SSAT阅读基础练习题
SSAT阅读练习题分享
SSAT阅读练习题分享想在SSAT阅读考试中取得好成绩，就要在平时多做练习积累经验。
下面小编为大家分享了一篇SSAT阅读练习题，大家可以测试一下自己的水平。
In the sixteenth century, an age of great marine and terrestrial exploration, Ferdinand Magellan led the first expedition to sail around the world. As a young Portuguese noble, he served the king of Portugal, but he became involved in the quagmire of political intrigue at court and lost the king's favor. After he was dismissed from service to the king of Portugal, he offered to serve the future Emperor Charles V of Spain.A papal decree of 1493 had assigned all land in the New World west of 50 degrees W longitude to Spain and all the land east of that line to Portugal. Magellan offered to prove that the East Indies fell under Spanish authority. On September 20, 1519, Magellan set sail from Spain with five ships. More than a year later, one of these ships was exploring the topography of South America in search of a water route across the continent. This ship sank, but the remaining four ships searched along the southern peninsula of South America. Finally they found the passage they sought near a latitude of 50 degrees S. Magellan named this passage the Strait of All Saints, but today we know it as the Strait of Magellan.One ship deserted while in this passage and returned to Spain, so fewer sailors were privileged to gaze at that first panorama of the Pacific Ocean. Those who remained crossed the meridian we now call the International Date Line in the early spring of 1521 after ninety-eight days on the Pacific Ocean. During those long days at sea, many of Magellan's men died of starvation and disease.Later Magellan became involved in an insular conflict in the Philippines and was killed in a tribal battle. Only one ship and seventeen sailors under the command of the Basque navigator Elcano survived tocomplete the westward journey to Spain and thus prove once and for all that the world is round, with no precipice at the edge.1.The sixteenth century was an age of great ___exploration.A. cosmicB. landC. mentalD. common manE. none of the above2. Magellan lost the favor of the king of Portugal when he became involved in a political ___.A. entanglementB. discussionC. negotiationD. problemsE. none of the above3. The Pope divided New World lands between Spain and Portugal according to their location on one side or the other of an imaginary geographical line 50 degrees west of Greenwich that extends in a ___ direction.A. north and southB. crosswiseC. easterlyD. south eastE. north and west4. One of Magellan's ships explored the ___ of South America for a passage across the continent.A. coastlineB. mountain rangeC. physical featuresD. islandsE. none of the above5. Four of the ships sought a passage along a southern ___.A. coastB. inlandC. body of land with water on three sidesD. borderE. answer not available6. The passage was found near 50 degrees S of ___.A. GreenwichB. The equatorC. SpainD. PortugalE. Madrid7. In the spring of 1521, the ships crossed the ___ now called the International Date Line.A. imaginary circle passing through the polesB. Imaginary line parallel to the equatorC. areaD. land massE. answer not found in article参考答案:BAACCBA以上就是SSAT阅读练习题的分享。
SSAT 阅读真题1
Passage 1There were moments of waiting. The youth thought of the village street at home before the arrival of the circus parade on a day in the spring. He remembered how he had stood, a small thrillful boy, prepared to follow the band in its faded chariot. He saw the yellow road, the lines of expectant people, and the sober houses. He particularly remembered an old fellow who used to sit upon a cracker box in front of the store and pretend to despise such exhibitions. A thousand details of color and form surged in his mind.Someone cried, "Here they come!" There was rustling and muttering among the men. They displayed a feverish desire to have every possible cartridge ready to their hands. The boxes were pulled around into various positions and adjusted with great care.The tall soldier, having prepared his rifle, produced a red handkerchief of some kind. He was engaged in knitting it about his throat with exquisite attention to its position, when the cry was repeated up and down the line in a muffled roar of sound. "Here they come! Here they come!” Gun locks clicked. Across the smoke-infested fields came a brown swarm of running men who were giving shrill yells. They came on, stooping and swinging their rifles at all angles. A flag, tilted forward, sped near the front.1. In the first paragraph, the youth is primarily concerned with(A) reliving a fond childhood memory(B) describing a turning point in his life.(C) preparing for the upcoming battle.(D) planning his day at the circus.(E) watching a soldier tie a handkerchief.2. What is meant by the exclamation "Here they come!" in line 12?(A) A band in a chariot is approaching.(B) The circus is coming to town(C) The enemy soldiers are advancing(D) A group of men selling handkerchiefs is on its way.(E) The youth's family is arriving to save him.3. The tone of the passage undergoes a change from the first to the second paragraph that can best be described as a movement from(A) anger to amusement.(B) reminiscence to anticipation.(C) informality to formality(D) reluctance to fear.(E) respect to indifference.4. According to the passage, all of the following are ways the soldiers prepare for battle EXCEPT(A) gathering cartridges.(B) positioning ammunition.(C) priming their guns.(D) tying handkerchiefs.(E) saddling horses.5. Why are the men in the last paragraph carrying a flag?(A) It is going to be raised in the youth's village.(B) It needs to be protected from gunfire.(C) It is going to be burned in a public demonstration.(D) It represents the side they are fighting for(E) It has been damaged and needs to be mended.Passage 2Acupuncture is a type of medical therapy that has been part of Chinese medicine since ancient times. It involves the insertion of thin, solid needles into specific sites on the body’s surface. The belief is that the application of a needle at one particular point produces a specific response at a second point. It is based on the ancient Chinese philosophy that human beings are miniature versions of the universe and that the forces that control nature also control health. These forces are divided between two main principles called the yin and the yang, which have an opposite but complementary effect on each other. For example, one force keeps the body's temperature from rising too high, and the other keeps it from dropping too low. When they are in balance, the body maintains a constant, normal state. Disease occurs when these forces get out of balance.Although acupuncture had been used in Western countries during many periods, it was not until the 1970s that it gained widespread interest, when it was determined that it could be used to control pain during surgery. The mechanism for its effectiveness is still a mystery, but it has become a very popular technique in many countries for the treatment of various diseases and medical problems.注：红色部分为长难句。
SSAT阅读真题资料
ＳＳＡＴ阅读真题阅读（一)In the sixteenth century, an age of great marine and terrestrial exploration, Ferdinand Magellan led the first expedition to sail around the world. As a young Portuguese noble, he served the king of Portugal, but he became involved in the quagmire of political intrigue at court and lost the king's favor. After he was dismissed from service to the king of Portugal, he offered to serve the future Emperor Charles V of Spain.A papal decree of 1493 had assigned all land in the New World west of 50 degrees W longitude to Spain and all the land east of that line to Portugal. Magellan offered to prove that the East Indies fell under Spanish authority. On September 20, 1519, Magellan set sail from Spain with five ships. More than a year later, one of these ships was exploring the topography of South America in search of a water route across the continent. This ship sank, but the remaining four ships searched along the southern peninsula of South America. Finally they found the passage they sought near a latitude of 50 degrees S. Magellan named this passage the Strait of All Saints, but today we know it as the Strait of Magellan.One ship deserted while in this passage and returned to Spain, so fewer sailors were privileged to gaze at that first panorama of the Pacific Ocean. Those who remained crossed the meridian we now call the International Date Line in the early spring of 1521 after ninety-eight days on the Pacific Ocean. During those long days at sea, many of Magellan's men died of starvation and disease.Later Magellan became involved in an insular conflict in the Philippines and was killed in a tribal battle. Only one ship and seventeen sailors under the command of the Basque navigator Elcano survived to complete the westward journey to Spain and thus prove once and for all that the world is round, with no precipice at the edge.The sixteenth century was an age of great ___exploration.A. cosmicB. landC. mentalD. common manE. none of the above2. Magellan lost the favor of the king of Portugal when he became involved in a political ___.A. entanglementB. discussionC. negotiationD. problemsE. none of the above3. The Pope divided New World lands between Spain and Portugal according to their location on one side or the other of an imaginary geographical line 50 degrees west of Greenwich that extends in a ___ direction.A. north and southB. crosswiseC. easterlyD. south eastE. north and west4. One of Magellan's ships explored the ___ of South America for a passage across the continent.A. coastlineB. mountain rangeC. physical featuresD. islandsE. none of the above5. Four of the ships sought a passage along a southern ___.A. coastB. inlandC. body of land with water on three sidesD. borderE. answer not available6. The passage was found near 50 degrees S of ___.A. GreenwichB. The equatorC. SpainD. PortugalE. Madrid7. In the spring of 1521, the ships crossed the ___ now called the International Date Line.A. imaginary circle passing through the polesB. Imaginary line parallel to the equatorC. areaD. land massE. answer not found in article答案：1. B2. A3. A4. C5.C,6 B 7A阅读（二)Marie Curie was one of the most accomplished scientists in history. Together with her husband, Pierre, she discovered radium, an element widely used for treating cancer, and studied uranium and other radioactive substances. Pierre and Marie's amicable collaboration later helped to unlock the secrets of the atom.Marie was born in 1867 in Warsaw, Poland, where her father was a professor of physics. At the early age, she displayed a brilliant mind and a blithe personality. Her great exuberance for learning prompted her to continue with her studies after high school. She became disgruntled, however, when she learned that the university in Warsaw was closed to women. Determined to receive a higher education, she defiantly left Poland and in 1891 entered the Sorbonne, a French university, where she earned her master's degree and doctorate in physics.Marie was fortunate to have studied at the Sorbonne with some of the greatest scientists of her day, one of whom was Pierre Curie. Marie and Pierre were married in 1895 and spent many productive years working together in the physics laboratory. A short time after they discovered radium, Pierre was killed by a horse-drawn wagon in 1906. Marie was stunned by this horrible misfortune and endured heartbreaking anguish. Despondently she recalled their close relationship and the joy that they had shared in scientific research. The fact that she had two young daughters to raise by herself greatly increased her distress.Curie's feeling of desolation finally began to fade when she was asked to succeed her husband as a physics professor at the Sorbonne. She was the first woman to be given a professorship at theworld-famous university. In 1911 she received the Nobel Prize in chemistry for isolating radium. Although Marie Curie eventually suffered a fatal illness from her long exposure to radium, she never became disillusioned about her work. Regardless of the consequences, she had dedicated herself to science and to revealing the mysteries of the physical world.8．The Curies' ____ collaboration helped to unlock the secrets of the atom.A. friendlyB. competitiveC. courteousD. industriousE. chemistry9. Marie had a bright mind and a __personality.A. strongB. lightheartedC. humorousD. strangeE. envious10. When she learned that she could not attend the university in Warsaw, she felt___.A. hopelessB. annoyedC. depressedD. worriedE. none of the above11. Marie ___ by leaving Poland and traveling to France to enter the Sorbonne.A. challenged authorityB. showed intelligenceC. behavedD. was distressedE. answer not available in article12. _____she remembered their joy together.A. DejectedlyB. WorriedC. TearfullyD. HappilyE. Sorrowfully13. Her ____ began to fade when she returned to the Sorbonne to succeed her husband.A. misfortuneB. angerC. wretchednessD. disappointmentE. ambition14. Even though she became fatally ill from working with radium, Marie Curie was never ____.A. troubledB. worriedC. disappointedD. sorrowfulE. disturbed(二)答案9. B 10. B 11. A 12. A 13. C 14. C阅读（三) Questions 15-19.Mount Vesuvius, a volcano located between the ancient Italian cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, has received much attention because of its frequent and destructive eruptions. The most famous of these eruptions occurred in A. D. 79.The volcano had been inactive for centuries. There was little warning of the coming eruption, although one account unearthed by archaeologists says that a hard rain and a strong wind had disturbed the celestial calm during the preceding night. Early the next morning, the volcano poured a huge river of molten rock down upon Herculaneum, completely burying the city and filling in the harbor with coagulated lava.Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountain, cinders, stone and ash rained down on Pompeii. Sparks from the burning ash ignited the combustible rooftops quickly. Large portions of the city were destroyed in the conflagration. Fire, however, was not the only cause of destruction. Poisonous sulphuric gases saturated the air. These heavy gases were not buoyant in the atmosphere and therefore sank toward the earth and suffocated people.Over the years, excavations of Pompeii and Herculaneum have revealed a great deal about the behavior of the volcano. By analyzing data, much as a zoologist dissects a specimen animal, scientist haveconcluded that the eruption changed large portions of the area's geography. For instance, it turned the Sarno River from its course and raised the level of the beach along the Bay of Naples. Meteorologists studying these events have also concluded that Vesuvius caused a huge tidal wave that affected the world's climate.In addition to making these investigations, archaeologists have been able to study the skeletons of victims by using distilled water to wash away the volcanic ash. By strengthening the brittle bones with acrylic paint, scientists have been able to examine the skeletons and draw conclusions about the diet and habits of the residents. Finally, the excavations at both Pompeii and Herculaneum have yielded many examples of classical art, such as jewelry made of bronze, which is an alloy of copper and tin.The eruption of Mount Vesuvius and its tragic consequences have provided us with a wealth of data about the effects that volcanoes can have on the surrounding area. Today volcanologists can locate and predict eruptions, saving lives and preventing the destruction of cities and cultures.15.Herculaneum and its harbor were buried under ___lava.A. liquidB. solidC. flowingD. gasE. answer not available16. The poisonous gases were not ___ in the air.A. able to floatB. visibleC. able to evaporateD. invisibleE. able to condense17. Scientists analyzed data about Vesuvius in the same way that a zoologist ___ a specimen.A. describes in detailB. studies by cutting apartC. photographsD. chartE. answer not available18. ____have concluded that the volcanic eruption caused a tidal wave.A. Scientist who study oceansB. Scientist who study atmospheric conditionsC. Scientist who study ashD. Scientist who study animal behaviorE. Answer not available in article19. Scientist have used ___water to wash away volcanic ash from the skeletons of victims.A. bottledB. volcanicC. purifiedD. seaE. fountain（三）答案15. B 16. A 17. B 18. B 19. C阅读（四) 20. Questions 20-24.Conflict had existed between Spain and England since the 1570s. England wanted a share of the wealth that Spain had been taking from the lands it had claimed in the Americas.Elizabeth I, Queen of England, encouraged her staunch admiral of the navy, Sir Francis Drake, to raid Spanish ships and towns. Though these raids were on a small scale, Drake achieved dramatic success, adding gold and silver to England's treasury and diminishing Spain's omnipotence.Religious differences also caused conflict between the two countries. Whereas Spain was Roman Catholic, most of England had become Protestant. King Philip II of Spain wanted to claim the throne and make England a Catholic country again. To satisfy his ambition and also to retaliate against England's theft of his gold and silver, King Philip began to build his fleet of warships, the Armada, in January 1586.Philip intended his fleet to be indestructible. In addition to building new warships, he marshaled one hundred and thirty sailing vessels of all types and recruited more than nineteen thousand robust soldiers and eight thousand sailors. Although some of his ships lacked guns and others lacked ammunition, Philip was convinced that his Armada could withstand any battle with England.The martial Armada set sail from Lisbon, Portugal, on May 9,1588, but bad weather forced it back to port. The voyage resumed on July 22 after the weather became more stable.The Spanish fleet met the smaller, faster, and more maneuverable English ships in battle off the coast of Plymouth, England, first on July 31 and again on August 2. The two battles left Spain vulnerable, having lost several ships and with its ammunition depleted. On August 7, while the Armada lay at anchor on the French side of the Strait of Dover, England sent eight burning ships into the midst of the Spanish fleet to set it on fire. Blocked on one side, the Spanish ships could only drift away, their crews in panic and disorder. Before the Armada could regroup, the English attacked again on August 8.Although the Spaniards made a valiant effort to fight back, the fleet suffered extensive damage. During the eight hours of battle, the Armada drifted perilously close to the rocky coastline. At the moment when it seemed that the Spanish ships would be driven onto the English shore, the wind shifted, and the Armada drifted out into the North Sea. The Spaniards recognized the superiority of the English fleet and returned home, defeated.20.Sir Francis Drake added wealth to the treasury and diminished Spain's ____.A. unlimited powerB. unrestricted growthC. territoryD. treatiesE. answer not available in article21. Philip recruited many ___soldiers and sailors.A. warlikeB. strongC. accomplishedD. timidE. non experienced22. The ____ Armada set sail on May 9, 1588.A. completeB. warlikeC. independentD. isolatedE. answer not available23. The two battles left the Spanish fleet ____.A. open to changeB. triumphantC. open to attackD. defeatedE. discouraged24. The Armada was ___ on one side.A. closed offB. damagedC. aloneD. circledE. answer not available in this article（四）答案20. A 21. B 22. B 23. C 24. A（五) 25. Questions 25-29.The victory of the small Greek democracy of Athens over the mighty Persian empire in 490 B. C. is one of the most famous events in history. Darius, king of the Persian empire, was furious because Athens had interceded for the other Greek city-states in revolt against Persian domination. In anger the king sent an enormous army to defeat Athens. He thought it would take drastic steps to pacify the rebellious part of the empire. Persia was ruled by one man.In Athens, however, all citizens helped to rule. Ennobled by this participation, Athenians were prepared to die for their city-state. Perhaps this was the secret of the remarkable victory at Marathon, which freed them from Persian rule. On their way to Marathon, the Persians tried to fool some Greek city-states by claiming to have come in peace. The frightened citizens of Delos refused to believe this. Not wanting to abet the conquest of Greece, they fled from their city and did not return until the Persians had left. They were wise, for the Persians next conquered the city of Etria and captured its people.Tiny Athens stood alone against Persia. The Athenian people went to their sanctuaries. There they prayed for deliverance. They asked their gods to expedite their victory. The Athenians refurbished their weapons and moved to the plain of Marathon, where their little band would meet the Persians. At the last moment, soldiers from Plataea reinforced the Athenian troops.The Athenian army attacked, and Greek citizens fought bravely. The power of the mighty Persians was offset by the love that the Athenians had for their city. Athenians defeated the Persians in archery and hand combat. Greek soldiers seized Persian ships and burned them, and the Persians fled in terror. Herodotus, a famous historian, reports that 6400 Persians died, compared with only 192 Athenians.25 Athens had ____the other Greek city-states against the Persians.A. refused help toB. intervened on behalf ofC. wanted to fightD. given orders for all to fightE. defeated26. Darius took drastic steps to ___ the rebellious Athenians.A. weakenB. destroyC. calmD. placateE. answer not available27. Their participation___to the Athenians.A. gave comfortB. gave honorC. gave strengthD. gave fearE. gave hope28. The people of Delos did not want to ___ the conquest of Greece.A. endB. encourageC. think aboutD. daydream aboutE. answer not available29. The Athenians were ___by some soldiers who arrived from Plataea.A. welcomedB. strengthenedC. heldD. capturedE. answer not available（五）答案23. C 24. A 25. B 26. C 27. B 28. B 29. B（六）30. Questions 30-32.The Trojan War is one of the most famous wars in history. It is well known for the ten-year duration, for the heroism of a number of legendary characters, and for the Trojan horse. What may not be familiar, however, is the story of how the war began.According to Greek myth, the strife between the Trojans and the Greeks started at the wedding of Peleus, King of Thessaly, and Thetis, a sea nymph. All of the gods and goddesses had been invited to the wedding celebration in Troy except Eris, goddesses of discord. She had been omitted from the guest list because her presence always embroiled mortals and immortals alike in conflict.To take revenge on those who had slighted her, Eris decided to cause a skirmish. Into the middle of the banquet hall, she threw a golden apple marked or the most beautiful.?All of the goddesses began to haggle over who should possess it. The gods and goddesses reached a stalemate when the choice was narrowed to Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite. Someone was needed to settle the controversy by picking a winner. The job eventually fell to Paris, son of King Priam of Troy, who was said to be a good judge of beauty.Paris did not have an easy job. Each goddess, eager to win the golden apple, tried aggressively to bribe him.