ĐỀ mẫu VSTEP Reading Test ÔN THI B1 CHÂU ÂU SỐ 2

ĐỀ mẫu VSTEP Reading Test ÔN THI B1 CHÂU ÂU, TỔNG HỢP CÁC MẪU ĐỀ THI MỚI NHẤT GIÚP BẠN ÔN THI HIỆU QUẢ NHẤT Ôn thi theo các dạng đề giúp bạn tiếp cận đề thi nhanh hơn, dễ nhớ hơn, làm quen với dạng đề thi

READING PAPER 5 Time permitted: 60 minutes Number of questions: 40 _

Directions:In this section you will read FOUR different passages Each one is followed

by 10 questions about it For questions 1-40, you are to choose the best answer A, B, C

or D, to each question Then, on your answer sheet, find the number of the question and fill in the space that corresponds to the letter of the answer you have chosen Answer all questions following a passage on the basis of what is stated or implied in that passage You have 60 minutes to answer all the questions, including the time to transfer your answers to the answer sheet.

PASSAGE 1 – Questions 1-10

Vietnam, a one-party Communist state, has one of south-east Asia's fastest-growing

economies and has set its sights on becoming a developed nation by 2020.It became a

unified country once more in 1975 when the armed forces of the Communist north seizedthe south

Vietnam is located on the eastern Indochina Peninsula Because of differences in latitudeand the marked variety in topographical relief, the climate tends to vary considerablyfrom place to place During the winter or dry season, extending roughly from November

to April, the monsoon winds usually blow from the northeast along the Chinese coast andacross the Gulf of Tonkin, picking up considerable moisture Consequently, the winterseason in most parts of the country is dry only by comparison with the rainy or summerseason

In 2014, the population of Vietnam is standing at approximately 90.7 million people Thepopulation had grown significantly from the 1979 census, which showed the totalpopulation of reunified Vietnam to be 52.7 million In 2012, the country's population was

estimated at approximately 90.3 million Currently, the total fertility rate of Vietnam is

1.8 (births per woman), which is largely due to the government'sfamily planning policy

and the two-child policy

The official national language of Vietnam is Vietnamese a tonal Mon–Khmer language

which is spoken by the majority of the population.Vietnam has an extensive

state-controlled network of schools, colleges and universities, and a growing number ofprivately run and partially privatized institutions General education in Vietnam isdivided into five categories: kindergarten, elementary schools, middle schools, highschools, and universities A large number of public schools have been constructed acrossthe country to raise the national literacy rate, which stood at 90.3% in 2008

Vietnam has become a major tourist destination since the 1990s, assisted by significant

state and private investment, particularly in coastal regions About 3.77 millioninternational tourists visited Vietnam in 2009 alone.Popular tourist destinations includethe former imperial capital of Hue, the World Heritage Sites of Phong Nha-Ke BangNational Park, Hoi An and My Son, coastal regions such as Nha Trang, the caves of HaLong Bay and the Marble Mountains Numerous tourist projects are under construction,such as the Binh Duong tourist complex, which possesses the largest artificial sea inSoutheast Asia

1 What does the word “It” in paragraph 1 refer to?

A Because of the monsoon winds

B Because of the winter or dry season

C Because of differences in latitude and the marked variety in topographical relief

D Because of the rainy or summer season

3 How many people were there in Vietnam in 2012?

A 90.7 million

B 52.7 million

C 90.3 million

D 1.8 million

4 Why is the present fertility rate of Vietnam 1.8?

A Because the population had grown significantly from the 1979 census

B Because the government has taken part in family-planning and two-child policy

C Because the total population of reunified Vietnam was 52.7 million ,

D Because the government has carried out family-planning and two-child policy

5 How many levels are there in the education system?

A 3

B 4

C 5

D 6

6 The word “which” in paragraph 3 refers to _

A The country's population was estimated at approximately 90.3 million

B The total fertility rate of Vietnam is 1.8

C The country's population

D The fertility rate

7 Which of the following words does the word “extensive” have closest meaning to?

B Aided

C Altered

D Entertained

9 How does the author illustrate the development of Vietnam tourism?

A By giving the number of visitors who travel to Vietnam and naming the beauty spots inthis country

