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READING COMPREHENSION
(42) PASSAGE 1 – Bringing up children
Where one stage of child development has been left out, or not sufficiently experienced, the child may have to go
back and capture the experience of it. A good home makes this possible - for example, by providing the
opportunity for the child to play with a clockwork car or toy railway train up to any age if he still needs to do so.
This principle, in fact, underlies all psychological treatment of children in difficulties with their development, and
is the basic of work in child clinics.
The beginnings of discipline are in the nursery. Even the youngest baby is taught by gradual stages to wait for
food, to sleep and wake at regular intervals and so on. If the child feels the world around him is a warm and
friendly one, he slowly accepts its rhythm and accustoms himself to conforming to its demands. Learning to wait
for things, particularly for food, is a very important element in upbringing, and is achieved successfully only if too
great demands are not made before the child can understand them. Every parent watches eagerly the child's
acquisition of each new skill: the first spoken words, the first independent steps, or the beginning of reading and
writing. It is often tempting to hurry the child beyond his natural learning rate, but this can set up dangerous
feelings of failure and states of anxiety in the child. This might happen at any stage. A baby might be forced to use
a toilet too early, a young child might be encouraged to learn to read before he knows the meaning of the words he
reads. On the other hand, though, if a child is left alone too much, or without any learning opportunities, he loses
his natural zest for life and his desire to find out new things for himself.
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Learning together is a fruitful source of relationship between children and parents. By playing together, parents
learn more about their children and children learn more from their parents. Toys and games which both parents and
children can share are an important means of achieving this co-operation. Building-block toys, jigsaw puzzles and
crosswords are good examples.
Parents vary greatly in their degree of strictness or indulgence towards their children. Some may be especially
strict in money matters; others are severe over times of coming home at night, punctuality for meals or personal
cleanliness. In general, the controls imposed represent the needs of the parents and the values of the community as
much as the child's own happiness and well-being.
With regard to the development of moral standards in the growing child, consistency is very important in parental
teaching. To forbid a thing one day and excuse it the next is no foundation for morality. Also, parents should
realize that "example is better than precept". If they are hypocritical and do not practise what they preach, their
children may grow confused and emotionally insecure when they grow old enough to think for themselves, and
realize they have been, to some extent, deceived. A sudden awareness of a marked difference between their
parents' ethics and their morals can be a dangerous disillusion.
Questions 1: The principle underlying all treatment of developmental difficulties in children
A. is in the provision of clockwork toys and trains B. is to send them to clinics
C. is to capture them before they are sufficiently experienced D. offers recapture of earlier experiences
Questions 2: Learning to wait for things is successfully taught
A. in spite of excessive demands being made B. only if excessive demands are avoided

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C. because excessive demands are not advisable D. is achieved successfully by all children
Questions 3: The encouragement of children to achieve new skills
A. should be focused on only at school B. can never be taken too far
C. will always assist their development D. should be balanced and moderate
Questions 4: Parental controls and discipline
A. serve a dual purpose B. are designed to promote the child's happiness
C. reflect only the values of the community D. should be avoided as far as possible
Questions 5: The practice of the rule "Example is better than precept"
A. only works when the children grow old enough to think for themselves
B. would help avoid the necessity for ethics and morals
C. will free a child from disillusion when he grows up
D. is too difficult for all parents to exercise
Questions 6: In the 1st paragraph, the author lays some emphasis on the role of the…….in helping the child
in trouble.
A. psychiatrists B. community C. family D. nursery
Questions 7: The phrase 'conforming to' in the 2nd paragraph means

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A. adapting to B. accepting C. agreeing with D. following
Questions 8: The word 'zest' in the 2nd paragraph can be best replaced by
A. appetite B. excitement C. enthusiasm D. enjoyment
Questions 9: The word 'imposed' in the 4th paragraph is closest in meaning to
A. excepted B. introduced C. made D. constrained
Questions 10: Hypocrisy on the part of the parents may
A. result in their children's wrong behaviour C. disqualify their teachings altogether
B. make their children lose faith in them D. impair their children's mind

PASSAGE 2
(66) In my experience, freshmen today are different from those I knew when I started as a counselor and professor
25 years ago. College has always been demanding both academically and socially. But students now are less
mature and often not ready for the responsibility of being in college.
It is really too easy to point the finger at parents who protect their children from life's obstacles. Parents, who
handle every difficulty and every other responsibility for their children from writing admission essays to picking
college courses, certainly may contribute to their children's lack of coping strategies. But we can look even more
broadly to the social trends of today.

