil's experiences
A. took 40 years to write C. appeared in the 1970s
B. was written by Flora Rheta Schreiber D. was made into a movie

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Le Hong Phong Highschool Teacher-in-charge: Nguyen Thuy Lien (0903141108)
ELT Department

PASSAGE 9 (Questions 45-57)

John Muir
1 John Muir (1838-1914), a Scottish immigrant to the United States, is today recognized for his vital
contributions in the area of environmental protection and conservation of the wilderness. As such, he is often
referred to as the unofficial "Father of National Parks."
2 Muir came to his role as an environmentalist in a rather circuitous way. Born in Dunbar, Scotland, Muir
came to the United States with his family at the age of eleven. The family settled on a Wisconsin farm, where
Muir was educated at home rather than in public school because his father felt that participation in an education
in a public school would violate his strict religious code. Young Muir did read considerably at home and also
developed some interesting mechanical devices by whittling them from wood; when some of his inventions were
put on display at a state fair, they were noted by officials from the University of Wisconsin, and Muir was invited
to attend the university in spite of his lack of formal education. He left the university after two and a half years;
later, while working in a carriage factory, he suffered an injury to his eye. His vision did recover, but following the
accident he decided that he wanted to spend his life studying the beauty of the natural world rather than
endangering his health working in a factory. He set out on a 1,000-mile walk south to the Gulf of Mexico, and
from there he made his way to Yosemite, California, lured by a travel brochure highlighting the natural beauty of
Yosemite.
3 He arrived in California in 1868, at the age of thirty, and once there, he took a number of odd jobs to
support himself, working as a laborer, a sheepherder, and-after he had become familiar with the wilderness
area-a guide. He also began a writing campaign to encourage public support for the preservation of the
wilderness, particularly the area around Yosemite. He married in 1880, and for the years that followed he was
more involved in family life and in running the ranch given to him and his wife by her parents than in preservation
of the environment.
4 He had been away from the environmentalist movement for some time when, in 1889, he was asked by
an editor of the magazine The Century to write some articles in support of the preservation of Yosemite. The
editor, well aware of Muir's talent as a writer and his efforts in the 1870s to support the conservation of Yosemite,
took Muir camping to areas of Yosemite that Muir had not seen for years, areas that had been spoiled through
uncontrolled development. Because of the experience of this trip, Muir agreed to write two articles in support of
the institution of a National Parks system in the United States with Yosemite as the first park to be so
designated. These two articles in The Century initiated the Yosemite National Park campaign.
5 The campaign was indeed successful. The law creating Yosemite National Park was enacted in 1890,
and three additional national parks were created soon after. A year later, a bill known as the Enabling Act was
passed; this was a bill that gave U.S. presidents the right to reserve lands for preservation by the U.S.
government. Pleased by this success but keenly aware of the need to continue the effort to preserve wilderness
areas from undisciplined development, Muir established an organization in 1892, the Sierra Club, with the
expressed goal of protecting the wilderness, particularly the area of the Sierra Nevada mountain range where
Yosemite is located.
6 From then until his death in 1914, Muir worked assiduously on his writing in an effort to build recognition
of the need for environmental protection. His writings from this period include The Mountains of California
(1894), Our National Parks (1901), My First Summer in the Sierra (1911), and My Boyhood and Youth (1913).
7 A century later, the results of what John Muir was instrumental in initiating are remarkable. The National
Park Service is now responsible for more than 350 parks, rivers, seashores, and preserves; more than 250
million people visit these parks each year, and the Sierra Club has more than 650,000 members.

45. According to paragraph 1, Muir was born

A. in the first half of the eighteenth century
B. in the second half of the eighteenth century
C. in the first half of the nineteenth century
D. in the second half of the nineteenth century

46. It is stated in paragraph 1 that Muir is known for

A. his contributions to immigration reform
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ELT Department

B. his explorations of the wilderness

C. his efforts to maintain natural areas
D. his extensive studies of the national Parks

47. It is indicated in paragraph 2 that Muir's early education

A. was conducted at home
B. took place in a religious school
C. violated his father's wishes
D. was in a public school
48. It is NOT mentioned in paragraph 2 that Muir
A. whittled with wood
B. was taught how to whittle by his father
C. whittled mechanical devices
D. was admitted to the university because of his whittling
49. According to paragraph 2, after Muir left the university, it is NOT true that he
A. took a job in a factory
B. suffered an unhealable injury
C. made a decision to quit his job
D. embarked on a long walking tour
50. All of the following are mentioned in paragraph 3 as jobs that Muir held EXCEPT
A. a laborer
B. an animal tender
C. a wilderness guide
D. a travel writer
51. It is stated in paragraph 3 that in the years after 1880, Muir
A. took some odd jobs
B. devoted a lot of time to his family
C. gave his wife's parents a ranch
D. spent most of his time preserving the environment
52. It is NOT mentioned in paragraph 4 that Muir
A. had been uninvolved with environmentalists for a period of time
B. was contacted by an editor for The Century
C. worked as an editor for The Century
D. wrote two articles for The Century
53. The camping trip that is discussed in paragraph 4
A. occurred in the 1870s
B. led Muir to areas that he had never before seen
C. took place in areas that were in their natural state
D. helped to convince Muir to write the articles
54. It is stated in paragraph 5 that the Enabling Act
A. allowed the president to set aside lands to conserve them
B. became law in 1890
C. called for the establishment of the first three national parks
D. preserved lands for government use
55. According to paragraph 5, it is NOT true that the Sierra Club was founded
A. after the passage of the Enabling Act
B. by John Muir
C. before the turn of the century
D. to move Yosemite to the Sierra Nevada

