READING & CLOZE TEST (HK2)+KEY

addaxes are the most populous species in deserts UNIT 10: ENDANGERED SPECIESA/ Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer.. Typically, they have been part of a given biolog

PART A

UNIT 9: DESERTSA/ Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer.

desert is a hostile, potentially deadly environment for unprepared humans In hot deserts, high temperatures cause rapid loss of water due to sweating, and the absence of water sources with which to replenish it can result in dehydration and death within a few days In addition, unprotected humans are also at risk from heatstroke

A

Humans may also have to adapt to sandstorms in some deserts, not just in their adverse effects

on respiratory systems and eyes, but also in their potentially harmful effects on equipment such as filters, vehicles and communication equipment Sandstorms can last for hours, sometimes even days

Despite this, some cultures have made hot deserts 'their home for thousands of years, including the Bedouin, Tuareg tribe, and Pueblo people Modern technology, including advanced irrigation systems, desalinization and air conditioning, has made deserts much more hospitable, In the United States and Israel for example, desert farming has found extensive use

In cold deserts, hypothermia and frostbite are the chief hazards, as well as dehydration in the absence of a source of heat to melt ice for drinking Falling through pack-ice or surface ice layers into freezing water is a particular danger requiring emergency action to prevent rapid hypothermia Starvation is also a hazard; in low temperatures the body requires much more food energy to

maintain body heat and to move As with hot deserts, some people such as the Inuit have adapted to the harsh conditions of cold deserts

1 The text is about .

a troubles that human beings have to face in a desert

b desert storms and desert inhabitants

c hot deserts and cold deserts in the United States

d desert hospitality and environment

2 Which is not a problem for an unprepared man in a hot desert?

a sandstorm b loss of water c irrigation d heatstroke

3 Sandstorms .

a do no harm to machinery b have effects only on the eyes

c never lasts more than one hour

d have bad effects on both human beings and machinery

4 Which sentence is true?

a No one can survive in both hot and cold deserts

b Modern technology makes deserts more hospitable

c In the United States, all deserts are quite uninhabited

d There are no deserts in Israel

5 Which is not a problem in cold deserts?

a Starvation b Hypothermia c Frostbite d Body heat

B/ Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer.

pproximately one-third of the Earth's land surface is desert, arid land with meager rainfall that supports only sparse vegetation and a limited population of people and animals Deserts have been portrayed as fascinating environments of adventure and exploration These arid regions are

A

called deserts because they are dry They may be hot They may be cold They may be regions of sand or vast areas of rocks with occasional plants.

Deserts are natural laboratories in which to study the interactions of wind and sometimes water

on the arid surfaces of planets They contain valuable mineral deposits that were formed in the arid

environment or that were exposed by erosion Because deserts are dry, they are ideal places for

human artifacts and fossils to be preserved Deserts are also fragile environments The misuse of these lands is a serious and growing problem in parts of our world

There are many animals in the desert Some are very large, like the kangaroo or the gazelle Both are big and have to travel long distances for water at a spring, or an oasis Another fairly large animal is the addax The addax is a desert antelope They live in the Sahara Desert All addaxes are herbivores There are less than 200 of them left because of hunting and tourists Some animals crawl along Examples of these are snakes and lizards Snakes rarely drink water; they get their moisture from other prey that they eat So do others, like the kangaroo rat Lizards are commonly found in the desert They stay out of the sun and move as little as possible There are also other animals in the desert The fennec lives in northern Africa in the Sahara Desert They are a relative of the fox They eat mice, small birds, lizards, and insects When necessary, they will eat fruit One more desert

animal is the jerboa The jerboa is a small, long distance jumper that lives in the desert They are free drinking animals and they eat plants, seeds, and bugs