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How many people do you know who are on medication to prevent anxiety or depression? The number of students
who arrive at college already medicated for unwanted emotions has increased dramatically in the past 10 years.
We, as a society, don't want to "feel" anything unpleasant and we certainly don't want our children to "suffer"
The resulting problem is that by not experiencing negative emotions, one does not learn the necessary skills to
tolerate and negotiate adversity. As a psychologist, I am well aware of the fact that some individuals suffer from
depression and anxiety and can benefit from treatment, but I question the growing number of medicated
adolescents today.
Our world is more stressful in general because of the current economic and political realities, but I don't believe
that the college experience itself is more intense today than that of the past 10 years. What I do think is that many
students are often not prepared to be young "adults" with all the responsibilities of life. What does this mean for
college faculty and staff? We are required to assist in the basic parenting of these students - the student who
complains that her professor didn't remind her of the due date for an assignment that was clearly listed on the
syllabus and the student who cheats on an assignment in spite of careful instructions about plagiarism.
As college professors, we have to explain what it means to be an independent college student before weian even
begin to teach. As parents and teachers we should expect young people to meet challenges. To encourage them in
this direction, we have to step back and let them fail and pick themselves up and move forward. This approach
needs to begin at an early age so that college can actually be a passage to independent adulthood.
Adapted from "Students are different now "by Linda Bips. New York Times, October 11, 2010
Question 1: According to the writer, students today are different from those she knew in that they are.
A. not so academic B. responsible for their work C. too ready for college D. not as mature
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Question 2: The word "handle" in paragraph 2 mostly means
A. point at B. deal with C. lend a hand to D. gain benefits from
Question 3: According to the writer, students' difficulties to cope with college life are partly due to
A. the lack of financial support B. the over-parenting from parents
C. the absence of parents' protection D. the lack of parental support
Question 4: The phrase "on medication" in paragraph 3 is similar in meaning to
A. receiving medical treatment B. suffering anxiety or depression
C. doing medical research D. studying medicine at college
Question 5: The word "intense" in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to
A. needing much experience B. not serious D. demanding big efforts C. not interesting
Question 6: Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage?
A. The college experience itself is more intense today than that of the past 10 years.
B. Our world is more stressful because of the current economic and political situation.
C. College faculty and staff are required to help in the parenting of problematic students.
D. Our society certainly doesn't want our children to experience unpleasant things.
Question 7: The word "them" in the last paragraph refers to

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A. college professorsB. young people C. teachers D. parents
Question 8: Students who are not well-prepared to be young "adults" with all the responsibilities of life will
need
A. to be assigned more housework from adults C. to be encouraged to meet challenges
B. to be given more social responsibilities D. daily coaching from their teachers
Question 9: According to the writer, failure in life and less support from parents will
A. defeat students from the very beginning B. help students to learn to stand on their own feet
C. discourage students and let them down forever D. allow students to learn the first lesson in their lives
Question 10: What is probably the writer's attitude in the passage?
A. Indifferent B. Praising C. Critical D. Humorous

PASSAGE 3
(80) Educating Psyche by Bernie Neville is a book which looks at radical new approaches to learning, describing
the effects of emotion, imagination and the unconscious on learning. One theory discussed in the book is that
proposed by George Lozanov, which focuses on the power of suggestion.
Lozanov’s instructional technique is based on the evidence that the connections made in the brain through
unconscious processing (which he calls non-specific mental reactivity) are more durable than those made through
conscious processing. Besides the laboratory evidence for this, we know from our experience that we often
remember what we have perceived peripherally, long after we have forgotten what we set out to learn. If we
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think of a book we studied months or years ago, we will find it easier to recall peripheral details – the colour, the
binding, the typeface, the table at the library where we sat while studying it – than the content on which we were
concentrating. If we think of a lecture we listened to with great concentration, we will recall the lecturer’s
appearance and mannerisms, our place in the auditorium, the failure of the air-conditioning, much more easily than
the ideas we went to learn. Even if these peripheral details are a bit elusive, they come back readily in hypnosis or
when we relive the event imaginatively, as in psychodrama. The details of the content of the lecture, on the other
hand, seem to have gone forever.
This phenomenon can be partly attributed to the common counterproductive approach to study (making extreme
efforts to memorise, tensing muscles, inducing fatigue), but it also simply reflects the way the brain functions.
Lozanov therefore made indirect instruction (suggestion) central to his teaching system. In suggestopedia, as he
called his method, consciousness is shifted away from the curriculum to focus on something peripheral.
The curriculum then becomes peripheral and is dealt with by the reserve capacity of the brain.
The suggestopedic approach to foreign language learning provides a good illustration. In its most recent variant
(1980), it consists of the reading of vocabulary and text while the class is listening to music. The first session is in
two parts. In the first part, the music is classical (Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms) and the teacher reads the text slowly
and solemnly, with attention to the dynamics of the music. The students follow the text in their books. This is
followed by several minutes of silence. In the second part, they listen to baroque music (Bach, Corelli, Handel)
while the teacher reads the text in a normal speaking voice. During this time they have their books closed. During
the whole of this session, their attention is passive; they listen to the music but make no attempt to learn the
material.