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56. It is mentioned in paragraph 6 that, for the last decades of his life, Muir
A. spent a considerable amount of time in Yosemite
B. wrote a number of new laws
C. changed his mind on the need for environmental protection
D. devoted himself to increasing public awareness of the environment
57. It is NOT indicated in paragraph 7 that early in the twenty-first century
A. hundreds of locations are part of the National Park Service
B. numerous parks, rivers, seashores, and preserves are being developed
C. a quarter of a billion people visit these parks each year
D. more than a half a million people belong to the Sierra Club

PASSAGE 10 (UEE 2014 - CĐ)

In my experience, freshmen today are different from those I knew when I started as a counselor and professor 25
years ago. College has always been demanding both academically and socially. But students now are less
mature and often not ready for the responsibility of being in college.
It is really too easy to point the finger at parents who protect their children from life’s obstacles. Parents, who
handle every difficulty and every other responsibility for their children from writing admission essays to picking
college courses, certainly may contribute to their children’s lack of coping strategies. But we can look even more
broadly to the social trends of today.
How many people do you know who are on medication to prevent anxiety or depression? The number of
students who arrive at college already medicated for unwanted emotions has increased dramatically in the past
10 years. We, as a society, don’t want to “feel” anything unpleasant and we certainly don’t want our children to
“suffer”.
The resulting problem is that by not experiencing negative emotions, one does not learn the necessary skills to
tolerate and negotiate adversity. As a psychologist, I am well aware of the fact that some individuals suffer from
depression and anxiety and can benefit from treatment, but I question the growing number of medicated
adolescents today.
Our world is more stressful in general because of the current economic and political realities, but I don’t believe
that the college experience itself is more intense today than that of the past 10 years. What I do think is that
many students are often not prepared to be young “adults” with all the responsibilities of life.
What does this mean for college faculty and staff? We are required to assist in the basic parenting of these
students - the student who complains that her professor didn’t remind her of the due date for an assignment that
was clearly listed on the syllabus and the student who cheats on an assignment in spite of careful instructions
about plagiarism.
As college professors, we have to explain what it means to be an independent college student before we can
even begin to teach. As parents and teachers we should expect young people to meet challenges. To encourage
them in this direction, we have to step back and let them fail and pick themselves up and move forward. This
approach needs to begin at an early age so that college can actually be a passage to independent adulthood.
Adapted from “Students are different now” by Linda Bips. New York Times, October 11, 2010
Question 1: According to the writer, students today are different from those she knew in that they are ______.
A. not so academic B. responsible for their work
C. too ready for college D. not as mature
Question 2: According to the writer, students’ difficulties to cope with college life are partly due to ______.
A. the lack of financial support B. the over-parenting from parents
C. the absence of parents' protection D. the lack of parental support
Question 3: Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage?
A. The college experience itself is more intense today than that of the past 10 years.
B. Our world is more stressful because of the current economic and political situation.
C. College faculty and staff are required to help in the parenting of problematic students.
D. Our society certainly doesn't want our children to experience unpleasant things.
Question 4: Students who are not well-prepared to be young “adults” with all the responsibilities of life will need
A. to be assigned more housework from adults B. to be given more social responsibilities
C. to be encouraged to meet challenges D. daily coaching from their teachers
Question 5: According to the writer, failure in life and less support from parents will ______.
A. defeat students from the very beginning B. help students to learn to stand on their own feet
C. discourage students and let them down forever D. allow students to learn the first lesson in their lives
PASAGE 11 (CĐ 2007)
A pilot cannot fly by sight alone. In many conditions, such as flying at night and landing in dense fog, a pilot
must use radar, an alternative way of navigating. Since human eyes are not very good at determining speeds of
approaching objects, radar can show a pilot how fast nearby planes are moving. The basic principle of radar is
exemplified by what happens when one shouts in a cave. The echo of the sounds against the walls helps a
person determine the size of the cave. With radar, however, the waves are radio waves instead of sound waves.
Radio waves travel at the speed of light, about 300,000 kilometers in one second. A radar set sends out a short
burst of radio waves. Then it receives the echoes produced when the waves bounce off objects. By determining
the time it takes for the echoes to return to the radar set, a trained technician can determine the distance between
the radar set and other objects. The word “radar”, in fact, gets its name from the term “radio detection and
ranging”. “Ranging” is the term for detection of the distance between an object and the radar set. Besides being
of critical importance to pilots, radar is essential for air traffic control, tracking ships at sea, and for tracking
weather systems and storms.

Câu 1: What is the main topic of this passage?

A. The nature of radar. B. History of radar. C. Alternatives to radar. D. Types of ranging.
Câu 2: According to the passage, what can radar detect besides location of objects?
A. Shape. B. Size. C. Speed. D. Weight.
Câu 3: According to the passage, the distance between a radar set and an object can be determined by ______.
A. the time it takes for a burst of radio waves to produce echoes when the waves bounce off the object
B. the term “ranging” used for detection of the distance between an object and the radar set
C. the time it takes for the radio waves to produce echoes and bounce off the object
D. the time it takes for the echoes produced by the radio waves to return to the radar set
Câu 4: Which type of waves does radar use?
A. tidal B. sound C. heat D. radio
Câu 5: What might be inferred about radar?
A. It takes the place of a radio. B. It has improved navigational safety.
C. It was developed from a study of sound waves. D. It gave birth to the invention of the airplane.

