Reading comprehension

Reading Comprehension
Time limit: 60 minutes
Directions: In this section of the test, you will read FOUR different passages, each followed by 9-11 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.
You have 60 minutes to answer all the questions, including the time to transfer your answers to the answer sheet.
Example
(line)
5
8
Read the following passage:
Like mammals, birds claim their own territories. A bird’s territory may be small or large. Some birds claim only their nest and the area right around it, while others claim far larger territories that include their feeding areas. Gulls, penguins, and other waterfowl nest in huge colonies, but even in the biggest colonies, each male and his mate have small territories of their own immediately around their nests.
Male birds defend their territory chiefly against other males of the same species. In some cases, a warning call or threatening pose may be all the defense needed, but in other cases, intruders may refuse to leave peacefully.
0.	What is the main topic of this passage?
	(A) Birds that live in colonies
	(B) Birds’ mating habits
	(C) The behavior of birds
	(D) Territoriality in birds
The passage mainly concerns the territories of birds, so the correct answer is option (D) Territoriality in birds. 
Questions 1-11
(line)
5
10
15
To date, Canada has produced only one classic children’s tale to rank with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and the works of Mark Twain; this was Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables. Lucy Maud Montgomery was born in Clinton, Prince Edward Island. Her mother died soon after her birth, and when her father went to Saskatchewan to assume a business position, she moved in with her grandparents in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island. There she went to school, and later qualified to be a teacher.
Montgomery wrote the Anne books while living in Cavendish and helping her grandmother at the post office. The first of the books, Anne of Green Gables, was published in 1908, and in the next three years she wrote two sequels. Like Montgomery, the heroine of the book is taken in by an elderly couple who live in the fictional town of Avonlea, and Montgomery incorporated many events from her life in Cavendish into the Anne books.
In 1911, Montgomery married Ewan MacDonald, and the couple soon moved to Ontario, where she wrote many other books. However, it was her first efforts that secured her prominence, and the Anne books are still all around the world. Her novels have helped create a warm picture of Prince Edward Island’s special character. Several movies, a television series, and today visitors scour the island for locations described in the book.
1. 	The main purpose of this passage is to
	(A) introduce Montgomery and her Anne books.
	(B) contrast Canadian children’s literature with that of other countries.
	(C) provide a brief introduction to Prince Edward Island.
	(D) show the similarities between Montgomery’s life and that of her fictional character Anne.
2.	The word “this” in line 2 refers to
	(A) Canada
	(B) the work of Mark Twain
	(C) Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
	(D) a Canadian children’s classic
3.	According to the passage, Montgomery was raised primarily
	(A) in an orphanage
	(B) by her grandparents
	(C) by her mother
	(D) by her father
4.	Approximately when did Lucy Maud Montgomery write the two sequels to her book Anne of Green Gables?
	(A) From 1874 to 1908
	(B) From 1908 to 1911
	(C) From 1911 to 1913
	(D) From 1913 to 1918
5.	The word “elderly” in line 9 is closest in meaning to
	(A) kindly
	(B) old
	(C) friendly
	(D) sly
6.	In the Anne books, the main character lives in
	(A) the town of Cavendish
	(B) Saskatchewan
	(C) the town of Avonlea
	(D) Ontario
7.	Which of the following can be concluded from the passage about the Anne books?
	(A) They were at least partially autobiographical.
	(B) They were influenced by the works of Mark Twain.
	(C) They were not as successful as Montgomery’s later work.
	(D) They were not popular until after Montgomery had died.
8.	The word “prominence” in line 13 is closest in meaning to
	(A) reputation
	(B) excellence
	(C) effort
	(D) permanence
9.	Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word “character” in line 15?
	(A) A person in a novel
	(B) Nature
	(C) A written symbol
	(D) Location
10. All of the following have been based on the Anne books EXCEPT?
	(A) a television series
	(B) movies
	(C) a play
	(D) a ballet
11.	In line 15, the word “scour” could be replaced by which of the following without changing the meaning of the sentence?
