Task 2: Reading Comprehension part 2

Task 2: Reading Comprehension part 2

Carbon tetrachloride is a colorless and inflammable liquid that can be produced by combining carbon disulfide and chlorine. This compound is widely used in industry today because of its effectiveness as a solvent as well as its use in the production of propellants.

Despite its widespread use in industry, carbon tetrachloride has been banned for home use. In the past, carbon tetrachloride was a common ingredient in cleaning compounds that were used throughout the home, but it was found to be dangerous: when heated, it changes into a poisonous gas that can cause severe illness and even death if it is inhaled. Because of this dangerous characteristic, the United States revoked permission for the home use of carbon tetrachloride in 1970. The United States has taken similar action with various other chemical compounds.

1. The main point of this passage is that 

    a.      carbon tetrachloride can be very dangerous when it is heated

          b.       the government banned carbon tetrachloride in 1970 

          c.       although carbon tetrachloride can legally be used 

                  in industry, it is not allowed in home products.  

          d.      carbon tetrachloride used to be a regular part of cleaning compounds 

       2. The word “widely” in line 2 could most easily be replaced by

           a.       grandly

           b.       extensively

           c.        largely

           d.        hugely 

       

       3. The word “banned” in line 4 is closest in meaning to

           a.      forbidden

           b.      allowed

           c.       suggested

           d.      instituted 

      

       4. According to the passage, before 1970 carbon tetrachloride was

           a.       used by itself as a cleanser

           b.      banned in industrial use 

           c.       often used as a component of cleaning products

           d.      not allowed in home cleaning products  

      

      5. It is stated in the passage that when carbon 

          tetrachloride is heated, it becomes 

          a.      harmful

          b.      colorless

          c.       a cleaning compound

          d.      inflammable 

      

      6. The word “inhaled” in line 7 is closest in meaning to

          a.       warmed

          b.      breathed in

          c.       carelessly used

          d.      blown 

      

      7. The word “revoked” in line 8 could most easily be replaced by

    a.    gave

    b.    grant  

    c.    instituted

    d.   took away 

 8. It can be inferred from the passage that one role of the 

     U.S. government is to 

     a.      regulate product safety

           b.      prohibit any use of carbon tetrachloride 

           c.      instruct industry on cleaning methodologies

           d.      ban the use of any chemicals  

 9. The paragraph following the passage 
      most likely discusses 
    a. additional uses of carbon tetrachloride 
    b. the banning of various chemical 
    compounds by the U.S. government

         c.further dangerous effects of carbon 

            tetrachloride

         d.the major characteristic of carbon 

            tetrachloride

                          

     The next artist in this survey of American artist is James Whistler; he is included in this survey of American artist because he was born in the United States, although the majority of his artwork was completed in Europe. Whistler was born in Massachusetts in 1834, but nine years later his father moved the family to St. Petersburg, Russia, to work on the construction of a railroad. The family returned to the United States in 1849. Two years later Whistler entered the U.S. military academy at West Point, but he was unable to graduate. At the age of twenty-one Whistler went to Europe to study art despite familial objections, and he remained in Europe until his death.

     Whistler worked in various art forms, including etchings and lithographs. However, he is most famous for his paintings, particularly Arrangement in Gray and Black No. 1: Portrait of the Artist’s Mother or Whistler’s Mother, as it is more commonly known. This painting shows a side view of Whistler’s mother, dressed I black and posing against a gray wall.

     The asymmetrical nature of the portrait, with his mother seated off -center, is highly characteristic of Whistler’s work.

10. The paragraph preceding this passage most 

       likely discusses

            a.       a survey of eighteenth-century art

            b.      a different American artist

            c.       Whistler’s other famous paintings

            d.      European artists

11. Which of the following best describes the information 

       in the passage?

            a.       Several artists are presented

            b.      One artist’s life and works are described

            c.       Various paintings are contrasted

            d.      Whistler’s family life is outlined. 

