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Section One: Listening Comprehension

1. (A)She needs to find a different roommate.

(B)She thinks the man should get a haircut

(C)She didn't recognize the man because of his haircut

(D)Few people have noticed her roommate's haircut

 

2. (A)Call for the latest weather report

(B)Ask the woman for direction to the library

(C)Go to the library to do research for the field trip

(D)Call his professor about the field trip

 

3. (A)She can't find her car

(B)Her car isn't insured

(C)She'll inspect her car for damage

(D)She's trying to find out about the insurance

 

4. (A)He agrees with the woman

(B)He hasn't been to a game recently

(C)He doesn't think the team has been playing well

(D)He doesn't know much about baseball

 

5. (A)He has never been to the auditorium

(B)He wants to stop and ask for directions

(C)The woman won't be late

(D)The program in the auditorium has already begun

 

6. (A)Arrive at class on time

(B)Finish his assignments more promptly

(C)Get his watch fixed

(D)Get notes about the class from a friend

 

7. (A)He plans to sing a song at the audition

(B)He thinks the woman should be in the play

(C)He thinks the woman should invite someone else to the play

(D)He's not interested in performing with the drama club

 

8. (A)She's too sick to have visitors

(B)She picked up her brother last night

(C)Her brother's flight was canceled

(D)Her brother has changed his plans

 

9. (A)He has a very high phone bill this month,too

(B)The woman should contact the phone company

(C)The woman should make fewer long-distance calls

(D)He'll help the woman pay her phone bill

 

10. (A)Help Laura with her paper next week

(B)Ask Laura to clean the apartment by herself

(C)Ask someone else to clean the apartment with Larua

(D)Ask Laura to wait until next weekend to do the cleaning

 

11. (A)He hasn't read the committee's report yet

(B)He'll encourage the committee to finish the report soon.

(C)The committee took longer to finish the report than expected

(D)The committee's report contains mistakes

 

12. (A)She's afraid of getting hurt

(B)She won't be free this weekend

(C)She'd rather go to Mount Hope

(D)She prefers to go skiing by herself

 

13. (A)She realizes the equipment is easily damaged

(B)She won't forget to put away the equipment

(C)She always performs experiments carefully

(D)She's worried about the results of her experiment

 

14. (A)He doesn't want the woman to give him money

(B)He doesn't remember bow much the groceries cost

(C)The concert tickets were inexpensive

(D)He had forgotten about the concert

 

15. (A)Turn on the television

(B)Change the channel immediately for the woman

(C)Continue watching the nature program

(D)Check to see when the nature program is on

 

16. (A)She also would like to work for the school newspaper

(B)The man has too many books to carry

(C)The man has a very busy schedule

(D)The man took more than five classes last semester

 

17. (A)Tell her more about the exhibit

(B)Invite someone else to the museum

(C)Take a course in art history

(D)Ask Mary when the exhibit will begin

 

18. (A)His housemate doesn't want the windows closed

(B)His housemate is responsible for paying the electric bill

(C)The windows are hard to close

(D)He's anxious for the weather to warm up

 

19. (A)The play will be performed at another location

(B)The woman didn't intend to attend the play

(C)It isn't possible to cancel the play

(D)The play was going to be performed outside

 

20. (A)She'd prefer to go to a different restaurant

(B)She'll join the man for dinner

(C)She has been to the restaurant before

(D)The man should order spaghetti at the restaurant

 

21. (A)She thought the furniture would be more expensive

(B)She doesn't remember how much the furniture cost

(C)She still tired from carrying the furniture into the house

(D)The furniture is too big for the house

 

22. (A)She'd like to watch television with the man

(B)The man shouldn't waste his time watching television

(C)The man should watch a different program

(D)The television program doesn't start until later in the evening

 

23. (A)Help the woman repair her car

(B)Help the woman find a job

(C)Cancel the woman's appointment for her

(D)Take the woman to her doctor's office

 

24. (A)Try to switch hours with someone else

(B)Ask his boss to raise his pay

(C)Look of a more suitable job

(D)Do the extra work without complaining

 

