PRACTICE TEST IN READING COMPREHENSION Microscopes

Read carefully each selection then answer It happened over 300 years ago in Holland when
the questions that follow. Anton Van Leeuwenhoek discovered the
microscope.
Directions to Erik’s House
One day he looked through it at a drop of lake
Leave Interstate 25 at exit 7S. Follow that road (Elm water. What we saw surprised him. The water was
Street) for two miles. After one mile, you will pass a alive with what Leeuwenhoek called “wee beasties.”
small shopping center on your left. At the next set of The microscope made tiny organisms look 200
traffic lights, turn right onto Maple Drive. Erik’s times larger than life size. Leeuwenhoek was one of
house is the third house on your left. It’s number 33, the first scientists to see living things that were that
and it’s white with green trim. small. His work was a giant step for science.

1. What is Erik’s address? Today, microscopes are much larger. An electron

a. Interstate 25 c. 13 Erika Street microscope can make tiny organisms look 200 000
b. 2 Elm Street d. 33 Maple Drive times life size. A few electron microscopes can see
individual atoms. Pictures can be made to show the
2. Which is closest to Erik’s house? objects or organisms much bigger.
a. the traffic lights c. exit 7S
b. the shopping center d. a green house The pictures add gently to what we know about tiny
objects and organisms. Microscopes have come a
long way in 300 years.
The B & B Tour
6. What apparatus makes tiny organisms look
Spend ten romantic days enjoying the lush 200 times larger than life size?
countryside of southern England. The counties of a. eyeglasses c. camera
Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, and Essex invite you to b. microscope d. electron
enjoy their castles and coastline, their charming bed
and breakfast inns, their museums and their 7. What is the good effect of Leeuwenhoek’s
cathedrals. Spend lazy days watching the clouds invention to mankind?
drift by or spend active days hiking the glorious hills. a. People can see tiny organisms bigger.
These fields were home to Thomas Hardy, and the b. People can see the insects bigger.
ports launched ships that shaped world history. Bed c. People need to use magnifying glass.
and breakfast abound, ranging from quiet d. People get to have different pictures.
farmhouses to lofty castles. Our tour begins August
15. Call or fax us today for more information 1-800- The rules of conduct during an examination are
222-XXXX. Enrollment is limited, so please call clear. No books, calculators or papers are allowed
soon. in the test room. Proctors will not allow anyone with
such items to take the test. Anyone caught cheating
3. Which of the following counties is not included will be asked to leave the room. His or her test
in the tour? sheet will be taken. The incident will be reported to
a. Devon the proper authority. At the end of the test period, all
b. Cornwall materials will be returned to the proctor. Failure to
c. Essex abide by these rules will result in a failing grade for
d. Hampshire this test.

4. How many people can go on this tour? 8. In which part of the paragraph is the main idea
a. 10 found?
b. 2-8 a. first sentence c. third sentence
c. an unlimited number b. last sentence d. second sentence
d. a limited number 9. What can be concluded from the information
given?
5. What can we infer about this are of southern a. Cheating is punishable.
England? b. Rules should be followed.
a. The region has lots of vegetation. c. Proctors should be very strict.
b. The coast often has harsh weather. d. If you do not follow the rules, you will
c. The sun is hot and the air is dry. automatically fail the test
d. The land is flat.