1 Deserts .

a are rare in the world b are more arid more populous

c are all hot all the time d may be both hot and cold

2 The word They refers to .

a deserts b natural laboratories c planets d mineral deposits

3 Which is not true about deserts?

a arid b hot c humid d dry

4 According to the second paragraph, .

a we should use desert land properly to avoid serious problems

b we can exploit as much fossil as possible in deserts

c there are no erosion in deserts d deserts are ideal places for growing land

5 The last paragraph expresses that .

a none of animals can survive in deserts

b hunting and tourists cause the decreasing of addaxes in the Sahara Desert

c snakes in deserts need more water than any other species

d addaxes are the most populous species in deserts

UNIT 10: ENDANGERED SPECIESA/ Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer.

pecies that belong to an area are said to be native species Typically, they have been part of a given biological landscape for a long period, and they are well adapted to the local environment and to the presence of other native species in the same general habitat Exotic species are interlopers, foreign elements introduced intentionally or accidentally into new settings through human activities

In one context an introduced species may cause no obvious problems and may, over time, be

regarded as being just as "natural" as any native species in the same habitat In another context, exotics may seriously disrupt delicate ecological balances and create a cascade of unintended

consequences The worst of these unintended consequences arise when introduced species put native

S

species in destruction by preying on them, altering their habitats, or out-competing them in the struggle for food resources Although biological introductions have affected environments the world over, the most destructive, effects have occurred on islands, where introduced insects, cats, pigs, rats, mongooses, and other nonnative species have caused the grave endangerment or outright

extinction of literally hundreds of species during the past 500 years

One of other reason to cause species extinction is overexploitation This word refers to the utilization of a species at a rate that is likely to cause its extreme endangerment or outright

extinction Among many examples of severe overexploitation, the case of the great whales stands out in special relief By the middle of the 20th century, unrestricted whaling had brought many species of whales to incredibly low population sizes In response to public pressure, in 1982 a

number of nations, including the USA, agreed to an international moratorium on whaling As a direct result, some whale species which are thought to have been on extinction's doorstep 25 years ago have made amazing comebacks, such as grey whales in the western Pacific Others remain at great risk Many other species, however, continue to suffer high rates of exploitation because of the trade in animal parts Currently, the demand for animal parts is centered in several parts of Asia where there is a strong market for traditional medicines made from items like tiger bone and rhino horn

1 Native species _.

a are not used to the local environment

b never get along well with other native species in the same environment

c tend to do harm to exotic species

d have been part of a given biological landscape for a long period

2 Exotic species _.

a do no harm to native species and the local environment

b may kill native species for food

c always share the environment peacefully with native species

d help to make the local environment more ideal to survive

3 According to the first paragraph, _.

a non-native species have caused badly damage to native ones

b introducing new exotic species to local environments is necessary

c exotic species have never been introduced on islands

d very few native species have been damaged by exotic species

4 According to the second paragraph, by the middle of the 20 century _.

a whale population was the most crowded in marine life

b whale hunting was illegal

c whale population increased dramatically d whaling was not restricted

5 Tiger bone and rhino horn _.

a are not popular in Asian markets b are never in the trade of animal parts

c are used for making traditional medicines d cannot be found in Asian markets

B/ Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer.

lants and animals hold medicinal, agricultural, ecological value Endangered species must be protected and saved so that future generations can experience their presence and value

P

Plants and animals are responsible for a variety of useful medications In fact, about forty

percent of all prescriptions written today are composed from the natural compounds of different

species These species not only save lives, but they contribute to a prospering pharmaceutical

industry worth over $40 billion annually Unfortunately, only 5% of known plant species have been screened for their medicinal values, although we continue to lose up to 100 species daily The

Pacific yew, a slow-growing tree found in the ancient forests of the Pacific Northwest, was

historically considered a "trash" tree However, a substance in its bark was recently identified as one

of the most promising treatments for ovarian and breast cancer Additionally, more than 3 million American heart disease sufferers would die within 72 hours of a heart attack without digitalis, a drug derived from the purple foxglove

