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
sumber
http://cgeduntuksemua.blogspot.co.id/2013/05/contoh-soal-dan-pembahasan-bagian.html
http://www.pustakabahasainggris.com/50-contoh-soal-toefl-reading-comprehension-lengkap-dengan-kunci-jawaban-dan-pembahasan-part-a/
http://www.ilmubahasainggris.com/11-soal-reading-comprehension-dalam-tes-toefl-lengkap-beserta-jawaban-dan-pembahasannya/
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