Task 1: Reading Comprehension part 1
Questions 1-12
In
the mid-nineteenth century, the United States had tremendous natural
resources that could be exploited in order to develop heavy industry.
Most of the raw materials that are valuable in the manufacture of
machinery, transportation facilities, and consumer goods lay ready to
be worked into wealth. Iron, coal, and oil-the basic ingredients of
industrial growth-were plentiful and needed only the application of
technical expertise, organizational skill, and labor.
One crucial development in this movement toward industrialization was the growth of the railroads. The railway network expanded rapidly until the railroad map of the United States looked like a spider’s web, with the steel filaments connecting all important sources of raw materials, their places of manufacture, and their centers of distribution. The railroads contributed to the industrial growth not only by connecting these major centers, but also by themselves consuming enormous amounts of fuel, iron, and coal.
Many factors influenced emerging modes of production. For example, machine tools, the tools used to make goods, were steadily improved in the latter part of the nineteenth century-always with an eye to speedier production and lower unit costs. The products of the factories were rapidly absorbed by the growing cities that sheltered the workers and the distributors. The increased urban population was nourished by the increased farm production that, in turn, was made more productive by the use of the new farm machinery. American agricultural production kept up with the urban demand and still had surpluses for sale to the industrial centers of Europe.
One crucial development in this movement toward industrialization was the growth of the railroads. The railway network expanded rapidly until the railroad map of the United States looked like a spider’s web, with the steel filaments connecting all important sources of raw materials, their places of manufacture, and their centers of distribution. The railroads contributed to the industrial growth not only by connecting these major centers, but also by themselves consuming enormous amounts of fuel, iron, and coal.
Many factors influenced emerging modes of production. For example, machine tools, the tools used to make goods, were steadily improved in the latter part of the nineteenth century-always with an eye to speedier production and lower unit costs. The products of the factories were rapidly absorbed by the growing cities that sheltered the workers and the distributors. The increased urban population was nourished by the increased farm production that, in turn, was made more productive by the use of the new farm machinery. American agricultural production kept up with the urban demand and still had surpluses for sale to the industrial centers of Europe.
The
labor that ran the factories and built the railways was recruited in
part from American farm areas where people were being displaced by
farm machinery, in part from Asia, and in part from Europe. Europe
now began to send tides of immigrants from eastern and southern
Europe-most of whom were originally poor farmers but who settled in
American industrial cities. The money to finance this tremendous
expansion of the American economy still came from European financiers
for the most part, but the Americans were approaching the day when
their expansion could be financed in their own “money market.”
1.
What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. The history of railroads in the United States
B. The major United States industrial centers
C. Factors that affected industrialization in the United States
D. The role of agriculture in the nineteenth century
A. The history of railroads in the United States
B. The major United States industrial centers
C. Factors that affected industrialization in the United States
D. The role of agriculture in the nineteenth century
2.
The word “ingredients” in line 4 is closest in meaning to
A. minerals
B. products
C. methods
D. components
A. minerals
B. products
C. methods
D. components
3.Why
does the author mention “a spider’s web” in line 8?
A. To emphasize the railroad’s consumption of oil and coal
B. To describe the complex structure of the railway system
C. To explain the problems brought on by railway expansion
D. To describe the difficulties involved in the distribution of raw materials
A. To emphasize the railroad’s consumption of oil and coal
B. To describe the complex structure of the railway system
C. To explain the problems brought on by railway expansion
D. To describe the difficulties involved in the distribution of raw materials
4.
The word “themselves” in line 10 refers to
A. sources
B. centers
C. railroads
D. places
A. sources
B. centers
C. railroads
D. places
5.
According to the passage, all of the following were true of railroads
in the United States in the nineteenth century EXCEPT that
A. they connected important industrial cities
B. they were necessary to the industrialization process
C. they were expanded in a short time
D. they used relatively small quantities of natural resources
A. they connected important industrial cities
B. they were necessary to the industrialization process
C. they were expanded in a short time
D. they used relatively small quantities of natural resources
6.
According to the passage, what was one effect of the improvement of
machine tools?
A. Lower manufacturing costs
B. Better distribution of goods
C. More efficient transportation of natural resources
D. A reduction in industrial jobs
A. Lower manufacturing costs
B. Better distribution of goods
C. More efficient transportation of natural resources
D. A reduction in industrial jobs
7.
According to the passage, who were the biggest consumers of
manufactured products?
A. Railway workers
B. Farmers
C. City dwellers
D. Europeans
A. Railway workers
B. Farmers
C. City dwellers
D. Europeans
8.
The word “nourished” in line 16 is closest in meaning to
A. protected
B. fed
C. housed
D. paid
A. protected
B. fed
C. housed
D. paid
9.
Which of the following is NOT true of United States farmers in the
nineteenth century?
