READING PRACTICE

PASSAGE 01

Every year about two million people visit Mount Rushmore, where the faces of
four U.S. presidents were carved in granite by sculptor Gutzon Borglum and his
son, the late Lincoln Borglum. The creation of Mount Rushmore monument took
14 years – from 1927 to 1941 – and nearly a million dollars. These were times
when money was difficult to come by and many people were jobless. To move the
more than 400,000 tons of rock, Borglum hired laid-off workers from the closed-
down mines in the Black Hills area. He taught these men to dynamite, drill, carve,
and finish the granite as they were hanging in midair in his specially devised
chairs, which had many safety features. Borglum was proud of the fact that no
workers were killed or severely injured during the years of blasting and carving.

During the carving, many changes in the original design had to be made to keep
the carved heads free of large fissures that were uncovered. However, not all the
cracks could be avoided, so Borglum concocted a mixture of granite dust, white
lead, and linseed oil to fill them.

Every winter, water from melting snows gets into the fissures and expands as
it freezes, making the fissures bigger. Consequently, every autumn maintenance
work is done to refill the cracks. The repairers swing out in space over a 500-foot
drop and fix the monument with the same mixture that Borglum used to preserve
this national monument for future generations.

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1. This passage is mainly about _________.

A. the visitors to the Mount Rushmore monument.

B. the sculptor of the Mount Rushmore monument.

C. the creation of the Mount Rushmore monument.

D. The presidents of the US.

2. According to the passage, Borglum’s son _________.

A. is dead.

B. was a president.

C. spent a million dollars.

D. an economist.

3. The word “These” in line 5 refers to _________.

A. faces.

B. dollars.

C. times.

D. presidents.

4. The men who Borglum hired were _________.

A. trained sculptors.

B. Black Hills volunteers.

C. unemployed miners.

D. students.

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5. The word “devised” in line 9 is closest in meaning to _________.

A. designed.

B. described.

C. elevated.

D. created.

6. It can be inferred from the passage that _________.

A. the heads are not as originally planned.

B. the workers made mistakes when blasting.

C. the cracks caused serious injuries.

D. the workers have no danger in their jobs.

7. In line 13, the word “fissures” refers to __________.

A. designs.

B. cracks.

C. heads.

D. monuments.

8. The word “avoided” in line 14 is closest in meaning to __________.

A. circumvented

B. prevented

C. improvised

D. exaggerated

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9. Borglum’s mixture for filling cracks was _________.

A. very expensive.

B. bought at the Black Hills miners.

C. invented by the sculptor himself.

D. useless in winter.

10. Today, Mount Rushmore needs to be _________.

A. polished for tourists.

B. restored during the winter.

C. repaired periodically.

D. reconstructed.

PASSAGE 02

Martin Luther King Jr., is well known for his work in civil rights and for his
many famous speeches, among them is his moving “I Have A Dream” speech. But
fewer people know much about King’s childhood. M.L., as he was called, was born
in 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia, at the home of his maternal grandfather. M.L.’s
grandfather, the Reverend A.D. Williams, purchased their home on Auburn
Avenue in 1909, twenty years before M.L. was born. The Reverend Williams, an
eloquent speaker, played an important role in the community since so many
people’s lives centered around the church. He allowed his church and his home to
be used as a meeting place for a number of organizations dedicated to the
education and social advancement of blacks. M.L. grew up in this atmosphere,
with his home being used as a community gathering place, and was no doubt
influenced by it.

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 M.L.’s childhood was not especially eventful. His father was a minister and his
mother was a musician. He was the second of three children, and he attended all-
black schools in a black neighborhood. The neighborhood was not poor, however.
Auburn Avenue was the main artery through a prosperous neighborhood that had
come to symbolize achievement for Atlanta’s black people. It was an area of banks,
insurance companies, builders, jewelers, tailors, doctors, lawyers, and other
black-owner black-operated businesses and services. Even in the face of Atlanta’s
segregation, the district thrived. Dr. King never forgot the community spirit he
had known as a child, nor did he forget the racial prejudice that was a seemingly
insurmountable barrier that kept black Atlantans from mingling with whites.

