Reading Passages Advanced Level Test – Quiz (Online Exercise With Answers) 2

The technology of the North American Colonies did not differ strikingly from that of Europe, but in one respect, the colonists enjoyed a great advantage. Especially by comparison with Britain, Americans had a wonderfully plentiful supply of wood. The first colonists didn't, as many people imagine, find an entire continent covered by a climax forest. Even along the Atlantic seaboard, the forest was broken at many points, a Nevertheless, all sorts of fine trees abounded, and through the early colonial period, those who pushed westward encountered new forests. By the end of the colonial era, the price of wood had risen ,slightly in eastern cities, but wood was still extremely abundant and it was a foundation of the economy. Houses and all manner of buildings were made of wood to a degree unknown in Britain. Secondly, wood was used as a fuel for heating and cooking.Thirdly, it was used as the source of important industrial compounds, such as potash, an industrial alkali; charcoal, a component of gunpowder; and tannic acid.

1. The passage mainly discusses_____ .

The technology of the North American Colonies did not differ strikingly from that of Europe, but in one respect, the colonists enjoyed a great advantage. Especially by comparison with Britain, Americans had a wonderfully plentiful supply of wood. The first colonists didn't, as many people imagine, find an entire continent covered by a climax forest. Even along the Atlantic seaboard, the forest was broken at many points, a Nevertheless, all sorts of fine trees abounded, and through the early colonial period, those who pushed westward encountered new forests. By the end of the colonial era, the price of wood had risen ,slightly in eastern cities, but wood was still extremely abundant and it was a foundation of the economy. Houses and all manner of buildings were made of wood to a degree unknown in Britain. Secondly, wood was used as a fuel for heating and cooking.Thirdly, it was used as the source of important industrial compounds, such as potash, an industrial alkali; charcoal, a component of gunpowder; and tannic acid. 2. As is stated in the passage, by the end of the Colonial period, the price of wood in eastern cities_____ .

The technology of the North American Colonies did not differ strikingly from that of Europe, but in one respect, the colonists enjoyed a great advantage. Especially by comparison with Britain, Americans had a wonderfully plentiful supply of wood. The first colonists didn't, as many people imagine, find an entire continent covered by a climax forest. Even along the Atlantic seaboard, the forest was broken at many points, a Nevertheless, all sorts of fine trees abounded, and through the early colonial period, those who pushed westward encountered new forests. By the end of the colonial era, the price of wood had risen ,slightly in eastern cities, but wood was still extremely abundant and it was a foundation of the economy. Houses and all manner of buildings were made of wood to a degree unknown in Britain. Secondly, wood was used as a fuel for heating and cooking.Thirdly, it was used as the source of important industrial compounds, such as potash, an industrial alkali; charcoal, a component of gunpowder; and tannic acid. 3. It's implied in the passage that, houses in Britain during the period mentioned in the passage were_____ .

When they first appeared a few years ago,smart phones were marketed as the Swiss. Army knife of personal communications,combining the versatility of a hand-held computer with the connectivity of a mobile phone. What set them apart from standard mobile phones was their ability to download and run a broad range of third-party software applications. In theory, this meant users did not have to settle for the software applications that came with the device. In practice, however, the novelty value of having a currency converter, weather services, various different city maps and pocket sudoku crammed onto your phone soon wore off. Similarly, the logistics of viewing Excel spreadsheets or editing Word documents on such device was only for die- hard enthusiasts. In short, until now smart phones have amounted to not much more than executive toys, doing little to improve anyone’s productivity. 4. It is stated in the passage that one of the features that makes smart phones different from the standard mobile phones was that_____ .

When they first appeared a few years ago,smart phones were marketed as the Swiss. Army knife of personal communications,combining the versatility of a hand-held computer with the connectivity of a mobile phone. What set them apart from standard mobile phones was their ability to download and run a broad range of third-party software applications. In theory, this meant users did not have to settle for the software applications that came with the device. In practice, however, the novelty value of having a currency converter, weather services, various different city maps and pocket sudoku crammed onto your phone soon wore off. Similarly, the logistics of viewing Excel spreadsheets or editing Word documents on such device was only for die- hard enthusiasts. In short, until now smart phones have amounted to not much more than executive toys, doing little to improve anyone’s productivity. 5. One may infer from the passage that smart phones seemed to _____

When they first appeared a few years ago,smart phones were marketed as the Swiss. Army knife of personal communications,combining the versatility of a hand-held computer with the connectivity of a mobile phone. What set them apart from standard mobile phones was their ability to download and run a broad range of third-party software applications. In theory, this meant users did not have to settle for the software applications that came with the device. In practice, however, the novelty value of having a currency converter, weather services, various different city maps and pocket sudoku crammed onto your phone soon wore off. Similarly, the logistics of viewing Excel spreadsheets or editing Word documents on such device was only for die- hard enthusiasts. In short, until now smart phones have amounted to not much more than executive toys, doing little to improve anyone’s productivity. 6. It can be inferred from the passage that certain features of smart phones______.

