SAMPLE READING TEST 2

READING (60 minutes)

Directions: In this section of the test, you will read FOUR different passages, each followed by 10
questions about it. For questions 1-40, you are to choose the best answer A, B, C or D, to each question.
Then, on your answer sheet, find the number of the question and fill in the space that corresponds to the
letter of the answer you have chosen. Answer all questions following a passage on the basis of what is
stated or implied in that passage.
PART ONE

“Click!” That’s the sound of safety. That’s the sound of survival. That’s the sound of a seat belt
locking in place. Seat belts save lives and that’s a fact. That’s why I don’t drive anywhere until
mine is on tight. Choosing to wear your seat belt is a simple as choosing between life and death.
Which one do you choose?

Think about it. When you’re driving in a car, you may be going 60 mph or faster. That car is
zipping down the road. Then somebody ahead of you locks up his or her brakes. Your driver
doesn’t have time to stop the car that you are in crashes. Your car was going 60 miles per hour.
Now it has suddenly stopped. Your body, however, is still going 60 mph. What’s going to stop
your body? Will it be the windshield or your seat belt? Every time that you get into a car you
make that choice. I choose the seat belt.

Some people think that seat belts are uncool. They think that seat belts cramp their style, or that
seat belts are uncomfortable. To them I say, what’s more uncomfortable? Wearing a seat belt or
flying through a car windshield? What’s more uncool? Being safely anchored to a car, or
skidding across the road in your jean shorts? Wearing a seat belt is both cooler and more
comfortable than the alternatives.

Let’s just take a closer look at your choices. If you are not wearing your seat belt, you can hop
around the car and slide in and out of your seat easily. That sounds like a lot of fun. But, you are
also more likely to die or suffer serious injuries. If you are wearing a seat belt, you have to stay
in your seat. That’s no fun. But, you are much more likely to walk away unharmed from a car
accident. Hmmm…a small pleasure for a serious pain.

That’s a tough choice. I think that I’ll avoid the serious pain. How about giving money away? Do
you like to give your money away? Probably not. And when you don’t wear your seat belt, you
are begging to give your money away. That’s because kids are required to wear seat belts in
every state in America. If you’re riding in a car, and you don’t have a seat belt on, the police can
give you or your driver a ticket. Then you will have to give money to the city. I’d rather keep my
money, but you can spend yours how you want.
Wearing a seat belt does not make you invincible. You can still get hurt or killed while wearing
your seat belt. But wearing them has proven to be safer than driving without them. You are much
less likely to be killed in a car wreck if you are wearing a seat belt. YOU are much less likely to
get seriously injured if you are wearing one. So why not take the safer way? Why not go the way
that has been proven to result in fewer deaths? You do want to live, don’t you?

1. Which title best expresses the main idea of this text?

A. Car Accidents: Ways That We Can Prevent Them
B. Slow Down: Save Lives By Driving Slower
C. Seat Belts: Wear Them to Survive Any Wreck
D. Why Not? Improve Your Odds with Seat Belts

2. Which best expresses the author’s main purpose in writing this text?
A. To inform readers about seat belt laws
B. To persuade readers to wear seat belts
C. To entertain readers with stories and jokes about seat belts
D. To describe what car accidents are like without seat belts

3. Which best describes the text structure in the fourth paragraph?

A. Compare and contrast
B. Chronological order
C. Sequential order
D. Problem and solution

4. Which best defines the word “alternatives” as it is used in the third paragraph?
A. Being safe
B. Being unsafe
C. Other choices
D. Driving fast

5. Which best expresses the main idea of the fifth paragraph?

A. Seat belts are a waste of money.
B. People don’t like to give money away.
C. Not wearing a seat belt may cost you.
D. Seat belt laws save lives.

6. Which best defines the word “invincible” as it is used in the last paragraph?
A. Uncool
B. Difficult or impossible to see
 C. Glow-in-the-dark
D. Unable to be harmed

7. Which statement would the author most likely agree with?

A. Being safe is more important than being cool.
B. Moving freely around a car is worth the risks.
C. Seat belts will keep you safe in any car accident.
D. You should be most concerned with your comfort.

8. Which argument is NOT made by the author?

A. Not wearing a seat belt can be expensive.
B. Penalties for not wearing a seat belt should increase.
C. Seat belts keep you from flying through the windshield.
D. Wearing a seat belt is cooler than suffering an injury.