11. What is this passage mainly about?

A. the prejudice that existed in Atlanta.

B. Martin Luther King’s childhood.

C. M.L.’s grandfather.

D. The neighborhood King grew up in.

12. The word “eloquent” in line 7 means most nearly __________.

A. powerful

B. active

C. romantic

D. fascinating

13. The word “gathering” in line 12 could be best replaced by __________.

A. picking C. exciting

B. learning D. meeting

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14. As used, the word “eventful” in line 13 is closest in meaning to which of the
following?

A. valued C. admirable

B. memorable D. emotional

15. In line 18, the word “It” refers to which of the following?

A. achievement C. segregation

B. neighborhood D. services

16. According to the author, blacks in King’s neighborhood were involved in all
the following businesses and services EXCEPT __________.

A. dentistry C. law

B. medicine D. banking

17. The word “tailors” in line 19 describes people who are associated with
which of the following trades?

A. flower arranging

B. shoe making

C. garment making

D. book binding

18. According to the author, King was influenced by ___________.

A. community spirit

B. black lawyers

C. his mother

D. his speeches

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19. The word “thrived” in line 20 refers to which of the following?

A. achieved

B. surrendered

C. flourished

D. held

20. According to the author, M.L __________.

A. had a difficult childhood

B. was a good musician as a child

C. loved to listen to his grandfather speak

D. grew up in a relatively rich area of Atlanta

PASSAGE 03

The world is now warmer than at almost any time since the end of the last
ice age and, on present trends, will continue to reach a record high for the entire
period since the dawn of civilization, a study has found.

The study published in the journal Science, aims to give a global overview
of Earth's temperatures over the past 11,300 years - a relatively balmy period
known as the Holocene that began after the last major ice age ended and
encompasses all of recorded human civilization.

Their data (compiled by studying such things as ice cores, fossils and ocean
sentiment) looked back over a much longer era than previous research, which
went back 1,500 years.

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 Scientists say it is further evidence that modern-day global warming isn't
natural, but the result of rising carbon dioxide emissions that have rapidly grown
since the Industrial Revolution began roughly 250 years ago. Scientists say that if
natural factors were still governing the climate, the Northern Hemisphere would
probably be destined to freeze over again in several thousand years. Instead,
scientists believe the enormous increase in greenhouse gases caused by
industrialization will almost certainly prevent that.

Shaun Marcott, a geologist at Oregon State University, says "global

temperatures are warmer than about 75 percent of anything we've seen over the
last 11,000 years or so." The other way to look at that is, 25 percent of the time
since the last ice age, it's been warmer than now.

It's taken just 100 years for the average temperature to change by 1.3
degrees, when it took 5,000 years to do that before. By the end of the century,
climate warming models predict an additional increase of 2 to 11.5 degrees, due
largely to carbon emissions, the study noted.

21. The word “dawn” could be replaced by ________.

A. Earth C. beginning

B. sunrise D. heat

22. The word “balmy” is closest in meaning to __________.

A. warm C. cool

B. cold D. hot

23. What is the aim of the study?

A. To prevent people from polluting the Earth.

B. To give an overview of the Earth’s temperature.

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 C. To encourage people to stop releasing carbon dioxide into the
environment.

D. To minimize the increase if greenhouse gases.

24. The Earth's temperature has increased quickly since ____________.

A. The Industrial Revolution

B. The Northern Hemisphere

C. 1,500 years ago

D. The Holocene

25. The word “prevent” could be best replaced by ____________.

a. slow

b. complete

c. encourage

d. stop

26. According to scientists, what causes the modern-day global warming?

a. Natural factors.

b. Pollution.

C. The increase of CO2 emission.

D. The increase of the heat.

27. How many degrees does the temperature increase in 5000 years?

a. 1.3 C. 1.1

b. 1.5 D. 2.5

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28. This article could be described as a ________ look at the future.

a. pessimistic

B. confused

b. optimistic

D. enthusiastic

29. How does the temperature increase now than the past 11.000 years?

A. warmer than ¼ times.

B. warmer than ½ times.

C. warmer than ¾ times.

D. warmer than 2/3 times.

30. Where can you see the study?

A. In a journal.

B. In a book.

C. On Facebook.

D. On a website.

PASSAGE 04
She knew the street backwards, of course. How many times had she been
dragged up it as a child by the wrist, whining and sniveling, always wishing she
were somewhere else? Now she had no desire to be anywhere but here. This
bustling traffic, these fuming buses, these chipped paving stones and boarded-up
shop fronts, they were hers. Here, she would grow from defiant teenager to

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independent woman. When she was an old woman, she would gaze out over the
lawns and say ‘Ah, Knox Road, that’s where I really came into my own’.