There are an estimated 80,000 edible plants in the world Humans depend upon only 20 species

of these plants, such as wheat and corn, to provide 90% of the world's food Wild relatives of these common crops contain essential disease-resistant material They also provide humans with the

means to develop new crops that can grow in inadequate lands such as in poor soils or

drought-stricken areas to help solve the world hunger problem In the 1970s, genetic material from a wild corn species in Mexico was used to stop a leaf fungus that had previously wiped out 15% of the U.S corn crop

Plant and animal species are the foundation of healthy ecosystems Humans depend on

ecosystems such as coastal estuaries, prairie grasslands, and ancient forests to purify their air, clean their water, and supply them with food When species become endangered, it is an indicator that the health of these vital ecosystems is beginning to unravel The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service

estimates that losing one plant species can triggerthe loss of up to 30 other insect, plant and higher

animal species The northern spotted owl, listed as threatened in 1990, is an indicator of the

declining health of the ancient forests of the Pacific Northwest These forests are the home to over

100 other old-growth dependent species, which are at risk due to decades of unsustainable forest management practices Pollution off the coast of Florida is killing the coral reefs along the Florida Keys, which serve as habitat for hundreds of species of fish Commercial fish species have begun to decline, causing a threat to the multi-million dollar tourism industry, which depends on the quality of the environment

1 Plants and animals _.

a contain medicaments

b will not exist until the future generations can experience their value

c do some harm to medication d take no responsibility for medication

2 Plants and animals _.

a take up all recent prescriptions are b play no role in pharmaceutical industry

c can be used to save lives d cause difficulty to pharmaceutical industry

3 According to the text, _.

a human beings do not like to use plants as medicine

b human beings depend on plants for food and medicine

c there is no disease-resistant material in edible plants

d edible plants do not include wheat and corn

4 Which sentence is true?

a Humans do not depend on ecosystem

b The loss of one species may lead to the 16ss of others

c Unsustainable forest management practices have no effects on species

d The coast of Florida does not suffer any pollution:

5 The word trigger has a close meaning to _.

UNIT 11: BOOKS

ooks which give instructions on how to do things are very popular in the United States today Thousands of these How-to books are useful In fact, there are about four thousand books with titles that begin with the words “How to” One book may tell you how to earn money, another may tell you how to save or spend it, and another may explain how to give your money away

B

Many How-to books give advice on careers They tell you how to choose a career and how to succeed in it If you fail, however, you can buy the book “How to Turn Failure into Success” If you would like to become very rich, you can buy the book “How to Make a Millionaire” If you never make any money at all, you may need a book called “How to Live on Nothing”

One of the most popular types of books is one that helps you with personal problems If you want to have a better love of life, you can read “How to Succeed in Love every Minute of Your

Life” If you are tired of books on happiness, you may prefer books which give step-by-step

instructions on how to redecorate or enlarge a house

Why have How-to books become so popular? Probably because life has become so complex Today people have far more free time to use, more choices to make, and more problems to solve How-to books help people deal with modern life

1 From the first paragraph, we know How-to books are _.

A only about four thousand copies B on money

C very helpful in life D needed a lot

2 The passage tells us that How-to books sell well on how _.

A to succeed in careers B to solve personal problems

C to deal with business D to make money

3 If you often read How-to books, you _.

A will be sure to get something you need B will not know how to help yourself in life

C will become a man in life D needn’t think any more in the world

4 How-to books appear only because _.

A people have more free time to spend than before

B people meet more problems than their parents

C people may have more choices from How-to books than any other books

D modern life is more difficult to deal with

5 The word “step-by-step” would probably mean _.

A little by little B gradually C slower and slower D A & B are correct

good deal of fascinating research has been done about the reading patterns of young people,

and it is surprising to discover at what an early age children start expressing preferences for particular kinds of books A recent report which examined in detail the reading habits of primary-school children showed that even seven-year-old boys and girls have clear views about what they want to read Girls, in general, read more, and far more girls than boys preferred reading stories Boys were showing a taste for the more instant appeal of picture stories, or else books about their hobbies

they have probably moved on to the adult women’s magazines Teenage boys tend to buy magazines about their hobbies: motorcycles, heavy transport and so on.