Combine current ideas about childhood development and interactive learning with a dwindling number of safe street corners and what you get? A global boom in children’s museums. Museums designed to encourage parents to learn from each other, and children to teach themselves, are booming around the world. From Boston to Los Angeles and Shanghai to Dubai, museums for children are breaking ground, expanding, and hiring world-class architects to design eco-friendly landmarks. The kudos from professional educators promises welcome enrichment to cash-strapped public schools and to hopeful parents of Harvard-bound toddlers 7. The passage is mainly concerned with______.

Combine current ideas about childhood development and interactive learning with a dwindling number of safe street corners and what you get? A global boom in children’s museums. Museums designed to encourage parents to learn from each other, and children to teach themselves, are booming around the world. From Boston to Los Angeles and Shanghai to Dubai, museums for children are breaking ground, expanding, and hiring world-class architects to design eco-friendly landmarks. The kudos from professional educators promises welcome enrichment to cash-strapped public schools and to hopeful parents of Harvard-bound toddlers 8. It is implied in the passage that the children’s museums_____ .

Combine current ideas about childhood development and interactive learning with a dwindling number of safe street corners and what you get? A global boom in children’s museums. Museums designed to encourage parents to learn from each other, and children to teach themselves, are booming around the world. From Boston to Los Angeles and Shanghai to Dubai, museums for children are breaking ground, expanding, and hiring world-class architects to design eco-friendly landmarks. The kudos from professional educators promises welcome enrichment to cash-strapped public schools and to hopeful parents of Harvard-bound toddlers 9. It may be inferred from the passage that the children’s museums_____

Australia, cut off long ago from other continents, is one of the last places on Earth where one would expect to catch rabies or a related disease transmitted by animals. Yet this prospect is not as far-fetched aş it may sound. In the last four years, new diseases carried by animals but affecting human beings have appeared for the first time in Australia and in all these cases bats were involved. Fruit bats are the main cause for concern. They congregate together in large colonies and are found in some of the most heavily populated areas of the continent, Bats are capable of flying up to 200 m kilometres in a single journey and often share a convival roost with other species of bats on their way so it is only too easy for them to spread a disease. The danger is accentuated because people are convinced of their harmlessness and many find them cuddly and in need of protection. 10. According to the passage, in Australia,_____.

Australia, cut off long ago from other continents, is one of the last places on Earth where one would expect to catch rabies or a related disease transmitted by animals. Yet this prospect is not as far-fetched aş it may sound. In the last four years, new diseases carried by animals but affecting human beings have appeared for the first time in Australia and in all these cases bats were involved. Fruit bats are the main cause for concern. They congregate together in large colonies and are found in some of the most heavily populated areas of the continent, Bats are capable of flying up to 200 m kilometres in a single journey and often share a convival roost with other species of bats on their way so it is only too easy for them to spread a disease. The danger is accentuated because people are convinced of their harmlessness and many find them cuddly and in need of protection. 11. It may be inferred from the passage that_____ .

Australia, cut off long ago from other continents, is one of the last places on Earth where one would expect to catch rabies or a related disease transmitted by animals. Yet this prospect is not as far-fetched aş it may sound. In the last four years, new diseases carried by animals but affecting human beings have appeared for the first time in Australia and in all these cases bats were involved. Fruit bats are the main cause for concern. They congregate together in large colonies and are found in some of the most heavily populated areas of the continent, Bats are capable of flying up to 200 m kilometres in a single journey and often share a convival roost with other species of bats on their way so it is only too easy for them to spread a disease. The danger is accentuated because people are convinced of their harmlessness and many find them cuddly and in need of protection. 12. It’s concluded in the passage that one of the reasons why it’s “only too easy” for bats, to spread disease to human beings is that_____ .

