READING COMPREHENSION

READING COMPREHENSION Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions A The technology of the North American colonies did not differ strikingly from that of Europe, but in one respect, the colonists enjoyed a great advantage Especially by comparison with Britain, Americans had a wonderfully plentiful supply of wood The first colonists did not, as many people imagine, find an entire continent covered by a climax forest Even along the Atlantic seaboard, the forest was broken at many points Nevertheless, all sorts of fine trees abounded, and through the early colonial period, those who pushed westward encountered new forests By the end of the colonial era, the price of wood had risen slightly in eastern cities, but wood was still extremely abundant The availability of wood brought advantages that have seldom been appreciated Wood was a foundation of the economy Houses and all manner of buildings were made of wood to a degree unknown in Britain Secondly, wood was used as fuel for heating and cooking Thirdly, it was used as the source of important industrial compounds, such as potash, an industrial alkali; charcoal, a component of gunpowder; and tannic acid, used for tanning leather The supply of wood conferred advantages but had some negative aspects as well Iron at that time was produced by heating iron ore with charcoal Because Britain was so stripped of trees, she was unable to exploit her rich iron mines But the American colonies had both iron ore and wood; iron production was encouraged and became successful However, when Britain developed coke smelting, the Colonies did not follow suit because they had plenty of wood and besides, charcoal iron was stronger than coke iron Coke smelting led to technologic innovations and was linked to the emergence of the Industrial Revolution In the early nineteenth century, the former colonies lagged behind Britain in industrial development because their supply of wood led them to cling to charcoal iron Question 1: What does the passage mainly discuss? A The advantages of using wood in the colonies B The effects of an abundance of wood on the colonies C The roots of the Industrial Revolution D The difference between charcoal iron and coke iron Question 2: The word "strikingly" in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to _ A realistically B dramatically C completely D immediately Question 3: Which of the following is a common assumption about the forests of North America during the colonial period? A They contained only a few types of trees B They existed only along the Atlantic seaboard C They had little or no economic value D They covered the entire continent Question 4: According to the passage, by the end of the colonial period, the price of wood in eastern cities A rose quickly because wood was becoming so scarce B was much higher than it was in Britain C.was slightly higher than in previous years D decreased rapidly because of lower demand for wood Question 5: Why was the use of coke smelting advantagous? A It led to advances in technology B It was less expensive than wood smelting C It produced a stronger type of iron than wood smelting D It stimulated the demand for wood Question 6: Why does the author mention "gunpowder" in paragraph 3? A To illustrate the negative aspects of some industrial processes B To give an example of a product made with wood compounds C To remind readers that the colonial era ended in warfare D To suggest that wood was not the only important product of the colonies Question 7: The phrase "follow suit" in paragraph means A the same thing B make an attempt C have the opportunity D take a risk B There are desert plants which survive the dry season in the form of inactive seeds There are also desert insects which survive as inactive larvae In addition, difficult as it is to believe, there are desert fish which can survive through years of drought in the form of inactive eggs These are the shrimps that live in the Mojave Desert, an intensely dry region in the south-west of the United States where shade temperatures of over 50C are often recorded The eggs of the Mojave shrimps are the size and have the appearance of grains of sand When sufficient spring rain falls to form a lake, once every two to five years, these eggs hatch Then the water is soon filled with millions of tiny shrimps about a millimetre long which feed on tiny plant and animal organisms which also grow in the temporary desert lake Within a week, the shrimps grow from their original millimeter to a length of about 1.5 centimetres Throughout the time that the shrimps are rapidly maturing, the water in the lake equally rapidly evaporates Therefore, for the shrimps it is a race against time By the twelfth day, however, when they are about centimetre long, hundreds of tiny eggs form on the underbodies of the females Usually by this time, all that remains of the lake is a large, muddy patch of wet soil On the thirteenth day and the next, during the final hours of their brief lives, the shrimps lay their eggs in the mud Then, having ensured that their species will survive, the shrimps die as the last of the water evaporates If sufficient rain falls the next year to form another lake, the eggs hatch, and once again the shrimps pass rapidly through their cycle of growth, adulthood, egg-laying, and death Some years there is insufficient rain to form a lake: in this case, the eggs will remain dormant for another year, or even longer if necessary Very, very occasionally, perhaps twice in a hundred years, sufficient rain falls to form a deep lake that lasts a month or more In this case, the species passes through two cycles of growth, egg-laying, and death Thus, on such occasions, the species multiplies considerably, which further ensures its survival Question 1: Which is the best title for this passage? A Life in the Mojave Desert B Life Cycle of the Mojave Shrimps C The Survival of Desert Insects D Water and Life in the Desert Question 2: The word "these" in