25. (A)She knows why Bob is angry

(B)Bob isn't really angry with the man

(C)Bob will probably remain angry until the man apologizes

(D)The man should ask Bob to apologize

 

26. (A)He'll move into his new apartment in a couple of months

(B)He'd like the woman to help him move into the apartment

(C)He hopes Pete will move into the apartment soon

(D)The apartment might be too expensive for him

 

27. (A)Look for a bigger mirror on sale

(B)Take the mirror back to the store next week

(C)Leave without buying the mirror

(D)Hang a picture next to the mirror

 

28. (A)She's worried that the man will miss next week's deadline

(B)She doesn't know when the deadline for tuition payment is

(C)The man should have paid his tuition a week ago

(D)The man has all week to pay his tuition

 

29. (A)It's too late to join the soccer team

(B)The mans grades have begun to improve recently

(C)The man might not have enough time to play soccer

(D)The man should continue to improve his soccer skills

 

30. (A)He finds Dr.Langston's lectures boring

(B)He pays close attention to Dr.Langston's lectures

(C)Dr.Langston's lectures are short but challenging

(D)He doesn't usually sit through an entire lecture

 

31. (A)A study group

(B)Studio Art 101

(C)The man's painting

(D)A professional artist

 

32. (A)Making a gift for the woman

(B)Working on a class assignment

(C)Discussing his career

(D)Preparing to teach an art class

 

33. (A)Study paintings by other artists

(B)Go to her father's art exhibit

(C)Show the instructor his sketches

(D)Change the color of the sky in his painting

 

34. (A)By listening to her father

(B)By working for an artist

(C)By talking to the studio art instructor

(D)By taking several art courses

 

35. (A)Take a history exam

(B)Go to an art exhibit

(C)Meet some classmates

(D)Help the man with his painting

36. (A)The difficulty of raising animals on farms in colonial America

(B)Traffic problems in colonial American cities

(C)Population growth in colonial American cities

(D)Economic conditions in colonial America

 

37. (A)By widening the streets

(B)By using coaches to provide free public transportation

(C)By preventing carts from entering town

(D)By making laws to keep farm animals off the street

 

38. (A)Carts scared the pigs away

(B)Carts injured a large number of people

(C)Carts often moved too slowly

(D)Carts broke down too easily

 

39. (A)They used carts for collecting garbage

(B)They used pigs to get rid of garbage

(C)They burnt the garbage

(D)They set up trash cans

 

40. (A)The advantages of traditional surveying methods

(B)Using satellites to communicate with mountain climbers

(C)Obtaining new information about a mountain

(D)Controlling satellites from the top of a mountain

 

41. (A)To indicate how climbers communicated

(B)To show that climbers enjoyed many comforts

(C)To show that modern telephones work at high altitudes

(D)To emphasize how small some equipment had become

 

42. (A)Detailed maps from previous studies

(B)Recent advances in technology

(C)Plenty of funding for the study

(D)Experience carrying heavy loads up mountains

 

43. (A)To carry information that would help determine elevation

(B)To provide accurate weather reports

(C)To relay information from scientists around the world

(D)To indicate which route the mountain climbers should take

 

44. (A)The adaptations of the African grass mouse to its environment

(B)The sleeping habits of the African grass mouse

(C)The effect of intense sunlight on the diet of the African grass mouse

D)The habitat of the African grass mouse

 

45. (A)It has a flattened shape

(B)It has an extra layer of pigmented tissue

(C)It has a furry covering

(D)It has a large cranial cavity

 

46. (A)They are active during daylight hours

(B)Their heads are exposed to sunlight while they sleep

(C)They have only partially adapted to their tropical environment

(D)Their wings are easily damaged by ultraviolet radiation

 

47. (A)The increase in the number of congressional representatives

(B)The process of hiring congressional staff members

(C)The role of congressional representatives' aides

(D)The structure of congressional elections

 

48. (A)Research foreign policy issues

(B)Communicate with the aides of other congressional representatives

(C)Help citizens solve problems

(D)Oversee local elections

 