PASAGE 12 (CĐ 2007)

Because writing has become so important in our culture, we sometimes think of it as more real than speech. A
little thought, however, will show why speech is primary and writing secondary to language. Human beings have
been writing (as far as we can tell from surviving evidence) for at least 5000 years; but they have been talking for
much longer, doubtless ever since there have been human beings.
When writing did develop, it was derived from and represented speech, although imperfectly. Even today
there are spoken languages that have no written form. Furthermore, we all learn to talk well before we learn to
write; any human child who is not severely handicapped physically or mentally will learn to talk: a normal human
being cannot be prevented from doing so. On the other hand, it takes a special effort to learn to write. In the past
many intelligent and useful members of society did not acquire the skill, and even today many who speak
languages with writing systems never learn to read or write, while some who learn the rudiments of those skills do
so only imperfectly.
To affirm the primacy of speech over writing is not, however, to disparage the latter. One advantage writing
has over speech is that it is more permanent and makes possible the records that any civilization must have.
Thus, if speaking makes us human, writing makes us civilized.

Câu 1: We sometimes think of writing as more real than speech because ______.
A. it has become very important in our culture
B. human beings have been writing for at least 5000 years
C. writing is secondary to language
D. people have been writing since there have been human beings
Câu 2: The author of the passage argues that ______.
A. all languages should have a written form
B. writing has become too important in today’s society
C. everyone who learns to speak must learn to write
D. speech is more basic to language than writing
Câu 3: Normal human beings ______.
A. learn to talk after learning to write B. learn to write before learning to talk
C. learn to write and to talk at the same time D. learn to talk before learning to write
Câu 4: According to the passage, writing ______.
A. is represented perfectly by speech B. represents speech, but not perfectly
C. developed from imperfect speech D. is imperfect, but less so than speech
Câu 5: Learning to write is ______.
A. too difficult B. easy C. not easy D. very easy
Câu 6: In order to show that learning to write requires effort, the author gives the example of ______.
A. severely handicapped children B. people who learn the rudiments of speech
C. intelligent people who couldn’t write D. people who speak many languages
Câu 7: In the author’s judgment, ______.
A. writing is more real than speech
B. writing has more advantages than speech
C. speech conveys ideas less accurately than writing does
D. speech is essential but writing has important benefits
Câu 8: According to the author, one mark of any civilized society is that it ______.
A. keeps written records B. affirms the primacy of speech over writing
C. teaches its children to speak perfectly D. affirms the primacy of writing over speech
Câu 9: Which of the following is NOT true?
A. It is easy to acquire the writing skill.
B. Writing has become so important in our culture.
C. Writing represents speech, but not perfectly.
D. Speech is essential but writing has important benefits.

PASSAGE 13 (CĐ 2008)

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the American educational system was desperately in need of
reform. Private schools existed, but only for the very rich. There were very few public schools because of the
strong sentiment that children who would grow up to be laborers should not “waste” their time on education
but should instead prepare themselves for their life’s work. It was in the face of this public sentiment that
educational reformers set about their task. Horace Mann, probably the most famous of the reformers, felt that
there was no excuse in a republic for any citizen to be uneducated. As Superintendent of Education in the state
of Massachusetts from 1837 to 1848, he initiated various changes, which were soon matched in other school
districts around the country. He extended the school year from five to six months and improved the quality of
teachers by instituting teacher education and raising teacher salaries. Although these changes did not bring
about a sudden improvement in the educational system, they at least increased public awareness as to the need
for a further strengthening of the system.

Câu 1: The passage implied that to go to a private school, a student needed ______.
A. a high level of intelligence B. a strong educational background
C. a lot of money D. good grades
Câu 2: The author of the passage puts the word “waste” in quotation marks because he ______.
A. does not want students to waste their time on education
B. is quoting someone else who said that education was a waste of time
C. wants to emphasize how much time is wasted on education
D. thinks that education is not really a waste of time
Câu 3: According to the passage, Horace Mann wanted a better educational system for Americans because
A. education at the time was so cheap
B. people had nothing else to do except go to school
C. Massachusetts residents needed something to do with their spare time
D. all citizens should be educated in a republic
Câu 4: From 1837 to 1848, Horace Mann ______.
A. worked as a headmaster in a school in the state of Massachusetts
B. raised money for the educational development in Massachusetts
C. funded many projects to improve the educational system for Americans
D. managed education in the state of Massachusetts
Câu 5: According to the passage, which sentence is NOT TRUE?
A. Horace Mann began raising teachers’ salaries.
B. Horace Mann suggested schools prepare children for their life’s work.
C. Horace Mann brought about changes in many schools in the United States.
D. Horace Mann was a famous US educational reformer.
Câu 6: According to the passage, which of the following is a change that Horace Mann instituted?
A. The five-month school year. B. Better teacher training.
C. Increased pay for students. D. The matching of other districts’ policies.