揑'll grant you vast kingdoms to rule, ?promised Hera. ast kingdoms are nothing in comparison with my gift,?contradicted Athena. hoose me and I'll see that you win victory and fame in war.?Aphrodite outdid her adversaries, however. She won the golden apple by offering Helen, Zeus' daughter and the most beautiful mortal, to Paris. Paris, anxious to claim Helen, set off for Sparta in Greece.Although Paris learned that Helen was married, he accepted the hospitality of her husband, King Menelasu of Sparta, anyway. Therefore, Menelaus was outraged for a number of reasons when Paris departed, taking Helen and much of the king's wealth back to Troy. Menelaus collected his loyal forces and set sail for Troy to begin the war to reclaim Helen.30 Eris was known for ___both mortals and immortals.A. scheming againstB. involving in conflictC. feeling hostile towardD. ignoringE. comforting31. Each goddess tried ___to bribe Paris. A. boldly B. effectively C. secretly D. carefully E. answer not stated32. Athena ___ Hera, promising Paris victory and fame in war.A. denied the statement ofB. defeatedC. agreed withD. restated the statementE. questioned the statement（六）答案30. B 31. A 32. A阅读（七）One of the most intriguing stories of the Russian Revolution concerns the identity of Anastasia, the youngest daughter of Czar Nicholas II. During his reign over Russia, the Czar had planned to revoke many of the harsh laws established by previous czars. Some workers and peasants, however, clamored for more rapid social reform. In 1918 a group of these people, known as Bolsheviks, overthrew the government. On July 17 or 18, they murdered the Czar and what was thought to be his entire family.Although witnesses vouched that all the members of the Czar's family had been executed, there were rumors suggesting that Anastasia had survived. Over the years, a number of women claimed to be Grand Duchess Anastasia. Perhaps the best nown claimant was Anastasia Tschaikovsky, who was also known as Anna Anderson.In 1920, eighteen months after the Czar's execution, this terrified young woman was rescued from drowning in a Berlin river. She spent two years in a hospital, where she attempted to reclaim her health and shattered mind. The doctors and nurses thought that she resembled Anastasia and questioned heer about her background. She disclaimed any connection with the Czar's family.Eight years later, though, she claimed that she was Anastasia. She said that she had been rescued by two Russian soldiers after the Czar and the rest of her family had been killed. Two brothers named Tschaikovsky had carried her into Romania. She had married one of the brothers, who had taken her to Berlin and left her there, penniless and without a vocation. Unable to invoke the aid of her mother's family in Germany, she had tried to drown herself.During the next few years, scores of the Czar's relatives, ex-servants, and acquaintances interviewed her. Many of these people said that her looks and mannerisms were evocative of the Anastasia that they had known. Her grandmother and other relatives denied that she was the real Anastasia, however.Tried of being accused of fraud, Anastasia immigrated to the United States in 1928 and took the name Anna Anderson. She still wished to prove that she was Anastasia, though, and returned to Germany in 1933 to bring suit against her mother's family. There she declaimed to the court, asserting that she was indeed Anastasia and deserved her inheritance.In 1957, the court decided that it could neither confirm nor deny Anastasia's identity. Although we will probably never know whether this woman was the Grand Duchess Anastasia, her search to establish her identity has been the subject of numerous books, plays, and movies.33 Some Russian peasants and workers___for social reform. A. longed B. cried out C. begged D. hopedE. thought much34. Witnesses ___ that all members of the Czar's family had been executed.A. gave assuranceB. thoughtC. hopedD. convinced someE. answer not stated35. Tschaikovsky ____any connection with the Czar's family.A. deniedB. stoppedC. notedD. justifiedE. answer not stated36. She was unable to ___the aid of her relative. A. locate B. speak about C. call upon D. identify E. know37. In court she ___ maintaining that she was Anastasia and deserved her inheritance.A. finally appearedB. spoke forcefullyC. testifiedD. gave evidenceE. answer not stated（七）答案：32. A 33. B 34. A 35. A 36. C 37. B八) 38. Questions 38-39.King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette ruled France from 1774 to 1789, a time when the country was fighting bankruptcy. The royal couple did not let France's insecure financial situation limit their immoderate spending, however. Even though the minister of finance repeatedly warned the king and queen against wasting money, they continued to spend great fortunes on their personal pleasure. This lavish spending greatly enraged the people of France. They felt that the royal couple bought its luxurious lifestyle at the poor people's expense.Marie Antoinette, the beautiful but exceedingly impractical queen, seemed uncaring about her subjects; misery. While French citizens begged for lower taxes, the queen embellished her palace with extravagant works of art. She also surrounded herself with artists, writers, and musicians, who encouraged the queen to spend money even more profusely.While the queen's favorites glutted themselves on huge feasts at the royal table, many people in France were starving. The French government taxed the citizens outrageously. These high taxes paid for the entertainments the queen and her court so enjoyed. When the minister of finance tried to stop these royal spendthrifts, the queen replaced him. The intense hatred that the people felt for Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette kept building until it led to the French Revolution. During this time of struggle and violence (1789-1799), thousands of aristocrats, as well as the king and queen themselves, lost their lives at the guillotine. Perhaps if Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette had reined in their extravagant spending, the events that rocked France would not have occurred.38.The people surrounding the queen encouraged her to spend money ____.A. wiselyB. abundantlyC. carefullyD. foolishlyE. joyfully39. The minister of finance tried to curb these royal ___.A. aristocratsB. money wastersC. enemiesD. individualsE. spender （八）答案：38. B 39. B。
ssat阅读真题测试附带答案
ssat阅读真题测试附带答案SECTION 3 READING COMPREHENSION SKILLSEver wonder why we have wisdom teeth? If you're like most people, you’ll have your wisdom teeth removed before they even start to surface.How can we just throw away teeth without their absence having someimpact on the state of our mouths? The science of dentistry studiesquestions like this.5Although it dates back to 3700 B.C.in Egypt, dentistry as we know it did not emerge until the 19th century, when people began to studysystematically the mouth, gums, jaw, and teeth. Modern dentistry is anintrinsic part of our lives. Nowadays, we cannot go a day withouthearing something about teeth care, if only through our television sets.10If we have gingivitis, we can use mouthwash. If we have cavities, we canget fillings in a variety of colors and material types. If we have yellowteeth, we can make them white again in seven short days.And, if we have crooked teeth, we can get braces. In fact, people routinely get braces, so much so that we consider it an oddity if someone 15goes through their entire childhood without the experience of going to the orthodontist every month. Chances are that if someone does not getbraces, they lack money or time, not interest in having work done.The evolution of dentistry shows how medical science is changing the human being. Because of i ncreasingly good dental care, we don’t lose20our teeth and rely on our wisdom teeth coming in to give us a new set.To answer the question with which we began: We simply don’t needthose teeth anymore. Indeed, nowadays we have to pay to get ourredundant teeth taken out.1. The article says that we pull our wisdom teeth because______.(A) we have gingivitis(B) they cause crooked teeth(C) we don't need them anymore(D) we listen to information about teeth care daily on TV(E) they make our teeth yellow2. Which of the following statements is true based on the reading?(A) Braces are a common solution to yellowing teeth.(B) Egyptian dentists conducted dentistry much as we do today.(C) If we have gingivitis, we can treat it with fillings.(D) We don’t expect to lose our teeth because we havebeen taught how to care for them.(E) Braces are a rare experience while growing up.3. When did dentists pull the first tooth?(A) 3700 B.C.(B) 17th century(C) 18th century(D) 19th century(E) The article does not say.4. The writer’s main purpose is apparently______.(A) to answer frequently asked questions about teeth .(B) to talk a little about the history of dentistry(C) to explain dreams about teeth(D) to write the section on dentistry for a medical school text(E) to encourage people to cut down on sweets5. All but which of the following problems, according to the article, can dentists fix?(A) bad breath(B) yellowing teeth(C) crooked teeth(D) root canals(E) cavitiesI t’s easy, nowadays, to blame others for bad things that happen to us.We complain that we don’t have enough money because thegovernment takes our taxes. We blame carbohydrates for our fat count.We blame society for our embarrassingly low educational scores.Well, I disagree. I say we could save money by skippingMcDonald’s5and buying the non-name-brand food items at the grocery.I say we’re fat beca use we don't exercise. I say we’re stupid because we watch toomuch TV and never read anything more difficult than sixth gradereading material.I say that it’s in our own hands if we are operating at less than our10potential.So, sometime, when yo u’re at a loss for something to do, change your life for the better. Crack open the dictionary at a random page and see what’s inside.Seriously.15Chances are you’ll find something interesting you didn’t know before. Reading the dictionary is like reading a thousand mininovels, for each word has a story.For example, we often hear someone referred to as a “spinster.” Most of us know that we use this term to describe an old, unmarried woman, 20but few of us know that the name originally had more meaning. Thereason that “spinster” came to refer to all old, unmarried women isbecause in earlier times old, unmarried women had to spin to earn their livings; old, unmarried women who could not spin nevertheless gotlumped in with the rest. Consider, also, the word “whirling dervish.”25We know that this word is used to refer to dancers or tornadoes.Originally, however, the word referred to Muslim priests who wandered the land as beggars; In addition to whirling dervishes, there existed also howling and dancing dervishes, too.So, take five minutes and re ad the dictionary next time you’re bored.30Seriously.6. What is the best title for this passage?(A) Unexpected Discoveries(B) Through the Eye of a Needle(C) A Thousand and One Words(D) Boring Facts and Trivia(E) On the Origin of the Word “Dervish”7. How would you describe the authors tone in this piece?(A) humorous and trivial(B) adamant and angry(C) friendly yet tired(D) amusing yet serious(E) sulky and sullen8. Who does the author say is responsible for the state of our lives?(A) the government(B) McDonald s(C) television(D) educators(E) we, ourselves9. Why does the author give the word seriously in line 12 its own paragraph?(A) The author thinks the reader will take his/her advice seriously; therefore s/he usesseriously to indicate s/he has made a joke.(B) The author must include nine paragraphs in the article and is cheating.(C) The author wishes the reader to look up the word seriously in a dictionary.(D) The author anticipates that the reader will scoff at the author's advice; the authorwishes to convey serious intent of his/her advice.(E) The author desires to confuse the reader at all costs.10. Which of the following words best defines the phrase lumped in?(A) left out(B) copied(C) combined with(D) evolved(E) destroyedPieter Brueghel, 16th century Flemish painter, has left for us a series of great paintings. One of his best works depicts the Greek myth ofIcarus.To understand Brueghel’s treatment of the piece, you m ust first recall the facts of the Icarus story. Icarus was the son of Deadalus, the most5brilliant thinker of his time. Deadalus had aided Ariadne insavingTheseus from the Minotaur. The king, angered by Deadalus’ action,swiftly imprisoned Deadalus and his son in a lonely tower on a deserted shore, visited only by birds. Eager to escape, however, Deadalus usedthe feathers and wax to create two sets of wings, and he and his son10made plans to fly to freedom. Unfortunately, Icarus, exhilarated by thefreedom he felt while flying, flew too close to the sun, despite hisfather’s warnings. The suns heat melted the wax on his wings, and heplummeted into the ocean and drowned. Deadalus, heartbroken,nevertheless, made it to safety.15Brueghel’s work depicts a huge, glorious scene of people working the land along a beautiful shoreline. Animals frolic; men work. Ships ladenwith goods plow through the waves. Amidst all the action captured inthe scene, one is hard pressed to locate Icarus. Finally, after somesearching, we see him. He is located in the lower, right-hand side of the 20painting. Even so, his depiction is small. Indeed, ail we see are two palelegs, kicking frantically in the surf.Brueghel’s work sends a clear message, one that underscores the largeness of the world and the relative insignificance of the individualtherein.2511. W hat will the author most likely discuss next?(A) artist Vincent van Gogh and how he cut off his ear(B) another artwork by Brueghel(C) an explanation of Brue ghel’s message regarding the insignificance in the world(D) an expanded discussion of the crime that landed Dedalus in jail(E) nothing, the article is complete12. T he author’s purpose can best be described by which of the following statements?(A) to avoid discussing anything important(B) to advocate the talents of Brueghel(C) to relate the tale of Dedalus and Icarus(D) to argue that Brueghel is an untalented artist(E) to show how art can convey social comment.13. W hich of the following words can be substituted for the word exhilarated in line 11without changing the meaning of the sentence?(A) saddened(B) angered(C) joyous(D) frightened(E) advised14. What is the tone of this piece?(A) solemn(B) understanding(C) sarcastic(D) joyous(E) unintelligent15. All but which of the following words have the same meaning as plummeted in line 14?(A) fell(B) hung(C) dropped(D) sank(E) plunged16. Which of the following words has a meaning most nearly opposite to the wordfrantically in line 22?(A) feebly(B) wildly(C) enthusiastically(D) vigorously(E) angrily17. What caused Icarus’ wings to melt?(A) the cold ocean spray(B) the swooping, swirling seagulls(C) the dampness of the water(D) the heat of Dedalus’ wrath(E) the warmth of the sunHistory documents the bloody habits of Vlad Tepes (or Vlad the Impaler), an infamous general who lived in Transylvania from 1431 to1476. Stories about Vlad Tepes seem gruesome even bytoday'sstandards. Consider this story about a group of generals whom VladTepes was entertaining. Prior to their arrival, Vlad had punished several 5people by impaling them on long spikes surrounding the banquet area.One of the visiting generals complained of the smell; after all, he hadbeen invited to a dinner. Vlad apologized and then had the generalimpaled on an even longer spike. His reason? So that the general, being suspended above the other rotting bodies, would not have to smell what 10offended him.Other vampire tales come to us from this period, but they are clinical, historical accounts. The vampire legend grew popular only after the publication of Bram Stoker's Dracula in 1897. In his novel, Stokercreates a frightening combination of man and monster. His Dracula is15striking in appearance, ruthless, calculating, and quite intelligent. Sincethen, vampire stories have grown in popularity over the years, inspiring both serious and tongue-in-cheek treatments.The serious vampire offerings have grown increasingly enraptured by the idea of being undead. Take for example, the work of Anne Rice.20Rice’s books modernize the old vampire story. While Stokers novel tells about the exp loits of a single vampire, Rice’s novels explore an entirevampiric underworld that coexists with—and preys upon—the humanworld. R ice’s stories allow the old vampire lore to evolve into an entireworld view; they work out in great detail the logistical and philosophical 25problems that come into play, if vampires really exist en masse. Moreimportantly, however, Rice^ stories humanize the vampire. Many of her characters are guilt-stricken to the point of madness because they must drink human blood to survive; some rail against their undead state, forthey are frozen in time, unable to transit from one stage of human30maturity to the next.18. What does the word Tepes mean?(A) innocent(B) Dracula(C) impaler(D) bloody(E) ruler19. Which statement gives an acc urate description of Vlad Tepes’ character?(A) He is a wise and caring ruler.(B) He is a brilliant military strategist.(C) He was poor, despite his great power.(D) He was popular with women.(E) His sense of justice is very unconventional.20. Which is the best title for this passage?(A) An American Werewolf in London(B) Witches, Warlocks, and Other Halloween Nasties(C) The Vlad Dynasty: A Family Tree(D) The Enduring Zombie(E) Still Hungry After All These Years21. Which date approximates the time period when Anne Rice wrote?(A) 1431(B) 1476(C) 1789(D) 1897(E) 199022. The statement “Other vampire tales come to u s from this period, but they are clinical,hi storical accounts” implies that_______.