9. Which statement would the author most likely disagree with?

A. Seat belts save lives.
B. Every state in America has seat belt laws.
C. You shouldn’t drive anywhere until you are wearing your seat belt.
D. Seat belts increase your chances of being injured in a car wreck.

10. Which best explains why the author starts his essay with the word “click”?
A. He is trying to scare readers.
B. He is trying to get the reader’s attention.
C. He is trying to remind readers how seat belts sound when clasped.
D. He is trying to describe what it’s like to ride in a car.

PART TWO

Smart Energy

The next few decades will see great changes in the way energy is supplied and used. In some
major oil producing nations, 'peak oil' has already been reached, and there are increasing fears of
global warming. Consequently, many countries are focusing on the switch to a low carbon
economy. This transition will lead to major changes in the supply and use of
electricity. [A] Firstly, there will be an increase in overall demand, as consumers switch from oil
and gas to electricity to power their homes and vehicles. [B] Secondly, there will be an increase
in power generation, not only in terms of how much is generated, but also how it is generated, as
there is growing electricity generation from renewable sources. [C] To meet these challenges,
countries are investing in Smart Grid technology. [D] This system aims to provide the electricity
industry with a better understanding of power generation and demand, and to use this
information to create a more efficient power network.

Smart Grid technology basically involves the application of a computer system to the electricity
network. The computer system can be used to collect information about supply and demand and
improve engineer's ability to manage the system. With better information about electricity
demand, the network will be able to increase the amount of electricity delivered per unit
generated, leading to potential reductions in fuel needs and carbon emissions. Moreover, the
computer system will assist in reducing operational and maintenance costs.

Smart Grid technology offers benefits to the consumer too. They will be able to collect real-time
information on their energy use for each appliance. Varying tariffs throughout the day will give
customers the incentive to use appliances at times when supply greatly exceeds demand, leading
to great reductions in bills. For example, they may use their washing machines at night. Smart
meters can also be connected to the internet or telephone system, allowing customers to switch
appliances on or off remotely. Furthermore, if houses are fitted with the apparatus to generate
their own power, appliances can be set to run directly from the on-site power source, and any
excess can be sold to the grid.

With these changes comes a range of challenges. The first involves managing the supply and
demand. Sources of renewable energy, such as wind, wave and solar, are notoriously
unpredictable, and nuclear power, which is also set to increase as nations switch to alternative
energy sources, is inflexible. With oil and gas, it is relatively simple to increase the supply of
energy to match the increasing demand during peak times of the day or year. With alternative
sources, this is far more difficult, and may lead to blackouts or system collapse. Potential
solutions include investigating new and efficient ways to store energy and encouraging
consumers to use electricity at off-peak times.

A second problem is the fact that many renewable power generation sources are located
in remote areas, such as windy uplands and coastal regions, where there is currently a lack of
electrical infrastructure. New infrastructures therefore must be built. Thankfully, with improved
smart technology, this can be done more efficiently by reducing the reinforcement or
construction costs.

Although Smart Technology is still in its infancy, pilot schemes to promote and test it are
already underway. Consumers are currently testing the new smart meters which can be used in
their homes to manage electricity use. There are also a number of demonstrations being planned
to show how the smart technology could practically work, and trials are in place to test the new
electrical infrastructure. It is likely that technology will be added in 'layers', starting with 'quick
win' methods which will provide initial carbon savings, to be followed by more advanced
systems at a later date. Cities are prime candidates for investment into smart energy, due to the
high population density and high energy use. It is here where Smart Technology is likely to be
promoted first, utilising a range of sustainable power sources, transport solutions and an
infrastructure for charging electrically powered vehicles. The infrastructure is already changing
fast. By the year 2050, changes in the energy supply will have transformed our homes, our roads
and our behaviour.

11. According to paragraph 1, what has happened in some oil producing countries?
A. They are unwilling to sell their oil any more.
B. They are not producing as much oil as they used to.
C. The supply of oil is unpredictable.
D. Global warming is more sever here than in other countries.

12. Where in paragraph 1 can the following sentence be placed?

There is also likely more electricity generation centres, as households and communities
take up the opportunity to install photovoltaic cells and small scale wind turbines.