Adult reading tastes are also the subject of research Again the number of women who read for pleasure is considerably higher than the number of men It seems that the majority of women still want love stories There has also been some analysis of what men actually read Apparently only 38 percent of men read anything, but 50 percent of what they read is fiction in the form of action-

packed stories of space or gunmen

1 Recent research into children’s reading has showed that they _.

A start to read at a very early age

B have formed their reading tastes by the time they are seven

C examine in detail what they read at school

D can read clearly and distinctly in primary school

2 A close look at the reading habits of boys and girls shows that _.

A school gives more encouragement to girls than to boys

B magazines appeal more to boys than to girls

C picture stories appeal more to girls than to boys

D girls are more interested in fictions than boys

3 Research into adult reading habits has showed that _.

A the majority of men read nothing at all B women do not read about their hobbies

C 38% of men have difficulty in reading D men prefer to read about current affair

4 According to the passage, _.

A far more boys than girls are interested in love stories

B there are more opportunities for girls to buy magazines than for men

C children generally don’t care what they should read

D teenage boys show a taste for magazines about their hobbies

5 The word “fascinating” means most nearly the same as _.

A having a lot of action B having a lot of information

C having great attraction D having great pleasure

UNIT 12: WATER SPORTS

ynchronized swimming is water sport in which contestants perform choreographed maneuvers set to music Synchronized swimming requires agility, grace, timing, musical interpretation, and overall body strength

In the figures competition, swimmers perform 4 of a possible 20 figures, or combinations of

movements A panel of judges awards points from 0 to 10 based on the accuracy of the performance and the timing, height, stability, and control of the figures In the technical routine, the swimmers

must perform a set list of elements, or combinations of figures and swimming strokes, in a

prescribed order In the free routine, swimmers can create their own choreography of figures and strokes In the technical and free routines, which can last from two to five minutes each, depending

on whether they are solo, duet, or team competition, a panel of judges awards points from 0 to 10 in the categories of technical merit and artistic impression Technical merit encompasses the execution,

synchronization, and difficulty of the elements Artistic impression includes the choreography,

musical interpretation, and manner of presentation of the performance Routines are enhanced by swimmers’ use of original and expressive movements, patterns, and rhythms The scores for the figures and the routines are weighed according to a formula and combined for each competitor to determine the winner

1 What are the synchronized swimming events recognized internationally?

A figures, technical routine, and free routine B solo, duet, and team

C a set list of elements D All are correct

2 What categories do synchronized swimmers compete in each event?

A grace, timing, musical interpretation

B choreography of figures and strokes

C figures, technical routine, and free routine

D movements, patterns, and rhythms

3 How do judges award points to the performance in the figures competition?

A based on height, stability

B based on the accuracy of the performance and the timing

C based on control of the figures

D All are correct

4 How long do the technical and free routines last?

A They last two minutes each B They last five minutes each

C They last four minutes

D It depends on whether they are in solo, duet, or team competition

5 What does the manner of presentation of the performance belong to?

A the accuracy of the performance B technical merit

C choreography of figures and strokes D artistic impression

here is very little documentation about the origins of water polo It is known, however, that the sport originated in the rivers and lakes of mid-19th century England as an aquatic version of rugby Early games used an inflated rubber ball that came from India known as a "pulu" (the single Indian word for all "balls") Pronounced "polo" by the English, both the game and the ball became known as "water polo." To attract more spectators to swimming exhibitions, the London Swimming Association designed a set of water polo rules for indoor swimming pools in 1870 At first, players scored by planting the ball on the end of the pool with both hands A favorite trick of the players was

to place the five-to-nine inch rubber ball inside their swimming suit and dive under the murky water, and they would then appear again as close to the goal as possible

underwater wrestling matches that usually ended with one man floating to the surface unconscious Water polo was first played in the USA in 1888 The game featured the old rugby style of play

which resembled American football in the water "American style" water polo became very popular

and by the late 1890's was played in such venues as Madison Square Garden and Boston's

