Read Up 2_Mid-Term Exam
Traveling the Silk Road
[1] The Silk Road is often referred to as the longest “highway” in history, as it passed
through what today are 18 different countries. Many commodities such as gold, ivory, exotic
animals, and plants were traded along the network, although the most important product was
silk. Chinese artisans were the only people who knew how to make silk, and they guarded
their secret tightly for many centuries in order to ensure a monopoly on the highly sought-
after luxury item. Porcelain was another item in high demand that was unique to China, and
other popular products like horses, spices, fruit, tea, and fur were traded to and from all
corners of the route. These were usually transported in large camel caravans, and it could
take several years for a single item to make it from one end of the route to the other.
[2] The Silk Road brought as many dangers as it brought treasures, however. Travelers of the
trade route had to pass through barren deserts where they were confronted with harsh
temperatures and violent sandstorms. Other sections of the Silk Road weaved through tall,
snowy mountains, which could make people sick from a lack of water or the high altitude
among other things. In addition, bandits made a living stealing precious cargo from the camel
caravans that traveled the Silk Road. The different kingdoms along the route also liked to tax
merchants for passing through their territory. Faced with all these dangers and hardships, few
merchants traveled the entire route; most chose instead to cover only a few hundred miles of
it. Then, they would sell their goods to another merchant who would transport them an
additional hundred miles, and so on.
1. The word commodities in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to
(a) luxuries
(b) goods *
(c) concepts
(d) devices
2. How could merchants avoid the dangers of the Silk Road according to paragraph 2?
(a) They passed through harsh desert lands instead of mountainous regions.
(b) They formed bands to protect one another from robbers along the route.
(c) They paid high taxes to various kingdoms in exchange for their protection.
(d) They only traded their goods along a certain portion of the trade route. *
3. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the underlined
sentence in the passage?
(a) China had a monopoly on porcelain as well as horses, some foods, and fur.
(b) Expensive porcelain products were only traded within China, whereas other more
reasonably priced items were bartered throughout the entire Silk Road.
(c) Goods were exchanged by many different groups along the Silk Road but
porcelain came from China only. *
(d) Chinese merchants exchanged porcelain for other highly sought-after wares that
circulated the trade route.
4. The word them in paragraph 2 refers to
(a) merchants
(b) miles
(c) caravans
Read Up 2_Mid-Term Exam
(d) goods *
Desert Adaptations in Camels
[1] The challenges of desert life have encouraged some animals to develop amazing
adaptations. On average, daytime temperatures soar to 43 degrees Celsius and nighttime
temperatures can drop to extreme lows. Creatures must learn to be tough if they want to
survive in the arid desert, which has less than 25 centimeters of rainfall per year. The camel,
in particular, has found remarkable ways to turn the barren desert landscape into its home.
[2] One of the camel’s most important adaptations to desert life is the hump on its back.
Dromedary, or Arabian, camels have one hump while Bactrian camels have two. A common
misconception is that these humps store water so that the camel won’t become dehydrated.
The truth is that they contain up to 36 kilograms of fat that the camel uses for energy when
its food supply runs low. If a camel uses up all its stored fat, the empty hump will flatten and
fall to the side until it eats again. The camel’s ability to survive is also made easier by its
undiscriminating appetite and tough, rubbery tongue. It is able to dine on anything, including
prickly cacti, and if a camel gets hungry enough, it will even feed on meat, blood, and bones.
[3] Camels have also learned to keep sweating to a minimum in order to conserve their water
supply. They can travel 40 kilometers a day with hundreds of pounds on their backs without
breaking a sweat. In fact, a camel won’t sweat unless its body temperature rises above 41
degrees Celsius. Another water conservation method camels have adopted is their infrequent
need to drink. However, once a thirsty camel finds a water supply, it can drink up to 135
liters of water in just 13 minutes. That’s like drinking 675 cartons of milk in just one sitting!
1. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the underlined
sentence in the passage?
(a) Camels are one of the few creatures that can survive desert life.
(b) It is extremely difficult for animals to figure out how to live in the desert.
(c) Animals living in the desert need to adapt to its harsh conditions. *
(d) A lack of sufficient rainfall makes the desert nearly impossible to live in.
2. The word misconception in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to
(a) illustration
(b) truth
(c) charm
(d) confusion *
3. The word they in paragraph 2 refers to
(a) Dromedary camels
(b) humps on a camel’s back *
(c) Bactrian camels
(d) water in a camel’s body
4. According to paragraph 3, which is NOT a way that camels conserve their water supply?
(a) They can easily carry heavy cargo across long distances. *
(b) It takes special circumstances to make them sweat.
(c) They do not need to consume liquids as often as most animals do.
Read Up 2_Mid-Term Exam
(d) They are able to drink a lot of water when they have access to it.
Greece’s Powerful City-States
[1] One major difference between Athens and Sparta was their systems of government.
Athens elected officials to create and vote upon laws and all citizens had a chance to
participate in political matters via a rotating 500-member council. For this reason, Athens is
often referred to as the birthplace of democracy. It was not a true democracy, however, as
foreigners and women were not granted citizenship. (a) In contrast, Sparta was ruled by an
oligarchy, meaning there were only a few people in charge. Two kings, five elected officials,
and 28 councilmen made the laws for the entire city-state, in spite of the wishes of the
people. (b)
[2] When it came to education, the two city-states were focused on very different things.
Athenians had an appreciation of aesthetics and promoted the development of culture, as
reflected in the design of fantastic temples like the Parthenon and the literature of playwrights
such as Sophocles and Aristophanes. Boys studied subjects like art, architecture, drama,
literature, philosophy, science, and medicine in school before going to the army for two
years. Athenian girls, however, were expected to stay at home and learn domestic skills like
cooking and weaving. (c)
[3] Spartans were so obsessed with battle that they did not have time for a broad education.
Boys were sent to military training camps to live and study the art of war when they turned
seven years old. The conditions were rough and they had to learn to survive on their own.
Then, at the age of 20 years old, men entered the army where they stayed for most of their
lives. (d) Girls did not go to the army, but they exercised regularly so that they could marry
and give birth to strong, healthy baby boys for Sparta.
1. According to paragraph 1, how did the systems of government in Athens and Sparta differ?
(a) Any Athenian could govern Athens but only a select group ruled Sparta. *
(b) Only honorable people were elected to government in Athens but not in Sparta.
(c) Athens gave birth to Democrats while Sparta raised mainly Republicans.
(d) Spartan rulers received orders from their citizens and Athenian officials did not.
2. Where would this sentence best fit in the passage?
“Furthermore, the slave population, which outnumbered Spartan citizens seven to one,
was denied citizenship and other basic human rights.”
(a) (b) * (c) (d)
3. The word granted in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to
(a) allowed *
(b) declared
(c) admitted
(d) refused
4. The word they in paragraph 3 refers to
(a) Spartan girls
(b) Spartan boys *
Read Up 2_Mid-Term Exam
(c) Spartan men
(d) baby boys
The History of Chess
[1] The original version of chess, played in India around 500 A.D., was devised to practice
military strategies and featured pieces that represented a king, his general, horses, chariots,
foot soldiers, and even elephants. When the game reached medieval Europe around 1000
A.D., however, some of these pieces were changed to reflect European medieval society,
which was composed of lords, warriors, religious figures, and a large peasant class. This is
the game of chess we know today.
