Reading
Comprehension
Time: 55 minutes (including the
reading of the directions). Now
set your clock for 55 minutes.
Question 1--10
The word laser was coined as
an acronym for Light Amplification
by the Stimulated
Emission of Radiation. Ordinary
light, from the Sun or a light
bulb, is emitted
spontaneously, when atoms or molecules
get rid of excess energy by themselves,
without
any outside intervention . Stimulated
emission is different because
it occurs when an
atom or molecule holding onto
excess energy has been stimulated
to emit it as light.
Albert Einstein was the
first to suggest the existence
of stimulated emission in a
paper published in 1917. However
, for many years physicists
thought that atoms and
molecules always were much more
likely to emit light spontaneously
and that stimulated
emission thus always would be
much weaker. It was not until
after the Second World
War that physicists began trying
to make stimulated emission
dominate. They sought
ways by which one atom or molecule
could stimulate many other to
emit light ,
amplifying it to much higher
powers.
The first to succeed was
Charles H.Townes, then at Colombia
University in New
York . Instead of working with
light , however, he worked with
microwaves, which have
a much longer wavelength, and
built a device he called a "maser"
for Microwave
Amplification by the Stimulated
Emission of Radiation. Although
he thought of the
key idea in 1951, the first
maser was not completed until
a couple of years later. Before
long, many other physicists
were building masers and trying
to discover how to produce
stimulated emission at even
shorter wavelength.
The key concepts emerged
about 1957. Townes and Arthur
Schawlow, then at Bell
Telephone Laboratories, wrote
a long paper outlining the conditions
needed to amplify
stimulated emission of visible
light waves. At about the same
time, similar ideas
crystallized in the mind of
Gordon Gould, then a 37- year-old
graduate student at
Columbia, who wrote them down
in a series of notebooks. Townes
and Schawlow
published their ideas in a scientific
journal, Physical Review Letter,
but Gould filed a
patent application. Three decades
later, people still argue about
who deserves the credit
for the concept of the laser.
1. The word "coin"
in line 1 could be replaced
by
(A) created
(B) mentioned
(C) understood
(D) discovered
2. The word "intervention"
in line 4 can best be replaced
by
(A) need
(B) device
(C) influence
(D) source
3. The word "it" in
line 5 refers to
(A) light bulb
(B) energy
(C) molecule
(D) atom
4. Which of the following statements
best describes a laser?
(A) A device for stimulating
atoms and molecules to emit
light
(B) An atom in a high-energy
state
(C) A technique for destroying
atoms or molecules
(D) An instrument for measuring
light waves
5. Why was Towne’s early work
with stimulated emission done
with microwaves?
(A) He was not concerned with
light amplification
(B) It was easier to work with
longer wavelengths.
(C) His partner Schawlow had
already begun work on the laser.
(D) The laser had already been
developed
6. In his research at Columbia
University, Charles Townes worked
with all of the following EXCEPT
(A) stimulated emission
(B) microwaves
(C) light amplification
(D) a maser
7.In approximately what year
was the first maser built?
(A) 1917
(B) 1951
(C) 1953
(D) 1957
8. The word "emerged"
in line 20 is closest in meaning
to
(A) increased
(B) concluded
(C) succeeded
(D) appeared
9. The word "outlining"
in line 21 is closest in meaning
to
(A) assigning
(B) studying
(C) checking
(D) summarizing
10. Why do people still argue
about who deserves the credit
for the concept of the laser?
(A) The researchers’ notebooks
were lost.
(B) Several people were developing
the idea at the same time.
(C) No one claimed credit for
the development until recently.
(D) The work is still incomplete.
Question 11---21
Panel painting, common in
thirteenth -and fourteenth -century
Europe , involved a
painstaking , laborious process.
Wooden planks were joined, covered
with gesso to
prepare the surface for painting
, and then polished smooth with
special tools. On this
perfect surface, the artist
would sketch a composition with
chalk, refine it with inks,
and then begin the deliberate
process of applying thin layers
of egg tempera paint (egg
yolk in which pigments are suspended)
with small brushes. The successive
layering of
these meticulously applied paints
produced the final, translucent
colors.