Mechanics Hall, attracting 14,000 spectators to national championship games

1 According to the text, _.

A the origins of water polo are written thoroughly in a lot of documents

B water polo is an aquatic version of rugby

C water polo first appeared somewhere outside England

D people have played water polo since the early 19th century

2 The present rules of water polo were invented _.

A by Scottish players B by Indian players

C the London Swimming Association D in 1870

3 In water polo, the players score a goal by _.

A swimming B passing C catching D throwing

4 The present water polo ball is made of _.

A rubber B leather C bone D wood

5 Water polo became popular in America in _.

A the middle of the 19th century B in 1870

C in 1888 D by the late 1890's

UNIT 13: THE 22nd SEA GAMES

he 22nd Southeast Asian Games were held in Hanoi, Vietnam from 5 December to 13

December, 2003 The Games were opened by Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai in the newly constructed My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi The Games torch was lit by Nguyen Thuy Hien of Wushu It was the first time in the SEA Games history that the Games venues were assigned into two cities namely Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

T

The 22nd SEA Games logo designed by painter Nguyen Chi Long is based on a legendary bird named “Chim Lac” The bird decorated the Ngoc Lu bronze drum, a typical antiquity of the ancient Dong Son Vietnamese culture The Emblem is composed of harmonious and vigorous curves,

creating a feeling of movement and strength which conforms to the Olympic Spirit: “Faster, Higher

and Stronger” The colorful whirls represent the tough competitiveness in sports

The Games’ hymn was “For the World of Tomorrow”, composed by Nguyen Quang VInh

Painter Nguyen Thai Hung chose “Trau Vang”, the golden water buffalo as the mascot for the 22nd SEA Games With a gentle and harmonious nature, the clever Buffalo has become synonymous with the water and rice civilization that is so important in Vietnam as well as in other Southeast Asian countries To Vietnamese people, the Golden Buffalo symbolizes a golden harvest, prosperity,

happiness, power and the Vietnamese martial spirit

1 In which cities in Vietnam were the 22nd SEA Games held?

A in Hanoi B in Ho Chi Minh City

C in Hanoi and HCM City D in Hue

2 What is the 22nd SEA Games logo based on?

A the Ngoc Lu bronze drum B the ancient Dong Son Vietnamese culture

C a legendary bird named “Chim Lac” D the Olympic Spirit

3 What is the effect of harmonious and vigorous curves of the emblem?

A to create a feeling of self-confidence

B to encourage the spirit of fair play

C to create a feeling of movement and strength

D All are correct.

4 What has the mascot for the 22nd SEA Games been associated with?

A the prosperity B the water and rice civilization

C Vietnamese agriculture D Vietnamese farmers

5 To Vietnamese people, what does the Golden Buffalo symbolize?

A a golden harvest B prosperity, happiness, and power

C the Vietnamese martial spirit D All are correct

he 22nd SEA Games were launched by an impressive opening ceremony at Hanoi’s My Dinh National Stadium on December 5th 2003, in front of over 40,000 awed spectators On behalf of the host country, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai declared the 22nd SEA Games open

T

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem, Chairman of the National Steering Board for the 22nd SEA Games, Minister-Chairman Nguyen Danh Thai, and Hanoi Mayor Hoang Van Nghien

presented flowers and banners to the 11 participating sports delegations

On behalf of the referees and athletes, referee Hoang Quoc Vinh and shooter Nguyen Manh Tuong swore to an oath of “Solidarity, Honesty and Fair Play”

After the “ritual” part of the ceremony, a laser light show kicked off the “festival” segment More than one thousand artists, dressed in green and sea blue representing the forest and the sea, then presented the first chapter of the performance, named “The Land of the Dragon and Fairy”

