READING COMPREHENSION

Time - 55 minutes

In this section, you will read several passages. Each passage is followed by questions about it. Choose the one best answer, (A), (B), (C), or (D), for each question. Answer all questions based on what is stated or implied in the passage.

Run your cursor over the choices to reveal the correct answer.


Questions 1 to 12 are based on the following passage:


(1)



(5)




(10)





(15)




(20)

Martin Luther King, Jr., is well known for his work in civil rights and for his many
famous speeches, among them 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, 20 years
before M.L. was born The Reverend Williams, an eloquent speaker, played an important
role in the community because 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.

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-owned or 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.

 

1. 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


2. The word "eloquent" in line 6 means most nearly:

(A) Powerful
(B) Active
(C) Romantic
(D) Fascinating


3. Which lines best describe King's childhood neighborhood?

(A) Lines 6-9
(B) Lines 10-12
(C) Lines 12-13
(D) Lines 14-18


4. As used in line 12, the word "eventful" is closest to which of the following?

(A) Valued
(B) Memorable
(C) Admirable
(D) Emotional


5. In line 11, the word "it" refers to which of the following?

(A) Achievement
(B) Neighborhood
(C) Segregation
(D) Services


6. According to the author, blacks in King's neighborhood were involved in all the following businesses EXCEPT:

(A) Dentistry
(B) Medicine
(C) Law
(D) Banking

7. The word "tailors" in line 17 describes people who are associated with which of the following trades?

(A) Flower arranging
(B) Shoe making
(C) Garment making
(D) Book binding


8. According to the author, King was influenced by:

(A) Community spirit
(B) Black lawyers
(C) His mother
(D) His speeches

9. The word "thrived" in line 18 refers to which of the following?

(A) Achieved
(B) Surrendered
(C) Flourished
(D) Held


10. As used in line 20, which of the following is closest in meaning to the word "seemingly"?

(A) Apparently
(B) Inevitably
(C) Inexplicably
(D) Hastily


11. The word "mingling" in line 21 could best be replaced by which of the following?

(A) Interfering
(B) Gargling
(C) Consuming
(D) Associating


12. 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

 

Questions 13 to 24 are based on the following passage:

(1)



(5)





(10)

Carbohydrates, which are sugars, are an essential part of a healthy diet. They provide
the main source of energy for the body, and they also function to flavor and sweeten
foods. Carbohydrates range from simple sugars like glucose to complex sugars such as
amylose and amylopectin. Nutritionists estimate that carbohydrates should make up
about one-fourth to one-fifth of a person's diet. This translates to about 75-100 grams of
carbohydrates per day.

A diet that is deficient in carbohydrates can have an adverse effect on a person's
health. When the body lacks a sufficient amount of carbohydrates, it must then use its
protein supplies for energy, a process called gluconeogenesis. However, this results in a
lack of necessary protein, and further health difficulties may occur. A lack of carbohydrates can also lead to ketosis, a build-up of ketones in the body that causes
fatigue, lethargy, and bad breath.

 

13. What is the main idea of this passage?

(A) Carbohydrates are needed for good health.
(B) Carbohydrates prevent a build-up of proteins.
(C) Carbohydrates can lead to ketosis.
(D) Carbohydrates are an expendable part of a good diet.


14. The word "function" as used in line 2 refers to which of the following?

(A) Neglect
(B) Serve
(C) Dissolve
(D) Profess


15. The word "range" as used in line 3 is closest in meaning to which of the following?

(A) Probe
(B) Proceed
(C) Hail
(D) Extend


16. Where is the best place in the passage to add the following sentence?
This daily recommendation can be met by eating carbohydrate-rich foods, such as whole grains, breads, cereals, legumes, potatoes, fruits, and vegetables.

(A) In line 1 after the word "diet"
(B) In line 3 after the word "foods"
(C) In line 6 after the word "day"
(D) In line 12 after the word "breath"


17. According to the passage, what do most nutritionists suggest?

(A) Sufficient carbohydrates will prevent gluconeogenesis.
(B) Carbohydrates are simple sugars called glucose
(C) Carbohydrates should make up about a quarter of person's daily diet.
(D) Carbohydrates should be eaten in very small quantities.


