READING COMPREHENSION
Number 1-
3
1 Ring Lardner himself was born into wealthy, educated, and cultured
family. For the bulk of his career, he worked as a reporter for newspapers in
South Bend, Boston St. Louis, and Chicago. However, it is for his short stories
of lower-middle class Americans that Ring Lardner is perhaps best known. In
5 these stories, Lardner vividly creates the Language and the, ambiance of this
lower class, often using the misspelled words grammatical errors,
and incorrect diction that typified the language of the lower middle class.
1. The word “vividly” in line 4 is closest in meaning to
(A) in a cultured way (C) in a lifelike way
(B) in a correct way (D) in a brief way
2. The word “misspelled in line 5 is closest in meaning to
(A) highly improper (C) incorrect written
(B) quite vulgar (D) extremely long
3. The word “diction” in line 6 is closest in meaning to
(A) writing (C) form
(B) sentence structure (D) speech
Number 4-8
1 A supernova occurs when all of the hydrogen in the core of a huge star is
transformed to iron and explodes. All stars die after their nuclear fuel has been
exhausted. Stars with little mass die gradually, but those with relatively large
mass die in a sudden explosion, a supernova. The sudden flash of light can
5 then be followed by several weeks of extremely
bright light, perhaps as much light as twenty million stars.
Supernovae are very common; they occur about once every hundred years
in any galaxy, and in 1987 a supernova that could be seen by the naked eye
occurred in the Magellan Cloud, a galaxy close to the Milky Way (the galaxy
that includes Earth) since 1604. One very impressive supernova occurred in
10 the Milky Way on July 4, 1054. There was a great explosion followed by the
three months of lighted skies, and historical chronicles of the time were full of
accounts and unusual explanations for the misunderstood
phenomenon-many people believed that it meant that the world was coming to
an end.
4. A “supernova” in sentence 1 is which of the following?
(A) The iron component of star
(B) the core of a star
(C) the hydrogen in a star
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(D)the explosion of a star
5. The word “exhausted” in line 2 is closest in meaning to which of the following?
(A) consider (C) tired
(B) consume entirely (D) discuss thoroughly
6. According to the passage, which of the following best describes the “Magellan
Cloud” in line 8- 9?
(A) A galaxy inside the Milky Way
(B) A cloud composed of hydrogen
(C) a galaxy near Earth’s galaxy
(D)A cloud in the sky above the Earth
7. Based on paragraph 2, the Milky Way is
(A) part of Earth
(B) a galaxy close to Earth
(C) the galaxy that is home to Earth
(D)a creamy-colored cloud in the sky
8. Which of the following in paragraph 2 is the closest in meaning to “unusual
occurrence”?
(A) not very common
(B) sudden flash of light
(C) misunderstood phenomenon
(D)explosion
Number 9-12
1 When babies are born, they always have blue eyes. This is because the
melanin, the
pigment that colors eyes, is not on the surface of the iris. Instead, it is within
the creases of the iris. Because there is little melanin on the surface of the iris,
the eyes appear blue.
After a few months, the melanin moves to the surface of the iris. It is the
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amount of melanin on the surface that determines a person’s permanent eye
color, so it is at this
point that a baby’s eyes develop the color they will have for a lifetime.
9. The word “pigment” in line 2 is closest in meaning to
(A) skin (C) tissue
(B) muscle (D) color
10. The word “surface” in line 3 is closest in meaning to
(A) top (C) back
(B) inside (D) bottom
11. the word “permanent” inline 5 could be best replaced by
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(A) changeable (C) dark
(B) lasting (D) possible
12. The word “point” in line 6 could be best replaced by which of the following?
(A) dot (C) time
(B) era (D) place
Number 13-
15
1 A geyser occurs when rainwater seeps into the ground and volcanic magma
beneath the surface heats it. The rain- Water the turns into steam. The
pressurized steam rises to The
surface and bursts out as a geyser.
Yellowstone National Park has more geysers than all of the rest of the world
5 together. The most famous of this geyser is Old Faithful, which erupts in a high
arc of steam about once an
hour.
There have not been any volcanic eruptions in the Yellowstone area for
70,000 years.
However, the existence of the geysers is proof that the area is volcanic active.