B By giving the statistics about tourisms’ income

C By comparing Vietnam tourism with other countries’

D By travelling to many beauty spots in Vietnam

10 What is the writer’s purpose in writing this text?

A To support the development of Vietnam

B To provide general information about Vietnam

C To advertise the development of Vietnam

D To compare Vietnam with other countries

PASSAGE 2 – Questions 11-20

Every year for many years the people of Milpa Alta, Mexico, have prepared a feast in theweek before Christmas Sixty thousand tamales and 15,000 litres of hot chocolate aremade in less than a week, not too much and not too little for the thousands of people who

show up for the feast The feast is called La Rejunta and is made for pilgrims preparing for the long walk to the holy cave of El Señor de Chalma on January 3rd The people responsible for organising La Rejunta are called the majordomos It’s an honour to be

chosen and so many people want to do it that the waiting list is full until 2046

The stages in the organisation of La Rejunta are the same every year Tradition is

important to the Milpa Alta people Corn has been grown here for hundreds of years andthe name of the region means ‘high cornfield’ Local farmers grow most of the corn,meat, and vegetables needed as ingredients for the meal And a year before the event, themen go to the forest and collect wood that they pile up high near the home of

the majordomo so that it will be properly dried before it’s used for open-air cooking This year’s majordomos are Virginia Meza Torres and her husband Fermín Lara Jiménez.

‘There is an infinity of things to do,’ Virginia Meza Torres says firmly, as if to indicatethere is no time to talk Virginia is heading to the local offices to get the necessarypermits and Fermín sets off into the countryside in search of more ingredients Theyleave their daughter Montserrat Lara Meza in charge She is a 24-year-old graduatestudent who’s come home to help her parents for the week Volunteers are starting toarrive and Montserrat wanders down the hill to a shed to see how the toasting of the corn

is going Everything is made from the basics – no instant mixes or other culinaryshortcuts are allowed

Such traditional approaches are part of everyday life here Eating together is perhaps themost important example ‘In my experience, there is a glue, a bonding, that comes fromthe time together at the table,’ says Josefina García Jiménez She often cooks for hernieces and nephews and says, ‘It feels like I am passing down a tradition, and when itcomes to their turn to be adults, they will remember what I have done Here we have time

to cook, time to think just what ingredients are needed, time to show our kids throughcooking that we love them.’

When the day of La Rejunta arrives, the volunteers have been up all night, though no one

admits to feeling tired Fermin has made sure there are enough tamales for everyone, andthe head cook has been stirring the atole (chocolate drink) all night After a 14-year wait,and a full year of preparation, it’s almost time for Fermin and Virginia to hand over

responsibility to the next majordomos But first, there are thousands of cups of atole to

serve

11 The article is an account of _

A day-to-day life of farmers in Mexico

B key features of a Mexican community

C what Mexican people eat at Christmas

D what Mexican people drink at Chirstmas

12 La Rejunta is

A a meal where all the guests bring some dishes

B a feast which is organized every 2 years

C just one example of Milpa Alta traditions

D started as a way of using up extra corn in Milpa Alta

13 La Rejunta feast

A is held once every two years

B lasts a week

C Takes two weeks to get ready

D takes a week to get ready

14 Pilgrims to the holy cave _

A take Rejunta food to eat on their journey

B make their trip after Christmas

C are called majordomos

D make their trip right after having the meal

15 Which statement is true?

A It’s hard to find people who want to organise the feast

B It’s difficult to get selected to organise the feast

C The next feast is in about thirty years’ time

D Not many people want to organize the feast

16 Which statement is NOT true, according to the second paragraph?

A Preparations for the feast start a year in advance

B Everything required for the meal comes from the local area

C Only vegetarian food is served at the meal

D The cooking is done in the open air

17 Virginia and Fermin

A have lots of experience organising these meals

B make all the preparation themselves

C don’t have enough ingredients for the feast.