Although the weathermen’s forecasts for a month ahead are only a little better than guesswork, they are now making long-term forecasts into the next century with growing confidence. For the dominant trend in the world’s climate in the coming decades will, scientists say, be a predictable result of man’s activities. At the start of the industrial revolution nearly two centuries ago, man innocently set off a gigantic experiment in planetary engineering. Unaware of what he was doing, he spared no thought for the consequences. Today the possible outcome is alarmingly clear, but the experiment is unstoppable. Within the lifetimes of many us, the Earth may become warmer than it has been for a thousand years. Superficially, a warmer climate may seem welcome. But it could bring many hazards-disruptions of crops in the world’s main food-producing regions, famine, economic instability, civil unrest and even war. 13. We learn from the passage that longterm weather forecasts beyond a century from now may seem strange because_____ .

Although the weathermen’s forecasts for a month ahead are only a little better than guesswork, they are now making long-term forecasts into the next century with growing confidence. For the dominant trend in the world’s climate in the coming decades will, scientists say, be a predictable result of man’s activities. At the start of the industrial revolution nearly two centuries ago, man innocently set off a gigantic experiment in planetary engineering. Unaware of what he was doing, he spared no thought for the consequences. Today the possible outcome is alarmingly clear, but the experiment is unstoppable. Within the lifetimes of many us, the Earth may become warmer than it has been for a thousand years. Superficially, a warmer climate may seem welcome. But it could bring many hazards-disruptions of crops in the world’s main food-producing regions, famine, economic instability, civil unrest and even war. 14. As it is stated in the passage, weathermen believe that our future climate will be the direct result of______.

Although the weathermen’s forecasts for a month ahead are only a little better than guesswork, they are now making long-term forecasts into the next century with growing confidence. For the dominant trend in the world’s climate in the coming decades will, scientists say, be a predictable result of man’s activities. At the start of the industrial revolution nearly two centuries ago, man innocently set off a gigantic experiment in planetary engineering. Unaware of what he was doing, he spared no thought for the consequences. Today the possible outcome is alarmingly clear, but the experiment is unstoppable. Within the lifetimes of many us, the Earth may become warmer than it has been for a thousand years. Superficially, a warmer climate may seem welcome. But it could bring many hazards-disruptions of crops in the world’s main food-producing regions, famine, economic instability, civil unrest and even war. 15. One may infer from the passage that a warmer climate_____ .

It is an interesting paradox that the most enduring of the legendary stars of Hollywood’s golden era should be one who in many ways bucked the trend. To begin with, there is the simple matter of his name. While the image makers at the big studios racked their brains to invent names that would reflect the screen personality of stars who had been cursed from birth with others that were dull, unpronounceable or simply not Anglo-Saxon enough for the American public, he kept his own, one that was unique for a film star of his day because of the combination of a Christian name with upper-class associates and a surname that sounded Dutch or German. A generation of boys in Britain and the United States -were registered-with-the invented names assigned to the leading actors their star-struck mothers adored- Wayne or Gary or Kirk - without ever being aware of stars’ real names. Yet hardly any of the admirers of Humphrey Bogart saw fit to follow suit. 16. We learn from the passage that Humphrey Bogart’s screen name was unusual in the great days of Hollywood because_____ .

It is an interesting paradox that the most enduring of the legendary stars of Hollywood’s golden era should be one who in many ways bucked the trend. To begin with, there is the simple matter of his name. While the image makers at the big studios racked their brains to invent names that would reflect the screen personality of stars who had been cursed from birth with others that were dull, unpronounceable or simply not Anglo-Saxon enough for the American public, he kept his own, one that was unique for a film star of his day because of the combination of a Christian name with upper-class associates and a surname that sounded Dutch or German. A generation of boys in Britain and the United States -were registered-with-the invented names assigned to the leading actors their star-struck mothers adored- Wayne or Gary or Kirk - without ever being aware of stars’ real names. Yet hardly any of the admirers of Humphrey Bogart saw fit to follow suit. 17. We understand from the passage that considering his name, Humphrey Bogart_____.

It is an interesting paradox that the most enduring of the legendary stars of Hollywood’s golden era should be one who in many ways bucked the trend. To begin with, there is the simple matter of his name. While the image makers at the big studios racked their brains to invent names that would reflect the screen personality of stars who had been cursed from birth with others that were dull, unpronounceable or simply not Anglo-Saxon enough for the American public, he kept his own, one that was unique for a film star of his day because of the combination of a Christian name with upper-class associates and a surname that sounded Dutch or German. A generation of boys in Britain and the United States -were registered-with-the invented names assigned to the leading actors their star-struck mothers adored- Wayne or Gary or Kirk - without ever being aware of stars’ real names. Yet hardly any of the admirers of Humphrey Bogart saw fit to follow suit. 18. It’s understood from the passage that______.