13. Where in the passage does the author mention what heats the water a geyser?
(A) line 1-2 (B) line 4 (C) line 5-6 (D) line 7
14. What does “it” in line 2 refer to?
(A) volcanic magma (C) ground
(B) rainwater (D) geyser
15. The author indicates how often Old Faithful erupts in
(A) line 1-2 (C) line 5- 6
(B) line 3-4 (D) line 7-8
Number 16-18
1 Ice ages, those periods when ice covered extensive areas of the Earth, are
known to have occurred at least six times. Past ice ages can be recognized
from rock strata that show evidence of foreign materials deposited by moving
walls of ice or melting glaciers. Ice ages can also be recognized from land
5 formations that have been produced from moving walls of
ice, such as U-shaped valleys, sculptured landscapes, and polished rock faces.
16. According to the passage, what happens during the ice age?
(A) Rock strata are recognized by geologists
(B) Evidence of foreign materials is found
(C) Ice covers a large portion of the Earth’s surface
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(D) Ice melts six times
17. The passage covers how many different methods of recognizing past ice ages?
(A) one (B) two (C) three (D) four
18. According to the passage, what in the rock strata is a clue to geologist of a past
ice age?
(A) Ice (C) U-shaped valleys
(B) melting glaciers (D) substances from other areas
Number 19-21
The most common last name in English-speaking world is Smith, which was
taken from the job of working with metals. A silversmith, for example, is someone
who works with metal silver. Historical records indicate that the use of this last
name is at least 700 years old. Today, there are more than 3.3 million Smiths living
in the United States and perhaps another million Smiths living in other English-
speaking countries worldwide.
19. It can be inferred from the passage that family names
(A) were always taken from the area where a family lived
(B) were short names
(C) had little or no meaning
(D) could be taken from jobs
20. Which of the following is implied about the Smith family name?
(A) It is definitely not more than 700 years old.
(B) It existed 600 years ago.
(C) It did not exist 500 years ago.
(D) It definitely was not in use 1,000 years ago.
21. In England there are probably
(A) more smith than there are in the United States
(B) more than a million Smiths
(C) fewer than a million Smiths
(D) no families with the name Smith
Number 22-24
1 Many types of animals combine the advantages of family association with
those conferred by membership in still larger groups. Bees congregate in hives;
some fish move in school; ant gather in mounds; wolves live in packs; deer
associated in herds. The main advantage of membership in mass community is
5 the safety that it provides. A large group of prey may be easier for a predator to
find at any given point than is a small one, and a predator may think twice
before taking on such a group; if a predator does decide to challenge a large
group, it may merely encounter a confusing mass of moving bodies and possibly
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may
not succeed in its primary goal.
22. The word “those” in the line 1 refers to
(A) Family (C) Advantages
(B) Animals (D) Groups
23.The word “it” in line 4 refers to
(A) Advantage (C) Community
(B) Membership (D) Safety
24.The word “one” in line 5 refers to
(A) Group (C) Predator
(B) Prey (D) point
Number 25-31
1 The First Amendment to the American Constitution declares freedom of the
press to all people. Although this right was not officially adopted until 1791,
the famous Zenger trial
of1735 laid the groundwork for insuring this precious freedom.
John Peter Zenger emigrated as a teenager from Germany. In 1733, he
5 began publishing the New York Weekly Journal. The following year, he was
arrested for writing a story about the crown-appointed governor of New York.
While Zenger was imprisoned for nine months, his wife dutifully published the
newspaper every day, bravely telling the truth about the
corrupt government officials sent by the king to govern the colonies.
Finally Zenger’s long awaited trial took place. The hostile judge dismissed
10 Zenger’s local lawyers, making it necessary for his wife to seek out Andrew
Hamilton, a prominent Philadelphia lawyer. Persuaded by Hamilton, the jury
bravely returned a not-guilty verdict,
defying the judge’s order for conviction.
As a result of determination and bravery on the part of the colonists, a
lasting victory for
freedom of the press was gained by a young immigrant.
25. John Peter Zenger was a
(A) Corrupt governor of New York
(B) Famous lawyer
(C) Brave newspaper publisher
(D) Hostile judge
26. What political problem existed in the colonies at that time?
(A) Government officials were corrupt
(B) Newspapers exaggerated the truth about the political officials
(C) Lawyers were hostile to witnesses
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(D) All newspaper publishers were imprisoned
27. How long did it take after the Zenger trial before the concept of freedom
of the press was
officially adopted?
