READING

Esperanto
Esperanto is what is called a planned, or artificial, language. It was created more
than a century ago by Polish eye doctor Ludwik Lazar Zamenhof. Zamenhof believed that a
common language would help to alleviate some of the misunderstandings among cultures.
In Zamenhof’s first attempt at a universal language, he tried to create a language that was
as uncomplicated as possible. This first language included words such as ab, ac, ba, eb, be,
and ce. This did not result in a workable language in that these monosyllabic words, though
short, were not easy to understand or to retain.
Next, Zamenhof tried a different way of constructing a simplified language. He made
the words in his language sound like words that people already knew, but he simplified the
grammar tremendously. One example of how he simplified the language can be seen in the
suffixes: all nouns in this language end in o, as in the noun amiko, which means “friend”, and
all adjectives end in -a, as in the adjective bela, which means “pretty”. Another example of
the simplified language can be seen in the prefix mal-, which makes a word opposite in
meaning; the word malamiko therefore means “enemy”, and the word malbela therefore
means “ugly” in Zamenhof’s language.
In 1887, Zamenhof wrote a description of this language and published it. He used a
pen name, Dr. Esperanto, when signing the book. He selected the name Esperanto because
this word means “a person who hopes” in his language. Esperanto clubs began popping up
throughout Europe, and by 1950, Esperanto had spread from Europe to America and Asia.
In 1905, the First World Congress of Esperanto took place in France, with approximately 700
attendees from 20 different countries. Congresses were held annually for nine years, and
4,000 attendees were registered for the Tenth World Esperanto Congress scheduled for
1914, when World War I erupted and forced its cancellation.
Esperanto has had its ups and downs in the period since World War I. Today, years
after it was introduced, it is estimated that perhaps a quarter of a million people are fluent in
it. This may seem like a large number, but it is really quite small when compared with the
billion English speakers and billion Mandarin Chinese speakers in today’s world. Current
advocates would like to see its use grow considerably and are taking steps to try to make
this happen.

1.​ The topic of this passage is …

a.​ One man’s efforts to create a universal language
b.​ How language can be improve
c.​ Using language to communicate internationally
d.​ A language developed in the last few years
2.​ According to the passage, Zamenhof wanted to create a universal language …
a.​ To build a name for himself
b.​ To provide a more complex language
c.​ To resolve cultural differences
d.​ To create one world culture
3.​ It can be inferred from the passage that the Esperanto word malespera means …
a.​ Hopeless
b.​ Hope
c.​ Hopelessness
d.​ hopeful
 4.​ The expression “popping up” in line 17 could best be replaced by …
a.​ Shouting
b.​ Opening
c.​ Hiding
d.​ Leaping
5.​ It can be inferred from the passage that the Third World Congress of Esperanto took
place …
a.​ In 1905
b.​ In 1909
c.​ In 1907
d.​ In 1913
6.​ According to the passage, what happened to the Tenth World Esperanto Congress?
a.​ It had attendees from 20 countries
b.​ It never took place
c.​ It had 4000 attendees
d.​ It was scheduled for 1915
7.​ The expression “ups and downs” in line 23 is closest in meaning to …
a.​ Tops and bottoms
b.​ Floors and ceilings
c.​ Takeoffs and landings
d.​ Highs and lows
8.​ Which paragraph describes the predecessor to Esperanto?
a.​ The first paragraph
b.​ The second paragraph
c.​ The third paragraph
d.​ The fourth paragraph
9.​ The passage would most likely be assigned reading in a course on …
a.​ European history
b.​ English grammar
c.​ World government
d.​ Applied linguistics
10.​The paragraph following the passage most likely discusses …
a.​ How current supporters of Esperanto are encouraging its growth
b.​ Another of Zamenhof’s accomplishments
c.​ The disadvantages of using an artificial language
d.​ Attempts to reconvene the World congress of Esperanto in the 1920s

The Winterthur Museum

The Winterthur Museum is a collection and a house. There are many museums
devoted to the decorative arts and many house museums, but rarely in the United States is
a great collection displayed in a great country house. Passing through successive
generations of a single family, Winterthur has been a private estate for more than a century.
Even after the extensive renovations made to it between 1929 and 1931, the house
remained a family residence. This fact is of importance to the atmosphere and effect of the
museum. The impression of a lived-in house is apparent to the visitor; the rooms look as if
they were vacated only a short while ago ― whether by the original owners of the furniture of
the most recent residents of the house can be a matter of personal interpretation. Winterthur
remains, then, a house in which a collection of furniture and architectural elements has been
assembled. Like an English country house, it is an organic structure; the house, as well as
the collection and manner of displaying it to the visitor, has changed over the years. The
changes have coincided with developing concepts of the American arts, increased
knowledge on the part of collectors and students, and a progression toward the achievement
of a historical effect in period-room displays. The rooms at Winterthur have followed this
current, yet still retained the character of a private house. The concept of a period room as a
display technique has developed gradually over the years in an effort to present works of art
in a context that would show them to grater effect and would give them more meaning for the
viewer. Comparable to the habitat group in a natural history museum, the period room
represents the decorative arts in a lively and interesting manner and provides an opportunity
to assemble objects related by style, date, or place of manufacture.

