PRACTICE TESTS TEST Read the text and questions below For each question, mark the correct letter A, B, C or D Memory is a vital characteristic of the human species Organisms evolve to adapt to their environments in many different ways There are, however, two broad classes of adaptation The first of these involves preprogramming the organism to cope with its environment so that it is born with all the necessary instincts and equipment to operate efficiently and effectively with virtually no learning This is clearly a very successful means of adaptation and has enabled an enormous range of organisms, from plants, bacteria, and insects to “simple” vertebrates, to continue to flourish for millions of years Such organisms have their mode of adaptation “wired in” and, as such, have minimal need for learning or memory The second involves the production of an organism which is adaptable Here, there is much less preprogramming, and the organism is left to modify its behavior in response to its environment This allows for considerably greater complexity and variability of behavior It also demands a larger brain and is heavily dependent on the capacity to learn and remember The human race is the obvious example of this form of evolution – our ability to learn and remember has allowed us to develop tools and language, technologies which in turn vastly increased our ability to store and communicate yet more information through writing, and subsequently films, videos, and computers, all of which can be regarded as an extension of the memory However, without the individual’s memory, the vast storage of information in the libraries all over the world would be incomprehensible Accordingly, the ability to learn and remember, allowing as it does for the development of language, is perhaps our most crucial characteristic What is the main idea of the passage? A Evolution B Memory C Adaptation D Behavior In line ‘the first’ refers to A classes B adaptation C preprogramming D organisms The author mentions all of the following in connection with the first class of adaptation EXCEPT A ability to deal with the environment C process of being wired into equipment B state of being programmed in advance D possession of the requisite instincts According to the passage, many organisms have existed for millions of years because they A have inbuilt resources C have no memory B continually adapt to the environment D are unable to learn From the author’s use of ‘simple’ in line 6, it can be inferred that the vertebrates were: A natural B thoughtless C uncomplicated D plain The word ‘mode’ in line is closest in meaning to which of the following? A Method B Way C Manner D Route According to the passage, the organism of the second class: A changes the behavior constantly B relies upon its memory C modifies the environment D learns very quickly The author suggests that a human being’s memory is: A partly responsible for the growth of the language B a tool used for understanding C supported by technological advances D dependent upon the storage of writing It can be inferred from the passage that man’s most important characteristic is: A the ability to speak C the skill of storing information B the capacity to remember D an aptitude for writing 10 The word ‘crucial’in line 19 is closest in meaning to A basic B vital C serious D effective TEST Read the text and questions below For each question, mark the correct letter A, B, C or D The question has often been asked why the Wright brothers were able to succeed in an effort in which so many others had failed Many explanations have been offered, but three reasons are most often cited First, they were a team Both men worked well together, read the same books, located and shared information, talked incessantly about the possibility of manned flight, and served as a consistent source of inspiration and encouragement to each other Quite simply, two geniuses are better than one They were also both glider pilots Unlike some other engineers who experimented with the theories of flight, Orville and Wilbur Wright experienced the practical side of their work by building and flying in kites and gliders Each craft was slightly better than the last, incorporating in it the knowledge that they had gained from previous failures They had realized from their experiments that the most serious problem in manned flight would be stabilizing and maneuvering the aircraft once it was airborne While other concentrated their efforts on the problem of achieving lift for take-off, the Wright brothers focused on developing a three-axis control for their aircraft By the time that the brothers started to build an airplane, they were already among the best glider pilots in the world, and they knew the problems of flying first hand In addition, the Wright brothers had designed more effective wings for the airplane than had been previously engineered Using a wind tunnel, they tested more than two hundred different wing designs, recording the effects of slight variations in shape on the pressure of air on the wings The data from these experiments allowed the Wright brothers to construct a superior wing for their craft In spite of these advantages, however, the Wright brothers might not have succeeded had they not been born at precisely the opportune moment in history Attempts to achieve manned flight in the early nineteenth century were doomed because the steam engines that powered the aircrafts were too heavy in proportion to the power that they produced But by the end of the nineteenth century, while the brothers were experimenting with engineering options, a relatively light internal combustion engine had already been invented, and they were able to bring the ratio of weight to power within acceptable limits for flights What is the author’s main point in this passage? A The reasons why the Wright brothers succeeded in manned flight B The advantage of the internal combustion engine in the Wright brothers’ experiments C The Wright brothers’ experience as pilots D The importance of gliders to the development of airplanes The word ‘cited’ in line is closest in meaning to which of the following? A disregarded B mentioned C considered D proven The word ‘incessantly’ in line could best be replaced by which of the following? A confidently B intelligently C constantly D optimistically What kind of experience did the Wright brothers have that distinguished them from their competitors? A They were geniuses C They were engineers B They were glider pilots D They were inventors According to the Wright brothers, what was the most serious problem in constructing a manned aircraft? A Achieving take-off C Maneuvering after take-off B Stabilizing during take-off D Controlling the landing The word ‘maneuvering’ in line 12 could best be replaced by A releasing B controlling C understanding D recovering How did the Wright brothers build the wings for their airplanes? A By copying the wings of gliders they had flown B By experimenting which different wing designs in a wind tunnel C By using wings they had been developed by other engineers D By collecting data from scientific literature The word ‘they’ in line 25 refers to A the Wright brothersB aircrafts C engines D attempts The word ‘doomed’ in line 24 is closest in meaning to A destined to fail B difficult to achieve C taking a risk D not well planned 10 What was the problem with the steam engines used in earlier aircraft? A They were too small to power a large plane B They were too light to generate enough power C They did not have internal combustion power D They did not have enough power to lift their own weight