(A) vampire tales that come from this period are even more exciting than the T epes story(B) interest in vampire lore died out altogether during this period(C) vampire stories that were written from this period were boring(D) stories about female vampires were especially popular during this period(E) Anne Rice was popular even during this periodExistentialism is a philosophy that focuses only on the actions that we humans make in the physical world that surrounds us. Because itadmits no afterlife of any sort, Existentialism takes the world veryseriously; every decision forces the Existentialist to ponder deeplythe consequences. She only gets one shot at life, so everything depends on 5her getting it right the first time. According to its tenets, life is absurdand filled with actions that seem pointless, futile, and ceaselessly endless.Camus illustrates Existentialism using the example of Sisyphus from Greek mythology. Sisyphus vastly enjoyed life but held little respect forthe gods. Upon his deathbed, Sisyphus instructed his wife to leave his10body unburied as a gesture of anger and resentment at dying. Sheagreed to do as he said, but when he died, she reneged on her word.Upon waking in Hades, Sisyphus knew immediately that his wife hadbetrayed him, and he asked permission from King Hades to go revengehimself upon her. Hades agreed on condition that Sisyphus return to15the underworld immediately after getting his revenge. However, as soonas Sisyphus reached the earth’s surface, he chose to giveup his revengeand refused to return to the underworld. Only after great efforts didKing Hades recapture his prisoner.As punishment for his hubris or conceitedness, King Hades created a20special task for Sisyphus. He now spends eternity rolling an enormousrock up a great hill, only to have it come crashing down immediatelyupon reaching th e hill’s summit. Sisyphus’ task ill ustrates clearly thetenets of E xistentialism outlined here. Let’s see how.23. According to the article, the story of Sisyphus comes from______.(A) old wives’ tale s(B) Japanese tradition(C) Indian lore(D) Roman history(E) Greek myth24. What does Sisyphus initially want to do when he returns to earth?(A) Stay alive.(B) Get revenge on his brother.(C) Punish his wife.(D) See his family.(E) Negotiate a treaty.25. Which of the following most nearly means tenets as used in line 6?(A) beliefs(B) rules(C) portable buildings(D) woven strands of rope to catch fish(E) numbers26. What will probably come after paragraph three?(A) background information about Camus(B) more information about Sisyphus’ escapades(C) nothing; the author has made his/her point(D) a discussion of how S isyphus’ story illustrates the tenets of Existentialism(E) an opinion from a philosophy professor at the University of Kentucky27. Which of the following words best represents an antonym for hubris?(A) daring(B) fearful(C) piety(D) miserable(E) perturbedHave you ever wondered why you aren’t supposed to wear white after Labor Day? It is a long-standing tradition, one that those of us from the South have had beaten into our heads from our very earliest memories.But from where does this rule come?People dispute the origin of this custom. Some say that the rule5developed from practicality. After all, everyone knows that wearingwhite in the summer is wise because the white reflects heat and helpsthe wearer keep cool; wearing dark colors is wise in the winter becausethe dark material absorbs heat and keeps the wearer warm. The rule ofthumb, they say, merely solidifies what was already well known, widely10accepted common knowledge.Others say that the custom developed out of practical concerns, but for cleanliness reasons not for warmth purposes. They argue that therule of white applies only to shoes, and that out of attempts to keepthem clean grew the rule of wearing white only in the warm months.15Still others say that the rule grew out of a class struggle that took place in the late 1800s. With the rise of manufacturing in America, anew class of wealthy people grew up, one that conflicted with the oldmoney class that had existed since the founding of the colonics in the18th century. The nouveau riche class wanted desperately to be accepted 20by the old money folk, but the old money people did not want toaccept them. Therefore, the old money folk used knowledgethat theyhad created for use among themselves, unwritten customs and accepted ways of doing things unknown to the nouveau riche, to keep the newmoney folk away.25Whatever the reason, however, the rule remains in use today.28. Which of the following words can be substituted for the word solidifies withoutchanging the meaning of the sentence?(A) confirms(B) thickens(C) rebuilds(D) reconstitutes(E) goes against29. Which of the following statements is supported by the information in the passage?(A) Customs became a weapon used by those with new money to force those with oldmoney to let them became part of society.(B) Customs became a weapon used by those with old money to snub those with newmoney.(C) Customs regarding fashion quickly became out of date.(D) Customs regarding when to wear white changed to allow people to wear white year-round.(E) Customs always grow out of practical responses to issues of daily life.30. Which of the following statements is not true accordingto the article?(A) The issue over when to wear white may have originated in the 1800s.(B) The nouveau riche had a hard time getting respect.(C) People should wear dark clothes in the winter.(D) Wearing white originally applied to shoes rather than clothes.(E) Concerns over keeping clean were never a concern when the rules for wearing whitewere developed.31. All but which of the following inferences may be made about the author?(A) The author is willing to do research to find answers to interesting questions.(B) The author has studied some history.(C) The author is knowledgeable about fashion.(D) The author is female.(E) The author is from the South.32. What will come next in this discussion?(A) nothing; the author has finished the article(B) a discussion of other instances in which the new money and old money clashed(C) an account of some famous Southern wome n who defied the “no-white- after-Labor Day” rule(D) a complete list of insta nces in which one can break the “no-white-after- Labor-Day”rule(E) a handy mnemonic device to help us remember when to wear black33. This passage deals with all but which of the following topics?(A) social customs(B) historical data(C) human behavior(D) psychology(E) data analysis34. Based on your, reading of the article, what does nouveau riche mean?(A) newly married -(B) newly wealthy(C) newly graduated(D) newly born(E) newly bankrupted35. This article sets out to______.(A) set the record straight on old money in the South .(B) supply interesting, but trivial, information(C) support new money people in the North(D) explain the cause of the Civil War(E) convince people to wear white after Labor Day36. In which of the following publications would you most likely find this information?(A) the sports section of your local newspaper(B) the world news section of a weekly newsmagazine(C) the arts and leisure section of the Sunday paper(D) the science news section of a television news program(E) the comics page onlineMost, if not all, Americans are familiar with the concept of kamikaze, special Japanese pilots who fought in World War II. These men wereunique because they enlisted in the war effort knowing that they would be fighting to the death. They trained to be suicide pilots, whopurposely drove their planes headlong into their targets, exploding5themselves along with their planes and their targets.Few of us, however, have heard of the kaiten. The kaiten were small vessels, carried on submarines; they weighed eight tons and were loaded with explosive warheads. They had limited range (traveling a distanceranging from 12 miles at top speed and 30 miles at low speed) and10silent movement. But like the kamikaze planes, these kaiten wereunrecoverable; if they reached their target, they exploded, captain andall, and if they didn’t, they sank, carrying their captains with them.Both of these military strategies depended heavily on the concept of honor. Honorable death, especially by suicide for the sake of the15Emperor during battle, brought nobility to the soldier and his family.These fighters were idolized by their countrymen; they represented the highest ideals of the nation—that of total sacrifice on behalf oftheir ruler.37. Based on the article, which of the following actions would be seen as honorable byJapanese warriors in World War II?(A) becoming a kamikaze pilot but pulling out of the final dive at the lastminute(B) refusing to man the kaiten on which he had trained(C) defending Hiroshima as the atom bomb dropped(E) emigrating to Canada just after the war started(D) spying for the Americans38. Which of the following words best describes the kaiten?(A) luxury liners(B) floating coffins(C) bamboo tubes(D) warrior flutes(E) underwater kayaks39. W hat kind of ruler did Japan have during World War II, according to this article?(A) emperor(B) king(C) prince(D) president(E) chancellor40. W hich of the following gives an example of something that is unrecoverable}(A) a penny at the bottom of a wading pool(B) the moon when it is full(C) your shoe when it fails over a cliff(D) your book you left at your grandmother’s house(E) a sand dune at high tideReading1-5 C D E B D6-10 A D E D C 11-15C E C A B 16-20A E C E E 21-25 E C E C A 26-30 D C A B E 31-35D A E B B 36-40 C C B A C。
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The victory of the small Greek democracy of Athens over the mighty Persian empire in 490 B.C. is one of the most famous events in history. Darius, king of the Persian empire, was furious because Athens had interceded for the other Greek city-states in revolt against Persian domination. In anger the king sent an enormous army to defeat Athens. He thought it would take drastic steps to pacify the rebellious part of the empire. Persia was ruled by one man.In Athens, however, all citizens helped to rule. Ennobled by this participation, Athenians were prepared to die for their city-state. Perhaps this was the secret of the remarkable victory at Marathon, which freed them from Persian rule. On their way to Marathon, the Persians tried to fool some Greek city-states by claiming to have come in peace. The frightened citizens of Delos refused to believe this. Not wanting to abet the conquest of Greece, they fled from their city and did not return until the Persians had left. They were wise, for the Persians next conquered the city of Etria and captured its people.Tiny Athens stood alone against Persia. The Athenian people went to their sanctuaries. There they prayed for deliverance. They asked their gods to expedite their victory. The Athenians refurbished their weapons and moved to the plain of Marathon, where their little band would meet the Persians. At the last moment, soldiers from Plataea reinforced the Athenian troops.The Athenian army attacked, and Greek citizens fought bravely. The power of the mighty Persians was offset by the love that the Athenians had for their city. Athenians defeated the Persians in archery and hand combat. Greek soldiers seized Persian ships and burned them, and the Persians fled in terror. Herodotus, a famous historian, reports that 6400 Persians died, compared with only 192 Athenians.25 Athens had ____the other Greek city-states against the Persians.A. refused help toB. intervened on behalf ofC. wanted to fightD. given orders for all to fightE. defeated26. Darius took drastic steps to ___ the rebellious Athenians.A. weakenB. destroyC. calmD. placateE. answer not available27. Their participation___to the Athenians.A. gave comfortB. gave honorC. gave strengthD. gave fearE. gave hope28. The people of Delos did not want to ___ the conquest of Greece.A. endB. encourageC. think aboutD. daydream aboutE. answer not available29. The Athenians were ___by some soldiers who arrived from Plataea.A. welcomedB. strengthenedC. heldD. capturedE. answer not available(五)答案 23. C 24. A 25. B 26. C 27. B 28. B 29. B。
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SECTION 3 READING COMPREHENSION SKILLSEver wonder why we have wisdom teeth? If you're like most people, you’ll have your wisdom teeth removed before they even start to surface.How can we just throw away teeth without their absence having someimpact on the state of our mouths? The science of dentistry studiesquestions like this.5Although it dates back to 3700 B.C.in Egypt, dentistry as we know it did not emerge until the 19th century, when people began to studysystematically the mouth, gums, jaw, and teeth. Modern dentistry is anintrinsic part of our lives. Nowadays, we cannot go a day withouthearing something about teeth care, if only through our television sets.10If we have gingivitis, we can use mouthwash. If we have cavities, we canget fillings in a variety of colors and material types. If we have yellowteeth, we can make them white again in seven short days.And, if we have crooked teeth, we can get braces. In fact, people routinely get braces, so much so that we consider it an oddity if someone 15goes through their entire childhood without the experience of going to the orthodontist every month. Chances are that if someone does not getbraces, they lack money or time, not interest in having work done.The evolution of dentistry shows how medical science is changing the human being. Because of i ncreasingly good dental care, we don’t lose20our teeth and rely on our wisdom teeth coming in to give us a new set.To answer the question with which we began: We simply don’t needthose teeth anymore. Indeed, nowadays we have to pay to get ourredundant teeth taken out.1. The article says that we pull our wisdom teeth because______.(A) we have gingivitis(B) they cause crooked teeth(C) we don't need them anymore(D) we listen to information about teeth care daily on TV(E) they make our teeth yellow2. Which of the following statements is true based on the reading?(A) Braces are a common solution to yellowing teeth.(B) Egyptian dentists conducted dentistry much as we do today.(C) If we have gingivitis, we can treat it with fillings.(D) We don’t expect to lose our teeth because we have been taught how to care for them.(E) Braces are a rare experience while growing up.3. When did dentists pull the first tooth?(A) 3700 B.C.(B) 17th century(C) 18th century(D) 19th century(E) The article does not say.4. The writer’s main purpose is apparently______.(A) to answer frequently asked questions about teeth .(B) to talk a little about the history of dentistry(C) to explain dreams about teeth(D) to write the section on dentistry for a medical school text(E) to encourage people to cut down on sweets5. All but which of the following problems, according to the article, can dentists fix?(A) bad breath(B) yellowing teeth(C) crooked teeth(D) root canals(E) cavitiesI t’s easy, nowadays, to blame others for bad things that happen to us.We complain that we don’t have enough money because thegovernment takes our taxes. We blame carbohydrates for our fat count.We blame society for our embarrassingly low educational scores.Well, I disagree. I say we could save money by skipping McDonald’s5and buying the non-name-brand food items at the grocery. I say we’re fat beca use we don't exercise. I say we’re stupid because we watch toomuch TV and never read anything more difficult than sixth gradereading material.I say that it’s in our own hands if we are operating at less than our10potential.So, sometime, when you’re at a loss for something to do, change your life for the better. Crack open the dictionary at a random page and see what’s inside.Seriously.15Chances are you’ll find something interesting you didn’t know before. Reading the dictionary is like reading a thousand mininovels, for each word has a story.For example, we often hear someone referred to as a “spinster.” Most of us know that we use this term to describe an old, unmarried woman, 20but few of us know that the name originally had more meaning. Thereason that “spinster” came to refer to all old, unmarried women isbecause in earlier times old, unmarried women had to spin to earn their livings; old, unmarried women who could not spin nevertheless gotlumped in with the rest. Consider, also, the word “whirling dervish.”25We know that this word is used to refer to dancers or tornadoes.Originally, however, the word referred to Muslim priests who wandered the land as beggars; In addition to whirling dervishes, there existed also howling and dancing dervishes, too.So, take five minutes and re ad the dictionary next time you’re bored.30Seriously.6. What is the best title for this passage?(A) Unexpected Discoveries(B) Through the Eye of a Needle(C) A Thousand and One Words(D) Boring Facts and Trivia(E) On the Origin of the Word “Dervish”7. How would you describe the authors tone in this piece?(A) humorous and trivial(B) adamant and angry(C) friendly yet tired(D) amusing yet serious(E) sulky and sullen8. Who does the author say is responsible for the state of our lives?(A) the government(B) McDonald s(C) television(D) educators(E) we, ourselves9. Why does the author give the word seriously in line 12 its own paragraph?(A) The author thinks the reader will take his/her advice seriously; therefore s/he usesseriously to indicate s/he has made a joke.(B) The author must include nine paragraphs in the article and is cheating.(C) The author wishes the reader to look up the word seriously in a dictionary.(D) The author anticipates that the reader will scoff at the author's advice; the authorwishes to convey serious intent of his/her advice.(E) The author desires to confuse the reader at all costs.10. Which of the following words best defines the phrase lumped in?(A) left out(B) copied(C) combined with(D) evolved(E) destroyedPieter Brueghel, 16th century Flemish painter, has left for us a series of great paintings. One of his best works depicts the Greek myth ofIcarus.To understand Brueghel’s treatment of the piece, you must first recall the facts of the Icarus story. Icarus was the son of Deadalus, the most5brilliant thinker of his time. Deadalus had aided Ariadne in savingTheseus from the Minotaur. The king, angered by Deadalus’ action,swiftly imprisoned Deadalus and his son in a lonely tower on a deserted shore, visited only by birds. Eager to escape, however, Deadalus usedthe feathers and wax to create two sets of wings, and he and his son10made plans to fly to freedom. Unfortunately, Icarus, exhilarated by thefreedom he felt while flying, flew too close to the sun, despite hisfather’s warnings. The suns heat melted the wax on his wings, and heplummeted into the ocean and drowned. Deadalus, heartbroken,nevertheless, made it to safety.15Brueghel’s work depicts a huge, glorious scene of people working the land along a beautiful shoreline. Animals frolic; men work. Ships ladenwith goods plow through the waves. Amidst all the action captured inthe scene, one is hard pressed to locate Icarus. Finally, after somesearching, we see him. He is located in the lower, right-hand side of the 20painting. Even so, his depiction is small. Indeed, ail we see are two palelegs, kicking frantically in the surf.Brueghel’s work sends a clear message, one that underscores the largeness of the world and the relative insignificance of the individualtherein.2511. W hat will the author most likely discuss next?(A) artist Vincent van Gogh and how he cut off his ear(B) another artwork by Brueghel(C) an explanation of Brueghel’s message regarding the insignificance in the world(D) an expanded discussion of the crime that landed Dedalus in jail(E) nothing, the article is complete12. T he author’s purpose can best be described by which of the following statements?(A) to avoid discussing anything important(B) to advocate the talents of Brueghel(C) to relate the tale of Dedalus and Icarus(D) to argue that Brueghel is an untalented artist(E) to show how art can convey social comment.13. W hich of the following words can be substituted for the word exhilarated in line 11without changing the meaning of the sentence?(A) saddened(B) angered(C) joyous(D) frightened(E) advised14. What is the tone of this piece?(A) solemn(B) understanding(C) sarcastic(D) joyous(E) unintelligent15. All but which of the following words have the same meaning as plummeted in line 14?(A) fell(B) hung(C) dropped(D) sank(E) plunged16. Which of the following words has a meaning most nearly opposite to the wordfrantically in line 22?(A) feebly(B) wildly(C) enthusiastically(D) vigorously(E) angrily17. What caused Icarus’ wings to melt?