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Beforehand, the students have been carefully prepared for the language learning experience. Through meeting with
the staff and satisfied students they develop the expectation that learning will be easy and pleasant and that they
will successfully learn several hundred words of the foreign language during the class. In a preliminary talk, the
teacher introduces them to the material to be covered, but does not ‘teach’ it. Likewise, the students are instructed
not to try to learn it during this introduction.
Some hours after the two-part session, there is a follow-up class at which the students are stimulated to recall the
material presented. Once again the approach is indirect. The students do not focus their attention on trying to
remember the vocabulary, but focus on using the language to communicate (e.g. through games or improvised
dramatisations). Such methods are not unusual in language teaching. What is distinctive in
the suggestopedic methodis that they are devoted entirely to assisting recall. The ‘learning’ of the material is
assumed to be automatic and effortless, accomplished while listening to music. The teacher’s task is to assist the
students to apply what they have learned paraconsciously, and in doing so to make it easily accessible
to consciousness. Another difference from conventional teaching is the evidence that students
can regularly learn 1000 new words of a foreign language during a suggestopedic session, as well as grammar and
idiom.
Lozanov experimented with teaching by direct suggestion during sleep, hypnosis and trance states, but found such
procedures unnecessary. Hypnosis, yoga, Silva mind-control, religious ceremonies and faith healing are all
associated with successful suggestion, but none of their techniques seem to be essential to it. Such rituals may be
seen as placebos. Lozanov acknowledges that the ritual surrounding suggestion in his own system is also
a placebo, but maintains that without such a placebo people are unable or afraid to tap the reserve capacity of their
brains. Like any placebo, it must be dispensed with authority to be effective. Just as a doctor calls on the full power
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of autocratic suggestion by insisting that the patient take precisely this white capsule precisely three times a day
before meals, Lozanov is categoric in insisting that the suggestopedic session be conducted exactly in the manner
designated, by trained and accredited suggestopedic teachers.
While suggestopedia has gained some notoriety through success in the teaching of modern languages, few teachers
are able to emulate the spectacular results of Lozanov and his associates. We can, perhaps, attribute mediocre
results to an inadequate placebo effect. The students have not developed the appropriate mind set. They are often
not motivated to learn through this method. They do not have enough ‘faith’. They do not see it as ‘real teaching’,
especially as it does not seem to involve the ‘work’ they have learned to believe is essential to learning.
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
1 The book Educating Psyche is mainly concerned with
A. The power of suggestion in learning.
B. a particular technique for learning based on emotions.
C. The effects of emotion on the imagination and the unconscious.
D. Ways of learning which are not traditional.
2 Lozanov’s theory claims that, when we try to remember things,
A. Unimportant details are the easiest to recall.
B. Concentrating hard produces the best results.
C. The most significant facts are most easily recalled.
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D. Peripheral vision is not important.
3 In this passage, the author uses the examples of a book and a lecture to illustrate that
A. Both of these are important for developing concentration.
B. His theory about methods of learning is valid.
C. Reading is a better technique for learning than listening.
D. We can remember things more easily under hypnosis.
4 Lozanov claims that teachers should train students to
A. Memorise details of the curriculum.
B. Develop their own sets of indirect instructions.
C. Think about something other than the curriculum content.
D. Avoid overloading the capacity of the brain.
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
5 …………….. In the example of suggestopedic teaching in the fourth paragraph, the only variable that changes is
the music.

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6 …………….. Prior to the suggestopedia class, students are made aware that the language experience will be
demanding.
7 …………….. In the follow-up class, the teaching activities are similar to those used in conventional classes.
8 …………….. As an indirect benefit, students notice improvements in their memory.
9 …………….. Teachers say they prefer suggestopedia to traditional approaches to language teaching.
10 …………….. Students in a suggestopedia class retain more new vocabulary than those in ordinary classes.
(BỔ SUNG THÊM)
Write the correct letter A -K in boxes 37-40 on your answer sheet.

Sugestopedia uses a less direct method of suggestion than other techniques such as hypnosis. However, Lozanov
admits that a certain amount of 11................. is necessary in order to convince students, even if this is just
a 12......................... Furthermore, if the method is to succeed, teachers must follow a set procedure. Although
Lozanov's method has become quite 13..................., the result of most other teachers using this method have
been 14........................
A spectacular
B teaching
C lesson
D authoritarian
E unpopular

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F ritual
G unspectacular
H placebo
I involved
J appropriate
K well known

PASSAGE 4
(92) Animation traditionally is done by hand-drawing or painting successive frame of an object, each slightly
different than the proceeding frame. In computer animation, although the computer may be the one to draw the
different frames, in most cases the artist will draw the beginning and ending frames and the computer will produce
the drawings between the first and the last drawing. This is generally referred to as computer-assisted animation,
because the computer is more of a helper than an originator.
In full computer animation, complex mathematical formulas are used to produce the final sequences of pictures.
These formulas operate on extensive databases of numbers that defines the objects in the pictures as they exist in
mathematical space. The database consists of endpoints, and color and intensity information. Highly trained
professionals are needed to produce such effects because animation that obtains high degrees of realism involves
computer techniques from three-dimensional transformation, shading, and curvatures.
High-tech computer animation for film involves very expensive computer systems along with special color
terminals or frame buffers. The frame buffer is nothing more than a giant image memory for viewing a single
frame. It temporarily holds the image for display on the screen.
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A camera can be used to film directly from the computer's display screen, but for the highest quality images
possible, expensive film recorders are used. The computer computers the positions and colors for the figures in the
picture, and sends this information to the recorder, which captures it on film. Sometimes, however, the images are
stored on a large magnetic disk before being sent to the recorder. Once this process is completed, it is replaced for
the next frame. When the entire sequence has been recorded on the film, the film must be developed before the
animation can be viewed. If the entire sequence does not seem right, the motions must be corrected, recomputed,
redisplayed, and rerecorded. This approach can be very expensive and time - consuming.
Often, computer-animation companies first do motion tests with simple computer-generated line drawings before
selling their computers to the task of calculating the high-resolution, realistic-looking images.
Question 1: What aspect of computer animation does the passage mainly discuss?
A. The production procession B. The equipment needed
C. The high cost D. The role of the artist
Question 2: According to the passage, in computer-assisted animation the role of the computer is to draw
the
A. first frame B. middle frames C. last frame D. entire sequences of frames
Question 3: The word "they" in the second paragraph refers to
A. formulas B. objects C. numbers D. database
Question 4: According to the passage, the frame buffers mentioned in the third paragraph are used to

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A. add color to the images B. expose several frames at the same time
C. store individual images D. create new frames
Question 5: According to the passage, the positions and colors of the figures in high-tech animation are
determined by
A. drawing several versions B. enlarging one frame at a lime
C. analyzing the sequence from different angles D. using computer calculations
Question 6: The word "captures" in the fourth paragraph is closest in meaning to
A. separates B. registers C. describes D. numbers
Question 7: The word "Once" in the fourth paragraph is closest in meaning to
A. before B. since C. after D. while
Question 8: According to the passage, how do computer-animation companies often test motion?
A. They experiment with computer-generated line drawings. B. They hand-draw successive frames.
C. They calculate high-resolutions images. D. They develop extensive mathematical formulas.
Question 9: The word "task" in the fourth paragraph is closest in meaning to
A. possibility B. position C. time D. job
Question 10: Which of the following statement is supported by the passage?