49. (A)To compare the duties of politicians in different countries

(B)To point out that too many laws are proposed

(C)To emphasize the importance of Congress

(D)To explain why a congressional representative needs a large staff

 

50.(A)Negotiating deals with other congressional aides

(B)Suggesting laws that will be popular with local voters

(C)Managing a representative's financial interests

(D)Creating new ways to campaign for their bosses

 

 

 

 

Section Two: Structure and Written Expression

1. Many scientists believe _____ as a result of a collision between the newly formed Earth and a large asteroid.

A. that the Moon was formed

B. in that the Moon was formed

C. that the Moon formed was

D. when the Moon was formed

 

2. The organ-pipe cactus is _____ in the United States.

A. rare that

B. it rare

C. so that rare

D. rare

 

3. Willa Cather,_____, gained recognition for her books concerning the American frontier.

A. a novelist and Pulitzer prizewinning

B. a Pulitzer prizewinning novelist

C. a Pulitzer prizewinning novelist who

D. was a Pulitzer prizewinning novelist

 

4. The average wavelength of visible light is 2,000 times _____ the diameter of an atom.

A. much as

B. as great

C. greater than

D. more than that

 

5._____ ants live in nests, which may be located in the ground, under a rock, or built above ground and may be made of twigs, sand, or gravel.

A. Most

B. The most of

C. Most of

D. Of the most

 

6. The banking systems of the world have many similarities, _____ they also differ, sometimes in quite material respects.

A. of which

B. in spite of

C. but

D. how

 

7. Learning that takes place in infancy provides the____ for the eventual transformation of a child

into an adult.

A. foundation is necessary

B. necessary foundation is

C. necessary in the foundation

D. foundation necessary

 

8. In the late 1930's and early 1940's, Jacob Lawrence created many paintings _____ the lives of

famous African American activists.

A. Portrayed

B. portrayed them

C. that they portrayed

D. that portrayed

 

9. The Centennial Exposition, _____ in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1876, celebrated the one-

hundredth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

A. was held

B. to be held

C. held

D. by holding

 

10. In the dark abyss of the deep sea _____ is produced by luminescent fish.

A. because the only light

B. the only light

C. the only light that

D. is the only light

 

11. The classic American novel Moby Dick____ an account of the conflict between human beings

and their fate.

A. may be regarded as

B as may be regarded

C. regarded as may be

D. regarded may as be

 

12. In the metals industry, hydrogen is used to prevent metals from tarnishing while

undergoing_____.

A. treated by heat

B. heat treatments

C. by heat treatments

D. heat-treated

 

13—15暂缺

 

 

16. The Executive Mansion, constructed in the 1790's and now popularly called the White
                        A                B        C

House, is oldest public edifice in Washington,D.C.

D

17.   Inventor Elisha Graves Otis designed the first elevator that it incorporated an

       A                                               B

automatic brake, which in turn led to the development of the skyscraper.

                           C         D

18.   Although the term "corrosion" applies mostly to metals and particularly to their

   A                                                               

reaction to oxygen, all material are subject to surface deterioration.

B                    C                      D

19.   The chief commercial source of bromine is ocean water, from what the element is

             A                                     B

extracted by means of chemical replacement by chlorine.

               C                 D

20.   Like Jupiter and Earth, Saturn is flattened at a poles.

    A         B              C           D

21.   All living things are made up of one or more cells, and each of these cells were

     A               B                                      C

produced by an already existing cell.

                  D

22.   It is believed that some dinosaurs were intelligent, ability to perform complex activities,

A                                             B

and perhaps even capable of social behavior.

            C            D

23.   Unique among bivalves, scallops swim extremely well, propelled by jets of water

            A                               B

expelled while snapped the shell shut.

              C            D

24.   In the period between 1918 and 1939, various political, economic, and geographic

factors combined in determine the extent to which a country developed civil aviation.

       A            B               C              D

25.   The main attractive at Sequoia National Park is thirty-five groves of giant sequoias,

               A                                     B      C

the largest living things in the world.

                      D

26.   In films, optical printing can be combined with blue-screen photography for produce

                        A                                     B

such special effects as characters seeming to fly through the air.