18. Which of the following do carbohydrates NOT do?

(A) Prevent ketosisi
(B) Cause gluconeogenesis
(C) Provide energy for the body
(D) Flavor and sweeten food

19. Which of the following words could best replace "deficient" as used in line 7?

(A) Outstanding
(B) Abundant
(C) Insufficient
(D) Unequal


20. What does the word "this" refer to in line 9?

(A) Using protein supplies for energy
(B) Converting carbohydrates to energy
(C) Having a deficiency in carbohydrates
(D) Having an insufficient amount of protein


21. According to the passage, which of the following does NOT describe carbohydrates?

(A) A protein supply
(B) A necessity
(C) A range of sugars
(D) An energy source


22. The word "lack" in line 10 is most similar to which of the following?

(A) Plethora
(B) Shortage
(C) Derivation
(D) Commission


23. Which of the following best describes the author's tone?

(A) Sensitive
(B) Emotional
(C) Informative
(D) Regretful


24. Which of the following best describes the organization of this passage?

(A) Cause and result
(B) Comparison and contrast
(C) Specific to general
(D) Definition and example


 

Questions 25 to 30 are based on the following passage:

(1)



(5)





(10)




(15)

After two decades of growing student enrollments and economic prosperity, business
schools in the United States have started to face harder times. Only Harvard's MBA
School has shown a substantial increase in enrollment in recent years. Both Princeton
and Stanford have seen decreases in their enrollments. Since 1990, the number of
people receiving Masters in Business Administration (MBA) degrees, has dropped
about 3 percent to 75,000, and the trend of lower enrollment rates is expected to
continue.

There are two factors causing the decrease in seeking an MBA degree. The first one is
that many graduates of four-year colleges are finding that an MBA degree does not
guarantee a plush job on Wall Street or in other financial districts of major American
cities. Many of the entry-level management jobs are going to students graduating with
Master of Arts degrees in English and the humanities as well as those holding MBA
degrees. Students have asked the question, "Is an MBA degree really what I need to be
best prepared for getting a good job?" The second major factor has been the cutting of
American payrolls and the lower number of entry-level jobs being offered. Business
needs are changing, and MBA schools are struggling to meet the new demands.

 

25. What is the main focus of this passage?

(A) Jobs on Wall Street
(B) Types of graduate degrees
(C) Changes in enrollment for MBA schools
(D) How schools are changing to reflect the economy


26. The phrase "two decades" in line 1 refers to a period of:

(A) 10 years
(B) 20 years
(C) 50 years
(D) 100 years


27. The word "prosperity" in line 1 could best be replaced by which of the following?

(A) Success
(B)Surplus
(C) Nurturing
(A) Education


28. Which of the following business schools has NOT shown a decrease in enrollment?

(A) Princeton
(B) Harvard
(C) Stanford
(D) Yale


29. The phrase "trend of' in line 6 is closest in meaning to which of the following?

(A) Reluctance of
(B) Drawback to
(C) Movement toward
(D) Extraction from


30. As used in line 8, the word "seeking" could best be replaced by which of the following?

(A) Examining
(B) Avoiding
(C) Seizing
(D) Pursuing

31. Which of the following descriptions most likely applies to Wall Street?

(A) A center for international affairs
(B) A major financial center
(C) A shopping district
(D) A neighborhood in New York


32. The word "plush" in line 10 most probably means:

(A) Legal
(B) Satisfactory
(C) Fancy
(D) Dependable


33.According to the passage, what are two causes of declining business school enrollments?

(A) Lack of necessity for an MBA and an economic recession
(B) Low salary and foreign competition
(C) Fewer MBA schools and fewer entry-level jobs
(D) Declining population and economic prosperity


34. The first paragraph (lines 1-7) is mainly concerned with which of the following?

(A) Factors contributing to the decline in MBA students
(B) A current trend affecting the nation's business schools
(C) The difference between Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford
(D) Two decades of hard times for business schools


35. As used in line 16, the word "struggling" is closest in meaning to:

(A) Evolving
(B) Plunging
(C) Starting
(D) Striving


36. Which of the following might be the topic of the next paragraph?

(A) MBA schools' efforts to change
(B) Future economic predictions
(C) A history of the recent economic changes
(D) Descriptions of non-MBA graduate programs


 

Questions 37 to 48 are based on the following passage:

(1)



(5)




(10)




(15)

A pilot cannot fly a plane by sight alone. In many conditions, such as flying at night
and landing in dense fog, a pilot must use radar, an alternative way of navigating.
Because human eyes are not very good at determining speeds of approaching objects,
radar can show a pilot how fast nearby planes are moving. The basic principle of radar
is exemplified by what happens when one shouts in a cave. The echo of the sounds
against the walls helps a person determine the size of the cave. With radar, however,
the waves are radio waves instead of sound waves. Radio waves travel at the speed of
light, about 300,000 kilometers in one second. A radar set sends out a short burst of
radio waves. Then it receives the echoes produced when the waves bounce off objects.
By determining the time it takes for the echoes to return to the radar set, a trained
technician can determine the distance between the radar set and other objects. The word
"radar," in fact, gets its name from the term "radio detection and ranging." "Ranging" is
the term for detection of the distance between an object and the radar set. Besides being
of critical importance to pilots, radar is essential for air traffic control, tracking ships at
sea, and for tracking weather systems and storms.

 

37.What is the main topic of this passage?