Backgrounds of gold were
made by carefully applying sheets
of gold leaf, and then
embellishing of decorating the
gold leaf by punching
it with a metal rod on which
a
pattern had been embossed. Every
step in the process was slow
and deliberate . The
quick-drying tempera demanded
that the artist know exactly
where each stroke be
placed before the brush met
the panel, and it required the
use of fine brushes. It was,
therefore , an ideal technique
for emphasizing the hard linear
edges and pure, fine areas
of color that were so much a
part of the overall aesthetic
of the time. The notion that
an
artist could or would dash off
an idea in a fit of spontaneous
inspiration was
completely alien to these deliberately
produced works.
Furthermore, making these
paintings was so time-consuming
that it demanded
assistance. All such work was
done by collective enterprise
in the workshops. The
painter or master who is credited
with having created painting
may have designed
the work and overseen its production,
but it is highly unlikely that
the artist’s hand
applied every stroke of the
brush. More likely, numerous
assistants, who had been
trained to imitate the artist’s
style, applied the paint. The
carpenter’s shop probably
provided the frame and perhaps
supplied the panel, and yet
another shop supplied the
gold. Thus, not only many hands
, but also many shops were involved
in the final
product.
In spite of problems with
their condition, restoration,
and preservation many panel
paintings have survived, and
today many of them are housed
in museum collections.
11. What aspect of panel paintings
does the passage mainly discuss?
(A) Famous examples
(B) Different styles
(C) Restoration
(D) Production
12. According to the passage,
what does the first step in
making a panel painting ?
(A) Mixing the paint
(B) Preparing the panel
(C) Buying the gold leaf
(D) Making ink drawings
13. The word "it"
in line 4 refers to .
(A) chalk
(B) composition
(C) artist
(D) surface
14. The word "deliberate"
in line 5 is closest in meaning
to
(A) decisive
(B) careful
(C) natural
(D) unusual
15. Which of the following processes
produced the translucent colors
found on panel paintings? (A)
Joining wooden planks to form
large sheets
(B) Polishing the gesso
(C) Applying many layers of
paint
(D) Covering the background
with gold leaf
16. What characteristic of tempera
paint is mentioned in the passage
?
(A) It dries quickly
(B) It is difficut to make
(C) It dissolves easily
(D) It has to be applied directly
to wood
17. The word "demanded"
in line 17 is closest in meaning
to
(A) ordered
(B) reported
(C) required
(D) questioned
18. The "collective enterprise"
mentioned in line 18 includes
all of the following EXCEPT
(A) supplying the gold leaf
(B) building the panels
(C) applying the paint
(D) selling the painting
19. The word "imitate"
in line 22 is closest in meaning
to
(A) copy
(B) illustrate
(C) promote
(D) believe in
20. The author mentions all
of the following as problems
with the survival of panel painting
EXCEPT
(A) condition
(B) theft
(C) preservation
(D) restoration
21. The word "them"
in line 27 refers to
(A) problems
(B) condition, restoration,
preservation
(C) panel paintings
(D) museum collections
Question 22----32
Crows are probably the most
frequently met and easily identifiable
members of the
native fauna of the United States
. The great number of tales,
legends, and myths about
these birds indicates that people
have been exceptionally interested
in them for a long
time. On the other hand, when
it comes to substantive -- particularly
behavioral --
information, crows are less
well known than many comparably
common species and,
for that matter, not a few quite
uncommon ones: the endangered
California condor, to
cite one obvious example. There
are practical reasons for this.
Crows are notoriously poor
and aggravating subjects for
field research. Keen
observers and quick learners,
they are astute about the intentions
of other creatures,
including researchers, and adept
at avoiding them. Because they
are so numerous,
active, and monochromatic, it
is difficult to distinguish
one crow from another. Bands,
radio transmitters, or other
identifying devices can be attached
to them , but this of
course requires catching live
crows, who are among the wariest
and most untrappable
of birds.
Technical difficulties aside
, crow research is daunting
because the ways of these
birds are so complex and various.
As preeminent is generalists,
members of this species ingeniously
exploit a great range of habitats
and resources, and they can
quickly adjust
to changes in their circumstances.
Being so educable, individual
birds have markedly
different interests and inclinations,
strategies and scams.
For example, one pet crow
learned how to let a dog out
of its kennel by pulling the
pin on the door. When the dog
escaped, the bird went into
the kennel and ate its food.
22.What is the main topic of
the passage?
(A) The ways in which crows
differ from other common birds
(B) The myths and legends about
crows
(C) The characteristics that
make crows difficult to study
(D) The existing methods for
investigating crow behavior
23. According to the first paragraph,
what evidence is there that
crows have interested people
for a long time?
(A) The large number of stories
about crows.