D are too busy to spend much time with the author

18 In Milpa Alta, people pay attention to traditions _

A all the time

B only at certain times of the year

C when they eat

D when Chrismast is coming

19 According to Josefina García Jiménez, _

A cooking for your family is an act of love

B people no longer remember cooking traditions

C traditional cooking takes up too much time

D young people do not like tradditional cooking

20 According to the final paragraph, which statement is true?

A The volunteers eat tamales during the night

B Last-minute preparations take place the night before the feast

C Fermin and Virginia have to choose the next majordomos

D the next majordomos are chose right after the feast

PASSAGE 3 – Questions 21-30

Prehistoric peoples most certainly took note of the recurring patterns of movements in thesky of such celestial bodies as the Sun, the Moon, the planets, and the stars, and theymost certainly noted that events in their world, such as seasonal fluctuations in weather,which in turn had an effect on the lives of the plants and animals in their world, were

often correlated with the movements of the celestial bodies Because it was important for

prehistoric people to have knowledge, for example, of when it was important forprehistoric people to have been migrating, early farmers and hunters took a great interest

in the movements of celestial bodies An understanding of the relationship between the

movements of celestial bodies and recurring patterns of events on Earth was paramount

in many cultures; thus, many cultures in widely separated areas of the world developedmethods for monitoring astronomical events.

The field of archeoastronomy, which combines knowledge and expertise from the fields

of archeology and astronomy, is dedicated to the study of the astronomical knowledge ofprehistoric cultures Archeoatronomers who have been studying prehistoric cultures inNorth America have been discovered various devices that made it possible for prehistoric

people to study and record astronomical events An alignment of stones in Wyoming that

is known as the Bighorn Medicine Wheel, the remnants of a circular-shaped structure created with wooden posts at Cahoki in Illinois, and specially designed windows in

structures of the Southwest that allowed the rays of the Sun to hit designated marks on

inside walls are all believed to be constructions that serve the function of monitoring and

measuring astronomical events

One particular construction, which is located in the Chaco Canyon area of the state ofNew Mexico, has been the subject of considerable attention and discussion amongarcheologists and astronomers This construction, which is at least 700 years old, consists

of large slabs of rock located on top of the flat surface of a high butte that seem to form

an observatory of sorts What makes it appear to experts to be an observatory is that the slabs of rock are positioned so that shafts of sunlight fall betweenthem and hit spiral

markings carved into the side of a cliff As the Sun changes positions with theprogressions of the seasons, the shafts of light fall in different places on the markings inthe cliff wall Using this system, it must have been possible for early inhabitants of thearea to predict upcoming seasonal changes and the events based on them

One question that has been the focus of considerable discussion is whether the stoneswere actually placed in their current location by early inhabitants of the region or whetherthe stones forces of nature created the arrangement While some scientists argue that the

stones could not have fallen in the current arrangement by mere happenstanceand must

have been purposefully positioned, others find it harder to believe that the huge stonescould have been moved and easier to believe that that the marks on the cliff wall wereplaced to reflect the positions where the slabs had fallen naturally Whether or not theslabs were positioned by the local population, the structure correlating the positions of theslabs and the markings on the cliff wall represents a remarkably sophisticated method offollowing astronomical events

21 The word “correlated in” paragraph 1 could be replaced by

A in disagreement

B in coordination

C in touch

D in spirit

22 It is not mentioned in paragraph 1 that prehistoric peoples were interested in

A the movements of the stars

B changes in the weather

C migration patterns of certain animals

D the evolution of various plants

23 The word “paramount” in paragraph 1 could be replaced by

A tall

B dependable

C supreme

D computed

24 Which of the following would an archeoastronomer be most likely to study?

A Plans to send a spacecraft to Mars

B Potential remnants of an early civilization’s lunar calendar

C Tools used by a prehistoric tribe to prepare food

D Geographic formations on the Moon

25 The author mentions “An alignment of stones in Wyoming, a circular-shaped structure … at Cahoki, and specially designed windows in structures of the Southwest” in paragraph 2 in order to