PASSAGE 14 (CD 2008)

It is hard to think of a world without gas or electricity. Both are commonly used for lighting and heating
today. We now can instantly flick a lighter or strike a match to make a flame. But it was not long ago that
there were no such things as matches or lighters. To make fire, it was necessary to strike a piece of iron on flint
for sparks to ignite some tinder. If the tinder was damp, or the flint old, you had to borrow some fire from a
neighbor.
We do not know exactly when or how people first used fire. Perhaps, many ages ago, they found that sticks
would burn if they were dropped into some hole where melted lava from a volcano lay boiling. They brought
the lighted sticks back to make their fire in a cave. Or, they may have seen trees catch fire through being struck
by lightning, and used the trees to start their own fires.
Gradually people learned they could start a fire without traveling far to find flames. They rubbed two pieces
of wood together. This method was used for thousands of years.
When people became used to making fires with which to cook food and stay warm at night, they found that
certain resins or gums from trees burnt longer and brighter. They melted resins and dipped branches in the
liquid to make torches that lit their homes at night. Iron stands in which torches used to be fixed can still be
seen in old buildings of Europe.
There was no lighting in city streets until gas lamps, and then electric lamps were installed. Boys ran about
London at night carrying torches of burning material. They were called torch boys, or link boys, and earned a
living by guiding visitors to friends’ houses at night.
For centuries homes were lit by candles until oil was found. Even then, oil lamps were no more effective
than a cluster of candles. We read about the splendors and marvels of ancient palaces and castles, but we
forget that they must have been gloomy and murky places at night.

Câu 1: To make a fire in times just before the advent of matches, it was essential to have access to ______.
A. a burning fire or to possess flint B. a burning fire or to possess iron
C. flint, iron and dry tinder D. a magnifying glass
Câu 2: The first fire used by people was probably obtained ______.
A. from the sun’s heat through glass B. by rubbing wood together
C. from heat or fire caused by nature D. by striking iron against flint
Câu 3: Torches for lighting were made from ______.
A. the wood of gum trees B. iron bars dipped in melted resins
C. wooden poles dipped in oil D. tree branches dipped in melted resins
Câu 4: Before the electric lamp was invented ______.
A. oil lamps and then candles were used
B. candles and oil lamps appeared about the same time
C. candles and then oil lamps were used
D. people did not use any form of lighting in their houses
Câu 5: Which sentence is NOT TRUE according to the passge?
A. We know exactly when and how people first used fire.
B. A world is impossible without gas or electricity.
C. We can make a fire by striking a piece of iron on flint to ignite some tinder.
D. Matches and lighters were invented not long ago.
Câu 6: What form of street lighting was used in London when link boys used to work there?
A. Gas lighting. B. No lighting at all. C. Electric lighting. D. Oil lighting.

PASSAGE 15 (CD 2014)

Most of us know a little about how babies learn to talk. From the time infants are born, they hear language
because their parents talk to them all the time. 1Between the ages of seven and ten months, most infants begin
to make sounds. They repeat the same sounds over and over again. 1This is called babbling. When babies
babble, they are practicing their language.
What happens, though, to children who cannot hear? How do deaf children learn to communicate?
Recently, doctors have learned that deaf babies babble with their hands. Laura Ann Petitto, a psychologist,
observed three hearing infants with English-speaking parents and two deaf infants 3with deaf parents using
American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate. Dr. Petitto studied the babies three times: at 10, 12, and 14
months. During this time, children really begin to develop their language skills.
After watching and videotaping the children for several hundred hours, the psychologist and her assistants
made many important observations. For example, they saw that the hearing children made varied motions with
their hands. However, there appeared to be no pattern to these motions. The deaf babies also made different
movements with their hands, but these movements were more consistent and deliberate. 5The deaf babies
seemed to make the same hand movements over and over again. During the four-month period, the deaf babies'
hand motions started to resemble some basic hand-shapes used in ASL. The children also seemed to prefer
certain hand-shapes.
6 Hearing infants start first with simple syllable babbling, then put more syllables together to sound like real
sentences and questions. Apparently, deaf babies follow this same pattern, too. First, they repeat simple hand-
shapes. Next, they form some simple hand signs and use these movements together to resemble ASL
sentences.
Linguists believe that our ability for language is innate. In other words, humans are born with the capacity for
language: It does not matter if we are physically able to speak or not. Language can be expressed in different
ways - for instance, by speech or by sign. Dr. Petitto believes this theory and wants to prove it. She plans to study
hearing children who have one deaf parent and one hearing parent. She wants to see what happens when babies
have the opportunity to learn both sign language and speech. Does the human brain prefer speech? Some of
these studies of hearing babies who have one deaf parent and one hearing parent show that the babies babble
equally with their hands and their voices. They also produce their first words, both spoken and signed, at about
the same time. More studies in the future may prove that the sign system of the deaf is the physical equivalent of
speech.

Question 1: According to paragraph 1, babies begin to babble ______.

