Section Three： Reading Comprehension

Questions 1-9

Glass fibers have a long history. The Egyptians made coarse fibers by 1600 B.C.， and

fibers survive as decorations on Egyptian pottery dating back to 1375 B c. During the

Renaissance ， glassmakers from Venice used glass

Line fibers to decorate the surfaces of plain glass vessels. However， glassmakers guarded their

secrets so carefully that no one wrote about glass fiber production until the early

seventeenth century.

The eighteenth century brought the invention of spun glass fibers. Rene-Antoine de

Reaumur， a French scientist， tried to make artificial feathers from glass. He made fibers

by rotating a wheel through a pool of molten glass， pulling threads of glass where the hot

thick liquid stuck to the wheel. His fibers were short and fragile， but he predicted that

spun glass fibers as thin as spider silk would be flexible and could be woven into fabric.

By the start of the nineteenth century， glassmakers learned how to make longer， stronger

fibers by pulling them from molten glass with a hot glass tube. Inventors wound the

cooling end of the thread around a yarn reel， then turned the reel rapidly to pull more fiber

from the molten glass. Wandering tradespeople began to spin glass fibers at fairs， making

decorations and ornaments as novelties for collectors， but this material was of little

practical use; the fibers were brittle， ragged， and no longer than ten feet， the circumference

of the largest reels. By the mid-1870s， however， the best glass fibers were finer than silk

and could be woven into fabrics or assembled into imitation ostrich feathers to decorate

hats. Cloth of white spun glass resembled silver; fibers drawn from yellow-orange glass

looked golden.

Glass fibers were little more than a novelty until the 1930s， when their thermal and

electrical insulating properties were appreciated and methods for producing continuous

filaments were developed. In the modern manufacturing process， liquid glass is fed

directly from a glass-melting furnace into a bushing， a receptacle pierced with hundreds

of fine nozzles， from which the liquid issues in fine streams. As they solidify， the streams

of glass are gathered into a single strand and wound onto a reel.

1. Which of the following aspects of glass fiber does the passage mainly discuss

The major developments in its production

Its relationship with pottery making

Important inventors in its long history

The variety of its uses in modern industry

2. The word coarse in line 1 is closest in meaning to

decorative

natural

crude

weak

3. Why was there nothing written about the making of Renaissance glass fibers until the seventeenth century

Glassmakers were unhappy with the quality of the fibers they could make.

Glassmakers did not want to reveal the methods they used.

Few people were interested in the Renaissance style of glass fibers.

Production methods had been well known for a long time.

4. According to the passage， using a hot glass tube rather than a wheel to pull fibers from molten glass made the fibers

quicker to cool

harder to bend

shorter and more easily broken

longer and more durable

5. The phrase this material in line 16 refers to

glass fibers

decorations

ornaments

novelties for collectors

6. The word brittle in line 17 is closest in meaning to

easily broken

roughly made

hairy

shiny

7. The production of glass fibers was improved in the nineteenth century by which of the following

Adding silver to the molten glass

Increasing the circumference of the glass tubes

Putting silk thread in the center of the fibers

Using yam reels

8. The word appreciated in line 23 is closest in meaning to

experienced

recognized

explored

increased

9. Which of the following terms is defined in the passage

invention

circumference

manufacturing process

bushing

Questions 10-19

The most thoroughly studied cases of deception strategies employed by ground-nesting

birds involve plovers， small birds that typically nest on beaches or in open fields， their

nests merely scrapes in the sand or earth. Plovers also have an effective repertoire of tricks

Line for distracting potential nest predators from their exposed and defenseless eggs or chicks.

The ever-watchful plover can detect a possible threat at a considerable distance. When

she does， the nesting bird moves inconspicuously off the nest to a spot well away from

eggs or chicks. At this point she may use one of several ploys. One technique involves

first moving quietly toward an approaching animal and then setting off noisily through

the grass or brush in a low， crouching run away from the nest， while emitting rodent like

squeaks. The effect mimics a scurrying mouse or vole， and the behavior rivets the

attention of the type of predators that would also be interested in eggs and chicks.