1.​ What does the passage mainly discuss?

a.​ The reason that Winterthur was redesigned
b.​ Elements that make Winterthur an unusual museum
c.​ How Winterthur compares to English country houses
d.​ Historical furniture contained in Winterthur
2.​ The phrase “devoted to” in line 2 is closest in meaning to
a.​ Surrounded by
b.​ Specializing in
c.​ Successful with
d.​ Sentimental about
3.​ What happened at Winterthur between 1929 and 1931 ?
a.​ The owners moved out.
b.​ The house was repaired.
c.​ The old furniture was replaced.
d.​ The estate became a museum.
4.​ What does the author mean by stating “The impression of a lived-in house is apparent to
the visitor”(line 7) ?
a.​ Winterthur is very old.
b.​ Few people visit Winterthur.
c.​ Winterthur does not look like a typical museum.
d.​ The furniture at Winterthur looks comfortable
5.​ The word “assembled” in line 11 is closest in meaning to …
a.​ Summoned
b.​ Appreciated
c.​ Brought together
d.​ Fundamentally changed
6.​ The word “it” in line 12 refers to …
a.​ Winterthur
b.​ Collection
c.​ English country house
d.​ Visitor
7.​ The word “developing” in line 14 is closest in meaning to …
a.​ Traditional
b.​ Exhibiting
c.​ Informative
d.​ Evolving
8.​ According to the passage, objects in a period room are related by all of the following
EXCEPT …
a.​ Date
b.​ Style
c.​ Place of manufacture
d.​ Past ownership
9.​ What is the relationship between the two paragraphs in the passage?
a.​ The second paragraph explains a term that was mentioned in the first
paragraph.
b.​ Each paragraph describes a different approach to the display of objects in a
museum.
c.​ The second paragraph of explains a philosophy art appreciation that contrasts with
the philosophy explained in the first paragraph.
d.​ Each paragraph describes a different historical period.
10.​Where is the passage does the author explain why displays at Winterthur have
changed?
a.​ Lines 1-3
b.​ Lines 5-6
c.​ Lines 7-10
d.​ Lines 13-16
DIVING

Though Edmund Halley was most famous because of his achievements as an astronomer,
he was a scientist of diverse interests and great skill. (26) In addition to studying the skies,
Halley was also deeply interested exploring the unknown depths of the oceans. One of his
lesser-known accomplishments that was quite remarkable was his design for a diving bell
that facilitated exploration of the watery depths.

The diving bell that Halley designed had a major advantage over the diving bells that were in
use prior to his. Earlier diving bells could only make use of the air contained within the bell
itself, so divers had to surface when the air inside the bell ran low. Halley’s bell was an
improvement in that its design allowed for an additional supply of fresh air that enabled a
crew of divers to remain underwater for several hours. (30) The diving contraption that
Halley designed was in the shape of a bell that measured three feet across the top and five
feet across the bottom (31.A) and could hold several divers comfortably; it was open at the
bottom (31.C) so that divers could swim in and out at will. The bell was built of wood, which
was first heavily tarred to make it water repellent (31.B) and was then covered with a half-ton
sheet of lead to make the bell heavy enough to sink in water. The bell shape held air inside
for the divers to breathe as the bell sank to the bottom.

The air inside the bell was not the only source of air for the divers to breathe, and it was this
improvement that made Halley’s bell superior to its predecessors. (28) In addition to the air
already in the bell, air was also supplied to the divers from a lead barrel that was lowered to
the ocean floor close to the bell itself. (34) Air flowed through a leather pipe from the lead
barrel on the ocean floor to the bell. The diver could breathe the air from a position inside the
bell, or he could move around outside the bell wearing a diving suit that consisted of a lead
bell-shaped helmet with a glass viewing window and a leather body suit, with a leather pipe
carrying fresh air from the diving bell to the helmet.

1.​ The subject of the preceding passage was most likely Halley’s
a.​ Childhood
b.​ Work as an astronomer
c.​ Many different interests
d.​ Invention of the diving bell
2.​ Which of the following best expresses the subject of this passage?
a.​ Halley’s work as an astronomer
b.​ Halley’s many different interest
 c.​ Halley’s invention of a contraption for diving

