READING COMPREHENSION
There are four choices in each question. Choose the one that best
describes, interprets or completes the corresponding passage.
Ⅰ.
Because a large proportion of the land in Hawaii is rugged and
mountainous, the state has little space to grow crops. Some areas are also covered with
hard, black lava on which nothing can grow. Even so, Hawaii produces large quantities of
farm products. The volcanic soil in the valleys and lowlands is very fertile, and the warm
climate makes it possible to grow crops all year long. Rainfall is plentiful on the
northern and eastern sides of each island. Much of the land on the southern and western
sides of each island receives too little rainfall for most crops to grow well, but in many
of the places where rainfall is light, wells and mountain streams supply water for
irrigation.
- The main purpose of the passage is to describe the Hawaiian .
(Ａ) farming condition (Ｂ) geography (Ｃ) market system (Ｄ) settlement patterns
- Which of the following is most of the farming done in Hawaii?
(Ａ) Along the coast (Ｂ) On the rich lava beds (Ｃ) In the lowlands (Ｄ) On the
mountain slopes
- How do dry areas in Hawaii get their water?
(Ａ) It is provides by wells. (Ｂ) It is brought in from other areas. (Ｃ) It is sorted
in mountain reservoirs. (Ｄ) It is carefully collected when it rain.
- Which of the following is most suitable for growing crops in Hawaii?
(Ａ) Volcanic soil (Ｂ) Hard lava (Ｃ) Dry land (Ｄ) A mountain island
- When is the Hawaiian growing season?
(Ａ) Throughout the entire year. (Ｂ) Only during the long summer months. (Ｃ) Mainly
in the spring and summer. (Ｄ) During all seasons except winter.
Ⅱ.
Researchers have issued a health warning for the wealthy – the
upper-class lifestyle may make them more susceptible to cancer. A report in the current
Journal of the American Medical Association shows a higher incidence of cancer of the
pancreas among people of the upper socio-economic bracket. It also points to wine,
decaffeinated coffee and some petrochemicals as possible cancer-causing agents.
Researchers conducted separate studies of men and women suffering from cancer of the
pancreas. Their three-year, five-city study involved six potential risk heightening
factors in pancreatic cancer.
For women, the researchers studied the effects of consumption of
decaffeinated coffee and heavy smoking -- a half a pack a day or more. The third factor in
the women’s study encompassed a variety of medical problems – miscarriages, uterine
tumors and surgical removal of ovaries. The heightened risk among women ranged from 210
percent with exposure to one factor to a whopping 3400 percent when all three factors were
present. In men, the researchers studied the effects of exposure to gasoline and
dry-cleaning chemicals, consumption of decaffeinated coffee and habitual wine consumption
– two or more glasses of wine a day. The found the cancer risk increased from 60 percent
when one of the factors was present to 590 percent when all three factors were present.
- What's the main topic of this passage? (Ａ) Rich men get cancer
more easily. (Ｂ) Wine and decaffeinated coffee easily cause cancer. (Ｃ) The study of
cancer-causing agents involve six factors. (Ｄ) Women tend to get cancer with heavy
smoking and decaffeinated coffee.
- What did the researcher studying the six potential factors in pancreatic
cancer find? (Ａ) People are more susceptible to cancer if all three factors are
involved. (Ｂ) Women with several medical problems tent to get pancreatic cancer. (Ｃ)
Habitual drinkers tend to get pancreatic cancer. (Ｄ) Men exposed to gasoline tend to get
pancreatic cancer.
- What factors among the following was not studied by the researchers? (Ａ)
heavy smoking (Ｂ) decaffeinated coffee (Ｃ) heavy drinking (Ｄ) stress
- The word “consumption” most closely means (Ａ) the act of eating,
drinking or using (Ｂ) the act of producing (Ｃ) the act of destroying (Ｄ) the act of
selling
- The passage implies that to reduce the risk of cancer, one should (Ａ)
avoid getting wealthy. (Ｂ) avoid decaffeinated coffee, wine and some chemicals. (Ｃ)
stop taking high-calorie foods. (Ｄ) avoid removing ovaries.
Ⅲ.
Graying and losing his teeth, Massa, the oldest ape in captivity,
marks another milestone Tuesday when he celebrates his 50th birthday, reaching the human
equivalent of 120 years old. “He really looks like an old man, skinny legs, gray hair,
and he appears to be nearsighted although he recognizes everybody who works here,” said
Philadelphia Zoo President William Donaldson.
Nevertheless, the aging ape is reportedly stronger than 16 men. He
weighs nearly 300 pounds (135 kilos), down 100 pounds (45 kilos) from his prime weight 10
years ago. His hair, which used to have a red tinge on top, is graying. He has lost all
but four or five teeth. Gorillas usually don’t live past 30, said Dr. Robert Snyder,
Director of the Zoo’s Research Laboratory. “He is now the oldest ape in the word.”