	(A) Cleanse
	(B) Admire
	(C) Search
	(D) Request
Questions 12-20
(line)
5
10
15
Sea otters dwell in the North Pacific. They are the largest of the mustelids, a group which also includes freshwater otters, weasels, and badgers. They are from four to five feet long, and most weigh from 60 to 85 pounds. Large males may weigh 100 pounds or more.
Unlike most marine mammals, such as seals or dolphins, sea otters lack a layer of blubber, and therefore have to eat up to 30% of their body weight a day in clams, crabs, fish, octopus, squids, and other delicacies to maintain body heat. Their voracious appetites do not create food shortages, though, because they are picky eaters, each animal preferring only a few good types. Thus no single type of food source is exhausted. Sea otters play an important environmental role by protecting forests of seaweed called kelp, which provide shelter and nutrients for many species. Certain sea otters feast on invertebrates like sea urchins and abalones that destroy kelp.
Sea otters eat and sleep while floating on their backs, often on masses of kelp. They seldom come on shore. Sea otters keep warm by means of their luxuriant double-layered fur, the densest among animals. The soft outer fur forms a protective cover that keeps the fine underfur dry. One square inch of underfur contains up to 1 million hairs. Unfortunately, this essential feature almost led to their extinction, as commercial fur hunters drastically reduced their numbers.
Under government protection, the sea otter population has recovered. While elated by the otters return, scientists are concerned about the California sea otter population growth of 5% a year, lagging behind the 18% a year rate among Alaska otters. Sea otters are extremely sensitive to pollution. In 1989 up to 5,000 sea otters perished when the Exxon Valdez spilled oil in Prince William Sound, Alaska.
12.	According to the passage, what are mustelids?
	(A) A family of marine mammals that have blubber
	(B) A type of sea otter
	(C) A group of mammals that contains sea otters
	(D) A kind of sea animal that includes clams, crabs, and many other creatures
13.	It can be inferred from the passage that, if a large male sea otter weighs 100 pounds, it must eat approximately how many pounds of food a day to maintain its body heat?
	(A) 5 pounds
	(B) 15 pounds
	(C) 30 pounds
	(D) 60 pounds
14.	The author refers to sea otters as “picky eaters” (line 7) because
	(A) all sea otters eat many types of food
	(B) each sea otter eats only one type of food
	(C) all sea otters have voracious appetites
	(D) each sea otter eats only a few kinds of food
15.	The word “exhausted” in line 8 is closest in meaning to
	(A) needed
	(B) used up
	(C) desired
	(D) tired out
16.	According to the passage, which of the following best describes sea otters’ relationship with kelp forests?
	(A) The kelp serves as food for the otters.
	(B) The otters protect the kelp by eating animals that destroy it.
	(C) The otters eliminate the kelp’s source of nutrients.
	(D) The kelp is destroyed when the otters build shelters.
17.	Which of the following could best replace the word “luxuriant” in line 12?
	(A) Expensive
	(B) Soft
	(C) Abundant
	(D) Attractive
18.	According to the passage, the outer fur of sea otters
	(A) keeps the underfur from getting wet
	(B) seems finer than the underfur
	(C) is more desirable to hunters than the underfur
	(D) is not as soft as the underfur
19.	The word “elated” in line 16 is closest in meaning to
	(A) disappointed
	(B) shocked
	(C) concerned
	(D) overjoyed
20.	According to the passage, why are scientists concerned about the population of California sea otters?
	(A) It has been growing at too fast a rate
	(B) Its growth rate has been steadily decreasing
	(C) Its growth rate is not as fast as that of the Alaska sea otters
	(D) It has been greatly reduced by oil spills and other forms of population
Questions 21-30
(line)
5
10
15
20
25
30
Decisions
In a theoretical model of decision making, a decision is defined as the process of selecting one option from among a group of options for implementation. A Decisions are formed by a decision maker, the one who actually chooses the final option, in conjunction with a decision unit, all of those in the organization around the decision maker who take part in the process. B In this theoretical model, the members of the decision unit react to unidentified problem, determining the objectives of the organization, formulating options, evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of each of the options, and reaching a conclusion. C Many different factors can have an effect on the decision, including the nature of the problem itself, external forces exerting an influence on the organization, the internal dynamics of the decision unit, and the personality of the decision maker. D
During recent years, decision making has been studied systematically by drawing from such diverse areas of study as psychology, sociology, business, government, history, mathematics, and statistics. Analyses of decisions often emphasize one of three principal conceptual perspectives (though often the approach that is actually employed is somewhat eclectic).