d.​ Halley’s experiences as a driver

3.​ Halley’s bell was better than its predecessors because it
a.​ Was bigger
b.​ Provided more air
c.​ Weighed less
d.​ Could rise more quickly
4.​ The expression ran low in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to
a.​ Moved slowly
b.​ Has been replenished
c.​ Sank to the bottom
d.​ Was almost exhausted
5.​ How long could divers stay underwater in Halley’s bell?
a.​ Just a few seconds
b.​ Only a few minutes
c.​ For hours at a time
d.​ For days on end
6.​ It is NOT stated in the passage that Halley’s bell
a.​ Was wider at the bottom than at the top
b.​ Was made of tarred wood
c.​ Was completely enclosed
d.​ Could hold more than one diver
7.​ The expression at will in paragraph 3 could best be replaced
a.​ In the future
b.​ As they wanted
c.​ With great speed
d.​ Upside down
8.​ The word its in paragraph 4 refers to
a.​ Improvement
b.​ Halley’s bell
c.​ Source of air
d.​ A lead barrel
9.​ It can be inferred from the passage that were Halley’s bell not covered with lead, it
would
a.​ Float
b.​ Get wet
 c.​ Trap the divers
d.​ Suffocate the divers
10.​ Where in the passage does the author indicate how air travelled from the barrel to the
bell?
a.​ Paragraph 1
b.​ Paragraph 2
c.​ Paragraph 3
d.​ Paragraph 4
11.​In which paragraph does the author describe the diving bells that preceded Halley’s?
a.​ In the first paragraph
b.​ In the second paragraph
c.​ In the third paragraph
d.​ In the last paragraph
12.​This passage would most likely be assigned reading in a course on
a.​ Astronomy
b.​ Recreation
c.​ Oceanography
d.​ physiology

Direct Carving
With Robert Laurent and William Zorach, direct carving enters into the story of modern
sculpture in the United States. Direct carving ― in which the sculptors themselves carve
stone or wood with mallet and chisel ― must be recognized as something more than just a
technique. Implicit in it is an aesthetic principle as well: that the medium has certain qualities
of beauty and expressiveness with which sculptors must bring their own aesthetic
sensibilities into harmony. For example, sometimes the shape or veining in a piece of stone
or wood suggests, perhaps even dictates, not only the ultimate form, but even the subject
matter. The technique of direct carving was a break with the nineteenth-century tradition in
which the making of a clay model was considered the creative act, and the work was then
turned over to studio assistants to be cast in plaster or bronze or carved in marble.
Neoclassical sculptors seldom held a mallet or chisel in their own hands, readily conceding
that the assistants they employed were far better than they were at carving the finished
marble. With the turn-of-the-century Crafts movement and the discovery of nontraditional
sources of inspiration, such as wooden African figures and masks, there arose a new urge
for hands-on, personal execution of art and an interaction with the medium. Even as early as
the 1880's and 1890's, nonconformist European artists were attempting direct carving. By
the second decade of the twentieth century, Americans ― Laurent and Zorach most notably
― had adopted it as their primary means of working. Born in France, Robert Laurent
(1890-1970) was a prodigy who received his education in the United States. In 1905 he was
sent to Paris as an apprentice to an art dealer, and in the years that followed he witnessed
the birth of Cubism, discovered primitive art, and learned the techniques of woodcarving
from a frame maker.
Back in New York City by 1910, Laurent began carving pieces such as The Priestess, which
reveals his fascination with African, pre Columbian, and South Pacific art. Taking a walnut
plank, the sculptor carved the expressive, stylized design. It is one of the earliest examples
of direct carving in American sculpture. The plank's form dictated the rigidly frontal view and
the low relief. Even its irregular shape must have appealed to Laurent as a break with a long
standing tradition that required a sculptor to work within a perfect rectangle or square.
Questions:
1.​ The word “medium” in line 5 could be used to refer to:
a.​ stone or wood
b.​ mallet and chisel
c.​ technique
d.​ principle
2.​ What is one of the fundamental principles of direct carving?
a.​ A sculptor must work with talented assistants.
b.​ The subject of a sculpture should be derived from classical stories.
c.​ The material is an important element in a sculpture.
d.​ Designing a sculpture is a more creative activity than carving it.
3.​ The word “dictates” in line 8 is closest in meaning to:
a.​ reads aloud
b.​ determines
c.​ includes
d.​ records
4.​ How does direct carving differ from the nineteenth-century tradition of sculpture?
a.​ Sculptors are personally involved in the carving of a piece.
b.​ Sculptors find their inspiration in neoclassical sources.
c.​ Sculptors have replaced the mallet and chisel with other tools.
d.​ Sculptors receive more formal training.
5.​ The word “witnessed” in line 23 is closest in meaning to:
a.​ influenced
b.​ studied
c.​ validated
d.​ observed
6.​ Where did Robert Laurent learn to carve?
a.​ New York
b.​ Africa
c.​ The South Pacific
d.​ Paris
7.​ The phrase “a break with” in line 30 is closest in meaning to:
a.​ a destruction of
b.​ a departure from
c.​ a collapse of
d.​ a solution to
8.​ The piece titled The Priestess has all of the following characteristics EXCEPT:
a.​ The design is stylized.
b.​ It is made of marble.
c.​ The carving is not deep.
 d.​ It depicts the front of a person.