(A) the cold ocean spray(B) the swooping, swirling seagulls(C) the dampness of the water(D) the heat of Dedalus’ wrath(E) the warmth of the sunHistory documents the bloody habits of Vlad Tepes (or Vlad the Impaler), an infamous general who lived in Transylvania from 1431 to1476. Stories about Vlad Tepes seem gruesome even by today'sstandards. Consider this story about a group of generals whom VladTepes was entertaining. Prior to their arrival, Vlad had punished several 5people by impaling them on long spikes surrounding the banquet area.One of the visiting generals complained of the smell; after all, he hadbeen invited to a dinner. Vlad apologized and then had the generalimpaled on an even longer spike. His reason? So that the general, being suspended above the other rotting bodies, would not have to smell what 10offended him.Other vampire tales come to us from this period, but they are clinical, historical accounts. The vampire legend grew popular only after the publication of Bram Stoker's Dracula in 1897. In his novel, Stokercreates a frightening combination of man and monster. His Dracula is15striking in appearance, ruthless, calculating, and quite intelligent. Sincethen, vampire stories have grown in popularity over the years, inspiring both serious and tongue-in-cheek treatments.The serious vampire offerings have grown increasingly enraptured by the idea of being undead. Take for example, the work of Anne Rice.20Rice’s books modernize the old vampire story. While Stokers novel tells about the exp loits of a single vampire, Rice’s novels explore an entirevampiric underworld that coexists with—and preys upon—the humanworld. Rice’s stories allow the old vampire lore to evolve into an entireworld view; they work out in great detail the logistical and philosophical 25problems that come into play, if vampires really exist en masse. Moreimportantly, however, Rice^ stories humanize the vampire. Many of her characters are guilt-stricken to the point of madness because they must drink human blood to survive; some rail against their undead state, forthey are frozen in time, unable to transit from one stage of human30maturity to the next.18. What does the word Tepes mean?(A) innocent(B) Dracula(C) impaler(D) bloody(E) ruler19. Which statement gives an acc urate description of Vlad Tepes’ character?(A) He is a wise and caring ruler.(B) He is a brilliant military strategist.(C) He was poor, despite his great power.(D) He was popular with women.(E) His sense of justice is very unconventional.20. Which is the best title for this passage?(A) An American Werewolf in London(B) Witches, Warlocks, and Other Halloween Nasties(C) The Vlad Dynasty: A Family Tree(D) The Enduring Zombie(E) Still Hungry After All These Years21. Which date approximates the time period when Anne Rice wrote?(A) 1431(B) 1476(C) 1789(D) 1897(E) 199022. The statement “Other vampire tales come to us from this period, but they are clinical,hi storical accounts” implies that_______.(A) vampire tales that come from this period are even more exciting than the Tepes story(B) interest in vampire lore died out altogether during this period(C) vampire stories that were written from this period were boring(D) stories about female vampires were especially popular during this period(E) Anne Rice was popular even during this periodExistentialism is a philosophy that focuses only on the actions that we humans make in the physical world that surrounds us. Because itadmits no afterlife of any sort, Existentialism takes the world veryseriously; every decision forces the Existentialist to ponder deeplythe consequences. She only gets one shot at life, so everything depends on 5her getting it right the first time. According to its tenets, life is absurdand filled with actions that seem pointless, futile, and ceaselessly endless.Camus illustrates Existentialism using the example of Sisyphus from Greek mythology. Sisyphus vastly enjoyed life but held little respect forthe gods. Upon his deathbed, Sisyphus instructed his wife to leave his10body unburied as a gesture of anger and resentment at dying. Sheagreed to do as he said, but when he died, she reneged on her word.Upon waking in Hades, Sisyphus knew immediately that his wife hadbetrayed him, and he asked permission from King Hades to go revengehimself upon her. Hades agreed on condition that Sisyphus return to15the underworld immediately after getting his revenge. However, as soonas Sisyphus reached the earth’s surface, he chose to give up his revengeand refused to return to the underworld. Only after great efforts didKing Hades recapture his prisoner.As punishment for his hubris or conceitedness, King Hades created a20special task for Sisyphus. He now spends eternity rolling an enormousrock up a great hill, only to have it come crashing down immediatelyupon reaching th e hill’s summit. Sisyphus’ task ill ustrates clearly thetenets of E xistentialism outlined here. Let’s see how.23. According to the article, the story of Sisyphus comes from______.(A) old wives’ tale s(B) Japanese tradition(C) Indian lore(D) Roman history(E) Greek myth24. What does Sisyphus initially want to do when he returns to earth?(A) Stay alive.(B) Get revenge on his brother.(C) Punish his wife.(D) See his family.(E) Negotiate a treaty.25. Which of the following most nearly means tenets as used in line 6?(A) beliefs(B) rules(C) portable buildings(D) woven strands of rope to catch fish(E) numbers26. What will probably come after paragraph three?(A) background information about Camus(B) more information about Sisyphus’ escapades(C) nothing; the author has made his/her point(D) a discussion of how Sisyphus’ story illustrates the tenets of Existentialism(E) an opinion from a philosophy professor at the University of Kentucky27. Which of the following words best represents an antonym for hubris?(A) daring(B) fearful(C) piety(D) miserable(E) perturbedHave you ever wondered why you aren’t supposed to wear white after Labor Day? It is a long-standing tradition, one that those of us from the South have had beaten into our heads from our very earliest memories.But from where does this rule come?People dispute the origin of this custom. Some say that the rule5developed from practicality. After all, everyone knows that wearingwhite in the summer is wise because the white reflects heat and helpsthe wearer keep cool; wearing dark colors is wise in the winter becausethe dark material absorbs heat and keeps the wearer warm. The rule ofthumb, they say, merely solidifies what was already well known, widely10accepted common knowledge.Others say that the custom developed out of practical concerns, but for cleanliness reasons not for warmth purposes. They argue that therule of white applies only to shoes, and that out of attempts to keepthem clean grew the rule of wearing white only in the warm months.15Still others say that the rule grew out of a class struggle that took place in the late 1800s. With the rise of manufacturing in America, anew class of wealthy people grew up, one that conflicted with the oldmoney class that had existed since the founding of the colonics in the18th century. The nouveau riche class wanted desperately to be accepted 20by the old money folk, but the old money people did not want toaccept them. Therefore, the old money folk used knowledge that theyhad created for use among themselves, unwritten customs and accepted ways of doing things unknown to the nouveau riche, to keep the newmoney folk away.25Whatever the reason, however, the rule remains in use today.28. Which of the following words can be substituted for the word solidifies withoutchanging the meaning of the sentence?(A) confirms(B) thickens(C) rebuilds(D) reconstitutes(E) goes against29. Which of the following statements is supported by the information in the passage?(A) Customs became a weapon used by those with new money to force those with oldmoney to let them became part of society.(B) Customs became a weapon used by those with old money to snub those with newmoney.(C) Customs regarding fashion quickly became out of date.(D) Customs regarding when to wear white changed to allow people to wear white year-round.(E) Customs always grow out of practical responses to issues of daily life.30. Which of the following statements is not true according to the article?(A) The issue over when to wear white may have originated in the 1800s.(B) The nouveau riche had a hard time getting respect.(C) People should wear dark clothes in the winter.(D) Wearing white originally applied to shoes rather than clothes.(E) Concerns over keeping clean were never a concern when the rules for wearing whitewere developed.31. All but which of the following inferences may be made about the author?(A) The author is willing to do research to find answers to interesting questions.(B) The author has studied some history.(C) The author is knowledgeable about fashion.(D) The author is female.(E) The author is from the South.32. What will come next in this discussion?(A) nothing; the author has finished the article(B) a discussion of other instances in which the new money and old money clashed(C) an account of some famous Southern wome n who defied the “no-white- after-Labor Day” rule(D) a complete list of insta nces in which one can break the “no-white-after- Labor-Day”rule(E) a handy mnemonic device to help us remember when to wear black33. This passage deals with all but which of the following topics?(A) social customs(B) historical data(C) human behavior(D) psychology(E) data analysis34. Based on your, reading of the article, what does nouveau riche mean?(A) newly married -(B) newly wealthy(C) newly graduated(D) newly born(E) newly bankrupted35. This article sets out to______.(A) set the record straight on old money in the South .(B) supply interesting, but trivial, information(C) support new money people in the North(D) explain the cause of the Civil War(E) convince people to wear white after Labor Day36. In which of the following publications would you most likely find this information?(A) the sports section of your local newspaper(B) the world news section of a weekly newsmagazine(C) the arts and leisure section of the Sunday paper(D) the science news section of a television news program(E) the comics page onlineMost, if not all, Americans are familiar with the concept of kamikaze, special Japanese pilots who fought in World War II. These men wereunique because they enlisted in the war effort knowing that they would be fighting to the death. They trained to be suicide pilots, whopurposely drove their planes headlong into their targets, exploding5themselves along with their planes and their targets.Few of us, however, have heard of the kaiten. The kaiten were small vessels, carried on submarines; they weighed eight tons and were loaded with explosive warheads. They had limited range (traveling a distanceranging from 12 miles at top speed and 30 miles at low speed) and10silent movement. But like the kamikaze planes, these kaiten wereunrecoverable; if they reached their target, they exploded, captain andall, and if they didn’t, they sank, carrying their captains with them.Both of these military strategies depended heavily on the concept of honor. Honorable death, especially by suicide for the sake of the15Emperor during battle, brought nobility to the soldier and his family.These fighters were idolized by their countrymen; they represented the highest ideals of the nation—that of total sacrifice on behalf oftheir ruler.37. Based on the article, which of the following actions would be seen as honorable byJapanese warriors in World War II?(A) becoming a kamikaze pilot but pulling out of the final dive at the lastminute(B) refusing to man the kaiten on which he had trained(C) defending Hiroshima as the atom bomb dropped(E) emigrating to Canada just after the war started(D) spying for the Americans38. Which of the following words best describes the kaiten?(A) luxury liners(B) floating coffins(C) bamboo tubes(D) warrior flutes(E) underwater kayaks39. W hat kind of ruler did Japan have during World War II, according to this article?(A) emperor(B) king(C) prince(D) president(E) chancellor40. W hich of the following gives an example of something that is unrecoverable}(A) a penny at the bottom of a wading pool(B) the moon when it is full(C) your shoe when it fails over a cliff(D) your book you left at your grandmother’s house(E) a sand dune at high tideReading1-5 C D E B D6-10 A D E D C 11-15C E C A B 16-20A E C E E 21-25 E C E C A 26-30 D C A B E 31-35D A E B B 36-40 C C B A C。
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Posttest SixPassage 1 Ever wonder why we have wisdom teeth? If you're like most people, you'll have your wisdom teeth removed before they even start to surface. How can we just throw away teeth without their absence having some Line impact on the state of our mouths? The science of dentistry studies questions like this. Although it dates back to 3700 B.C. in Egypt, dentistry as we know it did not emerge until the 19th century, when people began to study systematically the mouth, gums, jaw, and teeth. Modern dentistry is an intrinsic part of our lives. Nowadays, we cannot go a day without hearing. something about teeth care, if only through our television sets. If we have gingivitis, we can use mouthwash. If we have cavities, we can get fillings in a variety of colors and material types. If we have yellow teeth, we can make them white again in seven short days. And, if we have crooked teeth, we can get braces. In fact, people routinely get braces, so much so that we consider it an oddity if someone goes through their entire childhood without the experience of going to the orthodontist every month. Chances are that if someone does not get braces, they lack money or time, not interest in having work done. The evolution of dentistry shows how medical science is changing the human being. Because of increasingly good dental care, we don't lose our teeth and rely on our wisdom teeth coming in to give us a new set. To answer the question with which we began: We simply don't need those teeth anymore. Indeed, nowadays we have to pay to get our redundant teeth taken out. 1. The article says that we pull our wisdom teeth because ________. (A) we have gingivitis (B) they cause crooked teeth (C) we don't need them anymore (D) we listen to information about teeth care daily on the TV (E) they make our teeth yellow 2. Which of the following statements is true based on the reading? (A) Braces are a common solution to yellowing teeth. (B) Egyptian dentists conducted dentistry much as we do today. (C) If we have gingivitis, we can treat it with fillings. (D) We don't expect to lose our teeth because we have been taught how to care for them. (E) Braces are a rare experience while growing up. 3. When did dentists pull the first tooth?(A) 3700 B.C. (B) 17th century (C) 18th century (D) 19th century(E) The article does not say. 4. The writer's main purpose is apparently ________. (A) to answer frequently asked questions about teeth (B) to talk a little about the history of dentistry (C) to explain dreams about teeth (D) to write the section on dentistry for a medical school text (E) to encourage people to cut down on sweets 5. All but which of the following problems, according to the article, can dentists fix? (A) bad breath (B) yellowing teeth (C) crooked teeth (D) root canals (E) cavitiesPassage 2 It's easy, nowadays, to blame others for bad things that happen to us. We complain that we don't have enough money because the government takes our taxes. We blame carbohydrates for our fat count. We blame society for our embarrassingly low educational scores. Well, I disagree. I say we could save money by skipping McDonald's and buying the non-name-brand food items at the grocery. I say we're fat because we don't exercise. I say we're stupid because we watch too much TV and never read anything more difficult than sixth grade reading material. I say that it's in our own hands if we are operating at less than our potential. So, sometime, when you're at a loss for something to do, change your life for the better. Crack open the dictionary at a random page and see what's inside. Seriously. Chances are you'll find something interesting you didn't know before. Reading the dictionary is like reading a thousand mininovels, for each word has a story. For example, we often hear someone referred to as a "spinster." Most of us know that we use this term to describe an old, unmarried woman, but few of us know that the name originally had more meaning. The reason that "spinster" came to refer to all old, unmarriedwomen is because in earlier times old, unmarried women had to spin to earn their livings; old, unmarried women who could not spin nevertheless got lumped in with the rest. Consider, also, the word "whirling dervish." We know that this word is used to refer to dancers or tornadoes. Originally, however, the word referred to Muslim priests who wandered the land as beggars; in addition to whirling dervishes, there existed also howling and dancing dervishes, too. So, take five minutes and read the dictionary next time you're bored.Seriously. 6. What is the best title for this passage? (A) Unexpected Discoveries (B) Through the Eye of a Needle (C) A Thousand and One Words (D) Boring Facts and Trivia (E) On the Origin of the Word "Dervish" 7. How would you describe the author's tone in this piece? (A) humorous and trivial (B) adamant and angry (C) friendly yet tired (D) amusing yet serious (E) sulky and sullen 8. Who does the author say is responsible for the state of our lives? (A) the government (B) McDonald's (C) television (D) educators (E) We, ourselves 9. Why does the author give the word seriously in line 11 its own paragraph? (A) The author thinks the reader will take his/her advice seriously; therefore s/he uses seriously to indicate s/he has made a joke. (B) The author must include nine paragraphs in the article and is cheating. (C) The author wishes the reader to look up the word seriously in a dictionary. (D) The author anticipates that the reader will scoff at the author's advice; the author wishes to convey serious intent of his/her advice. (E) The author desires to confuse the reader at all costs. 10. Which of the following words best defines the phrase lumped in? (A) left out (B) copied (C) combined with (D) evolved (E) destroyedPassage 3 Pieter Brueghel, 16th century Flemish painter, has left for us a series of great paintings. One of his best works depicts the Greek myth of Icarus.To understand Brueghel's treatment of the piece, you must first recall the facts of the Icarus story. Icarus was the son of Deadalus, the most brilliant thinker of his time. Deadalus had aided Ariadne in saving Theseus from the Minotaur. The king, angered by Deadalus' action, swiftly imprisoned Deadalus and his son in a lonely tower on a deserted shore, visited only by birds. Eager to escape, however, Deadalus used the feathers and wax to create two sets of wings, and he and his son made plans to fly to freedom. Unfortunately, Icarus, exhilarated by the freedom he felt while flying, flew too close to the sun, despite his father's warnings. The sun's heat melted the wax on his wings, and he plummeted into the ocean and drowned. Deadalus, heartbroken, nevertheless, made it to safety. Brueghel's work depicts a huge, glorious scene of people working the land along a beautiful shoreline. Animals frolic; men work. Ships laden with goods plow through the waves. Amidst all the action captured in the scene, one is hard pressed to locate Icarus. Finally, after some searching, we see him. He is located in the lower, right-hand side of the painting. Even so, his depiction is small. Indeed, all we see are two pale legs, kicking frantically in the surf. Brueghel's work sends a clear message, one that underscores the largeness of the world and the relative insignificance of the individual therein. 11. What will the author most likely discuss next? (A) artist Vincent van Gogh and how he cut off his ear (B) another artwork by Brueghel (C) an explanation of Brueghel's message regarding the insignificance in the world (D) an expanded discussion of the crime that landed Dedalus in jail (E) nothing, the article is complete 12. The author's purpose can best be described by which of the following statements? (A) to avoid discussing anything important (B) to advocate the talents of Brueghel (C) to relate the tale of Dedalus and Icarus (D) to argue that Brueghel is an untalented artist (E) to show how art can convey social comment 13. Which of the following words can be substituted for the word exhilarated in line 11 without changing the meaning of the sentence. (A) saddened (B) angered (C) joyous (D) frightened (E) advised 14. What is the tone of this piece? (A) solemn (B) understanding (C) sarcastic(D) joyous (E) unintelligent 15. All but which of the following words have the same meaning as plummeted in line 14? (A) fell (B) hung (C) dropped (D) sank (E) plunged 16. Which of the following words has a meaningmost nearly opposite to the word frantically in line 22? (A) feebly (B) wildly (C) enthusiastically (D) vigorously (E) angrily 17. What caused Icarus' wings to melt? (A) the cold ocean spray (B) the swooping, swirling seagulls (C) the dampness of the water (D) the heat of Dedalus' wrath (E) the warmth of the sunPassage 4 History documents the bloody habits of Vlad Tepes (or Vlad the Impaler), an infamous general who lived in Transylvania from 1431 to 1476. Stories about Vlad Tepes seem gruesome even by today's Line standards. Consider this story about a group of generals whom Vlad Tepes was entertaining. Prior to their arrival, Mad had punished several people by impaling them on long spikes surrounding the banquet area. One of the visiting generals complained of the smell; after all, he had been invited to a dinner. Vlad apologized and then had the general impaled on an even longer spike. His reason? So that the general, being suspended above the other rotting bodies, would not have to smell what offended him. Other vampire tales come to us from this period, but they are clinical, historical accounts. The vampire legend grew popular only after the publication of Bram Stoker's Dracula in 1897. In his novel, Stoker creates a frightening combination of man and monster. His Dracula is striking in appearance, ruthless, calculating, and quite intelligent. Since then, vampire stories have grown in popularity over the years, inspiring both serious and tongue-in-cheek treatments. The serious vampire offerings have grown increasingly enraptured by the idea of being undead. Take for example, the work of Anne Rice. Rice's books modernize the oldvampire story. While Stoker's novel tells about the exploits of a single vampire, Rice's novels explore an entire vampiric underworld that coexists with-and preys upon-the human world. Rice's stories allow the old vampire lore to evolve into an entire world view; they work out in great detail the logistical and philosophical problems that come into play, if vampires really exist en masse. More importantly, however, Rice's stories humanize the vampire. Many of her characters are guilt-stricken to the point of madness because they must drink human blood to survive; some rail against their undead state, for they are frozen in time, unable to transition from one stage of human maturity to the next. 18. What does the word Tepes mean? (A) innocent (B) Dracula (C) impaler (D) bloody (E) ruler 19. Which statement gives an accurate description of Vlad Tepes' character? (A) He is a wise and caring ruler (B) He is a brilliant military strategist. (C) He was poor, despite his great power (D) He was popular with women. (E) His sense of justice is very unconventional. 