      

      12. Whistler is considered an American artist because

             a.      he was born in America

             b.      he spent most of his life in Americat

             c.       he served in the U.S. military

             d.      he created most of his famous art in America 

       

      13. The world “majority” in line 2 is closest in meaning to

       a.     seniority

       b.     maturity

       c.     large pices

            d.    high percentage
     
 14. It is implied in the passage that 
       Whistler’s family was

           a.     unable to find any work at all in Rusia

           b.    highly supportive of his desire to pursue art

           c.     working class

           d.    military 

        

     15. The word “objections” in line 7 is closest in meaning to  

           a.    protests

           b.    goals

           c.     agreements

           d.    battles

16. In line 8, the “etchings” are

            a.       a type of painting

            b.      the same as a lithograph

            c.       an art form introduced by Whistler

            d.      an art form involving engraving

17. The word “asymmetrical” in line 11 is closest in 

       meaning to

           a.     proportionate

           b.    uneven

           c.     balanced

           d.    lyrical

18. Which of the following is NOT true according 

       to the passsage?  

             a.       Whistler work with a variety of art forms.

             b.      Whistler’s Mother is not the official name 

                    of his painting.

             c.       Whistler is best known for his etchings.

             d.      Whistler’s Mother is painted in somber tones.

19. where in the passage does the author mention the types of artwork that Whistler was involved in?

           a.     lines 1-3

           b.    lines 4-5

           c.     lines 6-7

           d.    lines 8-10

     The locations of stars in the sky relative to one another do not appear to the naked eye to change, and as a result stars are often considered to be fixed in position. Many unaware stargazers falsely assume that each star has its own permanent home in the nighttime sky.

     In reality, though, stars are always moving, but because of the tremendous distances between stars themselves and from stars to Earth, the changes are barely perceptible here. An example of a rather fast-moving star demonstrates why this misconception prevails; it takes approximately 200 years for a relatively rapid star like Bernard's star to move a distance in the skies equal to the diameter of the earth's moon. When the apparently negligible movement of the stars is contrasted with the movement of the planets, the stars are seemingly unmoving.

20.   Which of the following is the best title for this 
        passage?

             a.       What the eye can see in the sky

             b.      Bernard's star

             c.       Planetary Movement  

             d.      The Evermoving stars

21.   The expression "naked eye" in line 1 most probably 
        refers to

             a.       a telescope

             b.      a scientific method for observing stars

             c.       unassisted vision

             d.      a camera with a powerful lens

22. According to the passage, the distances between the stars and Earth are

           a.       barely perceptible

           b.      huge

           c.       fixed

           d.      moderate

23. The word "perceptible" in line 5 is closest in meaning to which of the following?

            a.      noticeable

            b.      persuasive

            c.       conceivable

            d.      astonishing

24. In line 6, a "misconception" is closest in meaning to a (n)

            a.       idea

            b.      proven fact

            c.       erroneous belief

            d.      theory 

      25. The passage states that in 200 years Bernard's star can move

      a.     around Earth's moon 

      b.    next to the earth's moon 

      c.     a distance equal to the distance from earth to the moon 

      d.   a distance seemingly equal to the diameter of 

          the moon  

Sumber : 
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Task 1: Reading Comprehension part 1

Task 1: Reading Comprehension part 1

Aspirin’s origins go back at least as early as 1758. In that year, Englishman Edward Stone noticed a distinctive bitter flavor in the bark of the willow tree. To Stone, this particular bark seemed to have much in common with “Peruvian Bark,” which had been used medicinally since the 1640s to bring down fevers and to treat malaria. Stone decided to test the effectiveness of the willow bark. He obtained some, pulverized it into tiny pieces, and conducted experiments on its properties. His tests demonstrated that this pulverized willow bark was effective both in reducing high temperatures and in relieving aches and pains. In 1763, Stone presented his findings to the British Royal Society.

Several decades later, further studies on the medicinal value of the willow bark were being conducted by two Italian scientists. These chemists, Brugnatelli and Fontana, determined that the active chemical that was responsible for the medicinal characteristics in the willow bark was the chemical salicin, which is the active ingredient of today’s aspirin.  

The name “aspirin” is the trade name of the drug based on the chemical salicin, properly known as acetylsalicylic acid. The trade name “aspirin” was invented for the drug in the 1890s by the Bayer Drug Company in Germany. The first bottles of aspirin actually went on sale to the public just prior to the turn of the century, in 1899.