Pocahontas
Pocahontas was a famous Native American. She was the daughter of the powerful Chief
Powhatan. Many books, movies, and television shows have been made about her, but her
life story often is not told accurately. Many things people think about her are actually untrue.
Pocahontas had several names. Pocahontas was a nickname meaning, ‘mischievous one.’
She was probably born around 1595. People say she was her father’s favorite daughter. She
would have grown up learning traditional women’s jobs. Pocahontas would have learned to
build houses, farm, cook, and gather firewood. She also would have made pots, mats, and
baskets. She was trained to find edible plants for spices, food, and medicine. Girls were
expected to do these jobs by the time they turned thirteen. Not much is known about
Pocahontas’s life because she could not write, so there are no primary sources. Pocahontas
and her father were very close. The chief loved Pocahontas so much that the English
decided to kidnap Pocahontas. They wanted to make deals with the Powhatan’s people and
thought she could help. Chief Powhatan could not trade everything the English wanted so
they did not let Pocahontas return home. The friendship between the chief and the settlers
soon ended. While living with the English, Pocahontas was taught Christian teachings. She
was baptized and renamed ‘Rebecca.’ Pocahontas married a tobacco farmer named John
Rolfe. When Pocahontas was about twenty-one, she became ill and died. No one knows
what kind of sickness she had. Pocahontas had hoped for peace and goodwill between her
people and the settlers. Unfortunately, after her death, this did not happen.

1.​ Which of the following is not true?

a. Pocahontas means “mischievous one.”
b. Pocahontas and her father had a bad relationship.
c. Pocahontas married John Rolfe.
d. Pocahontas was kidnapped.
2.​ Which of the following is true?
a. Pocahontas is a nickname.
b. Pocahontas changed her name to Mary.
c. Pocahontas did not want to help or support the settlers.
d. Pocahontas married John Smith.
3.​ Which of the following is not true?
a. Pocahontas was the daughter of a great chief.
b. Pocahontas probably knew how to build houses and chop firewood.
c. Pocahontas helped build positive relationships between her people and settlers.
d. Pocahontas had a famous pet raccoon.
4.​ Pocahontas is famous for what action?
a. Pocahontas helped the English settlers.
b. Pocahontas helped her tribe capture settlers.
c. Pocahontas was helpful at the first Thanksgiving.
d. Pocahontas brought peace between her tribe and the settlers.
5.​ Who was Pocahontas’s father?
a. John Rolfe
b. Chief Powhatan
c. George Washington
d. Captain Smith
 6.​ What important role did Pocahontas play with the Jamestown settlers?
a. She taught the settlers how to build houses
b. She helped keep the peace between the Native Americans and the settlers
c. She found gold for the settlers
d. She made maps of the land
7.​ What happened to Pocahontas in 1613?
a. She moved to Virginia
b. She was captured by the English
c. She became a queen
d. She traveled to Spain
8.​ Where was Pocahontas buried after she died?
a. Virginia
b. England
c. Spain
d. France

SMSA
The changing profile of a city in the United States is apparent in the shifting definitions used
by the United States Bureau of the Census. In 1870 the census officially distinguished the
nation's “urban” from its “rural” population for the first time. “Urban population” was defined
as persons living in towns of 8,000 inhabitants or more. But after 1900 it meant persons
living in incorporated places having 2,500 or more inhabitants. Then, in 1950 the Census
Bureau radically changed its definition of “urban” to take account of the new vagueness of
city boundaries. In addition to persons living in incorporated units of 2,500 or more, the
census now included those who lived in unincorporated units of that size, and also all
persons living in the densely settled urban fringe, including both incorporated and
unincorporated areas located around cities of 50,000 inhabitants or more. Each such unit,
conceived as an integrated economic and social unit with a large population nucleus, was
named a Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA).

Each SMSA would contain at least (a) one central city with 50,000 inhabitants or more or (b)
two cities having shared boundaries and constituting, for general economic and social
purposes, a single community with a combined population of at least 50,000, the smaller of
which must have a population of at least 15,000. Such an area included the county in which
the central city is located, and adjacent counties that are found to be metropolitan in
character and economically and socially integrated with the county of the central city. By
1970, about two-thirds of the population of the United States was living in these urbanized
areas, and of that figure more than half were living outside the central cities.

While the Census Bureau and the United States government used the term SMSA (by 1969
there were 233 of them), social scientists were also using new terms to describe the elusive,
vaguely defined areas reaching out from what used to be simple “towns” and “cities”. A host
of terms came into use: “metropolitan regions,” “polynucleated population groups,”
“conurbations,” “metropolitan clusters,” “megalopolises,” and so on.

1.​ What does the passage mainly discuss?

a.​ How cities in the United States began and developed
b.​ Solutions to overcrowding in cities
 c.​ The changing definition of an urban area
d.​ How the United States Census Bureau conducts a census
2.​ According to the passage, the population of the United States was first classified as
rural or urban in
a.​ 1870
b.​ 1900
c.​ 1950
d.​ 1970
3.​ The word “distinguished” in line 3 is closest in meaning to
a.​ differentiated
b.​ removed
c.​ honored
d.​ protected
4.​ Prior to 1900, how many inhabitants would a town have to have before being defined
as urban?
a.​ 2,500
b.​ 8,000
c.​ 15,000
d.​ 50,000
5.​ According to the passage, why did the Census Bureau revise the definition of urban
in 1950?
a.​ City borders had become less distinct.
b.​ Cities had undergone radical social change.
c.​ Elected officials could not agree on an acceptable definition.
d.​ New businesses had relocated to larger cities.
6.​ The word “those” in line 9 refers to
a.​ boundaries
b.​ persons
c.​ units
d.​ areas
7.​ The word “constituting” in line 16 is closest in meaning to
a.​ located near
b.​ determined by
c.​ calling for
d.​ making up
8.​ The word “which” in line 18 refers to a smaller
a.​ Population
b.​ city
c.​ character
d.​ figure
9.​ Which of the following is NOT true of an SMSA?
a.​ It has a population of at least 50,000
b.​ It can include a city's outlying regions.
c.​ It can include unincorporated regions.
d.​ It consists of at least two cities.
10.​By 1970, what proportion of the population in the United States did NOT live in an
SMSA?
a.​ 3/4
 b.​ 2/3
c.​ 1/2
d.​ 1/3
11.​The Census Bureau first used the term “SMSA” in
a.​ 1900
b.​ 1950
c.​ 1969
d.​ 1970
12.​Where in the passage does the author mention names used by social scientists for
an urban area?
a.​ Lines 4-5
b.​ Lines 7-8
c.​ Lines 21-23
d.​ Lines 27-29