20. Which is the best title for this passage? (A) An American Werewolf in London (B) Witches, Warlocks, and Other Halloween Nasties (C) The Vlad Dynasty: A Family Tree (D) The Enduring Zombie (E) Still Hungry After All These Years 21. Which date approximates the time period when Anne Rice wrote? (A) 1431 (B) 1476 (C) 1789 (D) 1897 (E) 1990 22. The statement "Other vampire tales come to us from this period, but they are clinical, historical accounts" implies that (A) vampire tales that come from this period are even more exciting than the Tepes story (B) interest in vampire lore died out altogether during this period (C) vampire stories that were written from this period were boring (D) stories about female vampires were especially popular during this period (E) Anne Rice was popular even during this periodPassage 5 Existentialism is a philosophy that focuses only on the actions that we humans make in the physical world that surrounds us. Because it admits no afterlife of any sort, Existentialism takes the world very Line seriously; every decision forces the Existentialist to ponder deeply the consequences. She only gets one shot at life, so everything depends on her getting it right the first time. According to its tenets, life is absurd and filled with actions that seem pointless, futile, and ceaselessly endless. Camus illustrates Existentialism using the example of Sisyphus from Greek mythology. Sisyphus vastly enjoyed life but held little respect for the gods. Upon his deathbed, Sisyphus instructed his wife to leave his body unburied as a gesture of anger and resentment at dying. She agreed to do as he said, but when he died, she reneged on her word. Upon waking in Hades, Sisyphus knewimmediately that his wife had betrayed him, and he asked permission from King Hades to go revenge himself upon her. Hades agreed on condition that Sisyphus return to the underworld immediately after getting his revenge. However, as soon as Sisyphus reached the earth's surface, he chose to give up his revenge and refused to return to the underworld. Only after great efforts did King Hades recapture his prisoner. As punishment for his hubris or conceitedness, King Hades created a special task for Sisyphus. He now spends eternity rolling an enormous rock up a great hill, only to have it come crashing down immediately upon reaching the hill's summit. Sisyphus' task illustrates clearly the tenets of Existentialism outlined here. Let's see how. 23. According to the article, the story of Sisyphus comes from________. (A) old wives' tales (B) Japanese tradition (C) Indian lore (D) Roman history (E) Greek myth 24. What does Sisyphus initially want to do when he returns to earth? (A) Stay alive. (B) Get revenge on his brother. (C) Punish his wife. (D) See his family. (E) Negotiate a treaty. 25. Which of the following most nearly means tenets as used in line 6? (A) beliefs (B) rules (C) portable buildings (D) woven strands of rope to catch fish(E) numbers 26. What will probably come after paragraph three? (A) background information about Camus (B) more information about Sisyphus' escapades (C) nothing; the author has made his/her point (D) a discussion of how Sisyphus' story illustrates the tenets of Existentialism (E) an opinion from a philosophy professor at the University of Kentucky 27. Which of the following words best represents an antonym for hubris? (A) daring (B) fearful (C) piety (D) miserable (E) perturbedPassage 6 Have you ever wondered why you aren't supposed to wear white after Labor Day? It is along-standing tradition, one that those of us from the South have had beaten into our heads from our very earliest memories. Line But from where does this rule come? People dispute the origin of this custom. Some say that the rule developed from practicality. After all, everyone knows that wearing white in the summer is wise because the white reflects heat and helps the wearer keep cool; wearing dark colors is wise in the winter because the dark material absorbs heat and keeps the wearer warm. The rule of thumb, they say, merely solidifies what was already well known, widely accepted common knowledge. Others say that the custom developed out of practical concerns, but for cleanliness reasons not for warmth purposes. They argue that the rule of white applies only to shoes, and that out of attempts to keep them clean grew the rule of wearing white only in the warm months. Still others say that the rule grew out of a class struggle that took place in the late 1800s. With the rise of manufacturing in America, a new class of wealthy people grew up, one that conflicted with the old money class that had existed since the founding of the colonies in the 18th century. The nouveau riche class wanted desperately to be accepted by the old money folk, but the old money people did not want to accept them. Therefore, the old money folk used knowledge that they had created for use among themselves, unwritten customs and accepted ways of doing things unknown to the nouveau riche, to keep the new money folk away. Whatever the reason, however, the rule remains in use today. 28. Which of the following words can be substituted for the word solidifies without changing the meaning of the sentence? (A) confirms(B) thickens (C) rebuilds (D) reconstitutes (E) goes against 29. Which of the following statements is supported by the information in the passage? (A) Customs became a weapon used by those with new money to force those with old money to let them become part of society. (B) Customs became a weapon used by those with old money to snub those with new money. (C) Customs regarding fashion quickly became out of date. (D) Customs regarding when to wear white changed to allow people to wear white year-round. (E) Customs always grow out of practical responses to issues of daily life. 30. Which of the following statements is not true according to the article? (A) The issue over when to wear white may have originated in the 1800s. (B) The nouveau riche had a hard time getting respect. (C) People should wear dark clothes in the winter. (D) Wearing white originallyapplied to shoes rather than clothes. (E) Concerns over keeping clean were never a concern when the rules for wearing white were developed. 31. All but which of the following inferences may be made about the author? (A) The author is willing to do research to find answers to interesting questions. (B) The author has studied some hisory. (C) The author is knowledgeable about fashion. (D) The author is female. (E) The author is from the South.32. What will come next in this discussion? (A) nothing; the author has finished the article (B) a discussion of other instances in which the new money and old money clashed (C) an account of some famous Southern women who defied the "no-whiteafter-Labor-Day" rule (D) a complete list of instances in which one can break the"no-white-after- Labor-Day" rule (E) a handy mnemonic device to help us remember when to wear black 33. This passage deals with all but which of the following topics? (A) social customs (B) historical data (C) human behavior (D) psychology(E) data analysis 34. Based on your reading of the article, what does nouveau riche mean? (A) newly married (B) newly wealthy (C) newly graduated (D) newly born (E) newly bankrupted 35. This article sets out to________.(A) set the record straight on old money in the South (B) supply interesting, but trivial, information (C) support new money people in the North (D) explain the cause of the Civil War (E) convince people to wear white after Labor Day 36. In which of the following publications would you most likely find this information? (A) the sports section of your local newspaper (B) the world news section of a weekly newsmagazine (C) the arts and leisure section of the Sunday paper (D) the science news section of a television news program (E) the comics page onlinePassage 7 Most, if not all, Americans are familiar with the concept of kamikaze, special Japanese pilots who fought in World War II. These men were unique because they enlisted in the war effort knowing that they would Line be fighting to the death. They trained to be suicide pilots, who purposely drove their planes headlong into their targets, exploding themselves along with their planes and their targets. Few of us, however, have heard of the kaiten. The kaiten were small vessels, carried on submarines; they weighed eight tons and were loaded with explosive warheads. They had limited range (traveling a distance) ranging from 12 miles at top speed and 30 miles at low speed) and silent movement. But like the kamikaze planes, these kaiten were unrecoverable; if they reached their target, they exploded, captain and all, and if they didn't, they sank, carrying their captains with them. Both of these military strategies depended heavily on the concept of honor. Honorable death, especially by suicide for the sake of the Emperor during battle, brought nobility to the soldier and his family. These fighters were idolized by their countrymen; they represented the highest ideals of the nation-that of total sacrifice on behalf of their ruler. 37. Based on the article, which of the following actions would be seen as honorable by Japanese warriors in World War II? (A) becoming a kamikaze pilot but pulling out of the final dive at the last minute(B) refusing to man the kaiten on which he had trained (C) defending Hiroshima as the atom bomb dropped (E) emigrating to Canada just after the war started (D) spying for the Americans 38. Which of the following words best describes the kaiten? (A) luxury liners (B) floating coffins (C) bamboo tubes (D) warrior flutes (E) underwater kayaks 39. What kind of ruler did Japan have during World War Ⅱ, according to this article? (A) emperor (B) king (C) prince (D) president (E) chancellor 40. Which of the following gives an example of something that is unrecoverable? (A) a penny at the bottom of a wading pool (B) the moon when it is full (C) your shoe when it falls over a cliff (D) your book you left at your grandmother's house (E) a sand dune at high tide。
SSAT READING PRACTICE
1. In 1892 the Sierra Club was formed. In 1908 an area of coastal redwood trees north of San Francisco was established as Muir Woods National Monument. In the Sierra Nevada mountains, a walking trail from Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney was dedicated in 1938. It is called John Muir Trail.John Muir was born in 1838 in Scotland. His family name means “moor,” which is a meadow full of flowers and animals. John loved nature from the time he was small. He also liked to climb rocky cliffs and walls.When John was eleven, his family moved to the United States and settled in Wisconsin. John was good with tools and soon became an inventor. He first invented a model of a sawmill. Later he invented an alarm clock that would cause the sleeping person to be tipped out of bed when the timer sounded.Muir left home at an early age. He took a thousand-mile walk south to the Gulf of Mexico in1867and 1868. Then he sailed for San Francisco. The city was too noisy and crowded for Muir, so he headed inland for the Sierra Nevadas.When Muir discovered the Yosemite Valley in the Sierra Nevadas, it was as if he had come home. He loved the mountains, the wildlife, and the trees. He climbed the mountains and even climbed trees during thunderstorms in order to get closer to the wind. He put forth the theory in the late 1860's that the Yosemite Valley had been formed through the action of glaciers. People ridiculed him. Not until 1930 was Muir's theory proven correct.Muir began to write articles about the Yosemite Valley to tell readers about its beauty. His writing also warned people that Yosemite was in danger from timber mining and sheep ranching interests. In 1901 Theodore Roosevelt became president of the United States. He was interested in conservation. Muir took the president through Yosemite, and Roosevelt helped get legislation passed to create Yosemite National Park in 1906.Although Muir won many conservation battles, he lost a major one. He fought to save the Hetch Valley, which people wanted to dam in order to provide water for San Francisco. In the late 1913 a bill was signed to dam the valley. Muir died in 1914. Some people say losing the fight to protect the valley killed Muir.What happened first?A. The Muir family moved to the United States.B. Muir Woods was created.C. John Muir learned to climb rocky cliffs.D. John Muir walked to the Gulf of MexicoE. Muir visited along the east coast.2. When did Muir invent a unique form of alarm clock?A. while the family still lived in ScotlandB. after he sailed to San FranciscoC. after he traveled in YosemiteD. while the Muir family lived in WisconsinE. after he took the long walk3. What did John Muir do soon after he arrived in San Francisco?A. He ran outside during an earthquake.B. He put forth a theory about how Yosemite was formed.C. He headed inland for the Sierra Nevadas.D. He began to write articles about the Sierra Nevadas.E. He wrote short stories for the local newspaper.4. When did John Muir meet Theodore Roosevelt?A. between 1901 and 1906B. between 1838 and 1868C. between 1906 and 1914D. between 1868 and 1901E. between 1906-19075. What happened last?A. John Muir died.B. John Muir Trail was dedicated.C. Muir's glacial theory was proven.D. The Sierra Club was formed.E. John's family visited him.6. When using a metal file, always remember to bear down on the forward stroke only. On the return stroke, lift the file clear of the surface to avoid dulling the instrument's teeth. Only when working on very soft metals is it advisable to drag the file's teeth slightly on the return stroke. This helps clear out metal pieces from between the teeth.It is best to bear down just hard enough to keep the file cutting at all times. Too little pressure uses only the tips of the teeth; too much pressure can chip the teeth. Move the file in straight lines across the surface. Use a vice to grip the work so that your hands are free to hold the file. Protect your hands by equipping the file with a handle. Buy a wooden handle and install it by inserting the pointed end of the file into the handle hole.These directions show you how to-A. work with a hammerB. use a fileC. polish a fileD. oil a viseE. repair shop tools7. When using a file-A. always bear down on the return strokeB. move it in a circleC. remove the handleD. press down on the forward strokeE. wear protective gloves8. When working on soft metals, you can-A. remove the handleB. clear metal pieces from the teethC. bear down very hard on the return strokeD. file in circlesE. strengthen them with added wood9. Protect your hands by-A. dulling the teethB. dragging the teeth on the backstrokeC. using a viseD. installing a handleE. wearing safety gloves10. “Old woman,” grumbled the burly white man who had just heard Sojourner Truth speak, “do you think your talk about slavery does any good? I don't care any more for your talk than I do for the bite of a flea.”The tall, imposing black woman turned her piercing eyes on him. “Perhaps not,” she answered, “but I'll keep you scratching.”The little incident of the 1840s sums up all that Sojourner Truth was: utterly dedicated to spreading her message, afraid of no one, forceful and witty in speech.Yet forty years earlier, who could have suspected that a spindly slave girl growing up in a damp cellar in upstate New York would become one of the most remarkable women in American history? Her name then was Isabella (many slaves had no last names), and by the time she was fourteen she had seen both parents die of cold and hunger. She herself had been sold several times. By 1827, when New York freed its slaves, she had married and borne five children.The first hint of Isabella's fighting spirit came soon afterwards, when her youngest son was illegally seized and sold. She marched to the courthouse and badgered officials until her son was returned to her.In 1843, inspired by religion, she changed her name to Sojourner(meaning “one who stays briefly”) Truth, and, with only pennies in her purse, set out to preach against slavery. From New England to Minnesota she trekked, gaining a reputation for her plain but powerful and moving words. Incredibly, despite being black and female (only white males were expected to be public speakers), she drew thousands to town halls, tents, and churches to hear her powerful, deep-voiced pleas on equality for blacks-and for women. Often she had to face threatening hoodlums. Once she stood before armed bullies and sang a hymn to them. Awed by her courage and her commanding presence, they sheepishly retreated.During the Civil War she cared for homeless ex-slaves in Washington. President Lincoln invited her to the White House to bestow praise on her. Later, she petitioned Congress to help former slaves get land in the West. Even in her old age, she forced the city of Washington to integrate its trolley cars so that black and white could ride together.Shortly before her death at eighty-six, she was asked what kept her going. “I think of the great things,” replied Sojourne r.The imposing black woman promised to keep the white man-A. searchingB. cryingC. holleringD. scratchingE. fleeing11. This incident occurred in the-A. 1760sB. 1900sC. 1840sD. 1920sE. 1700s12. Sojourner Truth was raised in a damp cellar in-A. New YorkB. GeorgiaC. New JerseyD. IdahoE. Maryland13. Isabella lost both parents by the time she was-A. twenty-sevenB. twoC. sevenD. fourteenE. nineteen14. When New York freed its slaves, Isabella had-A. problemsB. no childrenC. five childrenD. an educationE. three children15. Her change in name was inspired by-A. a fighting spiritB. religionC. her freedomD. officialsE. friends16. She traveled from New England to-A. CanadaB. CaliforniaC. MinnesotaD. AlaskaE. Virginia17. She forced the city of Washington to-A. integrate its trolleysB. give land grantsC. care for ex-slavesD. provide food for ex-slavesE. clean its trolleys18. She preached against-A. smokingB. slaveryC. alcoholD. hoodlumsE. women having no rights19. Sojourner Truth died at-A. 48B. 72C. 63D. 86E. 8820. The Galapagos Islands are in the Pacific Ocean, off the western coast of South America. They are a rocky, lonely spot, but they are also one of the most unusual places in the world. One reason is that they are the home of some of the last giant tortoises left on earth.Weighing hundreds of pounds, these tortoises, or land turtles, wander slowly around the rocks and sand of the islands. Strangely, each of these islands has its own particular kinds of tortoises. There are seven different kinds of tortoises on the eight islands, each kind being slightly different from the other.Hundreds of years ago, thousands of tortoises wandered around these islands. However, all that changed when people started landing there. When people first arrived in 1535, their ships had no refrigerators. This meant that fresh food was always a problem for the sailors on board. The giant tortoises provided a solution to this problem.Ships would anchor off the islands, and crews would row ashore and seize as many tortoises as they could. Once the animals were aboard the ship, the sailors would roll the tortoises onto their backs. The tortoises were completely helpless once on their backs, so they could only lie there until used for soups and stews. Almost 