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A. Computers have reduced the costs of animation.
B. In the future, traditional artists will no longer be needed.
C. Artists are unable to produce drawings as high in quality as computer drawings.
D. Animation involves a wide range of technical and artistic skills

PASSAGE 5
(106) During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, almost nothing was written about the contributions of
women during the colonial period and the early history of the newly formed united states. Lacking the right to vote
and absent from the seats of power, women were not considered an important force in history. Anne Bradstreet
wrote some significant poetry in the seventeenth century, Mercy Otis warren produced the best contemporary
history of the American revolution, and Abigail Adams penned important letters showing she exercised great
political influence over her husband, John, the second President of the United States. But little or no notice was
taken of these contributions. During these centuries, women remained invisible in history books.
Throughout the nineteenth century, this lack of visibility continued, despite the efforts of female authors writing
about women. These writers, like most of their male counterparts, were amateur historians. Their writings were
celebratory in nature, and they were uncritical in their selection and use of sources.
During the nineteenth century, however, certain feminists showed a keen sense of history by keeping records of
activities in which women were engaged. National, regional, and local women's organizations compiled accounts
of their doings. Personal correspondence, newspaper clippings, and souvenirs were saved and stored. These
sources from the core of the two greatest collections of women's history in the United States one at the Elizabeth
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and Arthur Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe College, and the other the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College.
Such sources have provided valuable materials for later generations of historians.
Despite the gathering of more information about ordinary women during the nineteenth century, most of the
writing about women conformed to the "great women" theory of history, just as much of mainstream American
history concentrated on "great men." To demonstrate that women were making significant contributions to
American life, female authors singled out women leaders and wrote biographies, or else important women
produced their autobiographies. Most of these leaders were involved in public life as reformers, activists working
for women's right to vote, or authors, and were not representative at all of the great of ordinary woman. the lives
of ordinary people continued, generally, to be untold in the American histories being published.
Question 1: What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. The role of literature in early American histories B. The place of American women in written histories
C. The keen sense of history shown by American women D. The "great women" approach to history used by
American historians
Question 2: What did Abigail Adams write about?
A. the best contemporary history of the American Revolution
B. her husband, John, the second President of the United States
D. important letters showing she exercised great political influence over her husband
D. significant poetry in the seventeenth century

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Question 3: In the first paragraph, Bradstreet, Warren, and A dams are mentioned to show that
A. a woman's status was changed by marriage
B. even the contributions of outstanding women were ignored
C. only three women were able to get their writing published
D. poetry produced by women was more readily accepted than other writing by women
Question 4: The word "celebratory" in the 2nd paragraph means that the writings referred to
A. related to parties B. religious C. serious D. full of praise
Question 5: The word "they" in the 2nd paragraph refers to
A. efforts B. authors C. counterparts D. sources
Question 6: In the 3rd paragraph, what weakness in nineteenth-century histories does the author point out?
A. They put too much emphasis on daily activities
B. They left out discussion of the influence of money on politics.
C. The sources of the information they were based on were not necessarily accurate.
D. They were printed on poor-quality paper.
Question 7: On the basis of information in the third paragraph, which of the following would most likely
have been collected by nineteenth-century feminist organizations?

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A. Newspaper accounts of presidential election results
B. Biographies of John Adams
C. Letters from a mother to a daughter advising her how to handle a family problem
D. Books about famous graduates of the country's first college
and the Sophia Smith Collection?
Question 8: What use was made of the nineteenth-century women's history materials in the Schlesinger
Libran
A. They were combined and published in a multivolume encyclopedia
B. They formed the basis of college courses in the nineteenth century.
C. They provided valuable information for twentieth- century historical researchers.
D. They were shared among women's colleges throughout the United States.
Question 9: In the last paragraph, the author mentions all of the following as possible roles of nineteenth
century, "great women" EXCEPT….
A. authors B. reformers C. activists for women’s rights D. politicians
Question 10: The word "representative" in the last paragraph refers to
A. typical B. satisfied C. supportive D. distinctive