A provide proof that archeastronomers have been studying prehistoric cultures

B provide support for the idea that North American cultures built creative structures

C provide evidence that certain astronomical events have not changed over time

D provide examples of ways that prehistoric people monitored occurrences in the sky

26 The word “serve” in paragraph 2 could best be replaced by

A fulfill

B provide

C assist

D demonstrate

27 What is stated in paragraph 3 about the construction in Chaco Canyon?

A It was created from a single piece of stone

B It prevents sunlight from entering the area

C It was built before the fourteenth century

of rigid plates that are in constant motion This theory provides a cohesive model to

explain the integrated actions of continental drift, seafloor spreading, and mountainformation

The Earth’s plates are estimated to have an average depth of appropriately 60 miles (or

100 kilometers), but they are believed to vary considerably in size Some are estimated to

be continental or even hemispheric in size, while others are believed to be much smaller.Though the actual boundaries and sizes and shapes of the plates are not known for sure, it

has been postulated that there are six major plates and somewhere around the same

number of smaller ones Most of the plates consist of both sial (continental) and sima

(oceanic) crust They are in constant movement, though they move at an extremely slowpace, and these movements cause frequent interactions between plates

At this time, scientists have identified three different types of boundaries between plates.

At a divergent boundary, plates are moving away from each other This type of boundary

occurs at an oceanic ridge, where new material is being added to the seafloor from deeperwithin the Earth Shallow earthquakes and underwater volcanoes are associated with this

type of plate activity At a convergent boundary, plates are moving toward each other

and collide, causing vast folding and crumpling along the edges of the plates, one of theplates slowly folds under the other Though this subduction is slow, it can nonetheless bequite catastrophic as the crustal material of the submerging plate gradually melts into the

fiery hot depths below The area where subduction occurs is usually an area where the

crust is relatively unstable and is characterized by numerous deep earthquakes and asignificant amount of volcanic activity The boundaries between convergent plates are

generally found around the edges of ocean basins and are sometimes associated with deep ocean trenches A third type of boundary is a transcurrent boundary, which

involves two plates sliding past each other laterally, without the folding and crumplingthat occurs at a convergent boundary This third type of boundary is thought to be far lesscommon than the other two types of boundaries

The concept of plate tectonics provides an understanding of the massive rearrangement ofthe Earth’s crust that has apparently taken place It is now generally accepted that thesingle supercontinent known as Pangaea indeed existed, that Pangaea subsequently brokeapart into two giant pieces, Gondwanaland in the south and Laurasia in the north, and thatthe continents attached to the various crustal plates separated and drifted in various

directions As the plates drifted, they may have diverged, which was associated with the

spread of the seafloor, or they may have converged, which resulted in collision,subduction, and mountain building

40A The majority of the Earth’s major mountain ranges are found in zones where plates

converge 40B The Himalayas, which are the world’s highest mountains, along with the central Asian mountains of varying heights associated with them, were formed by the

crumpling and folding of two massive plates that collided at a convergent boundary

40CThe landmass that is today known as India was originally part of Gondwanaland, the giant supercontinent in the Southern Hemisphere, but it broke off from Gondwanaland approximately 200 million years ago and drifted north to collide with part of Laurasia, the giant supercontinent in the Northern Hemisphere, to create the world’s tallest mountains 40D

31 The word “cohesive” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to

A unified

B contemporary

C tenacious

D lengthy

32 It can be inferred from paragraph 2 that

A none of the plates has a depth of more than 100 kilometers

B each of the plates has approximately the same dimensions

C some plates are relatively stationary

D there are most likely around 6 minor plates

33 The word “postulated” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to

A more types of boundaries might be found in the future

B interactions are currently occurring between plates

C all possible types of boundaries have already been located

D the major plates are all currently moving away from each other

35 The word “subduction” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to

B has little effect

C causes one of the plates to sink and melt

D generally takes place in stable areas

37 It is NOT stated in paragraph 4 that it is generally accepted that

A there used to be a giant continent

B the giant continent broke into parts

C Gondwanaland moved to the south and Laurasia moved to north

D the continents moved in various directions

38 The word “them” in paragraph 5 refers to

A zones

B the Himalayas

C central Asian mountains

D two massive plates

39 Which of the sentences below expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in paragraph 5? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