A. They lost some jobs because of mechanization.
B. They were unable to produce sufficient food for urban areas.
C. They raised their productivity by using new machinery.
D. They sold food to European countries.
A. They lost some jobs because of mechanization.
B. They were unable to produce sufficient food for urban areas.
C. They raised their productivity by using new machinery.
D. They sold food to European countries.
10.
According to the passage, what did the United States supply to
European cities?
A. Machine tools
B. Money
C. Raw materials
D. Agricultural produce
A. Machine tools
B. Money
C. Raw materials
D. Agricultural produce
11.
The word “ran” in line 19 is closest in meaning to
A. operated
B. hurried
C. constructed
D. owned
A. operated
B. hurried
C. constructed
D. owned
12.
Where in the passage does the author mention the financial aspect of
industrial expansion?
A. Lines 1-2
B. Lines 9-11
C. Lines 17-18
D. Lines 22-25
A. Lines 1-2
B. Lines 9-11
C. Lines 17-18
D. Lines 22-25
Questions
13-22
Tools and hand bones excavated from the Swartkrans cave complex in South Africa suggest that a close relative of early humans known as Australopithecus robustus may have made and used primitive tools long before the species became extinct I million Line years ago. It may even have made and used primitive tools long before humanity’s direct ancestor, Homo habilis, or “handy man,” began doing so. Homo habilis and its successor, Homo erectus, coexisted with Australopithecus robustus on the plains of South Africa for more than a million years.
The Swartkrans cave in South Africa has been under excavation since the 1940’s. The earliest fossil-containing layers of sedimentary rock in the cave date from about 1.9 million years ago and contain extensive remains of animals, primitive tools, and two or more species of apelike hominids. The key recent discovery involved bones from the hand of Australopithecus robustus, the first time such bones have been found.
The most important feature of the Australopithecus robustus hand was the pollical distal thumb tip, the last bone in the thumb. The bone had an attachment point for a “uniquely human” muscle, the flexor pollicis longus, that had previously been found only in more recent ancestors. That muscle gave Australopithecus robustutJ an opposable thumb, a feature that would allow them to grip objects, including tools. The researchers also found primitive bone and stone implements, especially digging tools, in the same layers of sediments.
Australopithecus robustus were more heavily built- more “robust” in anthropological terms-than their successors. They had broad faces, heavy jaws, and massive crushing and grinding teeth that were used for eating hard fruits, seeds, and fibrous underground plant parts. They walked upright, which would have allowed them to carry and use tools. Most experts had previously believed that Homo habilis were able to supplant Australopithecus robustus because the former’s ability to use tools gave them an innate superiority. The discovery that Australopithecus robustus also used tools means that researchers will have to seek other explanations for their extinction. Perhaps their reliance on naturally occurring plants led to their downfall as the climate became drier and cooler, or perhaps Homo habilis, with their bigger brains, were simply able tomake more sophisticated tools.
Tools and hand bones excavated from the Swartkrans cave complex in South Africa suggest that a close relative of early humans known as Australopithecus robustus may have made and used primitive tools long before the species became extinct I million Line years ago. It may even have made and used primitive tools long before humanity’s direct ancestor, Homo habilis, or “handy man,” began doing so. Homo habilis and its successor, Homo erectus, coexisted with Australopithecus robustus on the plains of South Africa for more than a million years.
The Swartkrans cave in South Africa has been under excavation since the 1940’s. The earliest fossil-containing layers of sedimentary rock in the cave date from about 1.9 million years ago and contain extensive remains of animals, primitive tools, and two or more species of apelike hominids. The key recent discovery involved bones from the hand of Australopithecus robustus, the first time such bones have been found.
The most important feature of the Australopithecus robustus hand was the pollical distal thumb tip, the last bone in the thumb. The bone had an attachment point for a “uniquely human” muscle, the flexor pollicis longus, that had previously been found only in more recent ancestors. That muscle gave Australopithecus robustutJ an opposable thumb, a feature that would allow them to grip objects, including tools. The researchers also found primitive bone and stone implements, especially digging tools, in the same layers of sediments.
Australopithecus robustus were more heavily built- more “robust” in anthropological terms-than their successors. They had broad faces, heavy jaws, and massive crushing and grinding teeth that were used for eating hard fruits, seeds, and fibrous underground plant parts. They walked upright, which would have allowed them to carry and use tools. Most experts had previously believed that Homo habilis were able to supplant Australopithecus robustus because the former’s ability to use tools gave them an innate superiority. The discovery that Australopithecus robustus also used tools means that researchers will have to seek other explanations for their extinction. Perhaps their reliance on naturally occurring plants led to their downfall as the climate became drier and cooler, or perhaps Homo habilis, with their bigger brains, were simply able tomake more sophisticated tools.
13.