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PASSAGE 6
(120) THE SOLOIST [•••]
An idea came to me, and I turned off the lights in the studio. In the dark ness, I put the cello's spike into a loose
spot on the carpet, tightened the bow and drew it across the open strings. I took off my shirt and tried it again; it
was the first time in my life I'd felt the instrument against my bare chest. I could fell the vibration of the strings
travel through the body of the instrument to my own body. I'd never thought about that; music scholars always talk
about the resonating properties of various instruments, but surely the performer's own body must have some effect
on the sound. As I dug into the notes I imagined that my own chest and lung were extensions of the sound box; I
seemed to be able to alter the sound by the way I sat, and by varying the muscular tension in my upper body.
After improvising for a while, I started playing the D minor Bach suite, still in the darkness. Strangely freed of the
task of finding the right phrasing, the right intonation, the right bowing, I heard the music through my skin. For the
first time I didn't think about how it would sound to anyone else, and slowly, joyfully, gratefully, I started to hear
again. The note sang out, first like a trickle, then like a fountain of cool water bubbling up from a hole in the
middle of the desert. After an hour or so I looked up, and in the darkness saw the outline of the cat sitting on the
floor in front of me, cleaning her paws and purring loudly. I had an audience again, humble as it was.
So that's what I do now with the cello. At least once a day I find time to tune it, close my eyes, and listen. It's
probably not going to lead to the kind of come back I'd fantasized about for so long - years of playing badly have
left scars on my technique, and, practically speaking, classical musicians returning from obscurity are almost
impossible to promote - but might eventually try giving a recital if I feel up to it. Or better yet, I may pay for Dr.
Polk if our date at the concert goes well. Occasionally I fell a stab of longing, and I wish I could give just one more
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concert on the great stage before my lights blink off, but that longing passes more quickly now. I take solace on
the fact that, unlike the way I felt before, I can enjoy playing for myself now. I felt relaxed and expansive when I
play, as if I could stretch out my arms and reach from one end of the apartment to the other. A feeling of the
completeness and dignity surrounds me and lifts me up.
Question 1. What is the passage mainly about?
A. A musician's feelings when he plays the cello
B. A musician's desire to return to his former profession
C. A musician finding joy in playing music again
D. A musician playing the cello for his cat
Question 2. According to paragraph 1, what relationship does the cellist experience between his body and
the music?
A. His body affects the sound.
B. His body improves the sounds.
C. His body becomes tense as he plays
D. His body stops the vibrations as he plays.
Question 3. Based on the information in paragraph 1, what can be inferred about the effect of a performer's
body on musical sound?

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A. The cellist had not read about it before.
B. The cellist thought scholars had talked about it.
C. The cellist had previously written about it.
D. The cellist had experienced it before.
Question 4. In paragraph 1, what does the world it refer to in the sentence, "I took off my shirt and tried it
again."?
A. Drawing the bow across the strings
B. Turing off the lights in the studio
C. Talking of the shirt
D. Tightening the bow
Question 5. In paragraph 2 the author's primary purpose is
A. to explain the cellist's feelings of playing before an audience
B. to describe the sound when the cellist plays next to his skin
C. to identify specific pieces of music that the cellist plays
D. to describe the cellist's experience of playing next to his skin
Question 6. All of following are mentioned in paragraph 2 as part of the cellist's new way of playing
EXCEPT
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A. playing the instrument in the dark
B. thinking of how the music sounded to others
C. "hearing" music through his bare skin
D. not worrying about finding the right phrasing
Question 7 What can be inferred from paragraph 3 about the cellist?
A. He had away enjoyed playing for himself
B. He had continually performed over the years
C. Previously, he had never played before an audience
D. Previously, he only wanted to play for an audience
Question 8. Based on the information in paragraph 3, what can be inferred about the cellist's attitude
toward playing?
A. He feels optimistic. B. He is discouraged. C. He feels nervous. D. He is reluctant
Question 9. The word blink off in paragraph 3 in closest in meaning to
A. wink B. flicker C. twinkle D. turn off
Question 10. How long did it take the author to play music with his shirt off in the darkness for the first
time?
A. Once a day B. A night C. Exactly one hour D. About an hour
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PASSAGE 7
(154) A rather surprising geographical feature of Antarctica is that a huge fresh water lake one of the world's
largest and deepest, lies hidden there under four kilometers of ice. Now known as Lake Vostok, this huge body of
water is located under the ice block that comprises Antarctica. The lake is able to exist in its unfrozen state
beneath this block of ice because its waters are warmed by geothermal heat from the earth's core. The thick glacier
above Lake Vostok actually insulates it from the frigid temperatures on the surface.
The lake was first discovered in the 1970s while a research team was conducting an aerial survey of the area.
Radio waves from the survey equipment penetrated the ice and revealed a body of water of indeterminate size. It
was not until much more recently that data collected by satellite made scientists aware of the tremendous size of
the lake; the satellite - borne radar detected an extremely flat region where the ice remains level because it is
floating on the water of the lake.
The discovery of such a huge freshwater lake trapped under Antarctica is of interest to the scientific community
because of the potential that the lake contains ancient microbes that have survived for thousands upon thousands
of years, unaffected by factors such as nuclear fallout and elevated ultraviolet light that have affected organism in
more exposed areas. The downside of the discovery, however, lies in the difficulty of conducting research on the
lake in such a harsh climate and in the problems associated with obtaining uncontaminated samples from the lake
without actually exposing the lake to contamination. Scientists are looking for possible way to accomplish this.
Question 1: The word "hidden" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to
A. unexploitable B. untouched C. undiscovered D. undrinkable

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Question 2: What is true of Lake Vostok?
A. It is beneath a thick slab of ice B. It is heated by the sun
D. It is completely frozen. C. It is a saltwater lake.
Question 3: Which of the following is closest in meaning to "frigid" in paragraph 1?
A. easily broken B. quite harsh C. lukewarm D. extremely cold
Question 4: All of the following are true about the 1970 survey of Antarctica EXCEPT that it
A. could not determine the lake's exact size B. made use of radio waves
D. was controlled by a satellite C. was conducted by air
Question 5: It can be inferred from the passage that the ice would not be flat if
A. there was no lake underneath B. Antarctica were not so cold
C. radio waves were not used D. the lake were not so big
Question 6: The word "microbes" in paragraph 3 could be best replaced by which of the following?
A. Rays of light B. Pieces of dust C. Tiny bubbles D. Tiny organisms
Question 7: Lake Vostok is potentially important to scientists because it
A. may have elevated levels of ultraviolet light
B. has already been contaminated