1.  According to the passage, aspirin originated   

            a.       no later than 1758

            b.      sometime after 1758

            c.       definitely sometime in 1758

            d.      no earlier than 1758

2. It can be inferred from the passage that Peruvian Bark

            a.       caused fevers

            b.      was ineffective in treating malaria

            c.       was described to the British Royal Society by Stone     

            d.      was in use prior to aspirin

3. The pronoun “it” in line 5 refers to

            a.      malaria

            b.      willow bark

            c.       effectiveness

            d.      the British Royal Society

4. The word “properties” in line 6 could best be replaced by

            a.       ownership

            b.      body

            c.       characteristics 

            d.      materials

5. What did the willow bark look like after Stone prepared it for his experiments?

           a.       It was in large chunks.

           b.      It was a thick liquid.

           c.       It was a rough powder.

           d.      It was in strips of bark.

6. The Italian chemists mentioned in the passage most probably conducted their studies on willow bark

           a.      in the 1750s

           b.      in the 1760s

           c.       in the 1770s

           d.      in the 1780s

7.  What is true about Brugnatelli and Fontana?

           a.       They were from Italy.

           b.      They added a chemical to the willow bark.

           c.       They conducted studies on the willow bark.

           d.      They were medical doctors.

8. The expression “prior to” in line 14 could best be replaced by

            a.       at

            b.      before

            c.       during

            d.      after

9. The word “turn” in line 15 could best be replaced by

            a.      spin

            b.      corner

            c.       change

            d.      reversal

10. Where in the passage does the author name the scientific compound that makes up aspirin?

             a.       Lines 2-4

             b.      Line 7

             c.       Lines 8-9

             d.      Lines 14-15

     The cause of tooth decay is acid, which is produced by bacteria in the mouth. The acid removes minerals from tooth enamel, allowing tooth decay to begin; the saliva in your mouth encourages remineralization and Line neutralizes the acid. The rate at which bacteria in the mouth produce acid depends on the amount of plaque on the teeth, the composition of the microbial flora, and whether the bacteria of the plaque have been “primed” by frequent exposure to sugar. To keep your teeth healthy, a regular dental hygiene program should be followed.

     Removing plaque with a toothbrush and dental floss temporarily reduces the numbers of bacteria in the mouth and thus reduces tooth decay. It also makes the surfaces of the teeth more accessible, enabling saliva to neutralize acid and remineralise lesions. If fluoride is present in drinking water when teeth are forming, some fluoride is incorporated into the enamel of the teeth, making them more resistant to attack by acid. Fluoride toothpaste seems to act in another way, by promoting the remineralization of early carious lesions.

       In addition to a regular dental hygiene program, a good way to keep your teeth healthy is to reduce your intake of sweet food. The least cavity- causing way to eat sweets is to have them with meals and not between. The number of times you eat sweets rather than the total amount determines how much harmful acid the bacteria in your saliva produce. But the amount of sweets influences the quality of your saliva. Avoid, if you can, sticky sweets that stay in your mouth a long time. Also try to brush and floss your teeth after eating sugary foods. Even rinsing your mouth with water is effective. Whenever possible, eat foods with fiber, such as raw carrot sticks, apples, celery sticks, etc., that scrape off plaque, acting as a toothbrush. Cavities can be greatly reduced if these rules are followed when eating sweets.

11. What does this passage mainly discuss?

              a.       Good nutrition

              b.      Food with fiber 

              c.       Ways to keep your teeth healthy

              d.      Fluoridization and cavities

12. According to the passage, all of the following statements about plaque are true EXCEPT…

              a.       it consists of acid producing bacteria

              b.      it is not affected by eating sweets

              c.       it can be removed from teeth by brushing and flossing

              d.      it reduces the positive effect of saliva

13. We can infer from the passage that one benefit of fluoride to healthy teeth is…    

             a.      It strengthens tooth enamel

             b.      it stimulates saliva production

             c.       it makes teeth whiter

             d.      It Is a replacement for brushing and flossing in dental care

14. The word “it” in paragraph 2 refers to …

             a.       dental floss

             b.      bacteria

             c.       removal of plaque  

             d.      plaque

15. What can be concluded from the passage about sweets?

             a.       All sweets should be avoided.

             b.      Sweets should be eaten with care. 

             c.       It is better to eat sweets a little at a time throughout the day.

             d.      Sticky sweets are less harmful than other sweets.