(B) The frequency with which
crows are sighted
(C) The amount of research that
has been conducted on crows
(D) The ease with which crows
are identified
24. The word "comparable"
in line 5 is closest in meaning
to
(A) interestingly
(B) similar
(C) otherwise
(D) sometimes
25. In line 6, the author mention
the endangered California condor
as an example of a species that
is
(A) smaller than the crow
(B) easily identifiable
(C) featured in legends
(D) very rare
26. In line 6, the author mentions
the endangered California condor
as an example of a species that
is
(A) crows
(B) subjects
(C) intentions
(D) researchers
27.According to the second paragraph,
crows are poor subjects for
field research for all of the
following reasons EXCEPT
(A) They can successfully avoid
observers.
(B) They are hard to distinguish
from one another
(C) They can be quite aggressive.
(D) They are difficult to catch.
28. In the second paragraph,
the author implies that using
radio transmitters would allow
a researcher who studies crow
to (A) identify individual crows
(B) follow flocks of crows over
long distances
(C) record the times when crows
are most active
(D) help crows that become sick
or injured
29. According to the third paragraph,
which of the following is true
about crows?
(A) They seldom live in any
one place for very long.
(B) They thrive in a wide variety
of environments.
(C) They have marked preferences
for certain kinds of foods.
(D) They use up the resources
in one area before moving to
another.
30. In line 19,the word "inclinations"
is closest in meaning to
(A) tricks
(B) opportunities
(C) preferences
(D) experiences
31. In lines 19-21, the author
mentions a pet crow to illustrate
which of the following? (A)
The clever ways that crows solve
problems
(B) The differences between
pet crows and wild crows
(C) The ease with which crows
can be tamed
(D) The affection that crows
show to other creatures
32. Which of the following statements
is supported by the passage?
(A) Crows have relatively long
lives.
(B) Crows have keen vision
(C) Crows are usually solitary
(D) Crows are very intelligent.
QUESTIONS 33-41
In the early days of the United
States, postal charges were
paid by the recipient and
Charges varied with the distance
carried. In 1825, the United
States Congress permitted
local postmasters to give letters
to mail carriers for home delivery,
but these carriers
received no government salary
and their entire compensation
depended on what they
were paid by the recipients
of individual letters.
In 1847 the United States
Post Office Department adopted
the idea of a postage stamp,
which of course simplified the
payment for postal service but
caused grumbling by
those who did not like to prepay.
Besides, the stamp covered only
delivery to the post
office and did not include carrying
it to a private address. In
Philadelphia, for example,
with a population of 150,000,
people still had to go to the
post office to get their mail.
The confusion and congestion
of individual citizens looking
for their letters was itself
enough to discourage use of
the mail. It is no wonder that,
during the years of these
cumbersome arrangements, private
letter-carrying and express
businesses developed.
Although their activities were
only semilegal, they thrived,
and actually advertised that
between Boston and Philadelphia
they were a half-day speedier
than the government
mail. The government postal
service lost volume to private
competition and was not
able to handle efficiently even
the business it had.
Finally, in 1863, Congress
provided that the mail carriers
who delivered the mail
from the post offices to private
addresses should receive a government
salary, and that
there should be no extra charge
for that delivery. But this
delivery service was at first
confined to cities, and free
home delivery became a mark
of urbanism. As late as 1887,
a town had to have 10,000 people
to be eligible for free home
delivery. In 1890, of the
75 million people in the United
States, fewer than 20 million
had mail delivered free
to their doors. Th e rest, nearly
three-quarters of the population,
still received no mail
unless they went to their post
office.
33. What does the passage mainly
discuss?
(A) The increased use of private
mail services
(B) The development of a government
postal system
(C) A comparison of urban and
rural postal services
(D) The history of postage stamps.
34. The word "varied"
in line 2 could best be replaced
by
(A) increased
(B) differed
(C) returned
(D) started
35. Which of the following was
seen as a disadvantage of the
postage stamp?
(A) It had to be purchased by
the sender in advance.
(B) It increased the cost of
mail delivery.
(C) It was difficult to affix
to letters.
(D) It was easy to counterfeit.
36. Why does the author mention
the city of Philadelphia in
line 9?
(A) It was the site of the first
post office in the United States.
(B) Its postal service was inadequate
for its population.
(C) It was the largest city
in the United States in 1847.
(D) It was commemorated by the
first United States postage
stamp.
