READING PRACTICE TEST

NAME:……………………………
For questions 109-118, read the following passage and choose the answer A, B, C or D
that fits best according to the text. Write your answers in the corresponding numbered
boxes provided.
"Rising Sea Levels"
Perhaps the most pervasive climatic effect of global warming is rapid escalation of ice
melt. Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, portions of the South American Andes, and the
Himalayas will very likely lose most of their glacial ice within the next two decades,
affecting local water resources. Glacial ice continues its retreat in Alaska. NASA
scientists determined that Greenland's ice sheet is thinning by about 1 m per year. The
additional meltwater, especially from continental ice masses and glaciers, is adding to a
rise in sea level worldwide. Satellite remote sensing is monitoring global sea level, sea
ice, and continental ice. Worldwide measurements confirm that sea level rose during the
last century.

Surrounding the margins of Antarctica, and constituting about 11% of its surface area, are
numerous ice shelves, especially where sheltering inlets or bays exist. Covering many
thousands of square kilometers, these ice shelves extend over the sea while still attached
to continental ice. The loss of these ice shelves does not significantly raise sea level, for
they already displace seawater. The concern is for the possible surge of grounded
continental ice that the ice shelves hold back from the sea.

Although ice shelves constantly break up to produce icebergs, some large sections have
recently broken free. In 1998 an iceberg (150 km by 35 km) broke off the Ronne Ice
Shelf, southeast of the Antarctic Peninsula. In March 2000 an iceberg tagged B-15 broke
off the Ross Ice Shelf (some 900 longitude west of the Antarctic Peninsula), measuring
300 km by 40 km. Since 1993, six ice shelves have disintegrated in Antarctica. About
8000 km of ice shelf are gone, changing maps, freeing up islands to circumnavigation,
and creating thousands of icebergs. The Larsen Ice Shelf, along the east coast of the
Antarctic Peninsula, has been retreating slowly for years. Larsen-A suddenly
disintegrated in 1995. In only 35 days in early 2002, Larsen-B collapsed into icebergs.
This ice loss is likely a result of the 2.5°C temperature increase in the region in the last 50
years. In response to the increasing warmth, the Antarctic Peninsula is sporting new
vegetation growth, previously not seen there. (109)

A loss of polar ice mass, augmented by melting of alpine and mountain glaciers (which
experienced more than a 30% decrease in overall ice mass during the last century) will
affect sea-level rise. (112) The IPCC assessment states that "between one-third to one-
half of the existing mountain glacier mass could disappear over the next hundred years."
Also, "there is conclusive evidence for a worldwide recession of mountain glaciers ...

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This is among the clearest and best evidence for a change in energy balance at the Earth's
surface since the end of the 19th century."
[A.] Sea-level rise must be expressed as a range of values that are under constant
reassessment. [B.] The 2001 IPCC forecast for global mean sea-level rise this century,
given regional variations, is from 0.11-0.88 m. [C.] The median value of 0.48 m is two to
four times the rate of previous increase. These increases would continue beyond 2100
even if greenhouse gas concentrations are stabilized. [D.]

The Scripps Institute of Oceanography in La Jolla, California, has kept ocean temperature
records since 1916. Significant temperature increases are being recorded to depths of
more than 300 m as ocean temperature records are set. (114) Even the warming of the
ocean itself will contribute about 25% of sealevel rise, simply because of thermal
expansion of the water. In addition, any change in ocean temperature has a profound
effect on weather and, indirectly, on agriculture and soil moisture. In fact the ocean
system appears to have delayed some surface global warming during the past
century through absorption of excess atmospheric neat.

A quick survey of world coastlines shows that even a moderate rise could bring changes
of unparalleled proportions. At stake are the river deltas, lowland coastal farming valleys,
and low-lying mainland areas, all contending with high water, high tides, and higher
storm surges. (117) Particularly tragic social and economic consequences will affect
small island states - being able to adjust within their present country boundaries,
disruption of biological systems, loss of biodiversity, reduction in water resources, among
the impacts. There could be both internal and international migration of affected human
populations (những người bị ảnh hưởng) spread over decades, as people move away from
coastal flooding from the sea-level rise. (116)
109. There is more new plant life in Antarctica recently because ______.
A. the mountain glaciers have melted
B. the land masses have split into islands
C. the icebergs have broken into smaller pieces
D. the temperature has risen by a few degrees
110. It may be inferred from this passage that icebergs are formed ______.
A. by a drop in ocean temperatures B. when an ice shelf breaks free
C. from intensely cold islands D. if mountain glaciers
melt
ice shelves break up --> icebergs
large sections have recently broken free.
111. The word ‘there’ in paragraph 3 refers to ______.
A. polar ice mass in the last 50 years B. the temperature increase
C. new vegetation growth D. in the Antarctic Peninsula
112. The author explains the loss of polar and glacial ice by ______.
A. stating an educated opinion B. referring to data in a
study

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 C. comparing sea levels worldwide D. presenting his research
loss of ice 11augmented= melting of alpine + mountain glaciers
113. The word ‘conclusive’ in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to ______.
A. definite B. independent C. unique D. valuable
114. Why does the author mention the Scripps Institute of Oceanography?
A. The location near the coast endangers the Scripps facility.
B. Research at Scripps indicates that the ocean is getting warmer.
C. One quarter of the rising sea levels has been recorded at Scripps.
D. Records at Scripps have been kept for nearly one hundred years.
115. Which of the sentences below best expresses the information in the highlighted
statement in the passage? The other choices change the meaning or leave out important
information.
A. Global warming on the surface of the planet may have been retarded during the
last hundred years because heat in the atmosphere was absorbed by the oceans.
ocean delay surface warming = absorb heat
during the last/ past century: trong vòng 100 năm qua
B. Global warming on the surface of the ocean was greater than it was on the rest of
the
planet during the past century because of heat in the atmosphere.
C. Too much heat in the atmosphere has caused global warming on the surface of the
planet for the past hundred years in spite of the moderation caused by the
oceans.
D. There is less heat being absorbed by the oceans now than there was a hundred
years ago before the atmosphere began to experience global warming.
116. Why will people move away from the coastlines in the future?
A. It will be too warm for them to live there.
B. The coastlines will have too much vegetation.
C. Flooding will destroy the coastal areas.
D. No agricultural crops will be grown on the coasts.
117. Which of the following statements most accurately reflects the author's opinion
about rising sea levels?
A. Sea levels would rise without global warming.
B. Rising sea levels can be reversed.
C. The results of rising sea levels will be serious.
D. Sea levels are rising because of new glaciers.
118. Look at the four squares [.] that show where the following sentence could be
inserted in the passage.
During the last century, sea level rose 10-20 cm; a rate 10 times higher than the
average rate during the last 3000 years
Where could the sentence best be added?
A. [A.] B. [B.] C. [C.] D. [D.]