A. [A]
B. [B]
C. [C]
D. [D]

13. Which of the following is NOT a benefit of Smart Grid technology to consumers?
A. It can reduce their electricity bills.
B. It can tell them how much energy each appliance is using.
C. It can allow them to turn appliances on and off when they are not at home.
D. It can reduce the amount of energy needed to power appliances.
14. The word ‘they’ in paragraph 3 refers to __________.
A. customers
B. tariffs
C. supply
D. bills

15. According to paragraph 4, what is the problem with using renewable sources of power?
A. They do not provide much energy.
B. They often cause system failure and blackouts.
C. They do not supply a continuous flow of energy.
D. They can't be used at off-peak times.

16. In paragraph 6, what can be inferred about cities in the future?

A. More people will be living in cities in the future than nowadays.
 B. People in cities will be using cars and buses powered by electricity.
C. All buildings will generate their own electricity.
D. Smart Grid technology will only be available in cities.

17. The word 'remote' in paragraph 5 could be best replaced by ________.

A. isolated
B. crowded
C. attractive
D. alone

18. The word 'underway' in paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to _________.

A. permanent
B. complete
C. beneficial
D. in progress

19. What is the main idea of the final paragraph?

A. To describe who will benefit from Smart Grid technology first.
B. To outline the advantages of Smart Grid technology.
C. To summarise the main ideas in the previous paragraphs.
D. To describe how, where and when Smart Technology will be introduced.

20. In paragraph 6, what can be inferred about the introduction of Smart Grid Technology?
A. The technologies which produce most benefits will be introduced first.
B. The cheapest technologies will be introduced first.
C. The technologies which are most difficult to put into place will be introduced first.
D. Technologically advanced systems will be introduced first.

PART THREE
NORTH AMERICAN GRASSLANDS

In North America, native grasslands occur primarily in the Great Plains in the middle of the
continent. The North American prairie biome is one of the most extensive grasslands in the
world, extending from the edge of the Rocky Mountains in the west to the deciduous forest in the
east, and from northern Mexico in the south to Canada in the north. Average annual rainfall
ranges from about 40 cm (16 inches) in the west to 80 cm (31 inches) in the east. Average annual
temperatures range between 10 degrees and 20 degrees Celsius (50 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit). In
the moist regions of the North American grasslands, especially in the northern Great Plains,
rainfall is distinctly seasonal, and temperatures can vary widely from very hot in summer to
bitter cold in winter.

One hundred years ago, the Great Plains grasslands were one vast, unbroken prairie. Much of the
prairie is now farmland, the most productive agricultural region in the world, dominated by
monocultures of cereal grains. Wheat, barley, soybeans, corn, and sunflowers occupy the land
that was once prairie. In areas given over to grazing lands for cattle and sheep, virtually all the
major native grasses have been replaced by alien species.

An important feature of the northern Great Plains grasslands is the presence of millions of glacial
depressions that are now small ponds known as prairie potholes. They were formed during the
most recent Ice Age, when streams flowed in tunnels beneath glacially formed sandy ridges.
When the Ice Age ended around 12,000 years ago, the retreating glaciers created about 25
million depressions across a 300,000-square-mile landscape—about 83 potholes per square mile.
As the ice blocks melted, much of the water was left behind, forming wetlands ranging in size
from a tenth of an acre to several acres. The wetlands were soon surrounded by fluttering waves
of grasses: shortgrass, mixed grass, and tallgrass.

Today these small wetlands still cover the prairies, although much of the landscape-—
including both native grasses and potholes—has been transformed to cropland and
grassland for grazing. What does remain of the wetlands, however, still serves as an important
breeding area for more than 300 bird species, including large numbers of migrating shorebirds
and waterfowl. The potholes fill up with water during spring rains and usually dry out by late
summer. Every spring, birds arrive in great numbers—northern pintails, mallards, coots, and
pied-billed grebes—4 to 6 million strong, to mate in the seasonal wetlands that dot portions of
Minnesota, Iowa, North and South Dakota, Montana, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.
Prairie pothole country produces half of North America’s 35 to 40 million ducks and is reowned
worldwide as a “duck factory.”