 C                                 D

27.   The developed countries of the world are using up valuable resources at a rate

                  A                   B              C

unprecedented human history.

          D

28.   An activist for women's rights, Leonora O'Reilly promoted women's vocational training

           A

besides fought for increased wages for garment workers.

   B              C      D

29.   Cameras of one type or another have been using for more than a hundred years.

      A                 B             C              D

30.   Electricity is the phenomenon associated with positively and negatively particles

                               A                                B

charged of matter at rest and in motion, either individually or in great numbers.

                 C                         D

31.   Air, which it is a mixture of elements oxygen and nitrogen and compounds water and

             A                                          B

carbon dioxide, also contains small quantities of many other substances.

                   C                      D

32.   The planets far from the Sun are so remote from any heat source that their

                                    A               B

temperatures are thought to be much near absolute zero.

                C            D

33.   Some claim that vegetarian diets may to be more healthful than a diet that includes

                   A               B                             C

meat, since they generally contain less fat and more fiber.

                        D

34—40暂缺

 

Section Three: Reading Comprehension

Question 1-10

Hunting is at best a precarious way of procuring food, even when the diet is supplemented with

seeds and fruits. Not long after the last Ice Age, around 7,000 B.C. (during the Neolithic period),

some hunters and gatherers began to rely chiefly on agriculture for their sustenance. Others

continued the old pastoral and nomadic ways. Indeed, agriculture itself evolved over the course of

(5) time, and Neolithic peoples had long known how to grow crops. The real transformation of human

life occurred when huge numbers of people began to rely primarily and permanently on the grain

they grew and the animals they domesticated.

Agriculture made possible a more stable and secure life. With it Neolithic peoples flourished,

fashioning an energetic, creative era. They were responsible for many fundamental inventions and

(10)innovations that the modern world takes for granted. First, obviously, is systematic agriculture---

that is, the reliance of Neolithic peoples on agriculture as their primary, not merely subsidiary,

source of food.

Thus they developed the primary economic activity of the entire ancient world and the basis of all

modern life. With the settled routine of Neolithic farmers came the evolution of towns and

(15)eventually cities. Neolithic farmers usually raised more food than they could consume, and their

surpluses permitted larger, healthier populations. Population growth in turn created an even

greater reliance on settled farming, as only systematic agriculture could sustain the increased

numbers of people. Since surpluses o food could also be bartered for other commodities, the

Neolithic era witnessed the beginnings of large-scale exchange of goods. In time the increasing

(20)complexity of Neolithic societies led to the development of writing, prompted by the need to keep

records and later by the urge to chronicle experiences, learning, and beliefs.

The transition to settled life also had a profound impact on the family. The shared needs and

pressures that encourage extended-family ties are less prominent in settled than in nomadic

societies. Bonds to the extended family weakened. In towns and cities, the nuclear family was

(25)more dependent on its immediate neighbors than on kinfolk.

 

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

A). Why many human societies are dependent on agriculture

B). the changes agriculture brought to human life

C). How Neolithic peoples discovered agriculture

D). Why the first agricultural societies failed

 

2. The word "precarious" in line 1 is closest in meaning to

A). uncertain

B). humble

C). worthy

D). unusual

 

3. The author mentions "seeds and fruits" in line 2 as examples of

A). the first crops cultivated by early agricultural societies

B). foods eaten by hunters and gatherers as a secondary food source

C). types of food that hunters and gatherers lacked in their diets

D). the most common foods cultivated by early agricultural societies

 

4. The word "settled" in line 15 is closest in meaning to

A). advanced

B). original

C). involved

D). stable

 

5. According to the passage, agricultural societies produced larger human populations because

agriculture

A). created more varieties of food

B). created food surpluses

C). resulted in increases in leisure time

D). encouraged bartering

 

6. According to the passage, all of the following led to the development of writing EXCEPT the

A). need to keep records

B). desire to write down beliefs

C). extraction of ink from plants

D).growth of social complexity

 

7. The word "{chronicle" in line 23 is closest in meaning to

A}. repeat

B}. exchange

C}. understand

D}. describe

 

8. According to the passage, how did the shift to agricultural societies impact people's family

relationships?