Social Paratism
Social parasitism involves one species relying on another to raise its young. Among
vertebrates, the best known social parasites are such birds as cuckoos and cowbirds; the
female lay eggs in a nest belonging to another species and leaves it for the host to rear.
The dulotic species of ants, however, are the supreme social parasites. Consider, for
example, the unusual behavior of ants belonging to the genus Polyergus. All species of this
ant have lost the ability to care for themselves. The workers do not forage for food, feed their
brood or queen, or even clean their own nest. To compensate for these deficits, Polyergus
has become specialized at obtaining workers from the related genus Formica to do these
chores.
In a raid, several thousand Polyergus workers will travel up to 500 feet in search of a
Formica nest, penetrate it, drive off the queen and her workers, capture the pupal brood, and
transport it back to their nest. The captured brood is then reared by the resident Formica
workers until the developing pupae emerge to add to the Formica food and give it to colony
members of both species. They also remove wastes and excavate new chambers as the
population increases.
The true extent of the Polyergus ants’ dependence on the Formica becomes
apparent when the worker population grows too large for the existing nest. Formica scouts
locate a new nesting site, return to the mixed-species colony, and recruit additional Formica
nest mates. During a period that may last seven days, the Formica workers carry to the new
nest all the Polyergus eggs, larvae, and pupae, every Polyergus adult, and even the
Polyergus queen.
Of the approximately 8,000 species of ants in the world, all 5 species of Polyergus
and some 200 species in other genera have evolved some degree of parasitic relationship
with other ants.
Notes:
●​ parasite (n): an animal or plant that lives on or in another animal or plant of a different
type and feeds from it.
●​ parasitism (n): a type of non-mutual relationship between organisms of different
species where one organism, the parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host.
●​ vertebrate (n): an animal that has a spine.
●​ dulotic (adj): of or about a practice of some ants, in which one species forces members
of a different species to do the work of the colony.
●​ genus (n - plural genera): a group of animals or plants, more closely related than a
family, but less similar than a species.
●​ brood (n): a group of young animals all born at the same time.
●​ pupal (adj): of or about an insect in the stage of development which happens before it is
completely developed
1.​ Which of the following statements best represents the main idea of the passage?
a.​ Ants belonging to the genus formica are incapable of performing certain tasks
b.​ The genus polyergus is quite similar to the genus formica
c.​ Ants belonging to the genus polyergus have an unusual relationship with
ants genus belonging to the formica
d.​ Polyergus ants frequently leave their nests to build new colonies
2.​ The word “raise” in the paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to …
a.​ Rear
b.​ Lift
c.​ Collect
d.​ Increase
3.​ The author mentions “cuckoos and cowbirds” in paragraph 1 because they …
a.​ Share their nests with each other
b.​ Are closely related species
c.​ Aise the young of their birds
d.​ Are social parasites
4.​ The word “it” in paragraph 1 refers to …
a.​ Species
b.​ Nest
c.​ Egg
d.​ female
5.​ What does the author means by stating that “The dulotic species of ants … are the
supreme social parasites”?
a.​ The polyergus are more highly developed than the formica
b.​ The formica have developed specialized roles
c.​ The polyergus are heavily dependent on the formica
d.​ The formica do not reproduce rapidly enough to care for themselves
6.​ Which of the following is a task that an ant of the genus Polyergus might do?
a.​ Look for food
b.​ Raid another nest
c.​ Care for the young
d.​ Clean its own nest
7.​ The word “excavate” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to …
a.​ Find
b.​ Clean
c.​ Repair
d.​ Dig
8.​ The word “recruit” in paragrap 4 is closest in meaning to …
a.​ Create
b.​ Enlist
c.​ Endure
d.​ capture
 9.​ What happens when a mixed colony of Polyergus and Fromica ants become too
large?
a.​ The polyergus workers enlarge the existing nest
b.​ The captured fonnica workers return to their original nest
c.​ The polyergus and the formica build separate nests
d.​ The polyergus and the formica move to a new nest
10.​According to the information in the passage, all of the following terms refer to ants
belonging to the genus Formica EXCEPT the …
a.​ Dulotic species of ants
b.​ Captured brood
c.​ Developing pupae
d.​ Worker population