[2] The eight-by-eight square chessboard represents a battlefield on which opposing armies
seek to outmaneuver one another. (a) The Indian game’s foot soldiers were transformed into
pawns, which represent the poor serfs forced to toil under the medieval feudal system. Like
medieval peasants, the pawns are the first to be sacrificed during battle and receive little
protection. The horses were stylized as knights, or professional soldiers who fight for their
king. (b) The chariots of the Indian game were turned into castles, similar to those in which
European royalty lived, and the powerful Indian elephants became bishops, representatives of
the mighty Catholic Church who stood beside the king and queen. Both the castle and the
bishop are pivotal at the end of the game during the final attack or defense. (c)
[3] As a reflection of the central figures in medieval Europe, the Indian general was changed
into a queen, who stands by the king’s side on a chessboard as she would have in medieval
European courts. (d) Although less useful when it comes to offense, the king piece is more
important than any other, and is the one all other pieces must protect. When the king is
captured by the opposing side, the game is over—just as in medieval Europe, when a king
surrendered and the kingdom was lost.
1. Why did Europeans redesign the Indian chess pieces according to paragraph 1?
(a) to redefine the original purpose of the game
(b) to adapt the game to their own lives and culture *
(c) to make the rules of the game easier to understand
(d) to express their disapproval of Indian sport
2. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the underlined
sentence in the passage?
(a) Pawn pieces have the least amount of power like the peasants they represent. *
(b) In medieval Europe, peasants were put in danger without any weaponry.
(c) Pawns are commonly abandoned first because they are useless to players.
(d) The medieval peasant class had much in common with Indian chess pieces.
3. The word outmaneuver in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to
(a) escape
(b) aggress
(c) validate
(d) defeat *
Read Up 2_Mid-Term Exam
4. Where would this sentence best fit in the passage?
“Historically, they defended their kingdom and were able to attack with mobility, which
holds true in the rules of modern chess.”
(a) (b) * (c) (d)
The Stages of Sleep
[1] The initial stage of sleep can almost be considered drowsiness rather than true sleep, as
you exist about halfway between sleep and wakefulness. Stage 1 lasts for only five or ten
minutes, and you may be easily awakened during this time. In stage 2, you experience a light
sleep, and this period lasts a bit longer, around 20 minutes. Your heartbeat slows and your
body starts to cool down, but you can still be easily woken by external stimuli, such as a car
honking in the street.
[2] It is not until you reach stage 3 that you can be said to experience “deep” sleep, and if
someone wakes you up from stage 3, you will be noticeably disoriented. Stage 4 is a similar
but slightly deeper level of sleep. Your body is now very relaxed, but this is also the stage
when some people sleepwalk or talk in their sleep. Together, stages 3 and 4 last a little more
than half an hour and are essential for restoring the energy your body exerted throughout the
day, which occurs as blood flow is diverted from the brain to the muscles.
[3] Dreams are typically absent from stages 1 through 4, but this changes during the fifth
sleep stage, called rapid-eye-movement sleep because your eyes tend to flutter under your
eyelids when you dream. Also, in contrast to the deep-sleep stages, your heart and respiration
rates increase during the REM stage. Over the span of an average eight-hour night, you pass
through each sleep stage, including REM, four or five times, thus experiencing four to five
dreaming sessions.
1. What is the main difference between the first four sleep stages and the last stage?
(a) the occurrence of dreams *
(b) the length of time for each period
(c) the rate at which a person’s heart beats
(d) the ability to sleepwalk
2. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the underlined
sentence in the passage?
(a) During sleep stages 3 and 4, the body expends large amounts of energy as it sends
blood to the brain and muscles.
(b) It takes the body about thirty minutes to recover from a loss of blood to the brain.
(c) The third and fourth sleep stages are vital for replenishing the body’s energy. *
(d) Should they occur together, stages 3 and 4 rejuvenate the body twice as fast.
3. The word this in paragraph 3 refers to
(a) a lack of dreams *
(b) the first four sleep stages
(c) the speed at which your eyes tremble
(d) the frequency of our dreams
4. The word sessions in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to
Read Up 2_Mid-Term Exam
(a) hurdles
(b) periods *
(c) meetings
(d) species
