Paper No.

Reading Comprehension
Lead poisoning in children is a major health concern. Both low and high doses of paint can have
serious effects. Children exposed to high doses of lead often suffer permanent nerve damage, mental
retardation, blindness, and even death. Low doses of lead can lead to mild mental retardation, short
attention spans, destructibility, poor academic performance, and behavioral problems. This is not new
concern. As early as 1904, lead poisoning in children was linked to lead-based paint. Microscopic
particles from paint are absorbed into the bloodstream when children ingest flakes of chipped paint,
plaster, or paint dust from sanding. Lead can also enter the body through household dust, nail biting,
thumb sucking, or chewing on toys and other objects painted with lead - based paint. Although
American paint companies today must comply with strict regulations regarding the amount of lead
used in their paint, this source of lead poisoning still the most common and most dangerous. Children
living in order, dilapidated houses are particularly at risk.
Question:
What is the main topic of the passage?

A. Problems With Household Paint

B. Major Health Concerns For Children
C. Lead Poisoning In Children
D. Lead Paint In Older Homes

Given Answer: E Correct Answer C

Explanation:
This is a main topic question. Answers (A) and (B) are too general. Answer (D) is to specific, indicating
one of the issues discussed but not the main topic.

Lead poisoning in children is a major health concern. Both low and high doses of paint can have
serious effects. Children exposed to high doses of lead often suffer permanent nerve damage, mental
retardation, blindness, and even death. Low doses of lead can lead to mild mental retardation, short
attention spans, distractibility, poor academic performance, and behavioral problems. This is not new
concern. As early as 1904, lead poisoning in children was linked to lead-based paint. Microscopic
particles from paint are absorbed into the bloodstream when children ingest flakes of chipped paint,
plaster, or paint dust from sanding. Lead can also enter the body through household dust, nail biting,
thumb sucking, or chewing on toys and other objects painted with lead - based paint. Although
American paint companies today must comply with strict regulations regarding the amount of lead
used in their paint, this source of lead poisoning still the most common and most dangerous. Children
living in order, dilapidated houses are particularly at risk.
Question:
The phrase "exposed to" (in Red) could best be replaced by which of the following?

A. Familiar With
B. In Contact With
 C. Displaying
D. Conducting

Given Answer: E Correct Answer B

Explanation:

Lead poisoning in children is a major health concern. Both low and high doses of paint can have
serious effects. Children exposed to high doses of lead often suffer permanent nerve damage, mental
retardation, blindness, and even death. Low doses of lead can lead to mild mental retardation, short
attention spans, destructibility, poor academic performance, and behavioral problems. This is not new
concern. As early as 1904, lead poisoning in children was linked to lead-based paint. Microscopic
particles from paint are absorbed into the bloodstream when children ingest flakes of chipped paint,
plaster, or paint dust from sanding. Lead can also enter the body through household dust, nail biting,
thumb sucking, or chewing on toys and other objects painted with lead - based paint. Although
American paint companies today must comply with strict regulations regarding the amount of lead
used in their paint, this source of lead poisoning still the most common and most dangerous. Children
living in order, dilapidated houses are particularly at risk.
Question:
Which of the following does the passage infer?

A. Paint Companies Can No Longer Use Lead In Their Paint

B. Paint Companies Aren’t Required To Limit The Amount Of Lead Used In Their Paint
C. Paint Companies Must Limit The Amount Of Lead Used In Their Lead.
D. Paint Companies Have Always Followed Restriction Regarding The Amount Of Lead
Used In Their Paint.

Given Answer: E Correct Answer C

Explanation:
The passage discusses the hazardous of lead poisoning, its sources, its effects on children and direct
the companies to reduce the amount of lead in their household products. The option C point out this.

Lead poisoning in children is a major health concern. Both low and high doses of paint can have
serious effects. Children exposed to high doses of lead often suffer permanent nerve damage, mental
retardation, blindness, and even death. Low doses of lead can lead to mild mental retardation, short
attention spans, distractibility, poor academic performance, and behavioral problems. This is not new
concern. As early as 1904, lead poisoning in children was linked to lead-based paint. Microscopic
particles from paint are absorbed into the bloodstream when children ingest flakes of chipped paint,
plaster, or paint dust from sanding. Lead can also enter the body through household dust, nail biting,
thumb sucking, or chewing on toys and other objects painted with lead - based paint. Although
American paint companies today must comply with strict regulations regarding the amount of lead
used in their paint, this source of lead poisoning still the most common and most dangerous. Children
living in order, dilapidated houses are particularly at risk.
Question:
According to the passage, what is the most common source of lead poisoning in children?