Recently biologists have discovered that the prairie pothole region is potentially a vast carbon
sink; a natural sponge that absorbs carbon dioxide emissions from cars, factories, and power
plants. Carbon dioxide is the most common of all the pollutants acting as greenhouse gases that
heat up the atmosphere. Fortunately, however, carbon dioxide is captured naturally and stored in
trees, soil, and plants. Scientists have termed this “carbon sequestration.” They have determined
that prairie potholes hold an average of 2.5 tons of carbon per acre per year when not being
farmed. This means that if the entire pothole region in the United States and Canada were to stop
being farmed, the region would store about 400 million tons of carbon over 10 years—the
equivalent of taking almost 4 million cars off the road. Thus, preserving the potholes could be a
way to offset greenhouse gas emissions that are warming the planet.

21. All of the following statements are true of the northern Great Plains EXCEPT ________.
A. Summer temperatures are very hot, while winter temperatures are very cold.
B. An unbroken prairie now extends from the western mountains to the eastern forest.
C. The original vegetation consisted of shortgrass, mixed grass, and tallgrass.
D. A large number of small wetlands are found throughout the region.
22. What has taken place in the Great Plains grasslands during the last century?
A. The average annual rainfall has risen and fallen several times.
B. Large parts of the prairie have been converted to agricultural use.
C. Melting glaciers have formed numerous depressions in the soil.
D. Scientists have transformed the region into one large carbon sink.

23. The word alien in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ________.

A. healthy
B. simple
C. cheaper
D. imported

24. The prairie potholes owe their origins mainly to ________.

A. the variation in temperature throughout the year
B. the glaciers that melted at the end of the last Ice Age
C. the heavy rains that fall in the spring and summer
D. the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

25. Which sentence below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted
sentence in paragraph 4?
A. The wetlands completely cover the landscape, making it difficult to grow crops and
grass for grazing.
B. The native grasses that grew in the potholes have been replaced with crops that are
more beneficial.
C. Except for the potholes region, the entire prairie has been converted to cropland and
grazing land.
D. Even though a large portion of the prairies is used for crops and grazing, the small
ponds remain.

26. The word dot in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to ________.

A. cover
B. drain
C. warm
D. damage

27. Why does the author use the term “duck factory” in paragraph 4?
A. To point out that ducks are the region’s main product for export.
B. To emphasize the area’s value as a breeding ground for ducks.
C. To illustrate the tremendous growth of the poultry industry.
 D. To show that the potholes are important to the region’s economy.

28. What is the function of a carbon sink?

A. It regulates carbon emissions from human activities.
B. It measures the amount of carbon dioxide in the ecosystem.
C. It collects and drains seasonal rainwater from the soil.
D. It removes carbon dioxide naturally from the atmosphere.

29. The word “this” in paragraph 5 refers to _________.

A. the emission of carbon dioxide from cars, factories, and power plants
B. the action of carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas
C. the capture and storage of carbon dioxide in trees, soil, and plants
D. the average amount of carbon dioxide in one acre of land

30. What can be inferred from paragraph 5 about carbon sequestration in the prairie pothole
region?
A. It depends on the land not being disturbed by agriculture.
B. It creates a beneficial habitat for many species of birds.
C. It is a leading cause of the warming of the atmosphere.
D. It exceeds the amount of carbon captured anywhere else.

PART FOUR

POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

Monarchy is a form of government in which authority is held by a single person, a monarch,

whose right to rule is generally hereditary and lifelong. At the start of the twentieth century,
monarchs ruled over most of the world, but by the middle of the century, only a handful
remained. A series of revolutions in the preceding centuries had weakened the European
monarchies, and while monarchs remained symbols of national unity, real power had passed to
constitutional assemblies. Monarchy survived as a form in Europe only where the king or queen
functioned as the symbolic head of a parliamentary state, as in Britain, the Low Countries, and
Scandinavia. It lasted longer in the few small states of Asia and Africa that had never come
under direct colonial rule. By the 1960s, autocratic monarchy had become an outdated form of
government. Throughout most of the world, people were considered citizens, not subjects, and
the totality of the people were seen as constituting the state.

In most states where monarchical authority was removed, some form of liberal democracy took
its place. A liberal democracy is a state where political authority rests in the people acting
through elected representatives and where an elected executive is responsible to the will of the
people as a whole. The term applies to a broad group of states with a parliamentary or
representative political tradition. Liberal democracies differ from the communist states known as
people's democracies, in which the Communist party holds the ultimate authority. Generally,
liberal democracies follow the parliamentary pattern, with the executive power vested in a
cabinet responsible to the parliament and drawn from the majority party or combination of
parties. In the United States, an independently elected executive, the president, functions
separately from the legislative authority, the congress.