A. at their first moment after birth B. at their first experience of language
C. when they are more than 6 months old D. when they first hear their parents talk to them
Question 2: The phrase “the babies” in paragraph 2 refers to ______ in the study.
A. the hearing infants B. the deaf infants
C. the hearing and deaf infants D. the disabled infants
Question 3: The writer mentions “American Sign Language (ASL)” in paragraph 2 as a language ______.
A. used by the deaf to communicate B. especially formed by infants
C. used among psychologists D. widely used by American children
Question 4: The word “resemble” in paragraph 3 refers to ______.
A. making initial movements B. studying funny movements
C. creating strange movements D. producing similar movements
Question 5: It is stated in paragraph 3 that both the deaf and the hearing children made movements with their
hands, but ______.
A. only the hearing children made different movements
B. the deaf children made less consistent hand movements
C. the hearing children only repeated the same hand motions
D. only the deaf children repeated the same hand motions
Question 6: According to paragraph 4, hearing infants learn to talk first by ______.
A. hand-shapes B. babbling C. hand motions D. eye movements
Question 7: The word “real” in paragraph 4 mostly means ______.
A. meaningful B. formal C. general D. original
Question 8: It is mentioned in the last paragraph that Dr. Petitto plans to study ______.
A. what happens when babies have the opportunity to learn both speech and sign language
B. whether all children speak and make motions with their hands at the same time
C. the assumption that the human brain prefers sign language to speech
D. whether the sign system of the deaf is the physical equivalent of speech
Question 9: Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the last paragraph?
A. The human brain prefers speech.
B. Humans are innately able for language.
C. Babies produce spoken words before signed ones.
D. Language cannot be expressed in different ways.
Question 10: Which of the following could best serve as the title of the passage?
A. Education for Deaf Children B. How do Children Master Language?
C. Language: Is It Always Spoken? D. American Sign Language
PASSAGE 15 (UEE 2012 – A1)
Commuting is the practice of travelling a long distance to a town or city to work each day, and then travelling
home again in the evening. The word commuting comes from commutation ticket, a US rail ticket for repeated
journeys, called a season ticket in Britain. Regular travellers are called commuters.
The US has many commuters. A few, mostly on the East Coast, commute by train or subway, but most
depend on the car. Some leave home very early to avoid the traffic jams, and sleep in their cars until their office
opens. Many people accept a long trip to work so that they can live in quiet bedroom communities away from the
city, but another reason is ‘white flight’. In the 1960s most cities began to desegregate their schools, so that there
were no longer separate schools for white and black children. Many white families did not want to send their
children to desegregated schools, so they moved to the suburbs, which have their own schools, and where, for
various reasons, few black people live.
Millions of people in Britain commute by car or train. Some spend two or three hours a day travelling, so that
they and their families can live in suburbia or in the countryside. Cities are surrounded by commuter belts. Part of
the commuter belt around London is called the stockbroker belt because it contains houses where rich business
people live. Some places are becoming dormitory towns, because people sleep there but take little part in local
activities.
Most commuters travel to and from work at the same time, causing the morning and evening rush hours, when
buses and trains are crowded and there are traffic jams on the roads. Commuters on trains rarely talk to each
other and spend their journey reading, sleeping or using their mobile phones, though this is not popular with other
passengers. Increasing numbers of people now work at home some days of the week, linked to their offices by
computer, a practice called telecommuting.
Cities in both Britain and the US are trying to reduce the number of cars coming into town each day. Some
companies encourage car pooling (called car sharing in Britain), an arrangement for people who live and work
near each other to travel together. Some US cities have a public service that helps such people to contact each
other, and traffic lanes are reserved for car-pool vehicles. But cars and petrol/gas are cheap in the US, and many
people prefer to drive alone because it gives them more freedom. In Britain many cities have park-and-ride
schemes, car parks on the edge of the city from which buses take drivers into the centre.
(Extracted from Oxford Guide to British and American Culture, Oxford University Press, 2000)

