Answer Sheet

Passage 1 Passage 2 Passage 3

 Middle East International School

Academic Year 2021 -2022

.………………… :Student's Name: ……………………… Date
…………

)………… ( Subject: Reading Comprehension Grade: 10 Section

Total Marks:20 Student's Mark…..…………: Time Allowed: 1 Period

Passage 1
In the 16th century, an age of great marine and terrestrial exploration, Ferdinand Magellan
led the first expedition to sail around the world. As a young Portuguese noble, he served
the king of Portugal, but he became involved in the quagmire of political intrigue at court
and lost the king’s favor. After he was dismissed from service by the king of Portugal, he
offered to serve the future Emperor Charles V of Spain.

A papal decree of 1493 had assigned all land in the New World west of 50 degrees W
longitude to Spain and all the land east of that line to Portugal. Magellan offered to prove
that the East Indies fell under Spanish authority. On September 20, 1519, Magellan set sail
from Spain with five ships. More than a year later, one of these ships was exploring the
topography of South America in search of a water route across the continent. This ship
sank, but the remaining four ships searched along the southern peninsula of South America.
Finally they found the passage they sought near 50 degrees S latitude. Magellan named this
passage the Strait of All Saints, but today it is known as the Strait of Magellan.

One ship deserted while in this passage and returned to Spain, so fewer sailors were
privileged to gaze at that first panorama of the Pacific Ocean. Those who remained crossed
the meridian now known as the International Date Line in the early spring of 1521 after 98
days on the Pacific Ocean. During those long days at sea, many of Magellan’s men died of
starvation and disease.

Later, Magellan became involved in an insular conflict in the Philippines and was killed in a
tribal battle. Only one ship and 17 sailors under the command of the Basque navigator
Elcano survived to complete the westward journey to Spain and thus prove once and for all
that the world is round, with no precipice at the edge.
1. The 16th century was an age of great ______ exploration.

A. cosmic
B. land
C. mental
D. common man
2. Magellan lost the favor of the king of Portugal when he became involved in a political
________.

A. dilemma
B. discussion
C. negotiation
D. conciliation
3. The Pope divided New World lands between Spain and Portugal according to their
location on one side or the other of an imaginary geographical line 50 degrees west of
Greenwich that extends in a _________ direction.

A. north and south

B. crosswise
C. easterly
D. south east
4. One of Magellan’s ships explored the _________ of South America for a passage across
the continent.

A. coastline
B. mountain range
C. landscape
D. islands
5. Four of the ships sought a passage along a southern ______.

A. coast
B. inland
C. body of land with water on three sides
D. border
6. The passage was found near 50 degrees S of ________.

A. Greenwich
B. The equator
C. Spain
D. Portugal
7. In the spring of 1521, the ships crossed the _______ now called the International Date
Line.
A. imaginary line parallel to the equator
B. area
C. land mass
D. imaginary circle passing through the poles
Passage 2

My next pet was a pigeon. He was still very young. He was the most revolting bird to look
at, with his feathers pushing through the wrinkled scarlet skin, mixed, with the horrible
yellow down that covers baby pigeons and makes them look as though they have been
peroxiding their hair. Because of his repulsive and obese appearance, Larry suggested we
call him Quasimodo and, liking the name without realizing the implications, I agreed. Owing
to his unorthodox upbringing, and the fact that he had no parents to teach him the facts of
life, Quasimodo became convinced that he was not a bird at all,, and refused to fly. Instead,
he walked everywhere. If he wanted to get onto a table, or a chair he stood below it,
ducking his head and cooing in a rich control to until someone lifted him up. He was always
eager to join us in anything we did, and would even try to come for walks with us. This,
however, we had to stop, for either you carried him on your shoulder, which was risking an
accident to your clothes, or else, you let him walk behind. If you let him walk, then you had
to slow down your own pace to suit his, for should you get too far ahead you would hear
the most frantic and imploring coos and turn around to find Quasimodo running
desperately after you, his chest pouted out with indignation at your cruelty. Gerald Durrell

1. The narrator describes the pigeon as a ‘revolting bird’ because:

(a) it could not fly

(b) it had to be carried everywhere

(c) it had wrinkled skin covered with yellow feathers

(d) it was fat

2. If Quasimodo had parents, he would have:

(a) known he was a bird

(b) behaved like a bird

(c) learnt to fly

(d) not walked so much

3. We know that Quasimodo was always eager to go on walks because:

(a) he walked everywhere

(b) he did not know how to fly

(c) he protested loudly if he was not taken along

(d) he always copied whatever humans did

4. Quasimodo considered the human beings cruel when:

(a) they tried to leave him at home

(b) they lifted him on their shoulders

(c) they took him for a walk

(d) they walked too fast

5. The word ‘unorthodox’ means:

(a) following generally accepted beliefs

(b) strict and disciplined

(c) different from what is usual or accepted

(d) active and outgoing

6. The underlined pronoun in the text refers to

(a) Larry & I

(b) Larry

(c) Quasimodo

(d) none of the answers

Passage 3

1. The city of Teotihuacán, which lay about 50 kilometers northeast of modern-day Mexico
City, began its growth by 200 –100 B.C. At its height, between about A.D. 150 and 700, it
probably had a population of more than 125,000 people and covered at least 20 square
kilometers. It had over 2,000 apartment complexes, a great market, a large number of
industrial workshops, an administrative center, a number of massive religious edifices, and
a regular grid pattern of streets and buildings. Clearly, much planning and central control
were involved in the expansion and ordering of this great metropolis. Moreover, the city
had economic and perhaps religious contacts with most parts of Mesoamerica (modern
Central America and Mexico)