37. The word "cumbersome"
in line 13 is closest in meaning
to
(A) burdensome
(B) handsome
(C ) loathsome
(D) quarrelsome
38. The word "they"
in line 15 refers to
(A) Boston and Philadelphia
(B) businesses
(C) arrangements
(D) letters
39. The private postal services
of the nineteenth century claimed
that they could do which of
the following better than the
government?
(A) Deliver a higher volume
of mail.
(B) Deliver mail more cheaply.
(C) Deliver mail faster.
(D) Deliver mail to rural areas.
40. In 1863 the United States
government began providing which
of the following to mail carriers?
(A) A salary
(B) Housing
(C) Transportation
(D) Free postage stamps
41. The word "Confined"
in line 21 is closest in meaning
to
(A) granted
(B) scheduled
(C) limited
(D) recommended
Questions 43-50
Archaeology has long been
an accepted tool for studying
prehistoric cultures.
Relatively recently the same
techniques have been systematically
applied to studies of
the more immediate past. This
has been called "historical
archaeology," a term that
is
used in the United States to
refer to any archaeological
investigation into North
American sites that postdate
the arrival of Europeans.
Back in the 1930’s and 1940’s,
when building restoration was
popular, historical <
br>archaeology was primarily
a tool of architectural reconstruction.
The role of archaeologists
was to find the foundations
of historic buildings and then
take a back seat to architects.
The mania for reconstruction
had largely subsided by 1950’s.
Most
people entering historical archaeology
during this period came out
of university
anthropology departments., where
they had studied prehistoric
cultures. They were, by
training, social scientists,
not historians, and their work
tended to reflect this bias.
The
questions they framed and the
techniques they used were designed
to help them
understand, as scientists, how
people behaved. But because
they were treading on
historical ground for which
there was often extensive written
documentation and because
their own knowledge of these
periods was usually limited,
their contributions to American
history remained circumscribed.
Their reports, highly technical
and sometimes poorly
written, went unread.
More recently, professional
archaeologists have taken over.
These researchers have
sought to demonstrate that their
work can be a valuable tool
not only of science but also
of history, providing fresh
insights into the daily lives
of ordinary people whose existences
might not otherwise be so well
documented. This newer emphasis
on archaeology as
social history has shown great
promise, and indeed work done
in this area has lead to a reinterpretation
of the United States past.
In Kingston, New York, for
example, evidence has uncovered
that indicates that
English goods were being smuggled
into that city at a time when
the Dutch supposedly
controlled trading in the area.
And in Sacramento an excavation
at site of a fashionable nineteenth-century
hotel revealed that garbage
had been stashed in the building’s
basement despite sanitation
laws to the contrary.
42. What does the passage mainly
discuss?
(A) Why historical archaeology
was first developed
(B) How the methods and purpose
of historical archaeology have
changed
(C) The contributions architects
make to historical archaeology
(D) The attitude of professional
archaeologists toward historical
archaeology
43. According to the first paragraph.,
what is a relatively new focus
in archaeology?
(A) Investigating the recess
past
(B) Studying prehistoric cultures
(C) Excavating ancient sites
in what is now the United States.
(D) Comparng ancient sites in
what is now the United States.
44. According to the passage,
when had historical archaeologists
been trained as anthropologists?
(A) Prior to the 1930’s
(B) During the 1930’s and 1940’s
(C) During the 1950’s and 1960’s
(D) After the 1960’s
45. The word "framed"
in line 13 is closest in meaning
to
(A) understood
(B) read
(C) avoided
(D) posed
46. In the third paragraph,
the author implies that the
techniques of history and the
techniques of social science
are
(A) quite different from each
other
(B) equally useful in studying
prehistoric cultures
(C) usually taught to students
of archaeology
(D) both based on similar principles
47. The phrase "their contributions"
in line 16 refers to the contributions
of
(A) social scientists
(B) prehistoric cultures
(C) historians
(D) documentation and knowledge
48. The author mentions an excavation
at the site of a hotel in Sacramento
in order to give an example
of
(A) a building reconstruction
project
(B) the work of the earliest
historical archaeologists
(C) a finding that conflicts
with written records
(D) the kind of information
that historians routinely examine
49. The word "supposedly"
in line 26 is closest in meaning
to
(A) ruthlessly
(B) tightly
(C) barely
(D) seemingly
50. The word "sanitation"
in line 29 is closest in meaning
to
(A) city
(B) housing
(C) health
(D) trade