Question 1: Which of the following definitions of commuting would the author of this passage most probably agree
with?
A. Travelling for hours from a town or city to work in the countryside every day.
B. Travelling to work and then home again in a day within a rural district.
C. Using a commutation ticket for special journeys in all seasons of the year.
D. Regularly travelling a long distance between one’s place of work and one’s home.
Question 2: The passage mentions that many Americans are willing to travel a long distance to work in order to
be able to live in ______.
A. comfortable bedrooms B. quiet neighbourhoods
C. city centres D. noisy communities
Question 3: Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. Britain has considerably more commuters than the US.
B. The US has considerably more commuters than Britain.
C. Both the US and Britain have a great number of commuters.
D. Commuting helps people in the US and Britain save a lot of time.
Question 4: Which of the following is NOT true about the London commuter belt?
A. It is home to some wealthy business people. B. It is like “bedroom communities” in the US.
C. It is in central London. D. It surrounds London.
Question 5: As mentioned in the passage, commuters usually ______.
A. talk to each other during train journeys B. cause traffic congestion on the roads
C. go home from work at different hours D. go to work at different hours
Question 6: All of the following are measures to reduce the number of cars coming into town each day in the US
and/or Britain EXCEPT ______.
A. car pooling/sharing B. traffic lanes for car pooling
C. park-and-ride schemes D. free car parks in the city centre
PASSAGE 16 (UEE 2012 - D)
Learning means acquiring knowledge or developing the ability to perform new behaviors. It is common to
think of learning as something that takes place in school, but much of human learning occurs outside the
classroom, and people continue to learn throughout their lives.
Even before they enter school, young children learn to walk, to talk, and to use their hands to manipulate toys,
food, and other objects. They use all of their senses to learn about the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells in their
environments. They learn how to interact with their parents, siblings, friends, and other people important to their
world. When they enter school, children learn basic academic subjects such as reading, writing, and
mathematics. They also continue to learn a great deal outside the classroom. They learn which behaviors are
likely to be rewarded and which are likely to be punished. They learn social skills for interacting with other
children. After they finish school, people must learn to adapt to the many major changes that affect their lives,
such as getting married, raising children, and finding and keeping a job.
Because learning continues throughout our lives and affects almost everything we do, the study of learning is
important in many different fields. Teachers need to understand the best ways to educate children. Psychologists,
social workers, criminologists, and other human-service workers need to understand how certain experiences
change people’s behaviors. Employers, politicians, and advertisers make use of the principles of learning to
influence the behavior of workers, voters, and consumers.
Learning is closely related to memory, which is the storage of information in the brain. Psychologists who
study memory are interested in how the brain stores knowledge, where this storage takes place, and how the
brain later retrieves knowledge when we need it. In contrast, psychologists who study learning are more
interested in behavior and how behavior changes as a result of a person’s experiences.
There are many forms of learning, ranging from simple to complex. Simple forms of learning involve a single
stimulus. A stimulus is anything perceptible to the senses, such as a sight, sound, smell, touch, or taste. In a form
of learning known as classical conditioning, people learn to associate two stimuli that occur in sequence, such as
lightning followed by thunder. In operant conditioning, people learn by forming an association between a behavior
and its consequences (reward or punishment). People and animals can also learn by observation - that is, by
watching others perform behaviors. More complex forms of learning include learning languages, concepts, and
motor skills.
(Extracted from Microsoft® Student 2009 – DVD Version)
Question 1: According to the passage, which of the following is learning in broad view comprised of?
A. Acquisition of social and behavioural skills
B. Knowledge acquisition and ability development
C. Acquisition of academic knowledge
D. Knowledge acquisition outside the classroom
Question 2: According to the passage, what are children NOT usually taught outside the classroom?
A. literacy and calculation B. life skills
C. interpersonal communication D. right from wrong
Question 3: Getting married, raising children, and finding and keeping a job are mentioned in paragraph 2 as
examples of ______.
A. the situations in which people cannot teach themselves
B. the areas of learning which affect people’s lives
C. the changes to which people have to orient themselves
D. the ways people’s lives are influenced by education
Question 4: According to the passage, the study of learning is important in many fields due to ______.
A. the great influence of the on-going learning process
B. the influence of various behaviours in the learning process
C. the exploration of the best teaching methods
D. the need for certain experiences in various areas
Question 5: Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Psychologists studying memory are concerned with how the stored knowledge is used.
B. Psychologists studying memory are concerned with the brain’s storage of knowledge.
C. Psychologists are all interested in memory as much as behaviours.
D. Psychologists studying learning are interested in human behaviours.
Question 6: According to the passage, the stimulus in simple forms of learning ______.
 A. makes associations between behaviours B. is created by the senses
C. is associated with natural phenomena D. bears relation to perception

PASSAGE 17 (UEE 2014 - A1)

A radio telescope is a radio receiver that "sees" radio waves. Unlike a normal telescope, which sees light, a
radio telescope is used primarily in the area of astronomy because it can detect radio waves that are emitted by
celestial objects. Such objects in space, also called radio objects, can be things such as hot gas, electrons, and
wavelengths given off by different atoms and molecules.
The first radio telescope was invented by Grote Reber in 1937. He was an American who graduated with a
degree in engineering. He went on to work as an amateur radio operator and later decided to try to build his own
radio telescope in his backyard. Reber's first two radio receivers failed to pick up any signals from outer space,
but in 1938, his third radio telescope successfully picked up radio waves from space.
A radio telescope consists of a large parabolic-shaped dish antenna or a combination of two or more. The
significance of the parabolic shape allows for the incoming radio waves to be concentrated on one focal point,
allowing the signals to be picked up as strongly as possible. A larger dish means that more signals can be
received and focalized.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the largest radio telescope of the time was invented with a seventy-six-
meter telescope although larger telescopes have been made since then. The largest current radio telescope in
the world is the RATAN-600 in Russia, whose diameter is 576 meters. It has provided valuable feedback of the
sun's radio wavelengths and atmosphere. The largest radio telescope in Europe is a 100-meter diameter
telescope in Germany, and the largest radio telescope in the United States is the Big Ear in the state of Ohio. The
largest array of telescopes is the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope in India.
Radio telescopes have provided scientists with valuable information about our universe. One of the most
important functions of radio telescopes is their ability to allow scientists to track different space probes, the
unmanned space missions in outer space. Radio telescopes allow for the travel of space probes into places like
the surface of Mars that are too dangerous for men to explore. Without radio wave technology, scientists would
not know much of what inhabits the universe nor would they be able to see it. Radio waves are our eyes and ears
in outer space.
By Timothy Hall, Arthur H. Milch and Denise McCormach. How to Master skills for the TOEFL iBT
Question 1: According to the passage, a radio telescope enables the detection of ______.
A. normal light of celestial objects B. radio waves sent out by celestial objects
C. creatures that inhabit celestial objects D. shapes and sizes of celestial objects
Question 2: According to paragraph 2, all of the following are true about Grote Reber EXCEPT that ______.
A. he was an amateur radio operator B. he was an astronomer
C. he was an engineer D. he was an inventor
Question 3: Grote Reber’s idea to develop a radio telescope was not successful until ______.
A. he first built one in his backyard B. he graduated from an engineering school
C. he experimented on the third one D. he picked up signals from outer space
Question 4: According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. The pattern of radio waves received by radio telescopes is significant.
B. The largest radio telescope of all time is the one with a seventy-six-meter diameter.
C. A larger dish antenna helps a radio telescope produce better results.
D. The Big Ear in the United States produces the largest array of telescopes.
Question 5: Radio waves are scientists’ eyes and ears in outer space because ______.
A. they allow them to travel to such dangerous places as Mars
B. they help to track only manned space missions in space
C. they can recognize who dominates the universe
D. they can help them understand more about the universe