In the oldest of the three approaches, decisions are made by a rational actor, who makes a particular decision directly and purposefully in response to a specific threat from the external environment. It is assumed that this rational actor has clear objectives in mind, develops numerous reasonable options, considers the advantages and disadvantages of each option carefully, chooses the best option after careful analysis, and then proceeds to implement it fully. A variation of the rational actor model is a decision maker who is a satisfier, one who selects the first satisfactory option rather than continuing the decision-making process until the optimal decision has been reached.
A second perspective places an emphasis on the impact of routines on decisions within organizations. It demonstrates how organizational structures and routines such as standard operating procedures tend to limit the decision-making process in a variety of ways, perhaps by restricting the information available to the decision unit, by restricting the breadth of options among which the decision unit may choose, or by inhibiting the ability of the organization to implement the decision quickly and effectively once it has been taken. Pre-planned routines and standard operating procedures are essential to coordinate the efforts of large numbers of people in massive organizations. However, these same routines and procedures can also have an inhibiting effect on the ability of the organization to arrive at optimal decisions and implement them efficiently. In this sort of decision-making process, organizations tend to take not the optimal decision but the decision that best fits within the permitted operating parameters outlined by the organization.
35
40
A third conceptual perspective emphasizes the internal dynamics of the decision unit and the extent to which decisions are based on political forces within the organization. This perspective demonstrates how bargaining among individuals who have different interests and motives and varying levels of power in the decision unit leads to eventual compromise that is not the preferred choice of any of the members of the decision unit.
Each of these perspectives on the decision-making process demonstrates a different point of view on decision-making, a different lens through which the decision-making process can be observed. It is safe to say that decision making in most organizations shows marked influences from each perspective; i.e., an organization strives to get as close as possible to the rational model in its decisions, yet the internal routines and dynamics of the organization come into play in the decision.
21.	It can be inferred from the information in paragraph 1 that the theoretical decision-making process
	(A) involves only the decision maker
	(B) requires the contemplation of numerous options
	(C) is made without the decision unit
	(D) does not work in real situations
22.	The phrase ‘in conjunction with” in paragraph 1 could best be replaced by
	(A) along with
	(B) tied to
	(C) apart from
	(D) connected to
23.	All of the following are listed in paragraph 1 as having an effect on decisions EXCEPT
	(A) evaluation of the problem
	(B) focus on objectives
	(C) generation of options
	(D) open-ended discussions
24.	In which space (marked A, B, C, and D in the passage) will the following sentence fit?
	Additionally, when a decision must be made in a crisis situation, both stress and the speed at which events are progressing can have an effect, often a negative one, on the decision process.
A
B
C
D
25.	The word “eclectic” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to
	(A) bizarre
	(B) personal
	(C) mixed
	(D) organized
26.	It can be inferred from paragraph 3 that a rational actor would be least likely to
	(A) deal with a specific threat
	(B) work in a random fashion
	(C) ponder various options
	(D) consider disadvantages of options
27.	The word “it” in paragraph 3 refers to
	(A) each option
	(B) the best option
	(C) careful analysis
	(D) variation
28.	Why does the author mention a satisfier, one who selects the first satisfactory option rather than continuing the decision-making process until the optimal decision has been reached in paragraph 3?
	(A) A satisfier shows contrasting behavior to a rational actor.
	(B) A satisfier exhibits more common behavior than a rational actor.
	(C) A satisfier is the predecessor of a rational actor.
	(D) A satisfier shares some characteristics with a rational actor.
29.	The word “places” in paragraph 4 could best be replaced by
	(A) locates
	(B) puts
	(C) finds
	(D) sets
30. Which of the sentences below expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in paragraph 4? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
	(A) Set routines within organizations tend to constrain decisions.
	(B) The restriction of information limits the number of options in a decision.