Snyder noted that in the wild old gorillas lose their teeth – making feeding difficult
and putting them at the mercy of predators. For the happy occasion, the Zoo is planning a
party at the glass and steel cage where the gorilla has lived since he was 5 years old. He
will be offered a birthday cake of vitamins, vegetables and fruits.
- What's the main topic of the passage? (Ａ) A gorilla usually does not
live past 30. (Ｂ) The zoo is celebrating the birthday of the world’s oldest gorilla. (Ｃ)
The gorilla in the Philadelphia Zoo is old, but healthy. (Ｄ) The gorilla is like a
120-years-old man.
- According to the passage, which of the following statement is not
true? (Ａ) A 50-year old ape is equivalent to a 120-year-old man. (Ｂ) The gorilla lost
one hundred pounds compared with 10 years ago. (Ｃ) The gorilla has only 4 or five teeth
left. (Ｄ) The gorilla no longer recognizes people working in the zoo.
- According to the passage, what will be done to celebrate the gorilla’s
birthday? (Ａ) To send the gorilla to see a dentist (Ｂ) To stop the gorilla from losing
his teeth (Ｃ) To feed him with vitamins, vegetables and fruits (Ｄ) To give him a glass
and steel cage
- According to the passage, gorillas’ losing teeth makes them (Ａ)
vulnerable to the attack of their enemies (Ｂ) lose weight (Ｃ) become near-sighted (Ｄ)
become skinny like an old man
- How many years has the gorilla lived in the glass and steel cage? (Ａ) 5
years (Ｂ) 25 years (Ｃ) 35 years (Ｄ) 45 years
Ⅳ.
Researchers have found that male and female alligators go their
separate ways following mating. A month after mating, the female begins building a nest --
usually on dry ground – that resembles a stunted haystack. She patiently rips up plants
and other vegetation and piles it in layers until satisfied, making frequent tours of
inspection. She digs a shallow hole on top of the nest, lay about 40 eggs in it and
carefully cover them up. Sixty-five days later the babies crack the shells. The mother may
tear off the top layer of the nest, sometimes even carrying the young to the water in her
mouth.
It has been discovered that temperature during the first two or three
weeks of life determines the hatching’s sex. An average reading of 86 degrees Fahrenheit
or less produces an all-female clutch; at 93 degrees or above all the young are
males. Anything in between produces a mixed litter. Some mother alligators belligerently
defend their nests against intruders, but others do not. Adult alligators of both sexes
will usually respond with a rush to the snuffling “yurk” sound that a baby emits in
distress -- a trait that has often been their undoing, since hunters imitate the call.
- What does the passage mainly discuss? (Ａ) How alligators choose their
mates (Ｂ) What happens after alligators die (Ｃ) How the sex of alligators is
determined (Ｄ) What alligators eat
- According to the passage, how long does it take for alligator eggs to
hatch? (Ａ) 3 weeks (Ｂ) 1 month (Ｃ) 40 days (Ｄ) 65 days
- When is an alligator’s sex determined? (Ａ) During mating (Ｂ) One
week before birth (Ｃ) At birth (Ｄ) Within the first weeks of life
- The word “clutch” probably refers to what kind of alligators? (Ａ)
Babies (Ｂ) Mothers (Ｃ) Adults (Ｄ) Males
- Which of the following temperatures would most likely produce a mixed
litter? (Ａ) 84 degrees Fahrenheit (Ｂ) 86 degrees Fahrenheit (Ｃ) 90 degrees
Fahrenheit (Ｄ) 93 degrees Fahrenheit
Ⅴ.
It is not uncommon for people to get lost when they go walking in
the hills, 21 if the weather turns bad. If this happens to you, here are a few
rules that you should keep in mind.
First, you must not panic. If you are 22 a group, stay together,
keep calm and consider your situation. Using a map, you should try to estimate where you
are.
Decide then 23 it is better to go on or to retrace your steps. It
is usually safer to go back the way you came to your last known position. Trust you
compass, but completely ignore any member of the party who 24 to have a good sense
of direction. In bad weather, he will probably get you more lost than you already are.
When people get lost, it is almost inevitable that there is a drop in morale. They sit
around, blaming each other and, sometimes, even start to 25 . Try to avoid this.
- (Ａ) especially (Ｂ) even (Ｃ) only (Ｄ) probably
- (Ａ) on (Ｂ) by (Ｃ) with (Ｄ) at
- (Ａ) that (Ｂ) whether (Ｃ) which (Ｄ) actually
- (Ａ) answers (Ｂ) sings (Ｃ) guesses (Ｄ) claims
- (Ａ) fight (Ｂ) gamble (Ｃ) flee (Ｄ) pray