A. Household Dust
B. Lead - Based Paint
C. Painted Toys
D. Dilapidated Houses

Given Answer: E Correct Answer B

Explanation:
Paint in houses is a main source for lead poisoning in children. Option B is the correct choice.

Lead poisoning in children is a major health concern. Both low and high doses of paint can have
serious effects. Children exposed to high doses of lead often suffer permanent nerve damage, mental
retardation, blindness, and even death. Low doses of lead can lead to mild mental retardation, short
attention spans, distractibility, poor academic performance, and behavioral problems. This is not new
concern. As early as 1904, lead poisoning in children was linked to lead-based paint. Microscopic
particles from paint are absorbed into the bloodstream when children ingest flakes of chipped paint,
plaster, or paint dust from sanding. Lead can also enter the body through household dust, nail biting,
thumb sucking, or chewing on toys and other objects painted with lead - based paint. Although
American paint companies today must comply with strict regulations regarding the amount of lead
used in their paint, this source of lead poisoning still the most common and most dangerous. Children
living in order, dilapidated houses are particularly at risk.
Question:
What does the author imply in the final sentence of the passage?

A. Lead - Based Paint Chips Off More Easily Than Newer Paints.
B. Poor People Did Not Comply With The Regulations.
C. Old Homes Were Painted With Lead-Based Paint.
D. Old Homes To Be Rebuilt In Order To Be Safe For Children.

Given Answer: E Correct Answer C

It is very difficult to succeed in the music business; nine out of ten bands that release a first record
fail to produce a second. Surviving in the music industry requires luck and patience, but most of all it
requires an intricate knowledge of how a record company functions. The process beings when a
representative of a company’s Artists and Repertoire (A & R) department visits bars and night clubs,
scouting for young talented bands. After the representative identifies a promising band, he or she will
work to negotiate a contract with that band. The signing of this recording contract is a slow process. A
company will spend a long time investigating the band itself as well as current trends in popular
music. During this period, it is important that a band reciprocate with an investigation of its own,
learning as much as possible about the record company and making personal connections within the
different departments that will handle their recordings.
Once a band has signed the contract and has finished recording an album, the publicity and
promotions department takes over. These departments decide whether or not mass produce and
market the band’s album. Most bands fail to make personal contacts in this second department, thus
losing their voice in the important final process of producing and marketing their album. This loss of
voice often contributes to the band’s failure as a recording group.
Question:
Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of the passage?

A. Nine Out Of Ten Bands Fail To Produce A Second Record.

B. It Is Important For A Band To Have An Intricate Knowledge Of How A Recording
Company Works.
C. Making Personal Connections Will Help The Band In The Final Decision About The
Promotion Of Their Album.
D. The Main Factors In A Band’s Success Are Luck And Patience.

Given Answer: E Correct Answer B

It is very difficult to succeed in the music business; nine out of ten bands that release a first record
fail to produce a second. Surviving in the music industry requires luck and patience, but most of all it
requires an intricate knowledge of how a record company functions. The process beings when a
representative of a company’s Artists and Repertoire (A & R) department visits bars and night clubs,
scouting for young talented bands. After the representative identifies a promising band, he or she will
work to negotiate a contract with that band. The signing of this recording contract is a slow process. A
company will spend a long time investigating the band itself as well as current trends in popular
music. During this period, it is important that a band reciprocate with an investigation of its own,
learning as much as possible about the record company and making personal connections within the
different departments that will handle their recordings.
Once a band has signed the contract and has finished recording an album, the publicity and
promotions department takes over. These departments decide whether or not mass produce and
market the band’s album. Most bands fail to make personal contacts in this second department, thus
losing their voice in the important final process of producing and marketing their album. This loss of
voice often contributes to the band’s failure as a recording group.
Question:
According to the passage, the initial contact between a band and a recording company is
made by?