A India was formed when a landmass from the Southern Hemisphere broke off andcollided with a landmass in the Northern Hemisphere

B Gondwanaland drifted north 200 million years ago to merge with Laurasia

C India was formed 200 million years ago when two giant supercontinents drifted northand collided

D The world’s tallest mountains used to be in India, but they broke off from India anddrifted to the north

40 Look at the four spaces that indicate where the following sentence can be added

READING PAPER 6 Time permitted: 60 minutes Number of questions: 40 _

Directions:In this section you will read FOUR different passages Each one is followed

by 10 questions about it For questions 1-40, you are to choose the best answer A, B, C

or D, to each question Then, on your answer sheet, find the number of the question and fill in the space that corresponds to the letter of the answer you have chosen Answer all questions following a passage on the basis of what is stated or implied in that passage You have 60 minutes to answer all the questions, including the time to transfer your answers to the answer sheet.

PASSAGE 1 – Questions 1-10

Eddy is warm, charming and friendly He laughs a lot He seems at first like an averagekindly grandfather But 15 years ago, a virus attacked his brain and destroyed the partwhere memories are made He can remember his childhood and being a sailor in theNavy, but cannot remember anything since 1960 As far as he knows, petrol is cheap andthe moon landing never happened

Since his illness, the only people he knows are the ones in the room with him On atypical morning, he will get up and have breakfast, then go back to bed to listen to theradio Often he will forget that he has eaten, so will get up and have breakfast again andreturn to bed Sometimes he’ll have breakfast a third time

Without a memory, he is trapped in the present, between a past he can’t remember and afuture he can’t imagine He lives a quiet life and doesn’t even know that he has a memoryproblem ‘He’s happy all the time,’ says his daughter Carol, who lives nearby I guess it’sbecause he doesn’t have any stress in his life

For Anna, in contrast, the past is always there ‘My memory flows like a movie’, shesays She remembers who called her on the phone at 12.34 on Sunday August 3, 1986.She remembers that on March 28 1992, she had lunch with her father at the Beverly HillsHotel She remembers what they ate, every word of the conversation She remembersgreat world events and shopping trips She remembers the weather Every day is there,every detail.

Anna believes it is something that happens to her naturally, but it is not an ability shewelcomes ‘I remember the good things, which is nice But I also remember the badthings, every bad choice Ten years later, I still get angry with myself for making thewrong decisions I don’t forgive myself for a lot of things I would love for just five min-utes to be a simple person and not have all this stuff in my head Most people call it a gift.But I call it a burden.’

Scientists are unsure why Anna’s memory is so extraordinary, but both of these casesdemonstrate the importance of memory Eddy's case shows us how essential memory isfor us to function; but Anna's shows that if our memories are to function properly, wealso need to be able to forget

1 The best title for this article would be …

A Memory Loss

B Memory Wonders

C Unexplained Memory Mysteries

D The importance of memory

2 The aim of the text is to …

A arouse sympathy

B describe an experiment

C interest and inform

D describe some scientific progress

3 Anna and Eddy are similar in that they …

A both work in the same area.

B are both extreme examples

C come from the same state

D all have a cheeful life

D an infection in later life

6 In the mornings, Eddy is often unable to remember …

A whether he has eaten

B how to use the radio

C how to make breakfast

D Both A and C

7 Carol says that her father …

A does not have a real problem

B is worried about the future

C seems to be quite content

D is unhappy when he knows his problems

8 For Anna, August 3 rd 1986 and March 28 th 1992 …

A were special anniversaries

B marked the start of two important periods

C were ordinary days

D were the days she went shopping with her friends

9 According to the text, Anna’s memory …

A.is only visual

B is the result of years of training

C is a gift for her

D is unusually accurate

10 Anna says that her memory is …

A difficult to live with

humans can see visible light, those wavelengths between 400 nanometers and 700

nanometers Visible light is divided into colors also by wavelength and this is called thecolor spectrum The blue range that includes violet has the shortest wavelengths of anyvisible light