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1 There is a great deal of communication between Happiness is one subject everyone thinks about but
Chinese teachers and parents, especially when the few seem to understand. Some gain happiness and
younger children move into new school settings. 2 keep it. Others momentarily grasp it, then lose it. A
Some communication takes place informally when few never experience it at all. Yet, however elusive
parents walk young children to the school or pick happiness may be, it is attainable no matter how
them up, but there are a number of other more miserable you may have been in the past.
formal modes of communication, usually initiated by
the schools. 3 These include meetings for parents, 14. According to the selection, which of the following
most often held early in the school year or at the statements is true?
end of the year, visits from teachers to the homes of a. A happy person is not made.
the students, and small notebooks that pass back b. A person becomes unhappy as he grows older.
and forth between school and home, referred to as c. One who has a sad past can never experience
“communication books” or connection notebooks.” happiness.
4 The exchange between school and home in d. One may attain happiness in spite of an
China, apparently so much more fluid and unfortunate experience in life.
continuous than in the United States, May be the
result of the more stable and tighter organization of 15. Which of the following statements express the true
Chinese neighborhoods. 5 Schools generally seem meaning of happiness?
to be less isolated from homes in China than they a. It befalls a person like a gift from heaven.
are in the West. b. It takes place when the right time comes.
c. It just happens in one’s life.
10. The main idea in this passage is that d. It is difficult to comprehend.
a. Schools in China are better organized
than are schools in the United States.
b. Communication between teachers and Directions: Each paragraph or quotation below is
parents in the United States is poor. followed by several statements, one of which best
c. Chinese parents and teachers summarizes the paragraph or quotation. Write the
communicate frequently with each other. letter of your choice on the blank provided after
d. Communication between parents and the last exercise.
teachers eliminates certain problems in
China’s schools. 16. The failed July 27, 2003 mutiny was believed
by many as a plan by the Magdalo Group as an
11. According to this passage, most informal attempt to stage a take over of the government. It was
communication between Chinese parents and viewed as a desperate attempt by the mutineers who
teachers occurs were supported by influential and politically motivated
a. at the beginning and end of a child’s men who financed the mutiny, according to the
school day. Feliciano Commission. The action was found to be
b. when a child is doing well enough to unconstitutional as it violates both the Articles of War
be promoted. and the Revised Penal Code. Such act can lead to
c. when parents request that the teacher either Court Martial or Civilian proceedings or even
visit them at home. both.
d. when parents voluntarily come to the
school to inquire about the child’s The best title for the above article is:
progress.
a. Failed Mutiny
12. What is the function of sentence 5 in the b. Illegal Soldiers’ Uprising
passage? c. Coup d’ etat
a. It introduces a new idea. d. Articles of War and Punishment
b. It introduces an implied comparison.
c. It provides an exception to a point
made in sentence. 17. The importance of breakfast for the young and
d. It clarifies and concludes ideas the old cannot be underestimated. No hearty meal or
presented in sentence. snacks can take the place of this meal. The word
“breakfast” is coined to break the fasting of from 5-8
13. The author suggests that the school-family hours of sleeping at night time. Studies have shown
connection in China is that a well-planned breakfast which is eaten assures
a. usually controlled by the parents the well-being of everybody for the whole day’s work.
b. stronger than it is in the United States Nutritionists conclude that children who start the day,
c. supported by neighborhood eating the right food at breakfast, perform much better
organizations with school work. This holds true with adults as
d. similar in most aspects to what it is in regards their performance in their work place. Even to
the United States those who watch their diet, a good breakfast cannery

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will substitute for succeeding heavy snacks and meals The Philippines’ peace and socio-economic
throughout the day. Hence, the adage: Eat breakfast growth will be realized if the “trapos” among politicians
like a king, eat lunch and dinner like a pauper. will work to support, not keep on criticizing or fighting
government programs which aim to alleviate conditions
The above selection supports the idea: to improve our conditions.

a. That breakfast has to be expensive. Why is there a need to support government

b. That breakfast should be well-eaten. efforts to be identified with APEC, U.N. etc. agenda?
c. That breakfast must be well-prepared and
more importantly, be eaten before starting a. because it will make the Philippines great
the day. among Asian.
d. That breakfast is the right meal for the b. because it is needed to fight terrorism,
day. improve peace and commerce, tourism,
etc.
18. The Roll on Roll off (RoRo) is also known as c. because it prevents isolation.
the moving bridges, the strong Republic Nautical d. because our leaders will realize the equity,
Highway. It serves as bridges, which connects Luzon tolerance, cooperation and justice are
thru Visayas and Mindanao, carrying local tourists with attainable to be able to achieve our own
their vehicles, loaded in the ship. identity among nations.

The RoRo dramatically reduces time and 20. In the world of globalization, the trade between
expenses of travel. The prices of commodities from the 2 countries need not only be balanced for each trade
Visayas and Mindanao to Luzon will surely reduce, partner. Differing demands, productive capabilities and
and inventories and costs of products will be better efficiency among countries will cause a specific
handled due to the reduced time and distance of travel country to have trade deficit or imbalance with some
realized. countries and surplus with other countries.