2. How did this tremendous development take place, and why did it happen in the
Teotihuacán Valley? Among the main factors are Teotihuacán's geographic location on a
natural trade route to the south and east of the Valley of Mexico, the obsidian¹ resources in
the Teotihuacán Valley itself, and the valley's potential for extensive irrigation. The exact
role of other factors is much more difficult to pinpoint — for instance, Teotihuacán's
religious significance as a shrine, the historical situation in and around the Valley of Mexico
toward the end of the first millennium B.C., the ingenuity and foresightedness of
Teotihuacán's elite, and, finally, the impact of natural disasters, such as the volcanic
eruptions of the late first millennium B.C.

3. This last factor is at least circumstantially implicated in Teotihuacán's rise. Prior to 200
B.C., a number of relatively small centers coexisted in and near the Valley of Mexico.
Around this time, the largest of these centers, Cuicuilco, was seriously affected by a volcanic
eruption, with much of its agricultural land covered by lava. With Cuicuilco eliminated as a
potential rival, any one of a number of relatively modest towns might have emerged as a
leading economic and political power in Central Mexico. The archaeological evidence clearly
indicates, though, that Teotihuacán was the center that did arise as the predominant force
in the area by the first century A.D.

4. It seems likely that Teotihuacán's natural resources—along with the city elite's ability to
recognize their potential — gave the city a competitive edge over its neighbors. The valley,
like many other places in Mexican and Guatemalan highlands, was rich in obsidian. The hard
volcanic stone was a resource that had been in great demand for many years, at least since
the rise of the Olmecs (a people who flourished between 1200 and 400 B.C.), and it
apparently had a secure market. Moreover, recent research on obsidian tools found at
Olmec sites has shown that some of the obsidian obtained by the Olmecs originated near
Teotihuacán. Teotihuacán obsidian must have been recognized as a valuable commodity for
many centuries before the great city arose.

5. Long-distance trade in obsidian probably gave the elite residents of Teotihuacán access
to a wide variety of exotic goods, as well as a relatively prosperous life. Such success may
have attracted immigrants to Teotihuacán. In addition, Teotihuacán's elite may have
consciously attempted to attract new inhabitants. It is also probable that as early as 200
B.C. Teotihuacán may have achieved some religious significance and its shrine (or shrines)
may have served as an additional population magnet. Finally, the growing population was
probably fed by increasing the number and size of irrigated fields.

6. The picture of Teotihuacán that emerges is a classic picture of positive feedback among
obsidian mining and working, trade, population growth, irrigation, and religious tourism.
The thriving obsidian operation, for example, would necessitate more miners, additional
manufacturers of obsidian tools, and additional traders to carry the goods to new markets.
All this led to increased wealth, which in turn would attract more immigrants to
Teotihuacán. The growing power of the elite, who controlled the economy, would give
them the means to physically coerce people to move to Teotihuacán and serve as additions
to the labor force. More irrigation works would have to be built to feed the growing
population, and this resulted in more power and wealth for the elite.
obsidian: a type of volcanic glasslike rock used for manufacturing tools and ceremonial objects

1. In paragraph 1, each of the following is mentioned as a feature of the city of

Teotihuacán between A.D. 150 and 700 EXCEPT:

A. regularly arranged streets

B. several administrative centers spread across the city
C. many manufacturing workshops
D. apartment complexes
2. The word "ingenuity" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to:

A. ambition

B. sincerity

C. faith

D. cleverness

3. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in paragraph 2 as a main factor in the

development of Teotihuacán?

A. The presence of obsidian in the Teotihuacán Valley

B. The potential for extensive irrigation of Teotihuacán Valley lands

C. A long period of volcanic inactivity in the Teotihuacán Valley

D. Teotihuacán's location on a natural trade route

4. What can be inferred from paragraph 3 about Cuicuilco prior to 200 B.C.?

A. It was a fairly small city until that date.

B. It was located outside the Valley of Mexico.

C. It emerged rapidly as an economical and political center.

D. Its economy relied heavily on agriculture.

5. Which of the following allowed Teotihuacán to have "a competitive edge over its
neighbors"?

A. A well-exploited and readily available commodity

B. The presence of a highly stable elite class

C. Knowledge derived directly from the Olmecs about the art of toolmaking

D. Scarce natural resources in nearby areas such as those located in what are now the
Guatemalan and Mexican highlands

6. According to paragraph 4, what has recent research on obsidian tools found at

Olmecsites shown?

A. Obsidian's value was understood only when Teotihuacán became an important city.

B. The residents of Teotihuacán were sophisticated toolmakers.

C. The residents of Teotihuacán traded obsidian with the Olmecs as early as 400 B.C.

D. Some of the obsidian used by the Olmecs came from the area around Teotihuacán.

7. In paragraph 6, the author discusses "The thriving obsidian operation," in order to:

A. explain why manufacturing was the main industry of Teotihuacán

B. give an example of an industry that took very little time to develop in Teotihuacán

C. illustrate how several factors influenced each other to make Teotihuacán a powerful and
wealthy city

D. explain how a successful industry can be a source of wealth and a source of conflict at
the same time

Good Luck !!!