When light interacts with any kind of molecules, its energy can be absorbed, reflected or

scattered Light is scattered when it hits gases in the atmosphere The amount of light

that is scattered is related to the size of the particle compared to the wavelength of thelight falling on the particle Since blue and violet have the shortest wavelength they arescattered the most by molecules of gases in the atmosphere Because of this scatteringthere is more of the blue wavelength in the atmosphere than any other The human eyehas cones dedicated to receiving blue wavelength, so we see the sky as blue withoutnoticing the traces of purple

Another “mystery” of nature is how rainbows are formed Rainbows are seen only after itrains and the atmosphere contains water droplets Sunlight enters the water droplets, is

bent by the droplet and is reflected out of the droplet The different colors are bent by an

amount related to their wavelength so the result is a spectrum like that produced by aprism

A rainbow always appears as the same kind of arc in the sky The red part of the rainbow

is always at 42° to the line of the horizon and the blue-violet part of the rainbow is always

at 40° with the other colors of the spectrum in between These angles are related to thewavelength of each color Most people have never noticed that the sun is always behindthem when they face a rainbow

11 When Earth is viewed from space, it appears

A red

B yellow

C blue

D green

12 What colors have the shortest wavelengths?

A Shades of blue and purple

B Shades of green

C Shades of red

D Shades of orange

13 Visible light …

A can be seen by the human eye

B is in the range 400 to 700 nanometers

C is the source of the color spectrum

D All of the above

14 The sky appears blue because light interacts with

A water droplets in the atmosphere

B molecules of gases in the atmosphere

C the parts of outer space that humans see

D All of the above

15 A rainbow produces the color spectrum similar to a

A microscope

B telescope

C prism

D All of the above

16 When someone sees a rainbow,

A the arc is always the same for every rainbow

B the sun is behind them

C Both a and b above

D None of the above

17 The word “visible” is closest in meaning to …

20 What is the purpose of the writer when writing this reading passage?

A To explain a magic phenomenon on the sky

B To explain what colors can be seen on the sky

C To explain how colors of the rainbow are made up

D To explain why people just see blue on the sky

PASSAGE 3 – Questions 21-30

UNDERGROUND MICROORGANISM

Microorganisms, or microbes, are organisms that are too small to be seen by the humaneye Microbes can be fungi, bacteria, archaea, or protists, but not viruses and prions,which are commonly categorized as non-living They are usually single-celled, or

unicellular However, there are exceptions, as some multi-cellular varieties are

microscopic and some unicellular protists are visible

Microbes can live almost anywhere on Earth where there is water Although incrediblysmall, they play an important role in keeping the planet running, carrying out 90% of theEarth’s biochemical reactions Without them, life on Earth would be destroyed Themicrobes are probably the first forms of life to develop on Earth

Microbes that live and prosper underground in high temperatures are called

“thermopiles.” Dr Bang, a microbiology professor, said that since scientists are awarethat microbes existed underground, they know that the introduction of outside people,materials, and animals would have interacted with those otherwise inaccessible microbes.This interaction may have caused an evolutionary metamorphosis that went unnoticed bythe world

Scientists are indentifying factors that establish why microbes survive deep underground

in some places but not others High temperatures make certain that nothing can live toofar underground However, the availability of water, pressure, the porosity of the adjacent

rock, and the flow of chemical nutrients may limit where microbes that savor harsh

conditions can exist Temperature is the primary factor in controlling how deep they can

live A lack of water and nutrients excludes subsurface life in arid regions On thecontrary, they may be more abundant deep in mid ocean ridges and salt deposits wherenutrients and water flow more generously

Rock deep underground may have scorching temperatures and toxic chemicals, but lifecan still survive For example, in the early 1990’s, researchers found microbes living inrock 500 meters below the surface More recently they have delved much deeper, nearly