A). the extended family became less important.

B). Immediate neighbors often became family members.

C). the nuclear family became self-sufficient.

D). Family members began to wok together to raise food.

 

9. The author mentions all of the following as results of the shift to agricultural societies EXCEPT

A). an increase in invention and innovation

B). emergence of towns and cities

C). development of a system of trade

D). a decrease in warfare

 

10. Which of the following is true about the human diet prior to the Neolithic period?

A). It consisted mainly of agricultural products

B). It varied according to family size.

C). It was based on hunting and gathering.

D). It was transformed when large numbers of people no longer depended on the grain they grew

themselves.

Question 11-21

In the North American colonies, red ware, a simple pottery fired at low temperatures, and stone

ware, a strong, impervious grey pottery fired at high temperatures, were produced from two

different native clays. These kind of pottery were produced to supplement imported European

pottery. When the American Revolution (1775-1783) interrupted the flow of the superior European

(5) ware, there was incentive for American potters to replace the imports with comparable domestic

goods. Stoneware, which had been simple, utilitarian kitchenware, grew increasingly ornate

throughout the nineteenth century, and in addition to the earlier scratched and drawn designs,

three-dimensional molded relief decoration became popular. Representational motifs largely

replaced the earlier abstract decorations. Birds and flowers were particularly evident, but other

(10)subjects---lions, flags, and clipper ships--- are found. Some figurines, mainly of dogs and lions,

were made in this medium. Sometimes a name, usually that of the potter, was die-stamped onto a

piece.

As more and more large kilns were built to create the high-fired stoneware, experiments revealed

that the same clay used to produce low-fired red ware could produce a stronger, paler pottery if

(15)fired at a hotter temperature. The result was yellow ware, used largely for serviceable items; but a

further development was Rockingham ware--- one of the most important American ceramics of the

nineteenth century. (The name of the ware was probably derived from its resemblance to English

brown-glazed earthenware made in South Yorkshire.) It was created by adding a brown glaze to

the fired clay, usually giving the finished product a mottled appearance. Various methods of

(20)spattering or sponging the glaze onto the ware account for the extremely wide variations in color

and add to the interest of collecting Rockingham. An advanced form of Rockingham was flint

enamel, created by dusting metallic powders onto the Rockingham glaze to produce brilliant

varicolored streaks.

Articles for nearly every household activity and ornament could be bought in Rockingham ware:

(25)dishes and bowls, of course; also bedpans, foot warmers, cuspidors, lamp bases, doorknobs,

molds, picture frames, even curtain tiebacks. All these items are highly collectible today and are

eagerly sought. A few Rockingham specialties command particular affection among collectors and

correspondingly high prices.

 

11. Why did the potters discussed in the passage change the kind of pottery they made?

A). They discovered a new kind of clay.

B). They were compensation for the loss of an overseas supplier.

C). They studied new techniques in Europe.

D). The pottery they had been producing was not very strong.

 

12. The word "ornate" in line 7 is closest in meaning to

A). elaborate

B). puzzling

C). durable

D). common

 

13. The passage suggests that the earliest stoneware

A). was decorated with simple, abstract designs

B). used three-dimensional decorations

C). was valued for its fancy decorations

D). had no decoration

 

14. How did yellow ware achieve its distinctive color?

A). By sponging on a glaze

B). By dusting on metallic powders

C). By brown-glazing

D). By firing at a high temperature

 

15. The phrase "derived from" in line 19 is closest in meaning to

A). ruined by

B). warned against

C). based on

D). sold by

 

16. The word "It" in line 20 refers to

A). red ware

B). yellow ware

C). Rockingham ware

D). English brown-glazed earthenware

 

17. The word “Various" in line 21 is closest in meaning to

A). complicated

B). accepted

C). careful

D). different

 

18. The phrase "account for" in line 22 is closest in meaning to

A). explain

B). restrict

C). finance

D). supplement

 

19. What was special about flint enamel?

A). Its even metallic shine

B). Its mottled appearance

C). Its spattered effect

D). Its varicolored streaks

 

20. Which of the following kinds of Rockingham ware were probably produced in the greatest

quantity?