The scene depicted the legend of Vietnam’s origins, featuring the father–Dragon and Fairy, and ended with young men and women lining up in an S-shaped pattern, a symbol of Vietnam

mother-as a country

The second part of the program, named “Cooperation for Peace” featured children holding five pointed-stars and entering from the stadium’s four gates, representing Hanoi, the capital city with one thousand years of history Dancing men and women in traditional costumes of ASEAN members and East Timor concluded the third segment, named “United ASEAN Looks To The Future”, which comprised four performances: “Lands by the Pacific Ocean”, “Essential Convergence”, “New

Tune”, and “ASEAN Towards The Future”

The Games mascot, the Golden Buffalo, and 22 singers (standing for the 22nd Games) then took center stage, singing the Games official song “For a World of Tomorrow” The whole show ended as thousands of flying balls were released and fireworks were fired from places in Hanoi

1 How many nations took part in the 22nd SEA Games in Vietnam?

A ten nations B eleven nations C twelve nations D twenty nations

2 The athletes participated in the 22nd SEA Games in the spirit of _.

A “Solidarity, Honesty and Cooperation” B “Development, Honesty and Fair Play”

C “Solidarity, Honesty and Fair Play” D “Solidarity, Cooperation and Fair Play”

3 The festival performances of the opening ceremony included _.

A “The Land of the Dragon and Fairy”, “Cooperation for Peace”, and “ASEAN Towards The Future”

B “The Land of the Dragon and Fairy”, “Cooperation for Peace”, and “Lands by the Pacific Ocean”

C “Lands by the Pacific Ocean”, “Essential Convergence”, and “ASEAN Towards The Future”

D “The Land of the Dragon and Fairy”, “Cooperation for Peace”, and “United ASEAN Looks

To The Future”

4 The festival performances of the opening ceremony represented _.

A the cultural diversity of the ASEAN countries

B the long history of Vietnamese culture

C the cooperation among the ASEAN members and their future development

D All are correct

5 The Games official song was _.

A “For a World of Tomorrow” B “The Golden Buffalo”

C “Vietnam – Our Fatherland” D “The Land of the Dragon and Fairy”

UNIT 14: INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

he United Nations (UN), international organization of countries created to promote world peace and cooperation The UN was founded after World War II ended in 1945 Its mission is to maintain world peace, develop good relations between countries, promote cooperation in solving the world’s problems, and encourage respect for human rights

T

The UN is an organization of countries that agree to cooperate with one another It brings

together countries that are rich and poor, large and small, and have different social and political

systems Member nations pledge to settle their disputes peacefully, to refrain from using force or the

threat of force against other countries, and to refuse help to any country that opposes UN actions

UN membership is open to any country willing to further the UN mission and abide by its rules Each country, no matter how large or small, has an equal voice and vote Each country is also

expected to pay dues to support the UN As of 2004 the UN had 191 members, including nearly every country in the world

The UN’s influence in world affairs has fluctuated over the years, but the organization gained new prominence beginning in the 1990s It was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001 Still, the

UN faces constant challenges It must continually secure the cooperation of its member nations because the organization has little independent power or authority But getting that support is not always easy Many nations are reluctant to defer their own authority and follow the dictates of the UN

1 What are the missions of the United Nations?

A to promote cooperation in solving the world’s problems

B to encourage respect for human rights

C to maintain world peace, and develop good relations between countries

D All are correct

2 According to the United Nations’ Charter, _.

A each country, no matter how large or small, has an equal voice and vote

B member nations pledge to settle their disputes peacefully

C member nations pledge to refrain from using force or the threat of force against other

countries, and to refuse help to any country that opposes UN actions

D All are correct

3 The United Nations has _.

A power over all country members B no power at all

C little independent power D much power over developing countries

4 Why does the UN face constant challenges?

A Some countries refuse to pay dues to support the UN

B There is not much cooperation among its member nations

C Some countries do not follow the dictates of the UN