PASSAGE 18 (UEE 2014 - A1)

The ability to conduct electricity is one of the key properties of a metal. Other solid materials such as silicon
can conduct electricity but only effectively at certain temperatures. Also, some substances such as salt (sodium
chloride) can conduct when molten or when dissolved in water. The ability of metals to conduct electricity is due
to how their atoms bond together. In order to bond together the metal atoms lose at least one of their outermost
electrons. This leaves the metal atoms with a positive charge and they are now strictly ions. The lost electrons
are free to move in what is known as a sea of electrons. Since the electrons are negatively charged they attract
the ions and this is what keeps the structure together.
An electric current is a flow of charge and since the electrons in the sea of electrons are free to move they can
be made to flow in one direction when a source of electrical energy such as a battery is connected to the metal.
Hence we have an electric current flowing through the wire, and this is what makes metals such good conductors
of electricity. The only other common solid conducting material that pencil users are likely to encounter is graphite
(what the ‘lead’ of a pencil is made from). Graphite is a form of carbon and again the carbon atoms bond in such
a way that there is a sea of electrons that can be made to flow as an electric current. Likewise, if we have an ionic
substance like salt we can make the electrically charged ions flow to create a current but only when those ions
are free to move, either when the substance is a liquid or dissolved in water. In its solid state an ionic substance
like salt cannot conduct electricity as its charged ions cannot flow.
Electrical insulators are substances that cannot conduct electricity well either, because they contain no
charged particles or any charged particles they might contain do not flow easily. Water itself is a poor conductor
of electricity as it does not contain a significant amount of fully charged particles (the ends of a water molecule
are partly charged but overall the molecule is neutral). However, most water we encounter does contain dissolved
charged particles, so it will be more conductive than pure water. Many of the problems that occur when touching
electrical devices with wet hands result from the ever-present salt that is left on our skin through perspiration and
it dissolves in the water to make it more conductive.
By Helena Gillespie and Rob Gillespie. Science for Primary School Teachers. OUP
Question 1: Electrical conductivity is ______.
A. one of the most important properties of metals
B. one of the key properties of most solid materials
C. impossible for any substance when it is dissolved in water
D. completely impossible for silicon
Question 2: According to the passage, a metal can conduct electricity due to ______.
A. the loss of one electron in the core of its atoms
B. the way its atoms bond together
C. the absence of free electrons
D. its atoms with a positive charge
Question 3: The atoms of a metal can bond together because ______.
A. they lose all of their electrons
B. negatively charged electrons attract positive ions
C. electrons can flow in a single direction
D. the lost electrons cannot move freely in the sea of electrons
Question 4: Salt in its solid state is not able to conduct electricity because ______.
A. its charged ions can flow easily B. it has free electrons
C. its charged ions are not free to move D. it cannot create any charged ions
Question 5: Water is a poor conductor because it contains ______.
A. only a small amount of fully charged particles
B. only a negative electric charge
C. no positive or negative electric charge
D. only a positive electric charge
Question 6: We can have problems when touching electrical devices with wet hands because ______.
A. the water dissolves the salt on our skin and becomes more conductive
B. the water containing no charged particles makes it more conductive
C. the water itself is a good conductor of electricity
D. the water contains too many neutral molecules
Question 7: Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Some materials are more conductive than others.
B. Graphite is a common solid substance that can conduct electricity.
C. Salt can conduct electricity when it is molten or dissolved.
D. Pure water is much more conductive than most water we encounter every day.

PASSAGE 19 (UEE 2014 - D)