Birds Nest
Birds that forage in flocks often retreat together into communal roosts. While the
exact reasons for this behavior are not always clear, there are several likely benefits. During
winter, maintaining warmth at night and conserving valuable food reserves becomes crucial.
One way birds achieve this is by finding sheltered roosts. Solitary birds typically shelter in
dense vegetation or cavities— horned larks dig holes in the ground, and ptarmigans burrow
into snowbanks. However, the advantage of sheltering increases significantly when birds
huddle together in communal roosts, as seen in species like wrens, swifts, brown creepers,
bluebirds, and anis. Physical contact between birds reduces the surface area exposed to the
cold, allowing them to conserve heat. For instance, two kinglets huddling together can
reduce heat loss by 25%, while three birds together save up to a third of their heat.
Another possible advantage of communal roosts is their role as "information centers."
During the day, birds spread out to forage over large areas. By evening, some return
well-fed, while others find little to eat. Observations suggest that birds that did not find
enough food often follow those that did when they set out the next morning. This behavior is
illustrated by the differing habits of common and lesser kestrels. The common kestrel hunts
vertebrates in a small, familiar area, while the lesser kestrel forages for insects over a wide
area. Unlike the common kestrel, which roosts and hunts alone, the lesser kestrel roosts and
hunts in flocks, possibly to learn from others about the location of insect swarms.
Finally, communal roosting offers safety in numbers, as some birds stay awake at
any given time to alert others to danger. However, this protection is partly offset by the fact
that large roosts can attract predators, especially when located on the ground. Even tree
roosts are not immune to attacks from birds of prey. Birds on the edges of the roost are at
the greatest risk, as predators find it easier to capture them.

1.​ What does the passage mainly discuss?

(D) Why some species of birds nest together
2.​ The word “conserve” in line 3 is closest in meaning to:
(A) retain
3.​ Ptarmigans keep warm in the winter by:
(D) digging tunnels into the snow
4.​ The word “magnified” in line 6 is closest in meaning to:
(C) intensified
5.​ The author mentions kinglets in line 9 as an example of birds that:
(C) nest together for warmth
 6.​ The word “forage” in line 12 is closest in meaning to:
(C) feed
7.​ Which of the following statements about lesser and common kestrels is true?
(B) The lesser kestrel feeds sociably but the common kestrel does not.
8.​ The word “counteracted” in line 24 is closest in meaning to:
(B) negated
9.​ Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage as an advantage derived by
birds that huddle together while sleeping?
(D) Several members of the flock care for the young.
10.​Which of the following is a disadvantage of communal roosts that is mentioned in the
passage?
(B) Groups are more attractive to predators than individual birds.
11.​The word “they” in line 25 refers to:
(B) mass roosts

Hotel Culture in Early America

Hotels were among the earliest facilities that bound the United States together. They
were both creatures and creators of communities, as well as symptoms of the frenetic quest
for community. Even in the first part of the nineteenth century, Americans were already
forming the habit of gathering from all corners of the nation for both public and private,
business and pleasure purposes. Conventions were the new occasions, and hotels were
distinctively American facilities making conventions possible. The first national convention of
a major party to choose a candidate for President (that of the National Republican party,
which met on December 12, 1831, and nominated Henry Clay for President) was held in
Baltimore, at a hotel that was then reputed to be the best in the country. The presence in
Baltimore of Barnum's City Hotel, a six-story building with two hundred apartments, helps
explain why many other early national political conventions were held there.
In the longer run, too, American hotels made other national conventions not only
possible but pleasant and convivial. The growing custom of regularly assembling from afar
the representatives of all kinds of groups ― not only for political conventions, but also for
commercial, professional, learned, and avocational ones ― in turn supported the multiplying
hotels. By mid-twentieth century, conventions accounted for over a third of the yearly room
occupancy of all hotels in the nation; about eighteen thousand different conventions were
held annually with a total attendance of about ten million persons. Nineteenth-century
American hotelkeepers, who were no longer the genial, deferential “hosts” of the
eighteenth-century European inn, became leading citizens. Holding a large stake in the
community, they exercised power to make it prosper. As owners or managers of the local
“palace of the public,” they were makers and shapers of a principal community attraction.
Travelers from abroad were mildly shocked by this high social position.

1.​ What is the main topic of the passage?

a.​ The size of early American hotels
b.​ The importance of hotels in American culture
c.​ How American hotels differed from European hotels
d.​ Why conventions are held at hotels
 2.​ The word “bound” in line 1 is closest in meaning to
a.​ led
b.​ protected
c.​ tied
d.​ strengthened
3.​ The National Republican party is mentioned in line 8 as an example of a group
a.​ from Baltimore
b.​ of learned people
c.​ owning a hotel
d.​ holding a convention
4.​ The word “assembling” in line 14 is closest in meaning to
a.​ announcing
b.​ motivating
c.​ gathering
d.​ contracting
5.​ The word “ones” in line 16 refers to
a.​ hotels
b.​ conventions
c.​ kinds
d.​ representatives
6.​ The word “it” in line 23 refers to
a.​ European inn
b.​ host
c.​ community
d.​ public
7.​ It can be inferred from the passage that early hotelkeepers in the United States were
a.​ active politicians
b.​ European immigrants
c.​ professional builders
d.​ influential citizens
8.​ Which of the following statements about early American hotels is NOT mentioned in
the passage?
a.​ Travelers from abroad did not enjoy staying in them.
b.​ Conventions were held in them.
c.​ People used them for both business and pleasure.
d.​ They were important to the community.