The doctrine that all of the people had effective authority, or sovereignty, became the basis for
the functioning of democratic states. This doctrine of popular sovereignty became all-inclusive
as citizenship rights were extended to classes formerly excluded and to women. The liberal
democratic state claimed the right to control every aspect of human life according to the will of
the people, except where limits on state control were directly stated in a bill of rights in a
democratic constitution and recognized in practice.

All democratic states, both parliamentary and presidential, changed in form during the twentieth
century. To meet the needs of an urban industrial society, states generally enlarged their scope of
activity to control economic power and to provide common services to the people. The
expansion of state activity and extension of state services involved a new view of legislation and
its role in society. The passing of laws came to be seen as a way to promote the well-being of the
people. With this new concept of legislation, the number of new laws increased immensely,
particularly in the areas of social welfare, education, health and safety, and economic
development.

The trend toward liberal democracy continued throughout the century, but at various times there
was also a tendency toward a revival of authoritarian rule. In a number of states, democratic
governments could not cope with the crises of the time. In these cases, some form of
totalitarian dictatorship emerged, replacing popular sovereignty with the total power of the
state. In some instances, monarchy gave way directly to dictatorship. In others, dictatorial
regimes took over democratically organized states, notably in Eastern Europe in the years
between the two world wars, in new states of Asia and Africa in the 1950s, and sporadically in
Central and South America.
Authoritarian governments showed three principle characteristics. First, there was a head of state
or leader with exceptional powers, with a party to support him. Second, the legislative body was
elected by a system that prohibited parties opposed to the regime, and third, there was a
bureaucratic administration that was in no way subject to popular control. The most extreme
position on these points was taken by Hitler's totalitarian National Socialist State in the 1930s.

31. What point does the author make about monarchs in the twentieth century?
A. Monarchs did not allow the people to vote in democratic elections.
B. Monarchs did not have real power but were symbols of national unity.
C. The monarch in most countries was a king rather than a queen.
D. Monarchs were responsible for starting many popular revolutions.

32. The word “survived” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ________.

A. remained
B. developed
C. changed
D. returned

33. The phrase “The term” in paragraph 2 refers to __________.

A. monarchical authority
B. liberal democracy
C. will of the people
D. communist

34. Why does the author mention people's democracies in paragraph 2?

A. To contrast two concepts of where political authority rests
B. To suggest that people's democracies originated in liberal democracies
C. To explain differences between one—party and two-party systems
D. To describe the parliamentary system of people's democracies

35. The word “pattern” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to _________.

A. choice
B. party
C. model
D. purpose

36. According to the passage, which of the following is a limit on state control in a liberal
democracy?
A. cabinet drawn from the majority party
B. The existence of only one political party
 C. An independently elected executive
D. A bill of rights stated in a constitution

37. According to the passage, what is one way in which every democratic state changed
during the twentieth century?

A. An authoritarian regime replaced the democratic institutions.

B. The executive's power became stronger than that of the parliament.
C. State-run bureaucracies came under the control of the majority party.
D. State activity expanded to promote the well-being of the people.

38. Which sentence below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted
sentence in paragraph 5?
A. Dictatorships were more popular in countries where the majority of people wanted the
state to have total power.
B. In a totalitarian dictatorship, the government replaced authoritarian rule with popular
sovereignty.
C. Totalitarian dictatorships took over some democracies with the idea that the state, not
the people, held all power.
D. Some dictatorships gave the state total authority to rule, while others maintained the
concept of popular sovereignty.

39. According to the passage, all of the following are characteristics of authoritarian
governments EXCEPT ________.
A. the absence of political parties opposed to the regime
B. the authority of the people through elected representatives
C. a leader with a great amount of power
D. an administration that does not answer to the people

40. It can be inferred from the passage that the author most likely believes which of the
following statements about political systems in the twentieth century?
A. There was a general movement away from monarchy toward democracy, with some
cases of authoritarian rule.
B. The ultimate purpose of many dictatorships was the development of effective
democracy.
C. Authoritarian governments are more likely to emerge in countries that had previously
been ruled by a monarch.
D. There are more similarities than differences between liberal democracies and people's
democracies.