Should advertisement for RoRo be improved Which of the following conclusions best
to include: contacts regarding schedules and places of summarizes the passage above:
departure to and from Luzon (esp. Manila), the
Visayas plus Mindanao, and the cost for loading A/C a. A country’s trade will always be in balance
vans, etc., this more detailed information surely will even though it incurs a deficit with a single
encourage tourism and production of products in country.
places frequently visited and produced respectively. b. A country’s global trade balance indicates
strengths or weakness.
Likewise, a tourism guide or Information c. A country’s trade surplus balance its trade
Center should be made available to guide tourist on deficit with other countries.
how to reach their destination safely, where to go d. A country’s global trade balance is
reasonably prices inns or hotels and the tourist spots determined by its demand and productive
to see in the regions they want to see. capabilities.

The best title for the selection would be 21. Wages refer to the total earnings of a person
for doing a certain kind of service in a given period of
a. An alternative way to see the Philippines’ time. They are paid on an hourly basis or by the
Best. product of a piece rate; hence, the pay rate may be
b. The RoRo is Here. based on time, output, or even a combination of these
c. More ad is needed for RoRo to succeed. two.
d. The Highways at Sea.
The paragraph states that:
19. With the events taking place now-a-days, the
Philippines has earned her rightful place in the world, a. Wages vary
not only in Southeast Asia. The recent visit of US b. Types of wages
President George W. Bush, the firm start of President c. Services are wage-oriented
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the first Asian leader d. Combination of wages is better.
against terrorism and her initiative, calling on wealthy
nations to support maritime regional security at the 22. “Necessity is the mother of invention” is an old
recently concluded APEC meeting plus the Philippine saying which holds water. A new machine, system or a
election to the powerful United Nations Security device is created when there is a felt need for it.
Council (highest UN policy making council) all People will buy it especially if it is reasonably priced.
contribute to making the Philippines a truly pillar of Hence, there is a potential market waiting for it.
democracy. Consequently, more developed countries, spend so
much to discover the satisfaction of man’s insatiable
quest for something to answer the felt need of man.

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Ironically, inventions are given impetus when the extra charges made on orders deserve a gracious
inventor no longer exist. However, at present, it is apology and tact.
gratifying to note that more and more attention is
given, especially by advanced countries where effects The paragraph acknowledges the fact:
of inventions are focused on the benefits of humanity.
a. That the utility letters are used for some
The paragraph stresses that- specific purposes.
b. That although by nature a routine matter,
a. A market demand for a product creates utility letter is written for a definite purpose and with
the invention and production of the clarity, precision and tact.
product. c. That the office should have a utility letter
b. The product is an important commodity form.
c. People need new product for invention d. That several classes of letters can make up
d. A new device creates a new invention. a utility letter.

23. An effective communication takes place when

basic skills are present. The first is called the encoding Then took the other, as just as fair,
skills, which are concerned with speaking and writing. And having perhaps the better claim,
The other skills are listening and reading and are Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
called the decoding skills. Furthermore, the skills Though as for that the passing there
considered the highest form of mental process is Had worn them really about the same
reasoning. The absence of the ability to speak and
write, listen and read, as well as the ability to think, 26. What is the ‘other’ in these lines?
prevent a person to communicate effectively.

The paragraph emphasizes the fact that - a. forest

b. road
a. In any communication process, speaker- c. friend
listener relationship must be stressed. d. choice
b. Certain communication skills are essential
in order to have better communication of 27. Why does the poet choose the other?
ideas.
c. Without the ability to speak and write, a. less travelled
listen and read, plus the ability to think b. more beautiful
through, one cannot communicate c. less leaves
effectively. d. more travelled
d. Communication skills are important skills
to learn. 28. What does the poet’s choice signify?
24. Credit and collection letters are written with the
a. he is ambitious
sensitive feeling of customers in mind. When the
b. he is adventurous
customer fails to pay his debt promptly, a simple form
c. he is lazy
of collection letter is written as a simple reminder that
d. he does not take risks
payment is overdue. If no response was received, then
a formal one is written, followed by a legal action threat
as the final action. There, look what you did – you threw them all down
You tore the pages of the books.
The paragraph tells: You brought rain again.
You are very clever at poking fun at weaklings
a. The need for writing credit and collection
letter. 29. The you in the above lines is ………….
b. The customer who fails to remit payments.
c. How and when letters of credit and a. animal
collection are made. b. storm
d. How not to be used for non-payment of c. wind
credits d. child

25. Letters written about remittances, inquiries, 30. The poet’s tone in these lines is that of ……..
replies, requests and acknowledgment of orders, are
known as utility letters. Although they are part of the
routine in an office, they should be made very clear, a. happiness c. anger
specific and in good taste. Errors made in billing or b. sadness d. envy