Piper Ningrum
What is commonly called pepper in reality comes from two very different families of plants.
Black and white pepper both come from the fruit of the piper ningrum, a vine with fruits called
peppercorns. The peppercorns turn from green to red as the ripen and finally blacken as
they dry out. The dried-out peppercorns are ground to obtain black pepper. White pepper,
which pepper, which has a more subtle flavor black pepper, comes from the same
peppercorns as black pepper; to obtain white pepper, the outer hull of the peppercorn, the
pericarp, is removed before the peppercorn is ground.
​ Red and green peppers, on the other hand, come from a completely different family
from black and white pepper. Red and green peppers are from the genus capsicum. Plants
of this type generally have tiny white flowers and fruit which can be any one of a number of
colors, shapes, and sizes. These peppers range in flavor from very mild and sweet to the
most incredibly burning taste imaginable. Bell peppers are the most mild, while haneros are
the most burning.
​ Christopher Columbus is responsible for the present-day confusion over what a
pepper is. The piper ningrum variety of pepper was highly valued for centuries, and high
demand for pepper by European was a major cause of the fifteenth-century push to locate
ocean routes to the spice-growing regions of Asia. when Columbus arrived in the New World
in 1492, he was particularly interested in finding black pepper because of the high price that
it would command in Europe. Columbus came across plants from the capsicum family in use
among the people of the New World, and be incorrectly identified them as relatives of black
pepper. Columbus introduced the spicy capsicum chili peppers to Europeans on his return
from the 1492 voyage, and traders later spread them to Asia and Africa. These capsicum
peppers have continued to be called peppers in spite of the fact that they are not to the black
and white pepper of the piper ningrum family.
1.​ The purpose of this passage is to …
a.​ Explain why there is confusion today over peppers
b.​ Provide the scientific classification of carious types of peppers
c.​ Demonstrate that it was columbus who brought peppers to Europe
d.​ Classify the variety of sizes, shapes, and colors of peppers
2.​ The word “turn” in line 3 could best be replaced by …
a.​ Revert
b.​ Exchange
c.​ Veer
d.​ change
3.​ According to the passage, both black and white peppers …
a.​ Come from different plants
b.​ Change colors after they are ground
c.​ Are ground from dried out peppercorns
d.​ Have the same flavor
4.​ What part of the piper ningrum is the pericarp?
a.​ The seed inside the fruit
b.​ The outer covering of the fruit
c.​ The pulp inside the vine
d.​ The outer covering of the vine
5.​ What usually does not vary in a capsicum plant?
a.​ The color of the flower
b.​ The size of the fruit
c.​ The shape of the fruit
d.​ The color of the fruit
6.​ The word “push” in line 14 could best be replaced by …
a.​ Shove
b.​ Strength
c.​ Drive
d.​ Hit
7.​ The pronoun “them” in line 18 refers to …
a.​ Plants
b.​ People
c.​ Relatives
 d.​ Europeans
8.​ It can be inferred from the passage that chili peppers originally came from …
a.​ Europe
b.​ Asia
c.​ America
d.​ africa
9.​ Where in the passage does the author explain the mistake that Columbus made …
a.​ Lines 7-8
b.​ Line 12
c.​ Lines 15-16
d.​ Lines 17-18

Jeans Denim
Today, the most universally known style of trousers for both men and women is jeans;
these trousers are worn throughout the world on a variety of occasions and in diverse
situations. Also called levis or denims, jeans have an interesting history, one that is
intermixed with he derivations of the words jeans, denims, and levis.
The word jeans is derived from the name of the place where a similar style of pants
developed. In the sixteenth century, sailors from Genoa, Italy, wore a rather unique type of
cotton trousers. In the French language, the word for the city of Genoa and for the people
from that city is Genes ; this name became attached to the specific style of pants worn by
the sailors from this city and developed into the word jeans that today describes the
descendants of the Genovese sailors cotton pants.
Similar to the word jeans, the word denim is also derived from a place name. In the
seventeenth century, french tailors began making trousers out of a specialized type of cloth
that was developed in the city of nimes, france, and was known as serge de nimes. This
name for the cloth underwent some transformations, and it eventually developed into today’s
denim, the material from which jeans are made and an alternate name from these popular
pants.
The word levis came from the name of a person rather than a place. In the
nineteenth century, immigrant Levi strauss came to america and tried his hand at selling
heavy canvas to miners taking part in the hunt for gold in northern california. Strauss
intended for this canvas to be used by miners to make heavy-duty tents. This first endeavor
was a failure, but strauss later found success when he used the heavy canvas to make
indestructible pants for the miners. Levi then switched the fabric from brown canvas to blue
denim, creating a style of pants that long outlived him and today is referred to by his name. A
modern day urban shopper out to busy some levis is searching for a close relative of the
product that strauss had developed years earlier.