(A) The nature of radar
(B) Types of ranging
(C) Alternatives to radar
(D) History of radar


38. In line 1, the word "dense" could be replaced by:

(A) Cold
(B) Wet
(C) Dark
(D) Thick


39. According to the passage, what can radar detect besides location of objects?

(A) Size
(B) Weight
(C) Speed
(D) Shape


40. The word "shouts" in line 4 is most similar in meaning to which of the following?

(A) Eavesdrops
(B) Yells
(C) Confesses
(D) Whispers


41. Which of the following words best describes the tone of this passage?

(A) Argumentative
(B) Imaginative
(C) Explanatory
(D) Humorous


42. The phrase "a short burst" in line 7 is closest in meaning in which of the following?

(A) An attachment
(B) A discharge
(C) A stream
(D) A ray

43. The word "it" in line 8 refers to which of the following?

(A) A radar set
(B) A short burst
(C) A radio wave
(D) Light


44. Which of the following could best replace the word "bounce" in line 8?

(A) Overturn
(B) Groove
(C) Extend
(D) Rebound


45. Which type of waves does radar use?

(A) Sound
(B) Heat
(C) Radio
(D) Ocean


46. The word "tracking" in line 14 is closest in meaning to which of the following?
(A) Repairing
(B) Searching for
(C) Glancing at
(D) Fighting


47. Which of the following would most likely be the topic of the next paragraph?

(A) Other uses of radar
(B) Uses of sonar technology
(C) Other technology used by pilots
(D) A history of flying


48. What might be inferred about radar?

(A) It takes the place of a radio.
(B) I gave birth to invention of the airplane.
(C) It developed from a study of sound waves.
(D) It has improved navigational safety.


 

Questions 49 to 60 are based on the following passage:

(1)



(5)




(10)




(15)

 Langston Hughes was one of the greatest American writers of the twentieth century. He
was born in Joplin, Missouri, and moved to Cleveland at the age of 14. Several years
later he spent one year in Mexico before attending Columbia University in New York.
For a few years after that, he roamed the world as a seaman, visiting ports around the
world and writing some poetry. He returned to the United States and attended Lincoln
University, where he won the Witter Bynner Prize for undergraduate poetry.
After graduating in 1923, he traveled to Spain and to Russia with the help of a Guggenheim
fellowship. His novels include Not Without Laughter (1930) and The Big Sea (1940).
He wrote an autobiography in 1956 and also published several collections of poetry.
The collections include The Weary Blues (1926), The Dream Keeper (1932),
Shakespeare in Harlem (1942), Fields of Wonder (1947), One Way Ticket (1947), and
Selected Poems (1959). A man of many talents, Hughes was also a lyricist, librettist,
and a journalist. As an older man in the 1960s, he spent much of his time collecting
poems Africa and from African-Americans to popularize black writers. Hughes is one
of the most accomplished writers in American literary history, and he is seen as one of
the artistic leaders of the Harlem Renaissance, the period when a neighborhood that
was predominantly black produced a flood of great literature, music, and other art
forms depicting daily city life for African-Americans.

 

49. What is the main topic of this passage?

(A) The life of Langston Hughes
(B) The Harlem Renaissance
(C) African-American writers
(D) American twentieth-century writers


50. Where was Langston Hughes born?

(A) Spain
(B) New York
(C) Missouri
(D) North Carolina


51. The word "roamed" as used in line 4 is closest in meaning to which of the following?

(A) Traveled
(B) Soared
(C) Floated
(D) Walked


52. As used in line 4, which of the following words could best replace the word "ports"?

(A) Islands
(B) Ships
(C) Friends
(D) Harbors


53. What provided Hughes with assistance for his travel to Spain and Russia?

(A) His job as a reporter
(B) His career as a soldier
(C) A literary fellowship
(D) A college study program


54. To which of the following movements might Shakespeare in Harlem refer?

(A) The Civil War
(B) The Harlem Riots
(C) The Harlem Renaissance
(D) The Civil Rights Movement


55. The word "talents" in line 10 could be replaced by which of the following?

(A) Desires
(B) Abilities
(C) Strategies
(D) Careers

56. According to the author, what did Hughes do during the later years of his life?

(A) Write short stories
(B) Popularize African-American writers
(C) Advocate racial equality
(D) Write about life in Harlem


57. Which of the following could best replace the word "accomplished" as used in line 15?

(A) Successful
(B) Prolific
(C) Brilliant
(D) Imaginative


58. The author uses the word "flood" in line 17 to refer to:

(A) A drought
(B) An outpouring
(C) A cloudburst
(D) A streak


59. Which of the following can best substitute for the word "depicting" in line 18 to refer to:

(A) Congratulating
(B) Blessing
(C) Screening
(D) Portraying


60. According to the passage, Langston Hughes was all of the following EXCEPT:

(A) A novelist
(B) A poet
(C) An historian
(D) A journalist