Reading-Comprehension-Lesson 150

Đọc đoạn văn sau và trả lời các câu hỏi: In the early 1800s, to reach the jump-off point for the West, a family
from the East of the United States could either buy steamboat passage
to Missouri for themselves, their wagons, and their livestock or-as
happened more often-simply pile everything into a wagon, hitch up
5 a team, and begin their overland trek right in their front yard.

Along the macadamized roads and turnpikes east of the Missouri River,
travel was comparatively fast, camping easy, and supplies plentiful.
Then, in one river town or another, the neophyte emigrants would
10 pause to lay in provisions. For outfitting purposes, the town of
Independence had been preeminent ever since 1827, but the rising
momentum of pioneer emigration had produced some rival jump-off points.
Westport and Fort Leavenworth flourished a few miles upriver. St.
Joseph had sprung up 55 miles to the northwest; in fact, emigrants
15 who went to Missouri by riverboat could save four days on the trail
by staying on the paddle-wheelers to St. Joe before striking overland.

At whatever jump-off point they chose, the emigrants studied guidebooks
and directions, asked questions of others as green as themselves,
20 and made their final decisions about outfitting. They had various,
sometimes conflicting, options. For example, either pack animals
or two-wheel carts or wagons could be used for the overland crossing.
A family man usually chose the wagon. It was the costliest and slowest
of the three, but it provided space and shelter for children and
25 for a wife who likely as not was pregnant. Everybody knew that a
top-heavy covered wagon might blow over in a prairie wind or be overturned
by mountain rocks, that it might mire in river mud or sink to its
hubs in desert sand-but maybe if those things happened on this trip,
they would happen to someone else. Anyway, most pioneers, with their
30 farm background, were used to wagons.1. What is the topic of this passage?
(A) Important river towns
(B) Getting started on the trip west
(C) The advantages of traveling by wagon
(D) Choosing a point of departure
2. All of the following can be inferred from the passage about travel east of the Missouri EXCEPT that it
(A) was faster than in the West
(B) was easier than in the West
(C) took place on good roads
(D) was usually by steamboat
3. The phrase "jump-off point" in lines 1, 13 and 18 is closest in meaning to
(A) a bridge across a river
(B) a point of departure
(C) a gathering place
(D) a trading post
4. Which of the cities that served as a jump-off point can be inferred from the passage to be farthest west?
(A) Independence
(B) St. Joseph
(C) Westport
(D) Fort Leavenworth
5. The word "preeminent" in line 11 is closest in meaning to
(A) oldest
(B) superior
(C) most easily reached
(D) closest
6. The author implies in the passage that the early emigrants
(A) knew a lot about travel
(B) were well stocked with provisions when they left their homes
(C) left from the same place in Missouri
(D) preferred wagon travel to other types of travel
7. The word "neophyte" in line 9 is closest in meaning to
(A) eager
(B) courageous
(C) prosperous
(D) inexperienced
8. All of the following were mentioned in the passage as options for modes of transportation from the Missouri River to the West EXCEPT
(A) a wagon
(B) a riverboat
(C) a pack animal
(D) a two-wheel cart
9. In line 16, the word "striking" is closest in meaning to
(A) hitting
(B) orienting
(C) departing
(D) marking
10. The expression "green" in line 19 is closest in meaning to
(A) frightened
(B) optimistic
(C) inexperienced
(D) weary
11. All of the following features of the covered wagon made it unattractive to the emigrants EXCEPT
(A) the speed at which it could travel
(B) its bulk
(C) its familiarity and size
(D) its cost
12. In line 28, the phrase "those things" refers to
(A) the types of transportation
(B) the belongings of the pioneers
(C) the problems of wagon travel
(D) the overland routes

Back Test with: Reading-Comprehension-Lesson 150 and Reading-Comprehension-Lesson 149

Reading-Comprehension-Lesson 149

Đọc đoạn văn sau và trả lời các câu hỏi: There are many theories of aging, but virtually all fall into the
category of being hypotheses with a minimum of supporting evidence.
One viewpoint is that aging occurs as the body's organ systems become
less efficient. Thus failures in the immune system, hormonal system,
5 and nervous system could all produce characteristics that we associate
with aging. Following a different vein, many current researchers
are looking for evidence at the cellular and sub cellular level.
It has been shown that cells such as human fibroblasts (generalized
tissue cells) grown in culture divide only a limited number of times
10 and then die. (Only cancer cells seem immortal in this respect.)
Fibroblast cells from an embryo divide more times than those taken
from an adult. Thus some researchers believe that aging occurs at
the cellular level and is part of the cell's genetic makeup. Any
event that disturbs the cell's genetic machinery such as mutation,
15 damaging chemicals in the cell's environment, or loss of genetic
material, could cause cells to lose their ability to divide and thus
bring on aging. Other theories of aging look at different processes.

Chronological aging refers to the passage of time since birth and
20 is usually measured in years. While chronological age can be useful
in estimating the average status of a large group of people, it is
a poor indicator of an individual person's status because there is
a tremendous amount of variation from one individual to the next
in regard to the rate at which biological age changes occur. For
25 example, on the average, aging results in people losing much of their
ability to perform strenuous activities, yet some elderly individuals
are excellent marathon runners.