We live in a world of tired, sleep deprived people. In his book Counting Sheep, Paul Martin - a behavioral
biologist - describes a society which is just too busy to sleep and which does not give sleeping the importance it
deserves.
 Modern society has invented reasons not to sleep. We are now a 24/7 society where shops and services
must be available all hours. We spend longer hours at work than we used to, and more time getting to work.
Mobile phones and email allow us to stay in touch round the clock and late-night TV and the Internet tempt us
away from our beds. When we need more time for work or pleasure, the easy solution is to sleep less. The
average adult sleeps only 6.2 hours a night during the week, whereas research shows that most people need
eight or even eight and a half hours' sleep to feel at their best. Nowadays, many people have got used to sleeping
less than they need and they live in an almost permanent state of 'sleep debt'.
Until the invention of the electric light in 1879 our daily cycle of sleep used to depend on the hours of
daylight. People would get up with the sun and go to bed at nightfall. But nowadays our hours of sleep are mainly
determined by our working hours (or our social life) and most people are woken up artificially by an alarm clock.
During the day caffeine, the world's most popular drug, helps to keep us awake. 75% of the world's population
habitually consume caffeine, which up to a point masks the symptoms of sleep deprivation.
What does a chronic lack of sleep do to us? As well as making us irritable and unhappy as humans, it also
reduces our motivation and ability to work. This has serious implications for society in general. Doctors, for
example, are often chronically sleep deprived, especially when they are on 'night call', and may get less than
three hours' sleep. Lack of sleep can seriously impair their mood, judgment, and ability to take decisions. Tired
engineers, in the early hours of the morning, made a series of mistakes with catastrophic results. On our roads
and motorways lack of sleep kills thousands of people every year. Tests show that a tired driver can be just as
dangerous as a drunken driver. However, driving when drunk is against the law but driving when exhausted isn't.
As Paul Martin says, it is very ironic that we admire people who function on very little sleep instead of criticizing
them for being irresponsible. Our world would be a much safer, happier place if everyone, whatever their job,
slept eight hours a night.
New English File Upper-intermediate by Clive Oxenden and Christina Latham-Koenig, OUP
Question 1: According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE about Paul Martin?
A. He shows his concern for sleep deprivation in modern society.
B. He describes the modern world as a place without insomnia.
C. He is a scientist who is chronically deprived of sleep.
D. He gives an interesting account of a sleepless society.
Question 2: The writer mentions the Internet in the passage as ______.
A. an easy solution to sleep deprivation B. a temptation that prevents us from sleeping
C. a factor that is not related to sleep deprivation D. an ineffective means of communication
Question 3: According to the third paragraph, which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?
A. The electric light was invented in the 19th century.
B. The sun obviously determined our daily routines.
C. The electric light has changed our daily cycle of sleep.
D. Our social life has no influence on our hours of sleep.
Question 4: Which of the following is TRUE, according to the last paragraph?
A. Sleep deprivation has negative effects on both individuals and society.
B. Doctors ‘on night call’ do not need more than three hours of sleep a day.
C. Thousands of people are killed every day by drunken drivers.
D. Our motivation decreases with the bigger number of hours we sleep.
Question 5: All of the following are mentioned as those whose performance is affected by ‘sleep debt’ EXCEPT
A. drivers B. doctors C. engineers D. biologists

PASSAGE 20 (CD 2013)

Human Nutrition is the study of how food affects the health and survival of the human body. Human beings
require food to grow, reproduce, and maintain good health. Without food, our bodies could not stay warm, build or
repair tissue, or maintain the heartbeat. Eating the right foods can help us avoid certain diseases or recover
faster when illness occurs. These and other important functions are fueled by chemical substances in our food
called nutrients. Nutrients are classified as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water.
When we eat a meal, nutrients are released from food through digestion. Digestion begins in the mouth by
the action of chewing and the chemical activity of saliva, a watery fluid that contains enzymes, certain proteins
that help break down food. Further digestion occurs as food travels through the stomach and the small intestine,
where digestive enzymes and acids liquefy food and muscle contractions push it along the digestive tract.
Nutrients are absorbed from the inside of the small intestine into the bloodstream and carried to the sites in the
body where they are needed. At these sites, several chemical reactions occur, which ensures the growth and
function of body tissues. The parts of foods that are not absorbed continue to move down the intestinal tract and
are eliminated from the body as feces.
 Once digested, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats provide the body with the energy it needs to maintain its
many functions. Scientists measure this energy in kilocalories, the amount of energy needed to raise one
Kilogram of water one degree Celsius. In nutrition discussions, scientists use the term calorie instead of
kilocalorie as the standard unit of measure in nutrition.
Nutrients are classified as essential or nonessential. Nonessential nutrients are manufactured in the body
and do not need to be obtained from food. Examples include cholesterol, a fatlike substance present in all
animal cells. Essential nutrients must be obtained from food sources, because the body either does not
produce them or produces them in amounts too small to maintain growth and health. Essential nutrients
include water, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.
An individual needs varying amounts of each essential nutrient, depending upon such factors as gender
and age. Specific health conditions, such as pregnancy, breast-feeding, illness, or drug use, make unusual
demands on the body and increase its need for nutrients. Dietary guidelines, which take many of these
factors into account, provide general guidance in meeting daily nutritional needs.
Question 1: The first paragraph mainly discusses ______.
A. chemical substances in our food B. the study of human nutrition
C. a variety of essential nutrients to human beings D. the importance of food to human beings
Question 2: Which of the followings is NOT true about the process of digestion?
A. Nutrients are carried to different sites in the body.
B. Saliva plays an important role in the first stage of digestion.
C. The small intestine covers the whole digestive system.
D. The small intestine helps the body absorb nutrients.
Question 3: According to the passage, nutrients are absorbed ______.
A. in the small intestine B. in the mouth C. in the stomach D. over the whole body
Question 4: According to the passage, which of the following provides energy for the body?
A. Proteins, vitamins, and carbohydrates B. Proteins, fats, and minerals
C. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats D. Carbohydrates, minerals, and water
Question 5: In nutrition discussions, the standard unit used to measure nutrients is ______.
A. kilocalorie B. gram C. kilogram D. calorie
Question 6: Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. The effects of food on the body B. The body’s need of nutrients
C. Food sources from animals D. Classification of nutrients
Question 7: Through the passage, the author provides the readers with ______.
A. some proposal B. orders C. instructions D. some information