Another deception begins with quiet movement to an exposed and visible location well

away from the nest. Once there， the bird pretends to incubate a brood. When the predator

approaches， the parent flees， leaving the false nest to be searched. The direction in which

the plover escapes is such that if the predator chooses to follow， it will be led still further

away from the true nest.

The plovers most famous stratagem is the broken-wing display， actually a continuum

of injury-mimicking behaviors spanning the range from slight disability to near-complete

helplessness. One or both wings are held in an abnormal position， suggesting injury. The

bird appears to be attempting escape along an irregular route that indicates panic. In the

most extreme version of the display， the bird flaps one wing in an apparent attempt to

take to the air， flops over helplessly， struggles back to its feet， runs away a short distance，

seemingly attempts once more to take off， flops over again as the useless wing fails to

provide any lift， and so on. Few predators fail to pursue such obviously vulnerable prey.

Needless to say， each short run between flight attempts is directed away from the nest.

10. What does the passage mainly discuss

The nest-building techniques of plovers

How predators search for plovers

The strategies used by plovers to deceive predators

Why plovers are vulnerable to predators

11. The word merely in fine 3 is closest in meaning to

often

only

usually

at first

12. Which of the following is mentioned in the passage about plovers

Their eggs and chicks are difficult to find.

They are generally defenseless when away From their nests.

They are slow to react in dangerous situations.

Their nests are on the surface of the ground.

13. The word emitting in line 9 is closest in meaning to

bringing

attracting

producing

minimizing

14. In the deception technique described in paragraph 2. the plover tries to

stay close to her nest

attract the predators attention

warn other plovers of danger

frighten the approaching predator

15. The word spanning in line 18 is closest in meaning to

covering

selecting

developing

explaining

16. According to paragraph 4， which of the following aspects of the plovers behavior gives the appearance that it is frightened

Abnormal body position

Irregular escape route

Unnatural wing movement

Unusual amount of time away from the nest

17. The word pursue in line 24 is closest in meaning to

catch

notice

defend

chase

18. According to the passage， a female plover utilizes all of the following deception techniques EXCEPT

appearing to be injured

sounding like another animal

pretending to search for prey

pretending to sit on her eggs

19. Which of the following best describes the organization of the passage

A description of the sequence of steps involved in plovers nest building

A generalization about plover behavior followed by specific examples

A comparison and contrast of the nesting behavior of plovers and other ground nesting birds

A cause-and-efleet analysis of the relationship between a prey and a predator

Questions 20-28

The interrelationship of science， technology， and industry is taken for granted

todaysummed up， not altogether accurately， as research and development. Yet

historically this widespread faith in the economic virtues of science is a relatively recent

Line phenomenon， dating back in the United States about 150 years， and in the Western world

as a whole not over 300 years at most. Even in this current era of large scale， intensive

research and development， the interrelationships involved in this process are frequently

misunderstood. Until the coming of the Industrial Revolution， science and technology

evolved for the most part independently of each other. Then as industrialization became

increasingly complicated， the craft techniques of preindustrial society gradually gave way

to a technology based on the systematic application of scientific knowledge and scientific

methods. This changeover started slowly and progressed unevenly. Until late in the

nineteenth century， only a few industries could use scientific techniques or cared about

using them. The list expanded noticeably after 1870， but even then much of what passed

for the application of science was engineering science rather than basic science.

Nevertheless， by the middle of the nineteenth century， the rapid expansion of scientific

knowledge and of public awareness-if not understanding-of it had created a belief that the

advance of science would in some unspecified manner automatically generate economic

benefits. The widespread and usually uncritical acceptance of this thesis led in turn to the

assumption that the application of science to industrial purposes was a linear process， starting

with fundamental science， then proceeding to applied science or technology， and through

them to industrial use. This is probably the most common pattern， but it is not invariable. New

areas of science have been opened up and fundamental discoveries made as a result of

attempts to solve a specific technical or economic problem. Conversely， scientists who mainly

do basic research also serve as consultants on projects that apply research in practical ways.

In sum， the science-technology-industry relationship may flow in several different ways， and

the particular channel it will follow depends on the individual situation. It may at times even

be multidirectional.