(A) 9 months (C) 56 years
(B) 1 years (D) 68 years
28. All of the following are true EXCEPT
(A) Despite Zenger’s imprisonment, his newspaper continued to be published
(B) Andrew Hamilton encouraged the jury to fight for freedom
(C) The jury obeyed the judge’s order and convicted Zenger
(D) The king controlled the colonies through his own appointed rulers
29. Why was Peter Zenger arrested?
(A) He emigrated from Germany.
(B) His wife published his newspaper for him
(C) He wrote a story about the governor of New York
(D) He persuaded a jury to defy the judge’s orders
30. It can be inferred that the judge was hostile toward Peter Zenger because the judge
(A) Represented the ideas of the king
(B) Hated newspaper publishers
(C) Didn’t like interference with the constitution
(D) Had appointed the governor about whom Zenger wrote
(E)
31. The main idea of the passage is
(A) Andrew Hamilton gave Americans freedom of the press
(B) Peter Zenger’s persistent fight paved the way for freedom of the press
(C) Judges don’t always get juries to agree with them
(D) Peter Zenger’s trial prepared the way for juror to defy judges’ orders
Number 32-31
Before ballpoint pens or fountain pens, pens were made from goose feathers.
These goose feathers, called quills, were sharpened and dipped into inkwells,
where they absorbed enough ink to write a few words. it was necessary to keep an
inkwell very close by, as frequent dipping was
necessary.
These quill pens were one of the earliest products “designed” specifically for
left-and right-
handed people. Feathers from the left wing of the goose worked best for right-
handers because of the way that the feathers arched. Feathers from the right wing
were preferred by left-handers.
32. Which of the following is the best title for this passage?
(A) Early Ballpoint and Fountain Pens
(B) Quill Pens for Lefties and Righties
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(C) Where Quill Pens Came From
(D) Various uses for Goose Feathers
33. According to the passage, a quill came from?
(A) a tree
(B) a bird
(C) a piece of metal
(D) a fountain pen
34. The passage indicates that a quill pen could hold enough ink to write
(A) one or two pages (C) a couple of words
(B) for about one hour (D) numerous sentences
35. Which of the following is NOT true about quill pens, according to the passage?
(A) Left-handers were unable to use quill pens
(B) Left-handed people generally preferred quills from the right wing
(C) Right-handers could use quill pens
(D) Right-handed people generally preferred quills from the left wing
36. It can be inferred from the passage that quill pens
(A) are still used regularly today
(B) are preferred over ballpoint pens
(C) are the best pens for left-handers
(D) are no longer used much
QUESTIONS 37-39
Line The human heart is divided into four chambers, each of which serves its own
function in the cycle of pumping blood. The atria are the thin-walled upper
chambers that gather blood as it flows from the veins between heartbeats. The
ventricles are the thick-walled lower chambers that receive blood from the atria
(5) and push it into the arteries with each contraction of the heart. The left atrium and
ventricle work separately from those on the right. The role of the chambers on the
right side of the heart is to receive oxygen-depleted blood from the body tissues
and send it on to the lungs; the chambers on the left side of the heart then receive
the oxygen-enriched
blood from the lungs and send it back out to the body tissues.
37. The passage indicates that the ventricles
(A) have relatively thin walls
(B) send blood to the atria
(C) are above the atria
(D) force blood into the arteries
38. According to the passage, when is blood pushed into the arteries from the ventricles?
(A) As the heart beats
(B) Between heartbeats
(C) Before each contraction of the heart
(D) Before it is received by the atria
39. According to the passage, which part of the heart gets blood from the body tissues
and passes it on to the lungs?
(A) The atria
(B) The ventricles
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(C) The right atrium and ventricle
(D) The left atrium and ventricle
Question 40-44
Paragrah Lake Baikal
Crescent-shaped Lake Baikal, in Siberia, is only the ninth largest lake
in area at 385 miles (620km) in length and 46 miles (74km) in width, yet it is
easily the largest body of fresh water in the world. It holds one-fifth of the
1 world’s total fresh water, which is more than the total of all the water in the
five Great Lakes; it holds so much fresh water in spite of its less-than-
impressive area because it is by far the world’s deepest lake. The average
depth of the lake is 1,312 feet (400 meters) below sea level, and the Olkhon
Crevice, the lowest known point, is more than 5,250 feet (1,600 meters) deep.
Lake Baikal, which today is located near the center of the Asian
2 peninsula, is most likely the world’s oldest lake. It began forming 25 million
years ago as Asia started splitting apart in a series of great faults. The Baikal
Valley dropped away, eventually filling with water and creating the deepest of
the world’s lakes.