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C. can be studied using radio waves
D. may contain uncontaminated microbes
Question 8: The word "downside" in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to
A. buried section B. bottom level C. underside D. negative aspect
Question 9: The last paragraph suggests that scientists should be aware of
A. further discoveries on the surface of Antarctica
B. problems with satellite - borne radar equipment
C. the harsh climate of Antarctica
D. ways to study Lake Vostok without contaminating it
Question 10: The purpose of the passage is to
A. present an unexpected aspect of Antarctica's geography
B. provided satellite data concerning Antarctica
C. explain how Lake Vostok was discovered
D. discuss future plans for Lake Vostok

PASSAGE 8
(157) BUTTERFILES |••]
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Butterflies are among the most extensively studied insects - an estimated 90 percent of the world's species have
scientific names. As a consequence, they are perhaps the best group of insects for examining patterns of terrestrial
biotic diversity and distribution. Butterflies also have a favorable image with the general public. Hence, they are an
excellent group for communicating information on science and conservation issues such as diversity.
Perhaps the aspect of butterfly diversity that has received the most attention over the past century is the striking
difference in species richness between tropical and temperate regions.
For example, in 1875 one biologist pointed out the diversity of butterflies in the Amazon when he mentioned that
about 700 species were found within an hour's walk, whereas the total number found on the British islands did not
exceed 66, and the whole of Europe supported only 321. This early comparison of tropical and temperate butterfly
richness has been well confirmed.
A general theory of diversity would have to predict not only this difference between temperate and tropical zones,
but also patterns within each region, and how these patterns vary among different animal and plant groups.
However, for butterflies, variation of species richness within temperate or tropical regions, rather than between
them, is poorly understood. Indeed, comparisons of numbers of species among the Amazon basin, tropical Asia,
and Africa are still mostly "personal communication" citations, even for vertebrates, In other words, unlike
comparison between temperate and tropical areas, these patterns are still in the documentation phase.
In documenting geographical variation in butterfly diversity, some arbitrary, practical decisions are made.
Diversity, number of species, and species richness are used synonymously; little is known about the evenness of
butterfly distribution. The New World butterflies make up the preponderance of examples because they are the
most familiar species. It is hoped that by focusing on them, the errors generated by imperfect and incomplete
taxonomy will be minimized.
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Question 1: The word "consequence" is closest in meaning to
A. result B. explanation C. analysis D. requirement
Question 2: The word "striking" is closest in meaning to
A. physical B. confusing C. noticeable D. successful
Question 3: Butterflies are a good example for communicating information about conservation issues
because they
A. are simple in structure C. are viewed positively by people
B. have been given scientific names D. are found mainly in temperate climates
Question 4: The word "exceed" is closest in meaning to
A. locate B. allow C. go beyond D. come close to
Question 5: Which of the following is NOT well understood by biologists?
A. European butterfly habitats
B. Differences in species richness between temperate and tropical regions
C. Differences in species richness within a temperate or a tropical region
D. Comparisons of behavior patterns of butterflies and certain animal groups
Question 6: All of the followings are mentioned as being important parts of a general theory of diversity
ЕХСЕРТ
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A. differences between temperate and tropical zones
B. patterns of distribution of species in each region
C. migration among temperate and tropical zones
D. variation of patterns of distribution of species among different animals and plants
Question 7: Which aspect of butterflies does the passage mainly discuss?
A. Their physical characteristics B. Their adaptation to different habitats
C. Their names D. Their variety
Question 8: The author mentions tropical Asia as an example of a location where
A. butterfly behavior varies with climate
B. a general theory of butterfly diversity has not yet been firmly established
C. butterflies are affected by human populations
D. documenting plant species is more difficult than documenting butterfly species
Question 9: The idea "little is known about the evenness of butterfly distribution" is that
A. there are many other things that we don't know about butterfly evenness distribution
B. we don't know anything about butterfly evenness distribution
C. we know much about butterfly evenness distribution

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D. we know about butterfly evenness distribution to some extent
D. we know about butterfly evenness distribution to some extent
Question 10: The word "generated" in line 24 is closest in meaning to
A. requested B. caused C. assisted D. estimated