Most great singing stars have established themselves long before they get to 35, but that is how old Madge Sharp is now, and this is her first record, it will not be her last. “I’ve always wanted to be a blues singer, ” she says. “I used to listen to singers like Mahalia Jackson and Ella Fitzgerald and others on record, but my parents would never let me go £to a concert. And they never allowed me to sing with a band. The only singing I did for a years was in our church choir. Of course I wish I had started in the profession earlier,but I’ve got something now which a lot of younger singers haven’t got-experience and maturity.” “And it's this experience and maturity in her voice which adds a distinct originality to all the tracks on this collection.All the songs may be old, but her versions of classics like “Ife” and “Georgia” make them sound as if they were written yesterday. 19. It is clearly stated in the passage that Madge Sharp_____

Most great singing stars have established themselves long before they get to 35, but that is how old Madge Sharp is now, and this is her first record, it will not be her last. “I’ve always wanted to be a blues singer, ” she says. “I used to listen to singers like Mahalia Jackson and Ella Fitzgerald and others on record, but my parents would never let me go £to a concert. And they never allowed me to sing with a band. The only singing I did for a years was in our church choir. Of course I wish I had started in the profession earlier,but I’ve got something now which a lot of younger singers haven’t got-experience and maturity.” “And it's this experience and maturity in her voice which adds a distinct originality to all the tracks on this collection.All the songs may be old, but her versions of classics like “Ife” and “Georgia” make them sound as if they were written yesterday. 20. It is understood from the passage that Madge Sharp_____

Most great singing stars have established themselves long before they get to 35, but that is how old Madge Sharp is now, and this is her first record, it will not be her last. “I’ve always wanted to be a blues singer, ” she says. “I used to listen to singers like Mahalia Jackson and Ella Fitzgerald and others on record, but my parents would never let me go £to a concert. And they never allowed me to sing with a band. The only singing I did for a years was in our church choir. Of course I wish I had started in the profession earlier,but I’ve got something now which a lot of younger singers haven’t got-experience and maturity.” “And it's this experience and maturity in her voice which adds a distinct originality to all the tracks on this collection.All the songs may be old, but her versions of classics like “Ife” and “Georgia” make them sound as if they were written yesterday. 21. It can be concluded from the passage that_____ .

One afternoon last spring, eight women found themselves at a resort in Texas stretched out on the floor on mats, each with a series of acupuncture needles protruding from their bodies. The atmosphere was calming and happy as an acupuncturist quietly moved from woman to woman,twisting and turning the needles, recalls Heidi Schell, one of those women who were nearing the end of a week-long retreat, all working towards the same goal - to get pregnant, The journey that led Ms. Schell to the group acupuncture session will sound familiar to many women: she was among the 36% of females in the United States who had been seeking medical assistance to have a baby. To do so, she was among the 1% of women trying high-tech treatments - in her case, in vitro fertilization (IVF). But, at 40 years of age, her chances of conceiving via IVF were a decidedly slim 10%. 22. As is mentioned in the passage, acupuncture_____.

One afternoon last spring, eight women found themselves at a resort in Texas stretched out on the floor on mats, each with a series of acupuncture needles protruding from their bodies. The atmosphere was calming and happy as an acupuncturist quietly moved from woman to woman,twisting and turning the needles, recalls Heidi Schell, one of those women who were nearing the end of a week-long retreat, all working towards the same goal - to get pregnant, The journey that led Ms. Schell to the group acupuncture session will sound familiar to many women: she was among the 36% of females in the United States who had been seeking medical assistance to have a baby. To do so, she was among the 1% of women trying high-tech treatments - in her case, in vitro fertilization (IVF). But, at 40 years of age, her chances of conceiving via IVF were a decidedly slim 10%. 23. We understand from the passage that______.

One afternoon last spring, eight women found themselves at a resort in Texas stretched out on the floor on mats, each with a series of acupuncture needles protruding from their bodies. The atmosphere was calming and happy as an acupuncturist quietly moved from woman to woman,twisting and turning the needles, recalls Heidi Schell, one of those women who were nearing the end of a week-long retreat, all working towards the same goal - to get pregnant, The journey that led Ms. Schell to the group acupuncture session will sound familiar to many women: she was among the 36% of females in the United States who had been seeking medical assistance to have a baby. To do so, she was among the 1% of women trying high-tech treatments - in her case, in vitro fertilization (IVF). But, at 40 years of age, her chances of conceiving via IVF were a decidedly slim 10%. 24. It is implied in the passage that____ .