A). Picture frames

B). Dishes and bowls

C). Curtain tiebacks

D). Doorknobs

 

21. The passage would most probably continue with a discussion of

A). what bedpans, foot warmers, and cuspidors were used for

B). well-known, modern-day potters who make Rockingham ware

C). examples of Rockingham ware that collectors especially want

D). pieces of Rockingham ware that are inexpensive in today's market

 

Question 22-31

Archaeological discoveries have led some scholars to believe that the first Mesopotamian

inventors of writing may have been a people the later Babylonians called Subarians. According to

tradition, they came from the north and moved into Uruk in the south. By about 3100B.C, They

were apparently subjugated in southern Mesopotamia by the Sumerians, whose name became

(5) synonymous with the region immediately north of the Persian Gulf, in the fertile lower valleys of the

Tigris and Euphrates. Here the Sumerians were already well established by the year 3000B.C.

They had invented bronze, an alloy that could be cast in molds, out of which they made tools and

weapons. They lived in cities, and they had begun to acquire and use capital. Perhaps most

important, the Sumerians adapted writing (probably from the Subarians) into a flexible tool of

(10)communication.

Archacologists have known about the Sumerians for over 150 years. Archaeologists working at

Nineveh in northern Mesopotamia in the mid-nineteenth century found many inscribed clay tablets.

Some they could decipher because the language was a Semitic one (Akkadian), on which scholars

had already been working for a generation. But other tablets were inscribed in another language

(15)that was not Semitic and previously unknown. Because these inscriptions mad reference to the

king of Sumer and Akkad, a scholar suggested that the mew language be called Sumerian.

But it was not until the 1890's that archaeologists excavating in city-states well to the south o f

Nieveh found many thousands of tablets inscribed in Sumerian only. Because the Akkadians

thought of Sumerian as a classical language (as ancient Greek and Latin are considered today),

(20)they taught it to educated persons and they inscribed vocabulary, translation exercised, and other

study aids on tablets. Working from known Akkadian to previously unknown Sumerian, scholars

since the 1890's have learned how to read the Sumerian language moderately well. Vast quantities

of tablets in Sumerian have been unearthed during the intervening years from numerous sites.

 

22. According to the passage, the inventors of written language in Mesopotamia were probably the

A). Babylonians

B). Subarians

C). Akkadians

D). Sumerians

 

23. The word "subjugated" in line 4 is closest in meaning to

A). distinguished

B). segregated

C). Concentrated

D). conquered

 

24. The phrase "synonymous with" in line 5 is closest in meaning to

A). equivalent to

B). important for

C). respected in

D). familiar with

 

25. According to the passage, by the year 3000 B.C. the Sumerians had already done all of the

following EXCEPT:

A). They had abandoned the area north of the Persian Gulf.

B). They had established themselves in cities.

C). They had started to communicate through

D). They had created bronze tools and weapons.

 

26. The word "some" in line 14 refers to

A). Archaeologists

B). Sumerians

C). years

D). clay tablets

 

27. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage concerning the Sumerians?

A). They were descendants of the Persians.

B). They were the first people to cultivate the valley of the Tigris.

C). They were accomplished musicians.

D).They had the beginnings of an economy.

 

28. According to the passage, when did archaeologists begin to be able to understand tablets inscribed in Sumerian?

A).IN the early nineteenth century

B). More than 150 years ago

C). After the 1890's

D). In the mid-eighteenth century

 

29. According to the passage, in what way did the Sumerian language resemble ancient Greek

and Latin?

A). It was invented in Mesopotamia.

B). It became well established around 3000 B.C.

C). It became a classical language.

D). It was used exclusively for business transactions.