100,000 tortoises were carried off in this way.The tortoises faced other problems, too. Soon after the first ships, settlers arrived bringing pigs, goats, donkeys, dogs and cats. All of these animals ruined life for the tortoises. Donkey and goats ate all the plants that the tortoises usually fed on, while the pigs. Dogs and cats consumed thousands of baby tortoises each year. Within a few years, it was hard to find any tortoise eggs-or even any baby tortoises.By the early 1900s, people began to worry that the last of the tortoises would soon die out. No one, however, seemed to care enough to do anything about the problem. More and more tortoises disappeared, even though sailors no longer needed them for food. For another fifty years, this situation continued. Finally, in the 1950s, scientist decided that something must be done.The first part of their plan was to get rid of as many cats, dogs and other animals as they could. Next, they tried to make sure that more baby tortoises would be born. To do this, they started looking for wild tortoise eggs. They gathered the eggs and put them in safe containers. When the eggs hatched, the scientists raised the tortoises in special pens. Both the eggs and tortoises were numbered so that the scientists knew exactly which kinds of tortoises they had-and which island they came from. Once the tortoises were old enough and big enough to take care of themselves, the scientists took them back to their islands and set them loose. This slow, hard work continues today, and, thanks to it, the number of tortoises is now increasing every year. Perhaps these wonderful animals will not disappear after all.What happened first?A. Sailors took tortoises aboard ships.B. The tortoise meat was used for soups and stews.C. Tortoises were put onto their backs.D. Settlers brought other animals to the islands.E. Pigs had been all the sailors had to eat.21. What happened soon after people brought animals to the islands?A. Tortoise eggs were kept in safe containers.B. Scientists took away as many animals as they could.C. The animals ate the tortoises' food and eggs.D. The tortoises fought with the other animals.E. The tortoises continued to wander freely.22. When did people start to do something to save the tortoises?A. in the 1500sB. in the 1950sC. in the early 1900sD. in the 1960sE. in the 1400s23. What happens right after the tortoise eggs hatch?A. The scientists take the tortoises back to their islands.B. The scientists get rid of cats, dogs, and other animals.C. The sailors use the tortoises for food.D. The scientist raised the tortoises in special pens.E. The scientist encouraged the villagers to help.24. What happened last?A. The tortoises began to disappear.B. The number of tortoises began to grow.C. Scientists took away other animals.D. Tortoises were taken back to their home islands.E. The number of tortoises began to decrease.25. The first person in the group starts off by naming anything that is geographical. It could be a city, state, country, river, lake, or any proper geographical term. For example, the person mightsay,”Boston.” The second person has ten seconds to think of how the word ends and come up with another geographical term starting with that letter. The second participant might say, “Norway,” since the geographical term has to start with “N.” The third person would have to choose a word beginning with “ Y.” If a player fails t o think of a correct answer within the time limit, that player is out of the game. The last person to survive is the champion.This game may help you with-A. historyB. musicC. geographyD. sportsE. current events26. The person trying to answer needs-A. no time limitB. to know geography onlyC. to ignore the last letters of wordsD. to know something about spelling and geographyE. to be a good speller27. Before you choose your own word, think about how-A. the last word startsB. the last word endsC. smart you areD. long the last word isE. the spelling of the first word28. The answer must be-A. in New YorkB. within the United StatesC. proper geographical termsD. in the same regionE. along a coast line29. Charles A. Lindbergh is remembered as the first person to make a nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic, in 1927. This feat, when Lindbergh was only twenty-five years old, assured him a lifetime of fame and public attention.Charles Augustus Lindbergh was more interested in flying airplanes than he was in studying. He dropped out of the University of Wisconsin after two years to earn a living performing daredevil airplane stunts at country fairs. Two years later, he joined the United States Army so that he could go to the Army Air Service flight-training school. After completing his training, he was hired to fly mail between St. Louis and Chicago.Then came the historic flight across the Atlantic. In 1919, a New York City hotel owner offered a prize of $25,000 to the first pilot to fly nonstop from New York to Paris. Nine St. Louis business leaders helped pay for the plane Lindbergh designed especially for the flight. Lindbergh tested the plane by flying it from San Diego to New York, with an overnight stop in St. Louis. The flight took only 20 hours and 21 minutes, a transcontinental record.Nine days later, on May 20,1927, Lindbergh took off from Long Island, New York, at 7:52 A. M. He landed at Paris on May 21 at 10:21 P. M. He had flown more than 3,600 miles in less than thirty four hours. His flight made news around the world. He was given awards and parades everywhere he went. He was presented with the U. S. Congressional Medal of Honor and the first Distinguished Flying Cross. For a long time, Lindbergh toured the world as a U. S. goodwill ambassador. He met his future wife, Anne Morrow, in Mexico, where her father was the United States ambassador.During the 1930s, Charles and Anne Lindbergh worked for various airline companies, charting new commercial air routes. In 1931, for a major airline, they charted a new route from the east coast of the United States to the Orient. The shortest, most efficient route was a great curve across Canada, over Alaska, and down to China and Japan. Most pilots familiar with the Arctic did not believe that such a route was possible. The Lindberghs took on the task of proving that it was. They arranged for fuel and supplies to be set out along the route. On July 29, they took off from Long Island in a specially equipped small seaplane. They flew by day and each night landed on a lake or a river and camped. Near Nome, Alaska, they had their first serious emergency. Out of daylight and nearly out of fuel, they were forced down in a small ocean inlet. In the next morning's light, they discovered they had landed on barely three feet of water. On September 19, after two more emergency landings and numerous close calls, they landed in China with the maps for a safe airline passenger route.Even while actively engaged as a pioneering flier, Lindbergh was also working as an engineer. In 1935, he and Dr. Alexis Carrel were given a patent for an artificial heart. During World War I in the 1940s, Lindbergh served as a civilian technical advisor in aviation. Although he was a civilian, heflew over fifty combat missions in the Pacific. In the 1950s, Lindbergh helped design the famous 747 jet airliner. In the late 1960s, he spoke widely on conservation issues. He died August 1974, having lived through aviation history from the time of the first powered flight to the first steps on the moon and having influenced a big part of that history himself.What did Lindbergh do before he crossed the Atlantic?A. He charted a route to China.B. He graduated from flight-training school.C. He married Anne Morrow.D. He acted as a technical advisor during World War II.E. He was responsible for the fuel supply for planes.30. What happened immediately after Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic?A. He flew the mail between St. Louis and Chicago.B. He left college.C. He attended the Army flight-training school.D. He was given the Congressional Medal of Honor.E. He married Anne Morrow.31. When did Charles meet Anne Morrow?A. before he took off from Long IslandB. after he worked for an airlineC. before he was forced down in an ocean inletD. after he received the first Distinguished Flying CrossE. when visiting his parents32. When did the Lindberghs map an air route to China?A. before they worked for an airlineB. before Charles worked with Dr. CarrelC. after World War IID. while designing the 747E. when he was thirty33. What event happened last?A. Lindbergh patented an artificial heart.B. The Lindberghs mapped a route to the Orient.C. Lindbergh helped design the 747 airline.D. Lindbergh flew fifty combat missions.E. Charles finally was given an honorary degree from college.34. Always read the meter dials from the right to the left. This procedure is much easier, especially if any of the dial hands are near the zero mark. If the meter has two dials, and one is smaller than the other, it is not imperative to read the smaller dial since it only registers a small amount. Read the dial at the right first. As the dial turns clockwise, always record the figure the pointer has just passed. Read the next dial to the left and record the figure it has just passed. Continue recording the figures on the dials from right to left. When finished, mark off the number of units recorded. Dials on water and gas meters usually indicate the amount each dial records.These instructions show you how to –A. read a meterB. turn the dials of a meterC. install a gas meterD. repair a water meterE. be prepared for outside employment35. Always read the meter dials-A. from top to bottomB. from right to leftC. from left to rightD. from the small to the large dialE. from the large dial to the small dial36. As you read the first dial, record the figuresA. on the smaller dialB. the pointer is approachingC. the pointer has just passedD. at the topE. at the bottom37. When you have finished reading the meter, mark off-A. the number of units recordedB. the figures on the small dialC. the total figuresD. all the zero marksE. the last reading of the month38. The village of Vestmannaeyjar, in the far northern country of Iceland, is as bright and clean and up-to-date as any American or Canadian suburb. It is located on the island of Heimaey, just off the mainland. One January night in 1973, however, householders were shocked from their sleep. In some backyards red-hot liquid was spurting from the ground. Flaming “skyrockets” shot up and over the houses. The island's volcano, Helgafell, silent for seven thousand years, was violently erupting!Luckily, the island's fishing fleet was in port, and within twenty-four hours almost everyone was ferried to the mainland. But then the agony of the island began in earnest. As in a nightmare, fountains of burning lava spurted three hundred feet high. Black, baseball-size cinders rained down. An evil-smelling, eye-burning, throat-searing cloud of smoke and gas erupted into the air, and a river of lava flowed down the mountain. The constant shriek of escaping steam was punctuated by ear-splitting explosions.As time went on, the once pleasant village of Vestmannaeyjar took on a weird aspect. Its street lamps still burning against the long Arctic night, the town lay under a thick blanket of cinders. All that could be seen above the ten-foot black drifts were the tips of street signs. Some houses had collapsed under the weight of cinders; others had burst into flames as the heat ignited their oil storage tanks. Lighting the whole lurid scene, fire continued to shoot from the mouth of the looming volcano.The eruption continued for six months. Scientists and reporters arrived from around the world to observe the awesome natural event. But the town did not die that easily. In July, when the eruption ceased, the people of Heimaey Island returned to assess the chances of rebuilding their homes and lives. They found tons of ash covering the ground. The Icelanders are a tough people, however, accustomed to the strange and violent nature of their Arctic land. They dug out their homes. They even used the cinders to build new roads and airport runways. Now the new homes of Heimaey are warmed from water pipes heated by molten lava.The village is located on the island of-A. VestmannaeyjarB. HebridesC. HeimaeyD. HelgafellE. Heimma39. The color of the hot liquid was-A. orangeB. blackC. yellowD. redE. gray40. This liquid was coming from the –A. mountainsB. groundC. seaD. skyE. ocean41. The island's volcano had been inactive for-A. seventy yearsB. seven thousand yearsC. seven thousand monthsD. seven hundred yearsE. seventy decades42. Black cinders fell that were the size of__A. baseballsB. pebblesC. golf ballsD. footballsE. hail-stones43. Despite the eruption-A. buses kept runningB. the radio kept broadcastingC. the police kept workingD. street lamps kept burningE. the television kept broadcasting44. This volcanic eruption lasted for six ___.A. weeksB. hoursC. monthsD. daysE. yearsAnswer Key1. C2. D3. C4. A5. B6. B7. D8. B9. D10. D11. C12. A13. D14. C15. B16. C17. A18. B19. D20. A21. C22. B23. D24. B25. C26. D27. B28. C29. B30. D31. D32. B33. C34. A35. B36. C37. A38. C39. D40. B41. B42. A43. D44. C1. Americans have always been interested in their Presidents' wives. Many First Ladies have been remembered because of the ways they have influenced their husbands. Other First Ladies have made the history books on their own.At least two First Ladies, Bess Truman and Lady Bird Johnson, made it their business to send signals during their husbands' speeches. When Lady Bird Johnson thought her husband was talking too long, she wrote a note and sent it up to the platform. It read, “It's time to stop!” And he did. Once Bess Truman didn't like what her husband was saying on television, so she phoned him and said,” If you can't talk more politely than that in public, you come right home.”Abigail Fillmore and Eliza Johnson actually taught their husbands, Millard Fillmore and Andrew Johnson, the thirteenth and seventeenth Presidents. A schoolteacher, Abigail eventually married her pupil, Millard. When Eliza Johnson married Andrew, he could not read or write, so she taught him herself.It was First Lady Helen Taft's idea to plant the famous cherry trees in Washington, D. C. Each spring these blossoming trees attract thousands of visitors to the nation's capital. Mrs. Taft also influenced the male members of her family and the White House staff in a strange way: she convinced them to shave off their beards!Shortly after President Wilson suffered a stroke, Edith Wilson unofficially took over most of the duties of the Presidency until the end of her husband's term. Earlier, during World War I, Mrs. Wilson had had sheep brought onto the White House lawn to eat the grass. The sheep not only kept the lawn mowed but provided wool for an auction sponsored by the First Lady. Almost $100,000 was raised for the Red Cross.Dolly Madison saw to it that a magnificent painting of George Washington was not destroyed during the War of 1812. As the British marched toward Washington, D. C., she remained behind to rescue the painting, even after the guards had left. The painting is the only object from the original White House that was not burned.One of the most famous First Ladies was Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. She was active in political and social causes throughout her husband's tenure in office. After his death, she became famous for her humanitarian work in the United Nations. She made life better for thousands of needy people around the world.What is the main idea of this passage?A. The Humanitarian work of the First Ladies is critical in American government.B. Dolly Madison was the most influential president's wife.C. Eleanor Roosevelt transformed the First Lady image.D. The First Ladies are important in American culture.E. The First Ladies are key supporters of the Presidents.2. Of the many kinds of vegetables grown all over the world, which remains the favorite of young and old alike? Why, the potato, of course.Perhaps you know them as “taters,” “spuds,” or “Kennebees,” or as “chips,” “Idahoes,” or even “shoestrings.” No matter, a potato by any other name is still a potato- the world's most widely grown vegetable. As a matter of fact, if you are an average potato eater, you will put away at least a hundred pounds of them each year.That's only a tiny portion of the amount grown every year, however. Worldwide, the annual potato harvest is over six billion bags- each bag containing a hundred pounds of spuds, some of them as large as four pounds each. Here in the United States, farmers fill about four hundred million bags a year. That may seem like a lot of “taters,” but it leaves us a distant third among world potato growers. Polish farmers dig up just over 800 million bags a year, while the Russians lead the world with nearly 1.5 billion bags.The first potatoes were grown by the Incas of South America, more than four hundred years ago. Their descendants in Ecuador and Chile continue to grow the vegetable as high as fourteen thousand feet up in the Andes Mountains. ( That's higher than any other food will grow.) Early Spanish and English explorers shipped potatoes to Europe, and they found their way to North America in the early 1600s.People eat potatoes in many ways-baked, mashed, and roasted, to name just three. However, in the United States most potatoes are devoured in the form of French fries. One fast-food chain alone sells more than $1 billion worth of fries each year. No wonder, then, that the company pays particular attention to the way its fries are prepared.Before any fry makes it to the people who eat at these popular restaurants, it must pass many separate tests. Fail any one and the spud is rejected. To start with, only russet Burbank potatoes are used. These Idaho potatoes have less water content than other kinds, which can have as much as eighty percent water. Once cut into “shoestrings” shapes, the potatoes are partly fried in a secret blend of oils, sprayed with liquid sugar to brown them, steam dried at high heat, then flash frozen for shipment to individual restaurants.Before shipping, though, every shoestring is measured. Forty percent of a batch must be between two and three inches long. Another forty percent has to be over three inches. What about the twenty percent that are left in the batch? Well, a few short fries in a bag are okay, it seems.So, now that you realize the enormous size and value of the potato crop, you can understand why most peo ple agree that this part of the food industry is no “small potatoes.”What is the main idea of this passage?A. Potatoes from Ireland started the Potato Revolution.B. The average American eats 50 lbs of potatoes a year.C. French fries are made from potatoes.D. Potatoes are a key vegetable in America.E. The various terms for potatoes have a long history.3. What does the word patent mean to you? Does it strike you as being something rather remote from your interests? If it does, stop and think a moment about some of the commonplace things that you use every day, objects that you take for granted as part of the world around you. The telephone, radio, television, the automobile, and the thousand and one other things (even the humble safety pin) that enrich our lives today once existed only as ideas in the minds of men. If it had not been。
SSAT阅读 mid 2(OG)