Number 126 was only a short walk from the bus stop, and she heaved her
multiple bags onto her shoulders and trudged off, trying to maintain the elation
as the straps dug into the flesh of her neck and fingers. Number 126 was set back
slightly from the main road, with a concrete path and weed-patch at the front. The
window frames were rotten and the paint chipped. Holly tried not to mins. It was
what was inside that counted, after all. The coming- together of six individuals
from diverse backgrounds, discussing politics, culture and art late into the night,
sharing ideas, recipes, milk, shower gel and lovers — that would be what she’d
look back on of course, not the paintwork. In the absence of either a bell or
knocker, she rapped firmly on the door.

There was no reply. Holly peered through gap in curtains in the downstairs
window, but there was nothing but gloom within. She could hear a faint thudding
of a bass beat, but was not sure which house it belonged to. She rapped more
firmly, and was searching for a pebble to throw to the upstairs window when the
door opened shirtless, overweight twenty-something, with bleary eyes and
greasy hair stood in the doorway wearing boxer shorts and mismatched socks.

“I’ve come for the upstairs room, I’m the new tenant,” said Holly brightly.
The man grunted slightly and moved aside. He gestured up the dim, uncarpeted
stairway and began to shuffle along the dark hallway to the rear of the house. “Top
floor, is that right? I guess I just follow my nose!” Holly gave a high laugh, and
received another grunt in reply. Then the man was gone.

Not to worry, he must be the quiet moody type, thought Holly, too caught
up in his own profound thoughts for inane chit-chat. One day she would penetrate
his hard outer shell and realize the free spirit inside. Anyway, now for the stairs.

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The four flights of stairs would be worth it, she’d decided when she picked out the
flat, even if it did mean her going downstairs to get to the bathroom, because the
room faced the front, and she could watch the world scurry by as she sipped her
morning coffee. Kicking one bag in front and dragging the others behind, she
finally made it up the four flights and flung open the door to her new room, her
new haven, her new adult life.

Peeling beige wallpaper, a lumpy mattress on a chipboard bedframe, a

bare light bulb, a flat-pack wardrobe inexpertly put together. All this, Holly could
just about put up with, but when she saw the view from her window – a dull patch
of grey sky, invariable whatever the angle, she finally had to admit to herself that
her adult life was not getting off to a great start.

31. What can be inferred from the text?

A. This is Holly’s first time living away from home.

B. Holly visited the house before deciding to move in.

C. Holly is new to this part of the town.

D. Holly already knows someone who lives in this house.

32. Where is Knox Road?

A. in a town center. C. in a village.

B. in a suburb. D. on a housing estate.

33. Which word best describes 126 Knox Road?

A. austere. C. quaint.

B. run-down. D. pristine.

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34. What can be inferred about the character of Holly?

A. She is a daydreamer. C. She is prejudiced.

B. She is ambitious. D. She is reckless.

35. Which one is NOT true of 126 Knox Road?

A. There isn’t a front garden.

B. The window frames need painting.

C. There isn’t a doorbell or a door knocker.

D. The downstairs curtains are drawn.

36. Which word does NOT describe the man who answered the door?

A. friendly. C. unreceptive.

B. ill-mannered. D. unkempt.

37. What can be inferred about the man who opened the door?

A. He owns the property.

B. He had not expected Holly.

C. He lives in the front, ground floor room.

D. He had been asleep.

38. Which one is NOT true of Holly’s room?

A. It is on the fourth floor.

B. It is furnished.

C. It has an en suite bathroom.

D. It is at the front of the house.

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39. What aspect of the house most disappoints Holly?

A. her housemates. C. the view.

B. the furniture. D. the décor.

40. Which best describes the change in Holly’s emotions?

A. nervous  optimistic.

B. optimistic  disillusioned.

C. disappointed  resigned.

D. eager  nervous.

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