16. The word “scrape off” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to…

             a.       repel

             b.      rub together with

             c.       remove

             d.      dissolve

17. According to the passage, the value of eating foods with fiber is that …

             a.       they contain Vitamin A

             b.      they are less expensive than a toothbrush   

             c.       they are able to remove the plaque from your teeth

             d.      they contain no sugar

18. The author of the passage states that the amount of acid produced by the bacteria in your saliva increases …

              a.       with the amount of sweets you eat

              b.      with the number of times you eat sweets 

              c.       if you eat sweets with your meals

              d.      if you eat sticky sweets

In 1900 the United States had only three cities with more than a million residents-New York, Chicago, and Philadelpia. By 1930, it had ten giant metropolises. The newer ones experienced remarkable growth, which reflected basic changes in the economy. The population of Los Angeles (114,000 in 1900) rose spectacularly in the early decades of the twentieth century, increasing a dramatic 1,400 percent from 1900 to 1930.

            A number of circumstances contributed to the meteoric rise of Los Angeles. The agricultural potencial of the area was enormous if water for irrigation could be found, and the city founders had the vision and dating to obtain it by constructing a 225-mile aqueduct, completed in 1913, to tap the water of the Owens River. The city had a superb natural harbor, as well as excellent rail connections.

The climate made it possible to shoot motion pictures year-round; hence Hollywood. Hollywood not only supplied jobs; it disseminated an image of the good life in Southern Californiaon screens all across the nation. The most important single industry powering the growth of Los Angeles, however, was directly linked to the automobile. The demand for petroleum to fuel gasoline engines led to the opening of Southern California oil fields, and made Los Angeles North America’s greatest refining center.

            Los Angeles was a product of the auto age in another sense as well: its distinctive spatial organization depended on widespread private ownership of automobiles. Los Angeles was a decentralized metropolis, sprawling across the desert landscape over an area of 400 square miles. It was a city without a real center.

The downtown business distric did not gro aace with the city as a whole, and the rapid transit system designed to link the center with outlying areas whitered away from disuse. Approximately 800,000 cars were registered in os Angeles County in 1930, one per 2.7 residents. Some visitors from the east coast were dismayed at the endless urban sprawl and dismissed Los Angeles as a mere collection of suburbs in search of a city. But the freedom and mobility of a city built on wheels attracted floods of migrants to the city

19. What is the passage mainly about?

             a.       The growth of cities in the United States in the early 1900’s

             b.      The development of the Southern California oil fields

             c.       Factors contributing to the growth of Los Angeles

             d.      Industry and city planning in Los Angeles.

20. The author characterizes the growth of new large cities in the United States after 1900 as     resulting primarily from

            a.      new economic conditions

            b.      images of cities  

            c.       new agricultural techniques

            d.      a large migrant population 

21. The word “meteoric” in line 6 is closest in meaning to

             a.      rapid

             b.      famous

             c.       controversial

             d.      methodical

  

22. The word “it” in line 8 refers to

             a.       aqueduct

             b.      vision

             c.       water

             d.      agricultural potential

23. According to the passage, the most important factor in the development of agriculture around Los Angeles was the

             a.       influx of “new residents to agricultural areas near the city

             b.      construction of an aqueduct

             c.       expansion of transportation facilities

             d.      development of new connections to the city’s natural harbor

24. According to the passage, the initial success of Hollywood’s motion picture industry was due largely to the

             a.       availability of many skilled workers

             b.      beauty of the countryside

             c.       region’s reputation for luxurious lifestyle

             d.      region’s climate and good weather

25. It can be inferred from the passage that in 1930 the greatest number of people in the Los Angeles area were employed in       

             a.       farming

             b.      oil refining  

             c.       automobile manufacturing 

             d.      the motion picture industry

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