 

30. The word "excavating" in line 19 is closest in meaning to

A). Living

B). digging

C). assembling

D). building

 

31. According to the passage, how did archaeologists learn to read the Sumerian language?

A). By translating the work of the Subarians

B). By using their knowledge of spoken Semitic languages

C). By comparing Sumerian to other classical languages

D). By using their knowledge of Akkadian

 

Question 32-40

Generally, in order to be preserved in the fossil record, organisms must possess hard body parts

such as shells or bones. Soft, fleshy structures are quickly destroyed by predators pr decayed by

bacteria. Even hard parts left on the surface for and length of time will be destroyed Therefore,

organisms must be buried rapidly to escape destruction by the elements and to be protected

(5) agents of weathering and erosion Marine organisms thus are better candidates for

fossilization than those living on the land because the ocean is typically the site of sedimentation,

whereas the land is largely the site of erosion.

The beds of ancient lakes were also excellent sites for rapid burial of skeletal remains of

freshwater organisms and skeletons of other animals, including those of early humans Ancient

(10)swamps were particularly plentiful with prolific growths of vegetation, which fossilized in

abundance. Many animals became trapped in bogs overgrown by vegetation. The environment of

the swamps kept bacterial decay to a minimum, which greatly (aide(D)in the preservation of plants

and animals. The rapidly accumulating sediments in flood plains, deltas, and stream channels

buried freshwater organisms, along with other plants and animals that happened to fall into the

(15)water.

Only a small fraction of all the organisms that have ever lived are preserved as fossils. Normally,

the remains of a plant or animal are completely destroyed through predation and decay. Although

it seems that fossilization is common for some organisms, for others it is almost impossible. For

the most part, the remains of organisms are recycled in the earth, which is fortunate because

(20)otherwise soil and water would soon become depleted of essential nutrients. Also, most of the

fossils exposed on Earth’s surface are destroyed by weathering processes. This makes for an

incomplete fossil record with poor or no representation of certain species.

The best fossils are those composed of unaltered remains. Generally, it is the inorganic hard parts,

composed mostly of calcium carbonate, that form the vast majority of unaltered fossils. Calcite and

(25)aragonite also contributed to a substantial number of fossils of certain organisms.

 

32. According to the passage, an organism without hard body parts

(A)is not likely to appear in the fossil record

B).is not heavy enough to sink below the surface

C).is not attractive to predators

D).takes a long time to decay

 

33. The word "agents" in line 5 is closest in meaning to

A). dangers

B). examples

C). areas

D). causes

 

34. Why are marine organisms good candidates for fossilization?

A). they have more fleshy structures than land organisms.

B). It is likely that they will be buried rapidly

C). The water environment speeds the decay caused by bacteria.

D). It takes longer for them to be preserved.

 

35. The fact that the "land is largely the site of erosion" (line 7) is significant because

A). erosion is less destructive than sedimentation

B). fossils are most common in areas subject to erosion

C). erosion contributes to the destruction of skeletal remains

D). few organisms live in areas that experience extensive erosion

 

36. According to the passage, why were the remains of organisms trapped in swamps better

preserved for the fossil record than those that were not?

A). The swamp environment reduced the amount of bacterial decay.

B). Swamp waters contained higher amounts of materials such as calcium carbonate.

C). There were fewer sediments in swamps than in other bodies of water.

D). Swamp vegetation accelerated the decomposition of organisms.

 

37. The word "aided" in line 12 is closest in meaning to

A). reversed

B). helped

C). reformed

D). counted

 

38. It can be inferred that flood plains, deltas, and stream channels (lines 13-14) are similar in

which of the following ways?

A). Animals rather than plants have been preserved at such locations.

B). Such locations are likely to be rich sources of fossils.

C). Fossilized human remains are only rarely found in such locations.

D). Rapid sedimentation in such locations makes it difficult to locate fossils.

 

39. What is the author's main point in paragraph 3?

A). Weathering makes it impossible to identify many fossils.

B). Many fossils have been buried forever under the soil.

C). Fossils provide a limited sample of ancient organisms.

D). It is easier to find the remains of plants than animals.

