Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Test For English Majors-Grade Four Iv: Section B Note-Writing 【10 Min.】
Test For English Majors-Grade Four Iv: Section B Note-Writing 【10 Min.】
25. A. 150.
B. 800.
C. 650.
D. 950.
26. A. Since the war began.
B. More than a year.
C. Since the trip was cancelled.
D. Since the convoy was organized.
TEXT A
The history of mammals dates back at least to Triassic time. Development
was retarded, however, until the sudden acceleration of evolutional change
that occurred in the oldest Paleogene. This led in Eocene time to increase in
average size, larger mental capacity, and special adaptations for different
modes of life. In the Oligocene Epoch, there was further improvement, with
some appearance of some new lines and extinction of others. Miocene and
Pliocene time was marked by culmination of several groups and continued
approach toward modern characters.The peak of the career of mammals in
variety and average large size was attained in the Miocene.
The adaptation of mammals to almost all possible modes of life parallels
that of the reptiles in Mesozoic time, and except for greater intelligence, the
mammals do not seem to have done much better than corresponding reptilian
forms.The bat is doubtless a better flying animal than the pterosaur, but the
dolphin and whale are hardly more fishlike than the ichthyosaur. Many swift-
running mammals of the plains, like the horse and the antelope, must excel
any of the dinosaurs. The tyrannosaur was a more ponderous and powerful
carnivore than any flesh-eating mammal, but the lion or tiger is probably a
more efficient and dangerous beast of prey because of a superior brain. The
significant point to observe is that different branches of the mammals
gradually fitted themselves for all sorts of life, grazing on the plains and able
to run swiftly (horse, deer,bison), living in rivers and swamps (hippopotamus,
beaver), dwelling in trees (sloth, monkey), digging underground (mole,
rodent), feeding on flesh in the forest (tiger) and plain (wolf), swimming in the
sea (dolphin, whale, seal) and flying in the air (bat). Man is able by
mechanical means to conquer the physical world and to adopt himself to
almost any set of conditions.
This advaption produces gradual changes of form and structure. It is
biologically characteristic of the youthful, plastic stage of a group. Early in its
career, an animal assemblage seems to possess capacity for change, which,
as the unit becomes old and fixed, disappears. The generalized types of
organisms retain longest the ability to make adjustments when required, and
it is from them that new, fecund stocks take origin-certainly not from any
specialized end products. So, in the mammals, we witness the birth, plastic
spread in many directions, increasing specialization, and in some branches,
the extinction, which we have learned from observation of the geologic record
of life is a characteristic of the evolution of life.
TEXT B
Next to Sir Andrew in the club-room sits Captain Sentry, a gentleman of
great courage, good understanding, but invincible modesty. He is one of those
that deserve very well, but are very awkward at putting their talents within
the observation of such as should take notice of them. He was some years a
captain, and behaved himself with great gallantry in several engagements
and at several sieges; but having a small estate of his own, and being next
heir to Sir Roger, he has quitted a way of life in which no man can rise suitable
to his merit, who is not something of a courtier as well as a soldier. I have
heard him often lament that in a profession where merit is placed in so
conspicuous a view, impudence should get the better of modesty. When he
had talked to this purpose, I never heard him make a sour expression, but
frankly confess that he left the world because he was not fit for it. A strict
honesty, and an even regular behaviour,are in themselves obstacles to him
that must press through crowds, who endeavour at the same end with
himself, the favour of a commander. He will, however, in his way of talk
excuse generals for not disposing according to men's desert, or inquiring into
it; for, says he, that great man who has a mind to help me, has as many to
break through to come at me, as I have to come at him: therefore he will
conclude that the man who would make a figure, especially in a military way,
must get over all false modesty, and assist his patron against the importunity
of other pretenders, by a proper assurance in his own vindication. He says it is
a civil cowardice to be backward in asserting what you ought to expect, as it
is a military fear to be slow in attacking when it is your duty. With this candour
does the gentleman speak of himself and others. The same frankness runs
through all his conversation. The military part of his life has furnished him
with many adventures, in the relation of which he is very agreeable to the
company; for he is never overbearing, though accustomed to command men
in the utmost degree below him; nor ever too obsequious, from a habit of
obeying men highly above him.
71. Advancement in the army is often given to the person who
a. calls attention to himself
b. is obsequious
c. is a civil coward
d. is adventurous
72. Captain Sentry retired to the country because he was
a. bitter about his rank
b. a hermit
c. Sir Roger's heir
d. too modest to be noticed by his superiors
73. "Candour" means
a. frankness b. bias c. irritation d. optimism
74. Captain Sentry is a popular member of the club because he
a. is obsequious
b. often talks of his military adventures
c. has left the army
d. respects people in authority
75. In describing Captain Sentry's failure to advance, the author is
a. factual b. observant c. obsequious d. Sarcastic
TEXT C
Rubber is a very useful vegetable product. It is made from latex, a white
liquid found in the stems and leaves of many plants. Latex is even found in
milkweed and dandlions. However, not all latex contains rubber. And in some
plants there is too little latex to use for making rubber.