Another type of aging is cosmetic aging, which consists of changes
30 in outward appearance with advancing age. This includes changes in
the body and changes in other aspects of a person's appearance, such
as the style of hair and clothing, the type of eyeglasses, and the
use of a hearing aid. Like chronological aging, it is frequently
used to estimate the degree to which other types of aging have occurred.
35 However, it is an inaccurate indicator for either purpose because
of variation among individuals and because a person's appearance
is affected by many factors that are not part of aging, including
illness, poor nutrition, and exposure to sunlight.1. The author believes the theories of aging are
(A) well-supported hypotheses
(B) poorly supported hypotheses
(C) proven theories
(D) interesting ideas
2. In line 7, the word "evidence" refers to
(A) evidence of aging
(B) evidence of cancer
(C) evidence of human fibroblasts
(D) evidence of cell division
3. The word "vein" in line 6 is closest in meaning to
(A) part of the body
(B) point of view
(C) blood vessel
(D) cellular level
4. The author of the article points out that cancer cells
(A) divide infinitely
(B) divide and then die
(C) divide more in adults than in embryos
(D) bring on aging
5. The word "culture" in line 9 is closest in meaning to
(A) libraries
(B) a special environment
(C) a society's traditions and values
(D) a toxic substance
6. It can be inferred from the passage that fibroblast cells
(A) divide fewer times at later stages in human life
(B) are not a focus in cellular research on aging
(C) are similar to cancer cells in rate of division
(D) disfunction in the aging process of the body's immune system
7. As explained in this passage, the theory of aging which examines the cellular level would NOT assign which of the following as a cause of aging?
(A) Mutation
(B) Failure of the body's organ system
(C) Loss of genetic material
(D) Chemical damage from the environment
8. According to the passage, chronological aging is not a good indicator of an individual's status regarding aging because
(A) elderly people are often athletic
(B) there is individual variation in the rate of biological aging
(C) strenuous activities are not good measures of age
(D) it is difficult to get accurate records of birth dates
9. The author implies all of the following about cosmetic aging EXCEPT
(A) It does not occur at the same rate for all people
(B) It is a poor indicator of chronological age
(C) Illness, poor nutrition, and exposure to sunlight cause aging to occur
(D) It is described by changes in outward appearance

Back Test with: Reading-Comprehension-Lesson 148 and Reading-Comprehension-Lesson 149

Reading-Comprehension-Lesson 148

Đọc đoạn văn sau và trả lời các câu hỏi: It takes a long time to raise a family of owlets, so the great horned
owl begins early in the year. In January and February, or as late
as March in the North, the male calls to the female with a resonant
hoot. The female is larger than the male. She sometimes reaches a
5 body length of twenty-two to twenty-four inches, with a wingspread
up to fifty inches. To impress her, the male does a strange courtship
dance. He bobs. He bows. He ruffles his feathers and hops around
with an important air. He flutters from limb to limb and makes flying
sorties into the air. Sometimes he returns with an offering of food.
10 They share the repast, after which she joins the dance, hopping and
bobbing about as though keeping time to the beat of an inner drum.

Owls are poor home builders. They prefer to nest in a large hollow
in a tree or even to occupy the deserted nest of a hawk or crow.
15 These structures are large and rough, built of sticks and bark and
lined with leaves and feathers. Sometimes owls nest on a rocky ledge,
or even on the bare ground. even to occupy the deserted nest of a
hawk or crow. These structures are large and rough, built of sticks
and bark and lined with leaves and feathers. Sometimes owls nest
20 on a rocky ledge, or even on the bare ground. The mother lays two
or three round, dull white eggs. Then she stoically settles herself
on the nest and spreads her feather skirts about her to protect her
precious charges from snow and cold.

25 It is five weeks before the first downy white owlet pecks its way
out of the shell. As the young birds feather out, they look like
wise old men with their wide eyes and quizzical expressions. They
clamor for food and keep the parents busy supplying mice, squirrels,
rabbits, crayfish, and beetles. Later in the season baby crows are
30 taken. Migrating songsters, waterfowl, and game birds all fall prey
to the hungry family. It is nearly ten weeks before fledglings leave
the nest to search for their own food. The parent birds weary of
family life by November and drive the young owls away to establish
hunting ranges of their own.1. What is the topic of this passage?
(A) Raising a family of great horned owls
(B) Mating rituals of great horned owls
(C) Nest building of great horned owls
(D) Habits of young great horned owls
2. In line 3-4, the phrase "a resonant hoot" is closest in meaning to
(A) an instrument
(B) a sound
(C) a movement
(D) an offering of food
3. It can be inferred from the passage that the courtship of great horned owls
(A) takes place on the ground
(B) is an active process
(C) happens in the fall
(D) involves the male alone
4. According to the passage, great horned owls
(A) are discriminate nest builders
(B) need big nests for their numerous eggs
(C) may inhabit a previously used nest
(D) build nests on tree limbs
5. According to the passage, which of the following is the mother owl's job?
(A) To initiate the courtship ritual
(B) To feed the young
(C) To sit on the nest
(D) To build the nest
6. The phrase "precious charges" in lines 23 refers to
(A) the eggs
(B) the nest
(C) the hawks and crows
(D) other nesting owls
7. According to the passage, young owlets eat everything EXCEPT
(A) other small birds
(B) insects
(C) small mammals
(D) nuts and seeds
8. In line 27, the word "they" refers to
(A) the wise old men
(B) the adult birds
(C) the young birds
(D) the prey
9. What can be inferred from the passage about the adult parents of the young great horned owls?
(A) They are sorry to see their young leave home.
(B) They are lazy and careless about feeding the small owlets.
(C) They probably don't see their young after November.
(D) They don't eat while they are feeding their young.
10. The phrase "weary of" in line 32 is closest in meaning to
(A) tire of
(B) become sad about
(C) support
(D) are attracted to