A. The Band’s Manager

B. A Band Member
C. An A&R Representative
D. The Publicity And Promotions Department

Given Answer: E Correct Answer C

It is very difficult to succeed in the music business; nine out of ten bands that release a first record
fail to produce a second. Surviving in the music industry requires luck and patience, but most of all it
requires an intricate knowledge of how a record company functions. The process beings when a
representative of a company’s Artists and Repertoire (A & R) department visits bars and night clubs,
scouting for young talented bands. After the representative identifies a promising band, he or she will
work to negotiate a contract with that band. The signing of this recording contract is a slow process. A
company will spend a long time investigating the band itself as well as current trends in popular
music. During this period, it is important that a band reciprocate with an investigation of its own,
learning as much as possible about the record company and making personal connections within the
different departments that will handle their recordings.
Once a band has signed the contract and has finished recording an album, the publicity and
promotions department takes over. These departments decide whether or not mass produce and
market the band’s album. Most bands fail to make personal contacts in this second department, thus
losing their voice in the important final process of producing and marketing their album. This loss of
voice often contributes to the band’s failure as a recording group.
Question:
The author mentions that a band’s success is depending on all of the following factors
EXCEPT

A. Having Patience
B. Making Personal Contacts With People In The Company
C. Understanding How A Record Company Functions
D. Playing Music That Sound Like Music Of Famous Bands

Given Answer: E Correct Answer D

It is very difficult to succeed in the music business; nine out of ten bands that release a first record
fail to produce a second. Surviving in the music industry requires luck and patience, but most of all it
requires an intricate knowledge of how a record company functions. The process beings when a
representative of a company’s Artists and Repertoire (A & R) department visits bars and night clubs,
scouting for young talented bands. After the representative identifies a promising band, he or she will
work to negotiate a contract with that band. The signing of this recording contract is a slow process. A
company will spend a long time investigating the band itself as well as current trends in popular
music. During this period, it is important that a band reciprocate with an investigation of its own,
learning as much as possible about the record company and making personal connections within the
different departments that will handle their recordings.
Once a band has signed the contract and has finished recording an album, the publicity and
promotions department takes over. These departments decide whether or not mass produce and
market the band’s album. Most bands fail to make personal contacts in this second department, thus
losing their voice in the important final process of producing and marketing their album. This loss of
voice often contributes to the band’s failure as a recording group.
Question:
According to the passage, the publicity and promotions department

A. Has The Final Decision In Reducing An Album

B. Handles The Recording Arrangements For The Band
C. Sends Representatives To Look For New Talent
D. Visits Bars And Night Clubs

Given Answer: E Correct Answer A

It is very difficult to succeed in the music business; nine out of ten bands that release a first record
fail to produce a second. Surviving in the music industry requires luck and patience, but most of all it
requires an intricate knowledge of how a record company functions. The process beings when a
representative of a company’s Artists and Repertoire (A & R) department visits bars and night clubs,
scouting for young talented bands. After the representative identifies a promising band, he or she will
work to negotiate a contract with that band. The signing of this recording contract is a slow process. A
company will spend a long time investigating the band itself as well as current trends in popular
music. During this period, it is important that a band reciprocate with an investigation of its own,
learning as much as possible about the record company and making personal connections within the
different departments that will handle their recordings.
Once a band has signed the contract and has finished recording an album, the publicity and
promotions department takes over. These departments decide whether or not mass produce and
market the band’s album. Most bands fail to make personal contacts in this second department, thus
losing their voice in the important final process of producing and marketing their album. This loss of
voice often contributes to the band’s failure as a recording group.
Question:
It can be inferred from the passage that

A. The Music Industry Is Full Of Opportunities For Young Bands

B. The A&R Department Has A Very Large Staff
C. Most Bands Do Not Fully Understand How Record Companies Operate
D. The Cost Of Recording An Album Is Very Expensive

Given Answer: E Correct Answer C

It’s hard to find artifacts that are genuinely American, but the present’s day banjo may be one of
them. Even though its ancestry is African, the modern banjo is nothing like the early instruments first
brought by African to the southern plantations. In the nineteenth century the banjo was a standard
instrument in minstrel shows, and as it continued to be used, it was changed in various ways.
Machined pages were added for precise tuning, frets were added for better intonation, and vellum
heads were added to improve the tension. The number of strings also continued to change. Early
banjos had four strings, while a later model has as many as nine. In the late 1800s, the five string
banjo was developed, a model that had a small unfretted drone string that was played with the
thumb. This was the instrument that country singer Earl Scruggs played, and and was the type used
to produce that great style of music known as American bluegrass.
In the 1920s, the four _ string tenor banjo made a remarkable comeback, as banjo bands became
popular in school and clubs from coast to coast. Again in the 1960s there was a renewed interest in
folk and country music that brought the banjo back into the forefront of American music. It is an
American instrument that continues to live on.
Question:
What does this passage mainly discuss?

A. The Lasting Effects Of Bluegrass Music

B. The Development Of An American Instrument
C. The Life Of Banjo
D. Change In Music In The Nineteenth And Twentieth Centuries

Given Answer: E Correct Answer B