	(C) Organizations need to set up strict procedures to maximize the effectiveness of decisions.
	(D) Procedures are needed to ensure that decisions are implemented quickly and effectively.
Questions 31-40
(line)
5
10
15
20
25
30
Ketchup
The sauce that is today called ketchup (or catsup) in Western cultures is a tomato-based sauce that is quite distinct from Eastern ancestors of this product. A sauce called ke-tiap was in use in China at least as early as the seventeenth century, but the Chinese version of the sauce was made of pickled fish, shellfish, and spices. The popularity of this Chinese sauce spread to Singapore and Malaysia, where it was called kechap. The Indonesian sauce ketjab derives its name from the same source as the Malaysian sauce but is made from very different ingredients. The Indonesian ketjab is made by cooking black soy beans, fermenting them, placing them in a salt brine for at least a week, cooking the resulting solution further, and sweetening it heavily; this process results in a dark, thick, and sweet variation of soy sauce.
Early in the eighteenth century, sailors from the British navy came across this exotic sauce on voyages to Malaysia and Singapore and brought samples of it back to England on return voyages. English chefs tried to recreate the sauce but were unable to do so exactly because key ingredients were unknown or unavailable in England; chefs ended up substituting ingredients such as mushrooms and walnuts in an attempt to recreate the special taste of the original Asian sauce. Variations of this sauce became quite the rage in eighteenth-century England, appearing in a number of recipe books and featured as an exotic addition to menus from the period.
The English version did not contain tomatoes, and it was not until the end of the eighteenth century that tomatoes became a main ingredient, in the ketchup of the newly created United States. It is quite notable that tomatoes were added to the sauce in that tomatoes had previously been considered quite dangerous to health. The tomato had been cultivated by the Aztecs, who had called it tomatl; however, early botanists had recognized that the tomato was a member of the Solanacaea family, which does include a number of poisonous plants. The leaves of the tomato plant are poisonous, though of course the fruit is not.
A Thomas Jefferson, who cultivated the tomato in his garden at Monticello and served dishes containing tomatoes at lavish feasts, often receives credit for changing the reputation of the tomato. B Soon after Jefferson had introduced the tomato to American society, recipes combining the newly fashionable tomato with the equally fashionable and exotic sauce known as ketchup began to appear. C By the middle of the nineteenth century, both the tomato and tomato ketchup were staples of the American kitchen. D
Tomato ketchup, popular though it was, was quite time-consuming to prepare. In 1876, the first mass-produced tomato ketchup, a product of German-American Henry Heinz, went on sale and achieved immediate success. From tomato ketchup, Heinz branched out into a number of other products, including various sauces, pickles, and relishes. By 1890, his company had expanded to include sixty-five different products but was in need of a marketing slogan. Heinz settled on the slogan “57 Varieties” because he liked the way that the digits 5 and 7 looked in print, in spite of the fact that this slogan understated the number of products that he had at the time.
35
31.	The word “ancestors” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to
	(A) predecessors
	(B) descendents
	(C) creators
	(D) ingredients
32.	It is NOT stated in paragraph 1 that
	(A) the Chinese sauce was in existence in the seventeenth century
	(B) the Malaysian sauce was similar to the Chinese sauce
	(C) the Chinese sauce was made from seafood and spices
	(D) the Indonesian sauce was similar to the Chinese sauce
33.	The word “it” in paragraph 1 refers to
	(A) a salt brine
	(B) a week
	(C) the resulting solution
	(D) this process
34.	The expression “came across” in paragraph 2 could best be replaced by
	(A) traversed
	(B) discovered
	(C) transported
	(D) described
35.	It can be inferred from paragraph 2 that mushrooms and walnuts were
	(A) difficult to find in England
	(B) not part of the original Asian recipe
	(C) not native to England
	(D) transported to England from Asia
36.	The word “rage” in paragraph 2 could best be replaced by
	(A) anger
	(B) distinction
	(C) misunderstanding
	(D) fashion
37.	The author mentions The English version at the beginning of paragraph 3 in order to
 	(A) indicate what will be discussed in the coming paragraph
	(B) explain why tomatoes were considered dangerous
	(C) make a reference to the topic of th