More than nine-tenths of the world's upply of rubber comes from a tree
known as the para rubber tree, which is native to the Amazon Valley in Brazil.
There is another variety of rubber tree which is native to Central America.
There is also a desert shrub which produces a rather large amount of rubber.
And the Russians have even obtained rubber from a species of dandlion.
When Christopher Columbus made his first trip to the Americas, he saw
Indians playing a game with rubber balls. Obviously, the Indians of South and
Central America had discovered rubber long before the Europeans arrived.
Explorers reported that they saw the Indians make little statues, cups, and
shoes out of latex. The Indians allowed the latex to dry in molds, which they
made out of mud. When the latex was dry they removed it from the mold and
smoked it over a fire. Smoking strengthened the latex and reduced its
stickiness .Explorers also noticed that, in dances and processions, the Indians
burned torches that were made with latex that was allowed to harden on the
ends of sticks.
A Frenchman named Charles La Condamine introduced rubber to Europe. La
Condamine was sent to South America to make scientific observations. When
traveling in the Amazon Valley, he noticed many Indians collecting latex. He
was interested to see how the Indians used the latex they collected. After
making detailed observations, La Condamine sent samples of latex to Europe,
along with a description of the ways in which the Indians used it. Before very
long, Europeans found uses for latex too.
76. The para rubber tree is native to
a. Brazil. b. Central America. c. Malaya. d. India.
77. Little rubber balls were first used by
a. Indians. b. the French.
c. the Spanish. d. the Indonesians.
78. Rubber was introduced to Europe by
a. Spaniard. b. Italian.
c. Frenchman. d. Englishman.
TEXT D
TEXT E
First read the following questions.
81. Which of the following scientists established that the natural state of a
body was a state of rest?
a. Galileo b. Kepler c. Aristotle d. Newton
82. According to this passage, Newton based his laws primarily upon the work
of
a. Galileo and Copernicus b. Ptolemy and Copernicus
c. Huygens and Kepler d. Galileo and Kepler
TEXT F
First read the following questions.
84. The argument above is based on which of the following assumptions?
a. Physical artifacts do not provide evidence of how people think.
b. Archeologists would be able to translate ancient Xenian writing if it were
found.
c. Insufficient effort was expended by the archeologists in searching for
written records.
d. Physical artifacts are of no use in trying to reconstruct a civilization.
Now read Text F quickly and mark your answer on your answer sheet.
Based solely on artifacts recently discovered in ancient Xenian
tombs,archeologists claim to have reconstructed the Xenian Civilization of
that time. What could be more absurd? No hieroglyphs or other written
records were unearthed; thus, the archeologists are claiming to have
reconstructed a culture without any evidence of how the people who lived in
that culture thought.
TEXT G
First read the following questions.
Now read Text G quickly and mark your answer on your answer sheet.
George adores classical music. He always prefers Beethoven to Bartok and
Mahler to Mozart. He always prefers Haydn to Hindemith and Hindemith to
Mozart.He always prefers Mahler to any composer whose name begins with B,
except Beethoven, and he always chooses to listen to a composer he prefers.
TEXT H
First read the following questions.
88. The argument above is based on which of the following assumptions?
e. The quality of a film can be measured by the number of people who go to
see
it.
b. Foreign films should be judged by standards different from those used for
U.S. films.
c. Foreign films should be judged by the same standards used for U.S. films.
d. Psychologically probing stories make the best films.
Now read Text H quickly and mark your answer on your answer sheet.
The new Spanish film, The Other Side of the Mirror, the psychologically
probing story of a pair of disturbed lovers, is clearly the best foreign film of
the year, since its box office receipts show that even more people are seeing
it than have seen Double Fugue, the highly acclaimed U.S. film on a similar
theme.
TEXT I
First read the following questions.
89. Which of the following best describes the flaw in the reasoning used in the
argument above?
a. The author uses a single term to mean more than one thing.
b. The author fails to explain in detail how the scientific method works.
c. The truth of the author's conclusion is assumed rather than proven.
d. The author ignores the fact that many accepted scientific theories are
later disproven.
Now read Text I quickly and mark your answer on your answer sheet.
By the very nature of their work, scientists must rigorously apply the
scientific method. Every conclusion they reach is scrutinized by other
scientists and corrected and refined as needed until it can be certified as
scientifically valid. No other view of the world is derived in such a manner;
neither the theologian nor the sociologist nor the artist makes use of this
method. Thus, the scientific worldview must be the most accurate.
TEXT J
First read the following questions.
90n. The argument above leads most logically to the conclusion that
a. people should not watch television
b. television promotes a feeling of helpless vulnerability in its viewers
c. television viewers are more likely to be victimized than other persons
d. the content of television programs should be changed to avoid fostering
the
attitudes mentioned
Now read Text E quickly and mark your answer on your answer sheet.
Television convinces viewers that the likelihood of their becoming the victim
of a violent crime is extremely high; at the same time, by its very nature,
television persuades viewers to passively accept whatever happens to them.