 

40. Why does the author mention "aragonite" in line 26

A). To explain why fossils are rare

B). To compare aragonite fossils and calcite fossils

C). To argue that certain fossils are more informative than others

D). To illustrate the kinds of inorganic hard parts that can form fossils

 

Question 41-50

Naturalists and casual observers alike have been struck by the special relationship

between squirrels and acorns (the seeds of oak trees). Ecologists, though, cannot observe

These energetic mammals scurrying up and down oak trees and eating and burying acorns

without wondering about their complex relationship with trees. Are squirrels dispersers

(5) and planters of oak forests or pesky seed predators? The answer is not simple. Squirrels

may devour many acorns, but by storing and failing to recover up to 74 percent of them

(as they do when seeds are abundant), these arboreal o\rodents can also aid regeneration

and dispersal of the oaks.

Their destructive powers are well documented. According to one report, squirrels

(10)destroyed tens of thousands of fallen acorns from an oak stand on the University of

Indiana campus. A professor there estimated that each of the large while oaks had

Produced between two and eight thousand acorns, but within weeks of seed maturity,

Hardly an intact acorn could be found among the fallen leaves.

Deer, turkey, wild pigs, and bears also feed heavily on acorns, but do not store them,

(15)And are therefore of no benefit to the trees. Flying squirrels, chipmunks, and mice are

Also unlikely to promote tree dispersal--- whose behavior of caching (hiding) acorns below

The leaf litter often promotes successful germination of acorns --- and perhaps blue jays,

Important long-distance dispersers, seem to help oaks spread and reproduce.

Among squirrels, though, there is a particularly puzzling behavior pattern. Squirrels

(20)pry off the caps of acorns, bite through the shells to get at the nutritious inner kernels,

and then discard them half-eaten. The ground under towing oaks is often littered with

thousands of half -eaten acorns, each one only bitten from the top. Why would any animal

waste so much time and energy and risk exposure to such predators as red-tail hawks only

to leave a large part of each acorn uneaten? While research is not conclusive at this point,

(25)one thing that is certain is that squirrels do hide some of the uneaten portions, and these

acorn halves, many of which contain the seeds, may later germinate.

 

41. What does the passage mainly discuss?

A). The ecology of oak trees

B). Factors that determine the feeding habits of Squirrels

C). Various species of animals that promote the dispersal of tree seeds

D). The relationship between squirrels and oak trees

 

42. The word "they" in line 7 refers to

A). oak forests

B). acorns

C). squirrels

D). predators

 

43. According to the passage, what do squirrels do when large quantities of acorns are available?

A). They do not store acorns.

B). They eat more than 74 percent of available acorns.

C). They do not retrieve all the acorns that they have stored.

D). They hide acorns in tree cavities.

 

44. The word "estimated" in line 11 is closest in meaning to

A). commented

B). judged

C). observed

D). discovered

 

45. Why does the author mention “the University of Indiana campus" in line 10-11

A). To provide evidence that intact acorns are hard to find under oak trees

B). To indicate a place where squirrels can aid seed dispersal of oaks

C). To argue in favor of additional studies concerning the destructive force of squirrels

D). To support the claim that squirrels can do great damage to oak stands

 

46. It can be inferred from paragraph 3 that chipmunks do not aid in the dispersal of oak trees

because

A).they store their acorns where they cannot germinate

B). they consume most of their stored acorns

C). their stored acorns are located and consumed by other species

D). they cannot travel the long distance required for dispersal

 

47. According to the passage, which of the following do squirrels and blue jays have in common?

A). They travel long distances to obtain acorns.

B). They promote the reproduction of oak trees.

C). They bury acorns under fallen leaves.

D). They store large quantities of acorns.

 

48. The phrase “pry off" in line 21 is closest in meaning to

A). swallow

B). remove

C). squeeze

D). locate

 

49. The word "littered" in line 22 is closest in meaning to

A). covered

B). displayed

C). fertilized

D). planted

 

50. According to the passage, scientists cannot explain which of the following aspects of squirrel

behavior?

A). Where squirrels store their acorn caches

B). Why squirrels prefer acorns over other seeds

C). Why squirrels eat only a portion of each acorn they retrieve

D). Why squirrels prefer acorns from a particular species of oak trees