40. What is stated in paragraph 1 about the shape of Lake Baikal?
(A) It is wider than it is long.
(B) It is circular in shape.
(C) Its width is one-half of its length.
(D) It is shaped like a new moon.
41. It is indicated in paragraph 1 that the area of Lake Baikal
(A) is less than the area of eight other lakes
(B) is one-ninth the area of Siberia
(C) is greater than the area of any other freshwater lake
(D) is equal to the area of the five Great Lakes
42. According to paragraph 1, Lake Baikal
(A) holds one-fifth of the world’s water
(B) holds five times the water of the Great Lakes
(C) holds one-ninth of the world’s water
(D) holds 20 percent of the world’s fresh water
43. According to paragraph 1, the Olkhon Crevice is
(A) outside of Lake Baikal
(B) 400 meters below sea level
(C) the deepest part of Lake Baikal
(D) 5,000 meters deep
44. It is mentioned in paragraph 2 that Lake Baikal
(A) is not as old as some other lakes
(B) formed when sections of the Earth were moving away from each other
(C) was fully formed 25 million years ago
(D) is today located on the edge of the Asian peninsula
QUESTIONS (45-47)
Line Two types of trees from the same family of trees share honors in certain
respects as the most impressive of trees. Both evergreen conifers, the California
redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and the giant sequoia (Sequoiandendron
giganteum) are found growing natively only in the state of California.
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(5)
The California redwood is found along the northern coast of the state, while
the giant sequoia is found inland and at higher elevations, along the western
slopes of the Sierra Nevadas.
The California redwood is the tallest living tree and is in fact the tallest
living thing on the face of the earth; the height of the tallest redwood on record is
385 feet (120 meters). Though not quite as tall as the California redwood, with a
(10)
height of 320 feet (100 meters), the giant sequoia is nonetheless the largest and
most massive of living things; giant sequoias have been measured at more than
100 feet (30 meters) around the base, with weights of more than 6,000
tons.
45. It is implied in the passage that
(A) the leaves of only the California redwood turn brown in the autumn
(B) the leaves of only the giant sequoia turn brown in the winter
(C) the leaves of both types of trees in the passage turn brown in the winter
(D) the leaves of neither type of tree in the passage turn brown in the winter
46. It can be inferred from the passage that the Sierra Nevadas are
(A) a type of giant redwood
(B) a coastal community
(C) a group of lakes
(D) a mountain range
47. Which of the following is implied in the passage?
(A) The giant sequoia is taller than the California redwood.
(B) The California redwood is not as big around as the giant sequoia.
(C) The California redwood weighs more than the giant sequoia.
(D) Other living things are larger than the giant sequoia.
QUESTIONS 48-50
Line Probably the most recognized boardgame around the world is the game of
Monopoly. In this game, players vie for wealth by buying, selling, and renting
properties; the key to success in the game, in addition to a bit of luck, is for a
player to acquire monopolies on clusters of properties in order to force opponents
(5) to pay exorbitant rents and fees.
Although the game is now published in countless languages and versions,
with foreign locations and place names appropriate to the target language
adorning its board, the beginnings of the game were considerably more humble.
The game was invented in 1933 by Charles Darrow, during the height of the Great
(10) Depression. Darrow, who lived in Germantown, Pennsylvania, was himself
unemployed during those difficult financial times. He set the original game not as
might be expected in his hometown of Germantown, but in Atlantic City, New
Jersey, the site of numerous pre-Depression vacations; where he walked along the
Boardwalk and visited at Park Place. Darrow made the first games by hand and
sold them locally until Parker Brothers purchased the rights to Monopoly in 1935
and took the first steps toward the
mass production of today.
48. The French version of Monopoly might possibly include a piece of property entitled
(A) Atlantic City, New Jersey
(B) Germantown, Pennsylvania
(C) Boardwalk
(D) the Eiffel Tower
49. It is implied that Darrow selected Atlantic City as the setting for Monopoly because
(A) it brought back good memories
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(B) his family came from Atlantic City
(C) the people of Germantown might have been angered if he had used Germantown
(D) Atlantic City was larger than Germantown
50. Parker Brothers is probably
(A) a real estate company
(B) a game manufacturing company
(C) a group of Charles Darrow's friends
(D) a toy design company
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