3 km below ground Tests for microbial residents and a new species of bacteria wereconducted by scientists Unfortunately, these tests cause pollution from the lubricating

fluids that drillers pump into the hole Tests on these fluids revealed a great quantity of

aerobic microbes which require oxygen to survive

In another test, scientists added a range of tracers to the drilling fluids By checking rocksamples of these man-made chemicals, they could recognize which pieces had beenpolluted by the drilling fluids Finally, they measured the rock samples The polluted typehad rather large pores that allowed drilling fluid to enter the rock Those not polluted hadbarred any microbes from penetrating the rock If bacteria could not get in the rock, theyalso could not leave The tight-spaced mineral grains served as cages, trapping anyoriginal bacteria for millions of years

7 The organisms survive on a diet of petroleum and other organic compounds However,because these food sources are so diluted, the microorganisms do not receive enoughnutrients to grow, reproduce, or even spread throughout the rock formation The deepesthole will introduce really high temperatures, where a lot of different biophil bacteria andwater seepage reside

Scientists recently discovered microbes living within igneous formations These microbesare unique, relying on hydrogen, water, and carbon dioxide Until this discovery, it was

thought that products of the Earth’s interior, and other organisms to some extent, depend

on the sun’s energy Scientists in Sweden have since found a similar community ofmicrobes deep in granite formation These findings are of great importance becausegranite is one of the most abundant rocks on the continent, suggesting that theseorganisms are quite prevalent Rough calculations propose that bacteria and archaea may

go as deep as 4km below the continental crust and 7km into the oceanic crust It has beencalculated that the weight of all subterranean microbes could equal that of life above thesurface

Questions and concerns are driving investigators to explore new environments like South

African gold mines Tests on the mines reveal that bacteria survives even as deep as

3.5km Microbes living in high temperatures might have the potential to produce

antibiotics which can be temperature tolerant Life underground may also help solve

toxic waste problems and improve methods for cleaning wastewater The most practicalapplication is its effect on the ethanol industry, as it can make the production processmore efficient

21 According to paragraph 1, which of the following is true of microorganisms?

A They break down organic matter and produce fungi, bacteria or archaea

B They can be both harmful and beneficial to human health and the environment

C They are usually unicellular organisms that can only be seen under a microscope

D They are multi-cellular species to be seen with the naked eye

22 The word “exceptions” in the passage is closest in meaning to

A All environments are well suited for the proliferation of the microbes.

B For several billion years, there were only microbes on earth

C All living organisms on Earth carry out the same biochemical reactions

D It is quite clear that without microbes life on earth could not exist

24 According to Dr Bang, underground microbes would have interacted with

A people, animals, and materials on the outer surface

B many different species of microbes in soil

C people, animals, and materials on the interior

D outside features that were previously inaccessible

25 The word “they” in the passage refers to

D radiant

29 According to paragraph 8, what has been calculated about the subterranean microbes?

A They may have the potential to evolve into life

B They may weigh the same as all life on the surface

C There is no way they could exist under that pressure

D They probably consume similar food as other microbes

30 In paragraph 9, the author used “South African gold mines” as an example of?

A how microbes are able to adopt countless strategies for surviving in extremeenvironments

B the cause of how bacteria can survive at such extreme depths

C bacteria being unable to survive more than 7km deep

D microbes surviving up to a depth of 3.5km

PASSAGE 4 – Questions 31-40

ROMAN AND MODERN ARCHITECTURE

The Roman advanced unique principles of architecture in many ways, constructingbuildings and monuments involving both engineering and architectural skill The archwas applied to various works of utility, making it a universal feature in civil buildings.Examples of this include the Pantheon, and the Temple of Peace, both of which extended

the principles of the arch to their logical limits Both these edifices indicated the progress

of the Romans toward the invention of a design that was distinctively their own

The first Roman architects were priests because the religious leaders wanted a place toworship Romans learned most of their architectural techniques from the Greeks and theEtruscans Arches were used for their great support capabilities and their power to

glorify The idea of extending the arch led to the development of the dome Cement was

added to the arch construction, allowing the Romans to expand buildings The Coliseum,for example, was built using the arch system and concrete The other primary use of the

arch was to build aqueducts, which carried water from the hills to big tanks in the cities.They held pipes lined with cement on the top of the arches which carried the water.