SECTION240 QuestionsRead each passage carefully and then answer the questions about it. For each question, decide on the basis of the passage which one of the choices best answers the question.1.The passage is primarily about(A)a preventive for pneumonia(B)the Food and DrugAdministration(C)illness in the United States(D)leading causes of death(E)the first vaccine invented2.From the passage, it can beconcluded that the vaccine probably(A)increased the authority of theFDA(B)made the number of deaths frompneumonia(C)reduced the number of deathsfrom pneumonia(D)provided protection againstillnesses other than pneumonia(E)raised health expenses for peoplein the United States 3.The style of the passage is most likethat found in(A)an encyclopedia(B)a newspaper(C)a textbook(D)an advertisement(E)an almanac4.In this passage, Meg is trying todiscover(A)what her mother is doing(B)what is happening at Charles’school(C)why Dr. Colubra did not visit her(D)what is wrong with Charles(E)why her mother will not talk toher anymore 5.Meg does not receive completeexplanations because Mrs. Murry(A)is trying not to let Charles hear(B)is not really interested in Meg’sproblems(C)is preoccupied with her work(D)does not have definite answers(E)thinks Meg imagines things6.Louise is most probably(A)a lab assistant(B)a doctor(C)Charles’ sister(D)Charles’ teacher(E)A neighbor 7.Meg is worried that Charles is(A)picking fights at school(B)angry at everyone(C)physically ill(D)making the wrong friends(E)taking things from the laboratory8.The passage is primarily concernedwith discussing(A)colonial empires in Africa(B)the personalities of modernAfrican leaders(C)the natural resources of Africa(D)a changing Africa(E)the influence of geography onAfrican culture9.According to the passage, manyAfrican countries gained their independence by(A)being in the Second World War(B)buying their freedom(C)going to other nations for help(D)sharing their resources(E)fighting for the right to rulethemselves10.By saying “The future of Africa liesto a great extent in the hands of these leaders ”(lines 13-14), the author probably means that the leaders(A)need to work hard with theirhands(B)must hold their hands out forhelp(C)are largely responsible for whathappens(D)have put the goals of Africansout of reach(E)plan to hire people to do thework11.According to the passage, Africanleaders are trying to solve problems by(A)using various approaches(B)gaining their freedom(C)feeding the starving people(D)asking many other countries forhelp(E)trying to restore the colonialempire12.It can be inferred that a great manyof Africa’s natural resources are(A)undiscoverable(B)undeveloped(C)unprotected(D)destroyed(E)useless13.A passage of this kind would mostlikely be found in which of the following?I. a novelII. a social studies textbookIII.a magazine(A)I only(B)II only(C)I and III only(D)II and III only(E)I , II , and III14.The major purpose of the experimentdescribed in the passage was to(A)study the emotions displayed byan octopus(B)discover how the octopuspoisons its victims(C)test how the octopus solvesproblems(D)observe how the octopusbetween when surrounded bydivers(E)discover whether the octopusattacks lobsters15.According to the passage, what wasthe octopus’first reaction to the lobster?(A)exploring the jar(B)throwing itself on the jar(C)pushing its arm through the hole(D)pulling out the cork(E)eating it immediately16.The octopus shows its emotions by(A)attacking its enemies(B)hiding in caves(C)waving its arms(D)secreting poison(E)changing color17.It is implied in the passage that theoctopus came out of its home because it(A)was interested in the scientists(B)wanted to play with the divers(C)was attracted by the lights(D)wanted to capture the lobster(E)was frightened by the cameras18.It can be inferred from the passagethat the octopus “looked electrified”(line 15) because it(A)was surprised and excited(B)had been pinched by the lobster(C)had been electrically shocked(D)had become very frightened(E)was caught by the divers19.According to the passage, thenarrator does not(A)fear bandits(B)like school(C)like to cook(D)like to go to the theater(E)understand Chinese very well20.It can be inferred from the passagethat the plays were put on in(A)an outdoor area(B)the home of one of the actors(C)the village school(D)a remote part of the village(E)the narrator’s home21.The “scaffolding” mentioned in line3 can best be interpreted to mean(A)the framework of a building(B)a temporary stage(C)seats for the playgoers(D)dressing rooms for the actors(E)partitions for the cast to waitbehind22.The family most likely took theirchairs to the theater because(A)the chairs were worth more thanthe tables(B)the bandits could not then stealthem(C)the theater had no seats(D)Grandmother wanted the chairswith her(E)The chairs were the family’smost valuable possession23.Grandmother’s attitude toward thebandits can best be described as(A)nonchalant(B)indulgent(C)inquisitive(D)considerate(E)intolerant24.At the beginning of the passage,Daniel’s attitude is one of deep(A)ignorance(B)uneasiness(C)pride(D)sorrow(E)disgust25.At the end of the passage, Daniel’sattitude is one of(A)dependence(B)fear(C)expectation(D)renouncement(E)faith26.The effect of the sun on the waitingboys was to(A)give them courage(B)make them optimistic(C)make them livelier but morefrightened of their task(D)drain their energy(E)confuse them and make thembelieve that Raymond wassignaling27.The author mentions that “the flutterof a coat sleeve betrayed one of them”(lines 6-7) to show that Daniel’s boys were(A)inexperienced(B)dishonest(C)patriotic(D)angry(E)hurried 28.For which of the following reasonsdoes Daniel find that “This waiting was not the same as the times he had crouched behind a rock eager for Raymond’s signal ”(lines 2-4)I.They were attacking soldiersinstead of a caravanII.Daniel’s band was not tight-knit and cunningIII.Raymond had expressed fear for the first time(A)I only(B)II only(C)I and II only(D)II and III only(E)I, II and III29.The fact that Daniel knew that everyboy in the band was prepared to give his life made him realize that he(A)was reluctant to give his own life(B)was an unpopular leader(C)carried a great responsibilitybecause he was their leader(D)lacked sympathy for the land(E)felt that attacking the soldierswas cruel30.Which of the following bestdescribes the mood created by the author in the passage?(A)intense activity(B)anxious suspense(C)grief(D)optimism(E)boredom31.Which of the following would be themost appropriate title for the passage?(A)Equipment Needed for ObtainingFirewood for Personal Use(B)Why Wood Fuel is a BetterBargain(C)Some Costs and Compensationsof Heating with Wood(D)The problems of Operating aWood Stove(E)How to Achieve EnergyIndependence32.The passage mentions all of thefollowing items associated with firewood EXCEPT(A)a truck(B)storage space(C)gasoline(D)a chain saw(E)an ax33.By describing wood as “renewableenergy source”(lines 12-13), the author means that(A)it is easy to cut and haul morewood whenever it is needed(B)the physical exercise of gettingfirewood renews one’s energy(C)the fire in a wood stove can berenewed as desired(D)new trees can be grown toreplace those used for firewood(E)energy independence is arenewing experience34.With which of the followingstatements would the author be most likely to agree?(A)Woodturning does not pollute theair as much as other means ofheating(B)One should only heat with woodif it can be obtained at no cost.(C)Electric heat is the most efficientkind of heat for the most homes(D)Wood heating costs more thanmany people realize(E)The trouble and expense ofgetting wood make it animpractical fuel35.The passage lists all of the followingreasons why many people use firewood EXCEPT the(A)unavailability of other fuels(B)pleasure of watching the fire(C)value of the exercised involvedin getting(D)attractiveness of wood stoves(E)satisfaction of energyindependence36.the author’s tone in this passage canbest be described as(A)disillusioned(B)explanatory(C)nostalgic(D)flippant(E)cautious37.The main ideal of the passage is that(A)men were violently opposed tothe nineteenth-century feminists(B)women formed some of theearliest antislavery societies(C)the abolitionist movement brokeup into two separate movements(D)the desire of women to fightslavery led to thenineteenth-century feministmovement(E)the nineteenth-century feministscooperated with men to opposeslavery38.The style of the passage is most likethat found in a(A)history next(B)novel(C)short story(D)biography(E)diary39.As used in the passage, the word“crusade” (line 1) most nearly means(A)ceremony(B)career(C)convention(D)caucus(E)campaign40.According to the passage, which ofthe following took place in 1839?(A)Lucretia Mott was not allowed tospeak in public.(B)A mob burned the hall in whichthe women abolitionists were meeting(C)The men’s antislavery societysplit into two groups. (D)Women formed their ownantislavery(E)Women refused to participate inthe men’s antislavery society.。
SSAT英语阅读材料famous people(part 1)
YESSAT阅读材料Famous People(PartⅠ)01. Howard Conklin BaskervilleHoward Conklin Baskerville (April 10, 1885 - April 19 1909) was an American teacher in the Presbyterian mission school in Tabriz, Iran. He is often referred to as the "American Lafayette in Iran". (J. Lorentz)In 1908, during the Constitutional Revolution of Iran, he decided to join the Constitutionalists and fight against the Qajar despot King Mohammad Ali Shah. He was shot while leading a group of student soldiers to break the Siege of Tabriz.The affection that many Iranians have for America perhaps may have roots in Tabriz, where this Nebraskan missionary was killed. Baskerville was a teacher in the American School, one of many such institutions created by the American missionaries who had worked in the city since the mid-19th century. He arrived in 1907 fresh out of Princeton Theological Seminary to teach at the American Memorial School in Tabriz, and was swept up in the revolutionary mood in Iran, fought a royalist blockade that was starving the city. On April 19, 1909, he led a contingent of 150 nationalist fighters into battle against the royalist forces. A single bullet tore through his heart, killing him instantly nine days after his 24th birthday.The same day the Arg of Tabriz was attacked and bombed by 4000 Russian troops. The Persians held out for four days. While the US consulate was in the line of fire, some Americans like Baskerville, took to arms, helping the people of Iran.Many Iranian nationalists still revere Baskerville as an exemplar of an America that they saw as a welcome ally and a useful “third force” that might break the power of London and Moscow in Tehran.02. Georgia Totti O'KeeffeGeorgia Totti O'Keeffe (November 15, 1887—March 6, 1986) was anAmerican artist. She is typically associated with the American Southwestand particularly New Mexico where she settled late in life. O'Keeffe hasbeen a major figure in American art since the 1920s. She is chiefly knownfor paintings in which she synthesizes abstraction and representation inpaintings of flowers, rocks, shells, animal bones and landscapes. Her paintings present crisply contoured forms that are replete with subtle tonal transitions of varying colors, and she often transformed her subject matter into powerful abstract images.03.Just before 12:30 p.m. CST, Kennedy’s limousine entered Dealey Plaza and slowly approached the Texas School Book Depository head-on, and then turned left 120-degrees directly in front of the Depository, 65 feet (20 m) away.When the Presidential limousine passed the Depository and continued down Elm Street, shots were fired at Kennedy; the great majority of witnesses recalled hearing three shots. There was hardly any reaction in the crowd to the first shot, many later saying they thought they had heard a firecracker or the exhaust backfire of a vehicle. President Kennedy and Texas Governor John Connally, sitting with his wife in front of the Kennedys in the limousine, both turned abruptly from looking to their left to looking to their right. Connally immediately recognized the sound of a high powered rifle. "Oh, no, no, no," he said as he turned further right, and then started to turn left, attempting to see President Kennedy behind him.According to the Warren Commission and the House Select Committee on Assassinations, as President Kennedy waved to the crowds on his right, a shot entered his upper back, penetrated his neck, and exited his throat. He raised his clenched fists up to his neck and leaned forward and to his left, as Mrs. Kennedy put her arms around him in concern. Governor Connally also reacted, as the same bullet penetrated his back, chest, right wrist, and left thigh. He yelled, "My God, they are going to kill us all." The final shot took place when the Presidential limousine was passing in front of the John Neely Bryan north pergola concrete structure. As the shot was heard, a fist-size hole exploded out from the right side of President Kennedy's head, covering the interior of the car and a nearby motorcycle officer with blood and brain tissue.Secret Service agent Clint Hill was riding on the left front running board of the car immediately behind the Presidential limousine. Sometime after the shot that hit the President in the back, Hill jumped off and ran to overtake the limousine. After the shot that hit the President in the head, Mrs. Kennedy climbed onto the rear of the limousine, though she later had no recollection of doing so. Hill believed she was reaching for something, perhaps a piece of the President's skull. He jumped onto the back of the limousine, pushed Mrs. Kennedy back into her seat, and clung to the car as it exited Dealey Plaza and sped to Parkland Memorial Hospital.‘Abbās was born in Herat (now in Afghanistan) from a Georgian mother from Mazandaran Province, in Northern Iran. The Safavid empire had substantially weakened during the reign of his semiblind father, allowing usurpations and the inner feuds of the Kizilbash amīrs, leaders of the Turcoman tribes constituting the backbone of the Safavid army. Furthermore, Ottoman and Uzbek inroads were harassing the West and Eastern provinces, respectively. In the midst of such upheaval, he was proclaimed ruler of Khorāsān in 1581.In October 1588 he attained the Persian throne by revolting against his father Mohammad, whom he imprisoned. He accomplished the coup with the help of Morshed Gholi Ostajlou, whom he later killed in July, 1589. Determined to raise the fallen fortunes of his country, he signed a separate peace with the Ottomans (1589-90, including the cession of large areas of west and northwest Persia) and then directed his efforts against the predatory Uzbeks, who occupied and harassed Khorāsān. 'Abbās needed some ten years to launch a decisive offensive: this was caused by his decision to form a standing army. Cavalry was comprised of Christian Georgians, Armenians and desc endants of Circassian prisoners (ghulāms, "slaves"), instead of the mistrustful Kizilbash tribal cavalry levies of former times; Persian peasantry formed the infantry. Budgetary problems were resolved by restoring to the Shah's control the provinces formerly governed by the Kilibash chiefs, the revenues of which supplemented the royal treasury. The new Ghulāms were often appointed as governors of the provinces.After a long and severe struggle, 'Abbās regained Mashhad, and defeated the Uzbeks in a great battle near Herat in 1597, driving them beyond the Oxus River. In the meantime, taking advantage of tsar Ivan the Terrible's death in 1584, he had gained the homage of the provinces on the southern Caspian Sea, which had depended on Russia till then.He moved his capital from Qazvin to the more central and more Persian Isfahan in 1592. Embellished by a magnificent series of new mosques, baths, colleges, and caravansaries, Isfahan became one of the most beautiful cities in the world.Agee was born in Knoxville, Tennessee at Highland Avenue and 15th Street (renamed James Agee Street in 1999) to Hugh James Agee and Laura Whitman Tyler, and had distant French and English ancestry on his father's side. When Agee was six, his father died in an automobile accident, and from the age of seven he and his younger sister, Emma, were educated in boarding schools.The most influential of these was located near his mother's summer cottage two miles from Sewanee, Tennessee. Saint Andrews School for Mountain Boys was run by Episcopal monks affiliated with the Order of the Holy Cross), and it was there that Agee's lifelong friendship with an Episcopal priest, Father James Harold Flye, began in 1919. As Agee's close friend and spiritual confidant, Flye was the recipient of many of Agee's most revealing letters.Agee went to Knoxville High School for the 1924-1925 school year, then travelled with Father Flye to Europe in the summer, when Agee was sixteen. On their return, Agee moved to boarding school in New Hampshire, entering the class of 1928 at Phillips Exeter Academy. There he was president of The Lantern Club and editor of the Monthly where his first short stories, plays, poetry and articles were published. Despite barely passing many of his high school courses, Agee was admitted to Harvard University's class of 1932. He was editor-in-chief of the Harvard Advocate and delivered the class ode at his commencement.After graduation, he wrote for Fortune and Time magazines. (He is better known, however, for his later film criticism in The Nation.) He married Via Saunders on January 28, 1933; they divorced in 1938 and that same year he married Alma Mailman. In 1934, he published his only volume of poetry, Permit Me Voyage, with a foreword by Archibald MacLeish.In the summer of 1936, Agee spent eight weeks on assignment for Fortune with photographer Walker Evans living among sharecroppers in Alabama. While Fortune didn't publish his article (he left the magazine in 1939), Agee turned the material into a book entitled, Let Us Now Praise Famous Men (1941). It sold only 600 copies before being remaindered. That same year, Alma moved to Mexico with their year-old son, Joel, to live with Communist writer Bodo Uhse. Agee began living with Mia Fritsch in Greenwich Village, whom he married in 1946. They had two daughters, Teresa and Andrea, and a son, John, who was eight months old when Agee died.In 1942, Agee became the film critic for Time, while also writing occasional book reviews, and subsequently becoming the film critic for The Nation. In 1948, however, he quit both magazines to become a freelance writer. As a freelance in the 1950's, he continued to write magazine articles while working on movie scripts (often with photographer Helen Levitt).He was an ardent champion of Charlie Chaplin's then extremely unpopular film Monsieur Verdoux (1947), which has since become a film classic. He was also a great admirer of Laurence Olivier's Henry V and Hamlet, especially Henry V, for which he actually published three separate reviews, all of which have been printed in the collection Agee on Film.In 1951 in Santa Barbara, Agee suffered the first two in a series of heart attacks, which ultimately claimed his life four years later at the age of 45. He died on May 16, 1955 (while in a taxi cab en route to a doctor's appointment) -- coincidentally two days before the anniversary of his father's death. He was buried on a farm he owned at Hillsdale, NY.。
SSAT TEST 2 真题2 阅读 Section 3 Reading Comprehension S
SSAT TEST 2 Section 3 Reading Comprehension SkillsUFO enthusiasts often attempt to prove the existence of aliens. They show fuzzy photos of floating white cigars and point to oddities in the way the world works as proof that “we are not alone.” They also point to the mysterious Anasazi culture. The Anasazi, historians say, were an ancient Native American tribe located near the desert area we now call Area 51 that suddenly began experiencing a huge cultural revolution. Some people attribute such miraculous cultural growth to a decision to farm beans, but others prefer to give credit to assistance to friendly aliens.Now, alien fans can add some weight to their argument that aliens exist—from the writings of Washington Irving. Irving (1783-1859) wrote the first fiction works in the colonial America. Among other things, Irving wrote about the history of New York and mythological stories; he also wrote satires, a powerful tool given the fledgling nation's political turmoil. However, he is best known for his stories, like “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Tales of a Traveler.”Of Irving's ouvre, it is Irving’s “Rip Van Winkle” to which UFO fans should direct their attention, for the argument has been made that Van Winkle's twenty-year sleep is actually a ease of alien abduction. As odd as this sounds, the ease deserves some investigation.1. What is the function of paragraph two?(A) to hook the reader’s attention so that s/he will continue reading(B) to move the discussion from the introduction to the highlight of the article(C) to give a detailed argument that “Rip Van Winkle” describes a UFO abduction(D) to tell biographical information about Washington Irving(E) to tell the story of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”2. Which of the following events happened around the time of Irving’s lifetime?(A) the Civil War(B) the Vietnam War(C) World War I(D) the American Revolution(E) World War II3. Which of the following inferences can be made about the Anasazi?(A) The beans probably gave them additional energy and cultural stability.(B) They lived near New England.(C) They all disappeared mysteriously.(D) They sacrificed children to the aliens.(E) They migrated freely until the 1980s.4. According to the article, for which of his writings was Irving famous?(A) “Tale of a Tub”(B) "Old Mother Hubbard"(C) “The Headless Horseman”(D) "Rip Van Winkle"(E) “The Life of Washington”5. Which of the following best describes the author’s tone?(A) rude but informative(B) knowledgeable but playful(C) Conceited but angry(D) Skeptical but pious(E) Sarcastic but rigorous6. The author’s main purpose in writing this piece is______.