20. What is the authors main purpose in the passage

To show how technology influenced basic science

To describe the scientific base of nineteenth-century American industries

To correct misunderstandings about the connections between science， technology， and industry

To argue that basic science has no practical application

21. The word altogether in line 2 is closest in meaning to

completely

realistically

individually

understandably

22. The word intensive in line 5 is closest in meaning to

decreased

concentrated

creative

advanced

23. The list mentioned in line 13 refers to

types of scientific knowledge

changes brought by technology

industries that used scientific techniques

applications of engineering science

24. The understanding of research and development in the late nineteenth century is based on which of the following

Engineering science is not very important.

Fundamental science naturally leads to economic benefits.

The relationship between research and development should be criticized.

Industrial needs should determine what areas fundamental science focuses on.

25. The word it in line 16 refers to

understanding

public awareness

scientific knowledge

expansion

26. The word assumption in line 19 is closest in meaning to

regulation

belief

contract

confusion

27. Why does the author mention consultants in line 24

To show how new areas of science have given rise to new professions

To distinguish between scientists who work in industry and those who do not

To explain the ways in which scientists find financial support for their work

To show how scientists who work in basic research contribute to applied science

28. Which of the following statements does the passage support

The development of science and of industry is now interdependent.

Basic scientific research cannot generate practical applications.

Industries should spend less money on research and development.

Science and technology are becoming more separate

Questions 29-39

The economic depression in the late-nineteenth-century United States contributed

significantly to a growing movement in literature toward realism and naturalism. After the

1870 s， a number of important authors began to reject the romanticism that had prevailed

Line immediately following the Civil War of 1861-1865 and turned instead to realism.

Determined to portray life as it was， with fidelity to real life and accurate representation

without idealization， they studied local dialects， wrote stories which focused on life in

specific regions of the country， and emphasized the true relationships between people. In

doing so， they reflected broader trends in the society， such as industrialization，

evolutionary theory which emphasized the effect of the environment on humans， and the

influence of science.

Realists such as Joel Chandler Harris and Ellen Glasgow depicted life in the South;

Hamlin Garland described life on the Great Plains; and Sarah One Jewett wrote about

everyday life in rural New England. Another realist， Bret Harte， achieved fame with stories

that portrayed local life in the California mining camps.

Samuel Clemens， who adopted the pen name Mark Twain， became the countrys most

outstanding realist author， observing life around him with a humorous and skeptical eye. In

his stories and novels， Twain drew on his own experiences and used dialect and common

speech instead of literary language， touching off a major change in American prose style.

Other writers became impatient even with realism. Pushing evolutionary theory to its

limits， they wrote of a world in which a cruel and merciless environment determined

human fate. These writers， called naturalists， often focused on economic hardship，

studying people struggling with poverty， and other aspects of urban and industrial life.

Naturalists brought to their writing a passion for direct and honest experience.

Theodore Dreiser， the foremost naturalist writer， in novels such as Sister Carrie， grimly

portrayed a dark world in which human beings were tossed about by forces beyond their

understanding or control. Dreiser thought that writers should tell the truth about human

affairs， not fabricate romance， and Sister Carrie， he said， was not intended as a piece of

literary craftsmanship， but was a picture of conditions.

29. Which aspect of late-nineteenth-century United States literature does the passage mainly discuss

The influence of science on literature

The importance of dialects for realist writers

The emergence of realism and naturalism

The effects of industrialization on romanticism

30. The word prevailed in line 3 is closest in meaning to

dominated

transformed

entered

generalized

31. The word they in line 8 refers to

authors

dialects

stories

relationships

32. According to the passage， a highly significant factor in the development of realist and naturalist literature was

the Civil War

a recognition that romanticism was unpopular

an increased interest in the study of common speech

an economic depression

33. Realist writers took an interest in all of the following EXCEPT

human relationships

characteristics of different regions

the idealization of life

social and historical theories

34. The word depicted in line 11 is closest in meaning to

emphasized

described

criticized

classified

35. Why does the author mention mining camps in line 14

To contrast the themes of realist and naturalist writers

To illustrate how Bret Harte differed from other authors

As an example of a topic taken up by realist writers

As an example of how setting can influence literary style

36. Which of the following wrote about life in rural New England

Ellen Glasgow

Sarah Orne Jewett

Hamlin Garland

Mark Twain

37. Mark Twain is considered an important literary figure because he

was the first realist writer in the United States

rejected romanticism as a literary approach

wrote humorous stories and novels

influenced American prose style through his use of common speech

38. The word foremost in line 24 is closest in meaning to

most difficult

interesting

most focused

leading

39. Which of the following statements about Theodore Dreiser is supported by

the passage

He mainly wrote about historical subjects such as the Civil War.