It can be inferred from the first paragraph that all of the
following may have made and used tools EXCEPT.
A. Australopithecus robustus
B. Homo erectus
C. Homo habilis
D. Australopithecus robustus’ ancestors
A. Australopithecus robustus
B. Homo erectus
C. Homo habilis
D. Australopithecus robustus’ ancestors
14.
The word “extensive” in line 9 is closest in meaning to
A. numerous
B. exposed
C. ancient
D. valuable
A. numerous
B. exposed
C. ancient
D. valuable
15.
Which of the following does the author mention as the most important
recent discovery made in the Swartkrans cave?
A. Tools
B. Teeth
C. Plant fossils
D. Hand bones
A. Tools
B. Teeth
C. Plant fossils
D. Hand bones
16.
What does the third paragraph ‘mainly discuss?
A. Features of Australopithecus robustus’ hand
B. Purposes for which hominids used tools
C. Methods used to determine the age of fossils
D. Significant plant fossils found in layers of sediment
A. Features of Australopithecus robustus’ hand
B. Purposes for which hominids used tools
C. Methods used to determine the age of fossils
D. Significant plant fossils found in layers of sediment
17.
It can be inferred from the description in the last paragraph that
Australopithecus robustus was so named because of the species’
A. ancestors
B. thumb
C. build
D. diet
A. ancestors
B. thumb
C. build
D. diet
18.
The word “supplant” in line 22 is closest in meaning to
A. exploit
B. displace
C. understand
D. imitate
A. exploit
B. displace
C. understand
D. imitate
19.
The word “them” in line 23 refers to
A. tools
B. Homo habilis
C. Australopithecus robustus
D. experts
A. tools
B. Homo habilis
C. Australopithecus robustus
D. experts
20.
What does the author suggest is unclear about Australopithecus
robustus?
A. Whether they used tools
B. What they most likely ate
C. Whether they are closely related to humans
D. Why they became extinct
A. Whether they used tools
B. What they most likely ate
C. Whether they are closely related to humans
D. Why they became extinct
21.
The phrase “reliance on” in line 24 is closest in meaning to
A. impact on
B. dependence on
C. tolerance of
D. discovery of
A. impact on
B. dependence on
C. tolerance of
D. discovery of
22.
Where in the passage does the author mention the materials from which
tools were made?
A. Lines 7-9
B. Lines 12-13
C. Lines 15-17
D. Lines 21-23
A. Lines 7-9
B. Lines 12-13
C. Lines 15-17
D. Lines 21-23
Questions
23-25
A distinctively American architecture began with Frank Lloyd Wright, who had taken to heart the admonition that form should follow function and who thought of buildings not as separate architectural entities but as parts of an organic whole that included the land, the community, and the society. In a very real way the houses of colonial New England and some of the southern plantations had been functional, but Wright was the first architect to make functionalism the authoritative principle for public as well as for domestic buildings. As early as 1906 he built the Unity Temple in Oak Park, Illinois, the first of those churches that did so much to revolutionize ecclesiastical architecture in the United States. Thereafter he turned his genius to such miscellaneous structures as houses, schools, office buildings, and factories, among them the famous Larkin Building in Buffalo, New York, and the Johnson Wax Company building in Racine, Wisconsin.
A distinctively American architecture began with Frank Lloyd Wright, who had taken to heart the admonition that form should follow function and who thought of buildings not as separate architectural entities but as parts of an organic whole that included the land, the community, and the society. In a very real way the houses of colonial New England and some of the southern plantations had been functional, but Wright was the first architect to make functionalism the authoritative principle for public as well as for domestic buildings. As early as 1906 he built the Unity Temple in Oak Park, Illinois, the first of those churches that did so much to revolutionize ecclesiastical architecture in the United States. Thereafter he turned his genius to such miscellaneous structures as houses, schools, office buildings, and factories, among them the famous Larkin Building in Buffalo, New York, and the Johnson Wax Company building in Racine, Wisconsin.
23. The phrase “taken to heart” in line 1 is closest in meaning to which of the following?
A. Taken seriously
B. Criticized
C. Memorized
D. Taken offence
24.
In what way did Wright’s public buildings differ from most of those
built by earlier architects?
A. They were built on a larger scale.
B. Their materials came from the southern United States.
C. They looked more like private homes.
D. Their designs were based on how they would be used.
A. They were built on a larger scale.
B. Their materials came from the southern United States.
C. They looked more like private homes.
D. Their designs were based on how they would be used.
25.
The author mentions the Unity Temple because, it
A. was Wright’s first building
B. influenced the architecture of subsequent churches
C. demonstrated traditional ecclesiastical architecture
D. was the largest church Wright ever designed
A. was Wright’s first building
B. influenced the architecture of subsequent churches
C. demonstrated traditional ecclesiastical architecture
D. was the largest church Wright ever designed
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