1.​ This passage is developed

a.​ Citing an effect and its causes
b.​ Explaining history with three specific cases
c.​ Demonstrating the sides of an issue
d.​ Developing the biography of a famous person chronologically
2.​ The word “unique” in line 6 is closest in meaning to
a.​ Universal
b.​ Solitary
c.​ Unusual
 d.​ commonplace
3.​ All of the following are mentioned in the passage about Genoa EXCEPT that it
a.​ Was the source of the word jeans
b.​ Is in italy
c.​ Has a different name in the french language
d.​ Is a landlocked city
4.​ The word ‘ descendants’ in line 9 could best be replaced by
a.​ Offspring
b.​ Bottoms
c.​ antecedents
d.​ Derivations
5.​ The word denim was most probably derived from
a.​ Two french words
b.​ Two italian words
c.​ One french word and one italian word
d.​ Three french words
6.​ The pronoun ‘it’ in line 13 refers to
a.​ City
b.​ Name
c.​ Cloth
d.​ material
7.​ The word ‘switched’ in line 19 is closest in meaning to
a.​ Reduced
b.​ Created
c.​ Pounded
d.​ changed
8.​ It can be inferred from the passage that, in order to develop the pants for which hhe
became famous, strauss did which of the following/
a.​ He studied tailoring in nimes
b.​ He used an existing type of material
c.​ He experimented with brown denim
d.​ He tested the pants food destructibility
9.​ Where in the passage does the author explain how strauss first attempt at creating
business with canvas turned out?
a.​ Lines 12-14
b.​ Lines 15-17
c.​ Lines 18-19
d.​ Lines 21-22

FOSIL
Fossils are the remains and traces (such as footprints or other marks) of ancient plant and
animal life that are more than 10,000 years old. They range in size from microscopic
structures to dinosaur skeletons and complete bodies of enormous animals. Skeletons of
extinct species of human are also considered fossils.

An environment favorable to the growth and later preservation of organisms is required for
the occurrence of fossils. Two conditions are almost always present: (1) The possession of
hard parts, either internal or external, such as bones, teeth, scales, shells, and wood; these
parts remain after the rest of the organism has decayed. Organisms that lack hard parts,
such as worms and jelly fish, have left a meager geologic record. (2) Quick burial of the dead
organism, so that protection is afforded against weathering, bacterial action, and
scavengers.

Nature provides many situations in which the remains of animals and plants are protected
against destruction. Of these, marine sediment is by far the most important environment for
the preservation of fossils, owing to the incredible richness of marine life. The beds of former
lakes are also prolific sources of fossils. The rapidly accumulating sediments in the
channels, floodplains, and deltas of streams bury fresh-water organisms, along with land
plants and animals that fall into the water. The beautifully preserved fossil fish from the
Green River soil shale of Wyoming in the western United States lived in a vast shallow lake.

The frigid ground in the far north acts as a remarkable preservative for animal fossils. The
woolly mammoth, along-haired rhinoceros, and other mammals have been periodically
exposed in the tundra of Siberia, the hair and red flesh still frozen in cold storage. Volcanoes
often provide environments favorable to fossil preservation. Extensive falls of volcanic ash
and coarser particles overwhelm and bury all forms of life, from flying insects to great trees.

Caves have preserved the bones of many animals that died in them and were subsequently
buried under a blanket of clay or a cover of dripstone. Predatory animals and early humans
alike sought shelter in caves and brought food to them to the eater, leaving bones that
paleontologists have discovered.

1.​ The passage primarily discusses which of the following?

a.​ Types of fossils found in different climates
b.​ What is learned from studying fossils
c.​ Conditions favorable to the preservation of fossils (gpt)
d.​ How fossils are discovered
2.​ The word "traces" in line 1 is closest in meaning to
a.​ structures
b.​ importance
c.​ skeletons
d.​ imprints (
3.​ All of the following facts about fossils are refereed to by the author (paragraph 1)
EXCEPT the fact that they can be
a.​ microscopically small
b.​ skeletons of human ancestors
c.​ complete animal bodies
d.​ fragile
4.​ The fossil fish from the Green River (paragraph 3) were probably preserved because
they were
a.​ in a deep lake
b.​ covered by sediment
c.​ protected by oil
d.​ buried slowly
5.​ The word "exposed" in line 22 is closest in meaning to
 a.​ photographed
b.​ uncovered
c.​ located
d.​ preserved
6.​ Which of the following is LEAST likely to be found as a fossil, assuming that all are
buried rapidly?
a.​ a dinosaur
b.​ a woolly mammoth
c.​ a human ancestor
d.​ a worm
7.​ It can be inferred that a condition that favors fossilization when volcanic ash falls to
Earth is
a.​ quick burial
b.​ cold storage
c.​ high temperature
d.​ lack of water
8.​ The word "them" in line 29 refers to
a.​ predatory animals
b.​ early humans
c.​ caves
d.​ bones
9.​ Which of the following is true of the environments in which fossil are found?
a.​ Very different environments can favor fossilization.
b.​ There are few environments in which fossils are protected.
c.​ Environments that favor fossilization have similar climates.
d.​ Environments that favor fossilization support large populations of animals.