the first paragraph refers to A plans B eggs C insects D fish Question 3: According to the passage, the eggs originate _ A in the sand B on the female C in the mud D in the lakes Question 4: By saying "for the shrimps it is a race against time" the author means A they have to swim fast to avoid danger in the rapidly evaporating lake B they have to swim fast to catch the animal organisms on which they survive C they have to multiply as many as possible within thirteen days D they have to complete their life cycle within a short span of time permitted by the environment Question 5: The word "dormant" in the fourth paragraph most probably means _ A inactive B strong C dead D empty Question 6: According to the passage, approximately how long does a shrimp live? A about a week B about 15 days C about a month D not given Question 7: What is unusual about the Mojave Shrimps? A Their eggs can survive in an intensively dry region B Their lives are very brief C.They feed on plant and animal organisms D They lay their eggs in the mud only Question 8: It may be inferred from the passage that A appearance and size are most important for life to survive in the desert B a species must be able to multiply quickly in order to survive C for some species one life cycle in a year is enough to survive the desert drought D some species develop a unique life pattern to survive in extremely harsh conditions C Urbanization degrades the environment, according to conventional wisdom This view has led many developing countries to limit rural - urban migration and curb urban expansion But this view is incorrect There are a number of reasons urbanization can be good for the environment, if managed properly First, urbanization brings higher productivity because of its positive externalities and economies of scale Asian urban productivity is more than 5.5 times that of rural areas The same output can be produced using fewer resources with urban agglomeration than without In this sense, urbanization reduces the ecological footprint The service sector requires urbanization because it needs a concentration of clients As services generally pollute less than manufacturing, this aspect of urbanization is also beneficial to the environment Second, for any given population, the high urban density is benign for the environment The urban economics literature shows that compactness is a key determinant of energy use High density can make public transport more viable and reduce the length of trips Urban living encourages walking and cycling rather than driving Third, environment-friendly infrastructure and public services such as piped water, sanitation, and waste management are much easier and more economical to construct, maintain, and operate in an urban setting Urbanization allows more people to have access to environment-friendly facilities and services at affordable prices Fourth, urbanization drives innovation, including green technologies In the long term, environmentfriendly equipment, machines, vehicles, and utilities will determine the future of the green economy Green innovations in Asia's cities will be supported by the region's vast market as the billions of people who will be buying energy-efficient products will create opportunities and incentives for entrepreneurs to invest in developing such products Finally, the higher standard of living associated with urbanization provides people with better food, education, housing, and health care Urban growth generates revenues that fund infrastructure projects, reducing congestion and improving public health Urbanization fosters a proenvironment stance among property owners and the middle class, which is crucial for the introduction and enforcement of environmental laws and regulations Of course, urbanization also comes with costs Millions of people are migrating to Asian cities and companies are locating there to employ them Urban sprawl and industrial activities, such as power generation, transportation, construction, garbage and waste disposal, harm the environment An assessment of the impact of urbanization on the environment must balance its benign and adverse effects (Source: https://www.asiapathways-adbi.org/) Question 1: Which best serves as the title for the passage? A Urban sprawl brings challenges B Five things to in the age of urbanization C Urbanization might actually some good D Driving force behind urbanization Question 2: The word “footprint” in paragraph is closest in meaning to A area B damage C mark D limit Question 3: According to paragraph 3, through which can the optimization of power be achieved? A High-powered public transport B The awareness of commuters C Interconnected relationships of townspeople D The proximity of places in cities Question 4: The word “benign” in paragraph is closest in meaning to A gentle B harmful C considerate D overwhelming Question 5: According to paragraph 4, why is the promotion of an environmentally friendly attitude necessary? A So that the government will not need a forceful means of regulation B It is conducive to the later intervention of legal rules C Urbanization cannot proceed further without the consideration for nature D Due to the conscience of the affluent Question 6: Which of the following statements is TRUE, according to the passage? A The service industry does more harm than good B The term urbanization refers to when the lifestyle that is common in a city becomes prevalent C Visionary technologies can ensure environmentally sustainable development D The detrimental effects of urbanization on the environment cannot be reversed Question 7: The word “them” in paragraph refers to _ A migrants B Asian cities C costs D clients Question 8: Which of the following can be inferred from the passage? A Urbanization will not take its course for the better B We can look forward to a green society in a not-so-distant future C There are not enough countermeasures for the negative effects of urbanization D Everyone has been mistaken about the urbanization