Arches were also built in homage to the achievements of emperors Rome contains archesfor Constantine, Titus, and many more, and all were decorated with sculptured pictures.Roman architecture was about creating a beautiful structure It attempted to serve afunction and be beautiful For example, the Notre Dame and the Pantheon were bothclearly designed to create beauty Roman architecture emphasized symmetry and weight,which involved the use of load-bearing masonry Detail was of immense importance, andperfection came from a meticulous and firm use of symmetrical geometries, as well as theprecise implementation of proportion

4 Modern buildings, since the 19th century, started to use a functional approach to design.Iron, steel, and glass enabled architects to enclose vast spaces of department stores, ormarket halls Modern architecture was being inspired by abstract paintings andsculptures, and architects began to consider space and light in their designs

Modern architecture emphasized dynamic composition, movement, and thinness by usingmaterials such as iron and glass Buildings were constructed using frame and claddingtechniques, where a steel frame was erected and glass panes were inserted to complete the

building All loads were transferred down using the frame of the buildings Although

load-bearing materials such as brick appear to be used, virtually all of them are made of concrete and steel, with a thin layer of brick applied to the exterior to hide the true nature of the structure underneath

The Louvre in Paris is an example of a building that has been modernized architecturally.The original style of museum has been updated to include glass and steel Originally, theentrance to the museum attempted to create a beautiful environment in which the objects

of value could be put on view However, the new entrance attempts to bring the inside tothe outside and plays with the idea of not separating the two

There are many distinguishing features between old and modern architecture Classical

buildings, it seems, are built for longevity, as most have withstood the ages Ancient

builders used stone, mud-brick, and, eventually, wood and concrete in their buildings.Now, architectures are incorporating style and function into modern designs Althoughthey are not built to withstand the ages, some are works of admiration and intricatedetails

40A The production of steel, iron, concrete and aluminum has greatly extended the scale

of designs that can be successfully built 40B Today, lightweight materials allow

designers to cover distances far beyond, without the use of any arches In this day and

age, functionality is important when designing a building as rooms are planned to maximize the use of space However, in ancient times, space was not a problem 40C

Aesthetics were much more important than function Modern and classical architecturerefer to specific movements in their respective times Both, however, share an attitude of

32 Why does the author mention “the development of the dome” in the passage?

A To demonstrate the method used to create the Coliseum in Rome

B To show how the Roman arches developed into that style

C To explain how the design of aqueducts followed the typical Roman style

D To give an example of practical use of concrete and construction

33 The word “they” in the passage refers to

A the hills

B the cities

C the water

D the aqueducts

34 According to paragraph 4, what characterized modern architecture?

A domes and arches

B light and open spaces

C close and dark spaces

D symmetry and precision

35 According to paragraph 5, which of the following describes the purpose of a steel frame?

A To bear the weight of the building

B To appear more attractive than stone

C To hide the load bearing frame of wood

D To ensure that glass architecture does not break

36 Which of the following best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence? Incorrect answer choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

A Steel is a very unattractive material and is usually never used in the construction ofbuildings

B Concrete is a popular building material because it can be shaped and formed in anyway to suit the pleasure of our eyes and that’s why it is most commonly used

C Steal is the main type of material to support the load of a building, but it is hidden forcosmetic reasons

D Brick is much stronger than concrete, so it is commonly used

37 Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 7 about modern buildings?

A They did not combine function with style for many years

B They have always sought to embody the flourishing cultural and social life of the city

C It is always important to improve and become one step bigger

D The duration of time in construction is more critical today than it was in the past.

38 The word “functionality” in the passage is closest in meaning to

A Modern architecture can expand to any size

B Ancient architecture had to make use of all space available

C Modern land costs mean that all space must be used well

D Ancient architecture out its artistic significance first

40 Looking at four spaces that indicate where the following sentence can be added