(A) to embarrass Washington Irving’s successors(B) to get the reader interested in reading mythology(C) to bring to light a little-known theory about Irving’s work(D) to argue that aliens do not exist(E) to refute the argument that George Washington believed in alien life.In the 1980s, theaters presented a new animated film called Anastasia. It told the story of a young, poverty-stricken Russian girl who comes to find out that she is the long-lost Princess Anastasia, daughter of Czar Nicholas II. By the end of the movie, she ascends her throne as a benevolent ruler. But fans of that movie must face an unpleasant truth: Either the writers got it all wrong, or they intentionally ignored history. On July 17, 1918, Anastasia, along with the rest of her family, was murdered before she reached the age of 18; there were no survivors. And although the film correctly targets Rasputin as a disreputable villain, it nevertheless caricatures his character and his ambitions.It's time to set the record straight.Rasputin, born Grigory Yefimovisc Novykh, was born in Siberia in 1872. He came from poverty-stricken, illiterate people, and he soon earned for himself a bad reputation for his wild lifestyle; indeed, his nickname “Rasputin” means debauched. For a time, Rasputin studied ata monastery, but he came to believe that the only means of salvation came through indulging one’s appetites. He then became a wandering, self-proclaimed holy man, and he traveled extensively, even into Greece and Jerusalem. Upon his return to Russia, Rasputin traveled to St. Petersburg. There he met Czar Nicholas II and his family. Unbelievably, despite his salacious lifestyle and his distaste for bathing, Rasputin ingratiated himself with the Czarina. For whatever reason, Rasputin proved repeatedly that he could comfort the crown prince Alexis, who was afflicted with hemophilia.Naturally, his close relationship with the ruling family threw a sour taste into the mouths of-the Russian nobility. They eventually plotted against Rasputin with" the goal of engineering his death. On December 29, 1916, a nobleman invited Rasputin to his home for drinks and conversation. There, he poisoned Rasputin^ drink and waited for himto die. Rasputin proved stronger than anticipated, and so the noble and his friends tried to shoot him instead. Again, Rasputin clung to life. Finally, the nobles had to drag him down to the river and drown him.Rasputin had his drawbacks. He was selfish. He was corrupt. He was politically ambitious. However, he does not deserve to be represented as he is in Anastasia.7. The author’s intent in writing this passage is______.(A) to further confound the information people have about Anastasia and her family(B) to desecrate Rasputin’s reputation(C) to praise the film Anastasia for its historical accuracy(D) to restore a little dignity to a powerful historical figure(E) to talk about Czar Nicholas II and his family8. When were Anastasia and her family murdered?(A) 1872(B) 1890(C) 1916(D) 1918(E) 19299. What did Rasputin consider himself?(A) a politician(B) a holy man(C) a czar(D) a noble(E) a spy10. Who, according to the article, had hemophilia?(A) Anastasia(B) the czar(C) the czarina(D) The crown prince(E) Rasputin11. The author writes this passage with(A) humility(B) fear(C) anxiety(D) serenity(E) outrageTurning and turning in the widening gyreThe falcon cannot hear the falconer;Things fall apart; the center cannot hold;Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhereThe ceremony of innocence is drowned;The best lack all conviction, while the worstAre full of passionate intensity ...—William Butler Yeats (1920)12. Which of the following events take place in this poem?(A) The volcanoes are beginning to explode.(B) The falcon cannot hear the falconer.(C) The animals cannot find their way home.(D) The people cannot see the sun.(E) The tidal wave dashes the shore to pieces.13. What is let loose upon the world?(A) the blood-dimmed tide(B) the widening gyre(C) the falconer(D) the ceremony of innocence(E) mere anarchy14. What cannot hold?(A) the moon(B) the tide(C) the center(D) the world(E) the worst15. This poem tries to express the______.(A) fine skill of falconry(B) understandable injustice of death(C) great joy about life(D) deep pessimism about the world(E) appreciation for anarchy as a political system16. Why do you think that the author uses words like “blood-dimmed,” “anarchy,” and“drowned innocence”?(A) to give a happy tone to the poem(B) to give a sad tone to the poem(C) to give a menacing tone to the poem(D) to give a light-hearted tone to the poem(E) to give a proud tone to the poemScattered across the United States are countless statues of men on horseback. You can find them in cemeteries, in parks, and outside public service buildings. Normally, these statues depict men in uniform sitting astride horses. The main difference among these statues are the position the horses hold; they rear back on their hind legs with both hooves in the air, or hold one hoof aloft, or plant all four hooves firmly on the ground.Legend has it that you can look at statues of men on horseback, anywhere in the United States, and know how they died. If the rider sits atop a horse with one hoof held up, then that person was wounded in battle and later died of his wounds. If the horse rears back on both hind legs, then that person died in battle. And if the horse stands on all four hooves, the rider died of natural causes.Unfortunately, this story is a load of horse manure. It’s pr etty to think that all sculptors adhered to this rule, but they did not. A simple scan across the horse-and-rider statues will prove this point. In fact, the lore generally is true only for Civil War battlefields.17. You are in a graveyard located in Los Alamos, New Mexico. You see many statues of menon horseback. One in particular catches your attention; it is made of bronze, and the man sits astride a horse reared back on both hind legs. You infer that______.(A) this man died in battle(B) this man was wounded in battle and later died(C) this man died of natural causes(D) this man was a public servant(E) this man liked horses18. In what sort of publication would you likely find this article?(A) a science text(B) an almanac(C) a book of trivia(D) a history book(E) a comic book19. The best title for this passage would be______.(A) Urban Legends Explained(B) Ripley’s Believe It or Not(C) Secrets of Civil War Battlegrounds(D) The Story of the Civil War(E) The Art of Making Statues20. The author’s tone can be described as______.(A) heavyhanded(B) mathematical(C) dour(D) lighthearted(E) loquaciousIt has been said that “History is written by the winners,” and to a certain extent this statement is true. If nothing else, history has a very selective memory. As we study the events of World War II, stories continue to surface. Some of these are happy; others are sad. Still others are merely intriguing.One such story is that of Vasili Zeitsev, who fought for the Russian army against the invading Germans. Zeitsev, a deer hunter from the Urals, became a hero for his marksmanship; in one ten-day period, he shot 40 Germans. He was so good a shot, and so demoralizing for German soldiers, that the Germans shipped in their own sharpshooter, Colonel Heinz Thornwald, for the express purpose of killing Zeitsev. Unfortunately for Thornwald, Zeitsev proved the better soldier. Thornwald, after attempting a shot, stuck up his head for a quick look around; Zeitsev took the advantage and eliminated Thornwald. By the end of the war, Zeitsev alone defeated 242 Germans before he was blinded by a land mine.Anyone interested in Zeitsev’s story can watch the recent film Enemy at the Gates, starring Joseph Fiennes, Jude Law, and Ed Harris. Even though some details have been changed, for example the inclusion of a love triangle, the movie is quite exciting and informative.21. How many Germans did Zeitsev kill?(A) 142(B) 242(C) 342(D) 442(E) 54222. What does the phrase “History is written by the winners” mean?(A) The losers, because of their suffering, arc more interesting to listen to.(B) The soldiers, because of their sacrifice, are ignored.(C) The winners, because they are now more powerful, can control information flow.(D) The generals, because of their military skill, can remain silent.(E) The artists, because of their skill, will listen to the soldiers.23. What ended Zeitsev’s career?(A) He stepped on a land mine and blew himself up.(B) He went deaf after standing too near a tank when it fired its shot.(C) He drowned in the attack on Normandy.(D) He was blinded by a land mine.(E) He was paralyzed when the cavalry stampeded his tent.24. Zeitsev was ______.(A) American(B) French(C) German(D) neutral(E) Russian25. The author intended_______.(A) to anger the reader(B) to relate an interesting historical tidbit(C) to plug the movie Enemy at the Gates(D) to praise the Germans(E) to document the story of Heinz Thornwald26. What can we infer from Thornwald’s defeat?(A) If Thornwald had aimed to the left, Zeitsev would be dead.(B) If Zeitsev had been more careful about checking his shot, Thornwald would be alive.(C) If Thornwald had not eaten 15 minutes before making his shot, Zeitsev would be alive.(D) If Thornwald had not joined the German army, Zeitsev would not have joined theRussian army.(E) If Thornwald had been more careful about checking to see whether he hit, Zeitsev mightnot have gotten a shot.27. Because of his great aim, which of the following jobs was Zeitsev assigned?(A) sniper(B) radio man(C) gunner(D) pilot(E) cookAnyone who has lived in the United States for any length of time has seen, or heard of, graffiti. Graffiti is the scrawled artwork that defaces public buildings, street signs, and roadways. The subjects depicted by graffiti artists range widely; sometimes the graffiti is just gang names and logos, other times it is the artist’s name. Sometimes the graffiti is vaguely attractive, but more often than not, it is just a mass of obscene words.Linguists will tell you that the term graffiti comes from the Italian word graffito, which means to scratch. Artists will tell you that the art form (They call it an art form!) dates back to the dawn of humanity; even the cave men used graffiti on their cave walls, and don’t forget the caricature of Jesus on the Domus Gelotiana in Rome, now on display in a museum.These modern, politically correct yahoos would have you believe the garbage we sec scrawled on sidewalks and mailboxes every day is somehow contributing to our quality of life. By ridding ourselves of these “urban artworks,” they say, w e are discriminating against those whose artistic ideals are different from ours.Well, I say, our ideals arc different—and theirs arc wrong. Art does not deface property. Art is not vulgar. Art is not commercialism for gangland activities. And I urge you to join my opinion.28. From what language does the word graffiti come?(A) English(B) Russian(C) Italian(D) Latin(E) Hebrew29. In what context arc you likely to find this kind of writing?(A) the headlines(B) the opinions/editorial page(C) the gossip columns(D) the sports page(E) the real estate section30. 'Which position does the author likely endorse?(A) The city should set aside funding for grants to graffiti artists so they can continue theirwork.(B) The Museum of Modern Art should consider having a showcase for graffiti art.(C) Young children should be allowed to express their artistic impulses on sidewalks andschool buildings.(D) Urban artists should create their own wrapping paper design.(E) Graffiti artists should receive jail sentences.31. In what place docs this author likely live?(A) a rural town in Mississippi(B) a village in eastern Kentucky(C) N ew York City(D) the seaside in Florida(E) a resort in Alaska32. With what emotion does the author write?(A) satisfaction(B) joy(C) fear(D) exasperation(E) sorrowStudents study the theory of communism in school. They know that it was created and popularized by Marx and Engels. They know that it advocates putting the state's needs above the individual’s needs. They know many of the Russian leaders—like Stalin, Khrushchev, and Gorbachev.What they may not realize is that, in the late 1890s, many great European and American thinkers adamantly advocated communism. This was a time during which one could sec class division taking place. At that time, people generally fit into one of two categories; either they were rich, or striving to be rich, or they were dirt poor. The poor desired to be rich, and the rich had no desire to come into any contact with the poor. Communism offered a way out for the poor at the expense of the wealthy; classlessness offered a hopeful future for many.Take, for example, British author H. G. Wells. Wells, one of the first science fiction writers, wrote The Time Machine with the tenets of communism firmly in mind. The Time Machine warns about what will happen if society continues to split into two factions—the rich and the poverty-stricken. The book shows the poverty-stricken class finally rising up and taking revenge upon the rich. By contrast, Wells argues, communism, with its classless society, offers a much more hopeful future.Another writer who favored communism was American author John Steinbeck. In his The Grapes of Wraths for example, he sets up a story in which poverty-stricken folk are offered a dream—the American Dream—that will never come true for them. Steinbeck holds capitalism accountable for the poverty and despair that exists in the world. He does this by depicting the horrible events that befall the Joad family on their way to find work in California. Bankers take over their farm.Their car breaks down, and salesmen try to gyp them out of their cash. The Joads can’t find work in California because there is always someone willing to work at a lower wage. All of these traumas, Steinbeck insinuates, will come true under capitalism. Steinbeck offers only one harmonious event for the Joads: a camp that runs on the principlesof communism.33. According to the passage, what text did John Steinbeck write?(A) Marx and Engels(B) The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn(C) The Time Machine(D) Communism: The Way to Go(E) The Grapes of Wrath34. Which statement outlines the organization of these four paragraphs?(A) An introduction and an example with two opposite claims.(B) A conclusion, two supporting paragraphs, and an introduction.(C) An introduction, a claim, and two supporting paragraph-long examples.(D) Two claims with a supporting example.(E) An introduction, two supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion.35. We can infer from the passage that the author_______.(A) is neutral(B) is a communist(C) is a capitalist(D) is a novelist(E) is poor36. The author sets out to______.(A) argue that communism is an evil theory(B) give an explanation as to why people once took a great interest in communism(C) advocate a return to communism(D) recommend some good books to read(E) eradicate capitalism from the worldIf you are a fan of such shows as Days of Our Lives or Passions, you are enjoying a dramatic tradition over a thousand years old. Any fan of a soap opera knows that certain trademark characters will be a part of the show, whether or not you want them to be. Every soap opera has a naive, innocent character (usually female) who runs into trouble with an evil, conniving, manipulative character (also usually female) who has set her sights on the innocent character’s boyfriend. Every soap opera, additionally, has an earnest young man who, because he is in love with the naive, innocent character, finds himself in conflict with a calculating, boastful man. These recurring character types are modern versions of archetypes created by commedia dell’arte.Commedia dell'arte evolved from the standards set by Roman comedies that became particularly popular during the Renaissance. Roman comedy had become highly formalized, and it used six main types of characters around whom the story unfolded. These characters included the Sweet Young Thing (a naive, innocent, young female character), the Miles Gloriosus (the superficially bold but secretly cowardly soldier), the Old Man (who takes a highly inappropriate interest in the Sweet Young Thing), the Old Woman (usually a nurseor chaperone of the Sweet Young Thing), the Brave Young Man (who eventually weds the Sweet Young Thing), and the Clever Slave (who comically but cleverly aids the Brave Young Man and the Sweet Young Thing in their attempts to escape the evil clutches of the Old Man).Commedia dell'arte adopted these main characters, in particular the Clever Slave (often called the zanni) and the Brave Young Man and the Sweet Young Thing (also called The Lovers or Harlequin and Columbine) and expanded their number. Eventually, a typical commedia dell’arte company consisted of 10 or 12 actors, each specializing in one or two character types, who ad-libbed performances. Over time, people grew tired of these stereotypical characters, and drama turned to more realistic depictions of human traumas. Nevertheless, remnants of commedia d ell’arte exist--such as those in modem soap operas, as we shall see as we analyze some modern day examples.37. The author wants to make the point that(A) soap operas are a complete waste of time(B) commedia dell'arte is a modem art form(C) Days of our Lives is the best soap opera on TV(D) old things can sometimes be recreated in new ways(E) commedia dell’arte was a highly scripted art form38. The character in commedia dell'arte who is a secret coward is the______.(A) Sweet Young Thing(B) Miles Gloriosus(C) Clever Slave(D) Old Man(E) Brave Young Man39. What is the purpose of paragraph one?(A) to tell about the commedia dell’arte(B) to discuss the latest plot developments of Days of Our Lives(C) to talk about specific commedia dell’arte characters(D) to engage the reader’s attention(E) to waste the reader’s time40. What is the name of the pair of lovers in commedia dell'arte?(A) Romeo and Juliet(B) Abbot and Costello(C) Punch and Judy(D) Betty and Veronica(E) Harlequin and Columbine。
SSAT阅读真题及答案解析免费下载
SSAT阅读真题及答案解析免费下载1、When you want to hang the American flag over the middle of a street, suspend it vertically with the blue field, called the union, to the north and east-west street. When the flag is displayed with another banner from crossed staffs, the American flag is on the right. Place the staff of the American flag in front of the other staff. Raise the flag quickly and lower it slowly and respectfully. When flying the flag at half-mast, hoist it to the top of the pole for a moment before lowering it to mid-pole. When flying the American flag with banners from states or cities, raise the nation's banner first and lower it last. Never allow the flag to touch the ground.What is the main idea of this passage?A. The American flag is the symbol of American freedom.B. The American flag has fifty stars.C. Placing the American flag inappropriately will draw government intervention.D. American flag should be flown differently in certain situations.","The flag should be lowered quickly and respectfully.2、. What if someone told you about a kind of grass that grows as tall as the tallest trees? A grass that can be made as strong as steel? A grass from which houses, furniture, boats, and hundreds of other useful things can be made? A grass that you would even enjoy eating? Would you believe that person? You should, for that grass is bamboo, the “wood” of 1,001 uses.Bamboo may look like wood, but it is part of the family of plants that includes wheat, oats, and barley. It is a kind of grass. This grass is not just a material for making useful products. Young bamboo is eaten, often mixed with other vegetables, in many Asian foods.Bamboo grows in many parts of the world. In the United States it grows in an area from Virginia west to Indiana and south to Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. Most bamboo, however, is found in warm, wet climates, especially in Asia and on the islandsof the South Pacific Ocean.In most Asian countries, bamboo is nearly as important as rice. Many Asians live in bamboo houses. They sit on bamboo chairs and sleep on bamboo mats. They fence their land with bamboo and use the wood for cages for chickens and pigs.Bamboo is used to build large buildings as well as homes. When it is glued in layers, it becomes as strong as steel. On some islands in the South Pacific, bamboo is even used for water pipes. This extraordinary material has many other uses. It is used to make musical instruments, such as flutes and recorders. Paper made from bamboo has been highly prized by artists for thousands of years.Bamboo is light and strong, and it bends without breaking. It is cheap, floats on water, almost never wears out, and is easy to grow. Nothing else on earth grows quite so fast as bamboo. At times you can even see it grow! Botanists have recorded growths of more than three feet in just twenty-four hours! Bamboo is hollow and has a strong root system that almost never stops growing and spreading. In fact, only after it flowers, an event that may happen only once every thirty years, will bamboo die.There are more than a thousand kinds of bamboo. The smallest is only three inches tall and one-tenth of an inch across. The largest reaches more than two hundred feet in height and seven inches in diameter. No wonder, then, that the lives of nearly half the people on earth would change enormously if there were no longer any bamboo. No wonder, too, that to many people bamboo is a symbol of happiness and good fortune.。