Back Test with: Reading-Comprehension-Lesson 148 and Reading-Comprehension-Lesson 147

Reading-Comprehension-Lesson 147

Đọc đoạn văn sau và trả lời các câu hỏi: A binary star is actually a pair of stars that are held together by
the force of gravity. Although occasionally the individual stars
that compose a binary star can be distinguished, they generally appear
as one star. The gravitational pull between the individual stars
5 of a binary star causes one to orbit around the other.
From the orbital pattern of a binary, the mass of its stars can be
determined: the gravitational pull of a star is in direct proportion
to its mass, and the strength of the gravitational force of one star
on another determines the orbital pattern of the binary. Scientists
10 have discovered stars that seem to orbit around an empty space. It
has been suggested that such a star and the empty space really compose
a binary star. The empty space is known as a black hole, a star with
such a strong gravitational force that no light is able to get through.1. A binary star could best be described as
(A) stars that have been forced apart
(B) a star with a strong gravitational force
(C) two stars pulled together by gravity
(D) a large number of attached stars
2. According to the passage, what happens as a result of the gravitational force between the stars?
(A) One star circles the other.
(B) The mass of the binary star increases.
(C) A black hole is destroyed.
(D) The gravitational force decreases.
3. According to the passage, what can scientists learn from the pattern of a binary star's orbit?
(A) The proportion of the star's gravitational pull to its mass
(B) How to distinguish the stars that compose a binary
(C) Why there is no light in a black hole
(D) The mass of the stars that compose the binary
4. According to the passage, what is a black hole?
(A) An empty space around which nothing orbits
(B) A star with close to zero gravity
(C) A star whose gravitational force blocks the passage of light
(D) An empty space so far away that no light can reach it
5. According to the passage, what is a black hole?
(A) An empty space around which nothing orbits
(B) A star with close to zero gravity
(C) A star whose gravitational force blocks the passage of light
(D) An empty space so far away that no light can reach it
6. This passage would most likely be assigned reading in a course on
(A) botany
(B) astrophysics
(C) geology
(D) astrology

Back Test with: Reading-Comprehension-Lesson 146 and Reading-Comprehension-Lesson 147

Reading-Comprehension-Lesson 146

Đọc đoạn văn sau và trả lời các câu hỏi: It is a strong belief among certain groups of people that the medical community should take every possible step to keep a person alive, without regard for the quality of that person's life. But other people argue just as strongly that patients who are facing 5 a life of pain and incumberance on others have the right to decide for themselves whether or not to continue with life-prolonging medications and therapies. The question, however, is really far more difficult than just the issue of a terminally ill patient of sound mind who directs the physician not to continue with any treatment that does 10 not in any way cure the disease but only helps to draw out a painful death. When the quality of life has disintegrated, when there is
no hope of reprieve, when there is intense and everpresent pain, does the patient have the right to be put to death? The patient in this case is not asking the physician to discontinue treatment but 15 instead is requesting the physician, the supposed protector of life,
to purposefully bring a life to a close.

1. With what subject is the passage mainly concerned?
(A) Community beliefs
(B) Ways to prolong life
(C) The right to die
(D) The role of the physician
2. The phrase "medical community" in line 1-2 means
(A) the area around a hospital
(B) medicines and therapies
(C) doctors and nurses
(D) medical journals
3. "However", as it is used in line 7, could best be replaced by which of the following?
(A) On the contrary
(B) Thus
(C) In effect
(D) Certainly
4. In what situation does the author suggest that a patient might have the right to be put to death?
(A) When the patient is of sound mind
(B) When pain has disintegrated
(C) At the request of the physician
(D) When the patient is facing great pain and inevitable death
5. Which of the following statements best applies to the idea presented in the passage?
(A) The question of a patient's right to die is rarely faced by physicians.
(B) The author firmly states his opinion on the right to die.
(C) All people are in agreement as to a patient's right to die.
(D) Putting a patient to death is more serious than allowing a patient to die.

Back Test with: Reading-Comprehension-Lesson 146 and Reading-Comprehension-Lesson 145