PASSAGE 9
(168) ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES [••]
In this era of increased global warming and diminishing fossil fuel supplies, we must begin to put a greater priority
on harnessing alternative energy sources. Fortunately, there are a number of readily available, renewable
resources that are both cost- effective and earth – friendly(A). Two such resources are solar power and geothermal
power. Solar energy, which reaches the earth through sunlight, is so abundant that it could meet the needs of
worldwide energy consumption 6,000 times over. And solar energy is easily harnessed through the use of
photovoltaic cells that convert sunlight to electricity. In the US alone, more than 100, 000 homes are equipped with
solar electric systems in the form of solar panels or solar roof tiles. And in other parts of the world, including many
developing countries, the use of solar system is growing steadily(B).
Another alternative energy source, which is abundant in specific geographical areas, is geothermal power, which
creates energy by tapping heat from below the surface of the earth. Hot water and steam that are trapped in
underground pools are pumped to the surface and used to run a generator, which is produces electricity.
Geothermal energy is 50,000 times more abundant than the entire known supply of fossil fuel resources. And as
with solar power, the technology needed to utilize geothermal energy is fairly simple. A prime example of
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effective geothermal use is in Iceland, a region of high geothermal activity where over 80 percent of private homes
are heated by geothermal power (C). Solar and geothermal energy are just two of promising renewable alternatives
to conventional energy sources. The time is long overdue to invest in the development and use of alternative
energy on global scale(D).
Question 1. What is the main topic of this passage?
A. The benefits of solar and wind power over conventional energy sources.
B. How energy resources are tapped from nature.
C. Two types of alternative energy sources that should be further utilized.
D. Examples of the use of energy sources worldwide.
Question [Link] to the passage, why should we consider using alternative energy sources?
A. Because fossil fuels are no longer available.
B. Because global warming has increased the amount of sunlight that reaches the earth.
C. Because they are free and available worldwide.
D. Because conventional energy resources are being depleted, and they cause environmental damage.
Question 3. Which of the following words could best replace the word "harnessing"?
A. Capturing B. Harassing C. Depleting D. Exporting
Question 4. According to the passage, what can be inferred about solar roof tiles?
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A. They are being used in many undeveloped countries. C. They are more expensive than solar panels.
B. They can convert geothermal energy to electricity. D. They contain photovoltaic cells.
Question 5. According to the passage, how is solar energy production similar to geothermal energy
production?
A. They both require the use of a generator. B. They both use heat from the earth's surface.
C. They both require fairly simple technology. D. They are both conventional and costly.
Question 6. Where is the best place in the passage to insert the following sentence?
"Although the US is not utilizing geothermal resources to this extent, the Western US has a similar capacity
to generate geothermal power"
A. after the phrase "earth-friendly" B. after the phrase "growing steadily"
C. after the phrase "by geothermal power"D. after the phrase "global scale"
Question. 7. According to the passage, which of the following is true about solar power?
A. There is very little of it available in Iceland.
B. It is being used in 100, 000 private homes worldwide.
C. It is 6,000 times more powerful than energy from fossil fuels.
D. There is enough of it to far exceed the energy needs of the world.
Question 8. What can be inferred about the use of geothermal energy in Iceland?
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A. It is widely used form of energy for heating homes.
B. Twenty percent of the geothermal energy created is used to heat businesses.
C. It is not effective for use in private homes.
D. It is 80 times more effective than traditional forms of energy.
Question 9. What does the author imply about alternative energy sources?
A. Many different types of alternative energy sources exist.
B. Most alternative energy sources are too impractical for private use.
C. Alternative energy is too expensive for developing countries to produce.
D. Solar and geothermal energy are the effective forms of alternative power
Question 10. What best describes the author's purpose in writing the passage?
A. To warn people about the hazards of fossil fuel use.
B. To describe the advantages and disadvantages of alternative energy use.
C. To convince people of the benefits of developing alternative energy sources.
D. To outline the problems and solutions connected with global warming.

PASSAGE 10 THE GREEN HOUSE EFFECT (ooo)

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(176) Carbon dioxide and other naturally occurring gases in the earth's atmosphere create a natural greenhouse
effect by trapping and absorbing solar radiation. These gates act as blanket and keep the planet warm enough for
life to survive and flourish. The warming of the earth is balanced by some of the heat escaping from the
atmosphere back into space. Without this compensating flow of heat out the system, the temperature of the earth’s
surface and its atmosphere would rise steadily.
Scientists are increasingly concerned about a human-driven greenhouse effect resulting from a rise in atmospheric
levels of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping greenhouse gases. The man-made greenhouse effect is the
exhalation of industrial civilization. A major contributing factor is the burning of large amounts of fossil fuels-
coal, petroleum, and natural gas. Another is the destruction of the world's forests, which reduces the amount of
carbon dioxide converted to oxygen by plants. Emissions of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, nitrous oxide,
and methane from human activities will enhance the greenhouse effect, causing the earth's surface to become
warmer. The main greenhouse gas, water vapor, will increase in response to global warming and further enhance
it.
There is agreement within the scientific community that the buildup of greenhouse gases is already causing the
earth's average surface temperature to rise. This is changing global climate at an unusually fast rate. According to
the World Meteorological Organization, the earth's average temperature climbed about 1 degree F in the past
century, and nine of the ten warmest years on record have occurred since 1990. A United Nations panel has
predicted that average global temperatures could rise as much as 10.5 degrees F during the next century as heat-
trapping gases from human industry accumulate in the atmosphere.
What are the potential impacts of an enhanced greenhouse effect? According to estimates by. an international
committee, North American climatic zones could shift affect all sectors of society. In some areas, heat and
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moisture stress would cut crop yields, and traditional farming practices would have to change. For example, in the

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North American grain belt, higher temperatures and more frequent drought during the growing season might
require farmers to switch from corn to wheat and to use more water for irrigation.
Global warming may also cause a rise in sea level by melting polar ice caps. A rise in sea level would accelerate
coastal erosion and inundate islands and low-lying coastal plains, some of which are densely populated. Millions
of acres of coastal farmlands would be covered by water. Furthermore, the warming of seawater will cause the
water to expand, thus adding to the potential danger
Global warming has already left its fingerprint on the natural world. Two research teams recently reviewed
hundreds of published papers that tracked changes in the range and behavior of plant and animal species, and they
found ample evidence of plants blooming and birds nesting earlier in the spring. Both teams concluded that rising
global temperatures are shifting the ranges of hundreds of species-thus climatic zones-northward. These studies are
hard evidence that the natural world is already responding dramatically to climate change, even though the change
has just begun. If global warming trends continue, changes in the environment by pollinating plants, dispersing
seeds, and controlling insect populations; thus, changes in their populations will reverberate throughout the
ecosystems they inhabit.
Question 1. According to the passage, how do carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases affect the earth-
atmosphere system?
A. They collect solar radiation that warms the earth's surface.
B. They create the conditions for new forms of life to emerge.
C. They cause heat to flow from the atmosphere into space.