His novels often contained elements of humor.

He viewed himself more as a social commentator than as a literary artist.

He believed writers should emphasize the positive aspects of life

Questions 40-50

In 1900 the United States had only three cities with more than a million residents-

New York， Chicago， and Philadelphia. By 1930， it had ten giant metropolises. The newer

ones experienced remarkable growth， which reflected basic changes in the economy.

Line The population of Los Angelesrose spectacularly in the early

decades of the twentieth century， increasing a dramatic 1，400 percent from 1900 to 1930.

A number of circumstances contributed to the meteoric rise of Los Angeles. The

agricultural potential of the area was enormous if water for irrigation could be found， and

the city founders had the vision and dating to obtain it by constructing a 225-mile

aqueduct， completed in 1913， to tap the water of the Owens River. The city had a superb

natural harbor， as well as excellent rail connections. The climate made it possible to shoot

motion pictures year-round; hence Hollywood. Hollywood not only supplied jobs; it

disseminated an image of the good life in Southern California on screens all across the

nation. The most important single industry powering the growth of Los Angeles， however，

was directly linked to the automobile. The demand for petroleum to fuel gasoline engines

led to the opening of the Southern California oil fields， and made Los Angeles North

Americas greatest refining center.

Los Angeles was a product of the auto age in another sense as well： its distinctive

spatial organization depended on widespread private ownership of automobiles. Los

Angeles was a decentralized metropolis， sprawling across the desert landscape over an

area of 400 square miles. It was a city without a real center. The downtown business

district did not grow apace with the city as a whole， and the rapid transit system designed

to link the center with outlying areas withered away from disuse. Approximately 800，000

cars were registered in Los Angeles County in 1930， one per 2.7 residents. Some visitors

from the east coast were dismayed at the endless urban sprawl and dismissed Los

Angeles as a mere collection of suburbs in search of a city. But the freedom and mobility

of a city built on wheels attracted floods of migrants to the city.

40. What is the passage mainly about

The growth of cities in the United States in the early 1900s

The development of the Southern California oil fields

Factors contributing to the growth of Los Angeles

Industry and city planning in Los Angeles

41. The author characterizes the growth of new large cities in the United States after

1900 as resulting primarily from

new economic conditions

images of cities shown in movies

new agricultural techniques

a large migrant population

42. The word meteoric in line 6 is closest in meaning to

rapid

famous

controversial

methodical

43. The word it in line 8 refers to

aqueduct

vision

water

agricultural potential

44. According to the passage， the most important factor in the development of agriculture around Los Angeles was the

influx of new residents to agricultural areas near the city

construction of an aqueduct

expansion of transportation facilities

development of new connections to the citys natural harbor

45. According to the passage， the initial success of Hollywood s motion picture industry was due largely to the

availability of many skilled workers

beauty of the countryside

regions reputation for luxurious lifestyles

regions climate and good weather

46. It can be inferred from the passage that in 1930 the greatest number of people in the Los Angeles area were employed in

farming

oil refining

automobile manufacturing

the motion picture industry

47. According to the passage， the Southern California oil fields were initially exploited due to

the fuel requirements of Los Angeles rail system

an increase in the use of gasoline engines in North America

a desire to put unproductive desert land to good use

innovative planning on the part of the city founders

48. The phrase apace with in line 21 is closest in meaning to

anew with

apart from

as fast as

at the middle of

49. It can be inferred from the passage that the spatial organization of Los Angeles contributed to the relative decline there of

public transportation

industrial areas

suburban neighborhoods

oil fields

50. The visitors from the east coast mentioned in the passage thought that Los Angeles

was not accurately portrayed by Hollywood images

lacked good suburban areas in which to live

had an excessively large population

was not really a single city

答案

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