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D. They decrease the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere.
Question 2. All of the following are contributing factors to global warming EXCEPT
A. The burning of coal and petroleum B. The loss of forest lands
C. The conversion of carbon dioxide to oxygen D. The buildup of water vapor in the atmosphere.
Question 3. The word "enhance" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to
A. Strengthen B. Counteract C. Stabilize D. parallel
Question 4. What can be inferred from paragraph 3 about global climate change?
A. Climate change will have both positive and negative effects on human society.
B. It is difficult to predict the effects of climate change over the next century.
C. International organizations have been studying climate change only since 1990.
D. Climate change is likely to continue as long as heat-trapping gases accumulate.
Question 5. According to paragraph 4, what is one effect that climate change could have on agriculture in
North America?
A. Return to more traditional methods of farming B. Movement of farms to the northernmost regions
C. Changes in the crops that farmers grow D. Less water available for irrigating crops
Question 6. The word "inundate" in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to

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A. Cover B. Reduce C. Move D. create
Question 7. Why does the author use the word "fingerprint" in paragraph 6?
A. To show that hundreds of fingerprints were examined
B. To introduce conclusive evidence of global warming
C. To describe a method used by two research teams
D. To suggest that people do not cause global warming
Question 8. The word "they" in paragraph 6 refers to
A. Teams B. Papers C. Species D. birds
Question 9. The word "hard" in paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to
A. difficult B. real C. contradictory D. secret
Question 10. What evidence does the author give that climatic zones shifted northward?
A. Solar radiation escapes from the atmosphere back into the space.
B. The water in the ocean expands as it gets warmer.
C. Plants boom and birds build nests earlier in the spring.
D. Birds no longer pollinate plants or control insect populations

PASSAGE 11 AIR POLLUTION [••]

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(199)An air pollutant is defined as a compound added directly or indirectly by humans to the atmosphere in such
quantities as to affect humans, animals, vegetation, or materials adversely. Air pollution requires a very flexible
definition that permits continuous change. When the first air pollution laws were established in England in the
fourteenth century, air pollutants were limited to compounds that could be seen or smelled - a far cry from the
extensive list of harmful substances known today. As technology has developed and knowledge of the health
aspects of various chemicals has increased, the list of air pollutants has lengthened. In the future, even water vapor
might be considered an air pollutant under certain conditions.
Many of the more important air pollutants, such as sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides, are found
in nature. As the Earth developed, the concentration of these pollutants was altered by various chemical reactions;
they became components in biogeochemical cycles. These serve as an air purification scheme by allowing the
compounds to move from the air to the water or soil. On a global basis, nature's output of these compounds dwarfs
that resulting from human activities.
However, human production usually occurs in a localized area, such as a city. In such a region, human output may
be dominant and may temporarily overload the natural purification scheme of the cycles. The result is an increased
concentration of noxious chemicals in the air. The concentrations at which the adverse effects appear will be
greater than the concentrations that the pollutants would have in the absence of human activities. The actual
concentration need not be large for a substance to be a pollutant; in fact, the numerical value tells us little until we
know how much of an increase this represents over the concentration that would occur naturally in the area. For
example, sulfur dioxide has detectable health effects at 0.08 parts per million (ppm), which is about 400 times its
natural level. Carbon monoxide, however, has a natural level of 0.1 ppm and is not usually a pollutant until its
level reaches about 15 ppm.
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Question 1. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. The economic impact of air pollution. B. What constitutes an air pollutant.
C. How much harm air pollutants can cause. D. The effects of compounds added to the atmosphere.
Question 2. The word "adversely" in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to
A. negatively B. quickly C. admittedly D. considerably
Question 3. It can be inferred from the first paragraph that
A. water vapor is an air pollutant in localized areas B. most air pollutants today can be seen or smelled
C. the definition of air pollution will continue to change D. a substance becomes an air pollutant only in cities
Question 4. The word "These" in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to
A. the various chemical reactions B. the pollutants from the developing Earth
C. the compounds moved to the water or soil D. the components in biogeochemical cycles
Question 5. For which of the following reasons can natural pollutants play an important role in controlling
air pollution?
A. They function as part of a purification process. B. They occur in greater quantities than other pollutants.
C. They are less harmful to living beings than other pollutants. D. They have existed since the Earth developed.
Question 6. According to the passage, human-generated air pollution in localized regions

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A. can be dwarfed by nature's output of pollutants B. can overwhelm the natural system that removes pollutants
C. will damage areas outside of the localized regionsD. will react harmfully with natural pollutants
Question 7. The word "localized" in the third paragraph is closest in meaning to
A. specified B. circled C. surrounded D. encircled
Question 8. According to the passage, the numerical value of the concentration level of a substance is only
useful if
A. the other substances in the area are known B. it is in a localized area
C. the natural level is also known D. it can be calculated quickly
Question 9. The word "detectable" in the third paragraph is closest in meaning to
A. beneficial B. special C. measurable D. separable
Question 10. The word "noxious" in the third paragraph is closest in meaning to
A. poisonous B. natural C. known D. essential

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