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PRACTICE TEST 2

PASSAGE 1 Questions 1-10

In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed across the Atlantic Ocean and

accidentally landed on islands off the coasts of the Americas. His explorations
marked the start of the Age of Exploration. The Age of Exploration lasted from the
early part of the fifteenth century to the early years of the seventeenth century.
During that time, adventurers from throughout Europe sailed around the world.
The majority of these men came from Spain, Portugal, and England. One of the
greatest of all English adventurers during this time was Sir Francis Drake. He lived
from 1540 to 1596. Drake accomplished a number of feats that led him to be highly
revered in England, yet he was considered a pirate by people in other countries,
particularly Spain.
After the New World was discovered by Christopher Columbus, the Spanish
led the way in establishing colonies there. They were particularly dominant in
Central America and South America. Their soldiers, called conquistadors,
effectively defeated the Aztec and Inca empires. On account of their strength in
the New World, the Spanish acquired a great amount of treasure. Thus, there were
constantly ships filled with treasure sailing across the Atlantic Ocean to Spain.
Many sailors from other countries tried to capture these ships. Drake was
one of these men. In 1573, he and his crew engaged in an act of piracy against a
convoy of Spanish ships. They managed to capture the ships near Panama. Seizing
their treasure of gold and silver, Drake and his men returned to England. This act
brought him to the attention of Queen Elizabeth. She sponsored another
expedition of Drake's that sailed to the New World in 1577. Drake had five small
ships and nearly 200 men. They raided Spanish holdings in South America and
they sailed into the Pacific Ocean. There, Drake captured two Spanish treasure
ships before sailing west across the Pacific. In September 1580, one of Drake’s
ships and fifty-six men reached home after having circumnavigated the world.
Drake was knighted by the Queen in 1581. By then, he was considered the
best and most daring sailor in England. In 1585, war broke out between England
and Spain. Three years later, King Philip II of Spain sent an enormous fleet, called
the Spanish Armada, to defeat England. Drake was made second in command of
the English fleet that emerged victorious against the Spanish. A few years later, in
1595, Drake returned to the New World. This time, however, his luck ran out. He
caught a disease and died in Panama in January 1506.

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1. What is the passage mainly about?

A. The colonizing of the New World
B. The adventures of Sir Francis Drake
C. Queen Elizabeth and King Philip II
D. Acts of piracy by Sir Francis Drake

2. The word “revered” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to __________.

A. feared
B. famed
C. noticed
D. regarded

3. Why does the author mention “conquistadors” in paragraph 2?

A. To explain what the word means
B. To claim that they gathered a great amount of treasure
C. To note their defeat of two empires
D. To praise them for their fighting ability

4. The phrase “on account of” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to __________.

A. because of
B. rather than
C. in spite of
D. prior to

5. According to the author, why did many sailors attempt to capture Spanish
ships?
A. Their countries were at war with Spain.
B. They wanted to seize the ship treasures.
C. They desired to enslave the Spanish sailors.
D. It was common for ships’ crew to fight then.

6. What did Sir Francis Drake do in 1580?

A. He completed a trip around the world.
B. He destroyed a Spanish convoy in Panama.
C. He made plans to fight the Spanish Armada.
D. He attacked Spanish colonies in the New World.

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7. According to the passage, all of the following are mentioned about Sir Francis
Drake EXCEPT __________.
A. what the name of the ship was
B. when he was born and died
C. which country’s sailors he often fought
D. how various people felt about him

8. The word “raided” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to __________.

A. attacked
B. conquered
C. fired
D. changed

9. The phrase “ran out” in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to __________.

A. changed
B. escaped
C. removed
D. ended

10. What can be inferred from the passage about the Spanish Armada?
A. It sank a large number of English ships.
B. It lost to the English ship that it fought.
C. It had more ships than any other fleet.
D. It was completely destroyed in two battles.

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PASSAGE 2 Questions 11-20

There are a number of natural disasters that can strike across the globe.
Two that are frequently linked to one another are earthquakes and tsunamis. [13A]
Earthquakes are the sudden shock of the earth’s surface that result in the earth
shaking and rolling. [13B] Tsunami waves are larger and faster than normal
surface waves. A tsunami wave can travel as fast as a jet plane and can be as tall as
a ten-story building. [13C] Tsunamis begin when the ocean rises or falls very
suddenly. Large amounts of seawater are displaced. [13D] Both earthquakes and
tsunamis can cause a great amount of devastation when they hit. However,
tsunamis are the direct result of earthquakes and cannot happen without them.
The Earth has three main parts. They are the crust, the mantle, and the core.
The crust is the outer layer of the Earth. It is not a single piece of land. Instead, it
is comprised of a number of plates. There are a few enormous plates and many
smaller ones. These plates essentially rest upon the mantle, which is fluid. As a
result, the plates are in constant - yet slow – motion. The plates may move away
from or toward other plates. In some cases, they collide violently with the plates
adjoining them. The movement of the plates causes tension in the rock. Over a
long time, this tension may build up. When it is released, an earthquake happens.
Tens of thousands of earthquakes happen every year. The vast majority are
so small that only scientific instruments can perceive them. Others are powerful
enough that people can feel them, yet they cause little harm or damage. More
powerful earthquakes, however, can cause buildings, bridges, and other structures
to collapse. They may additionally injure and kill thousands of people and might
even cause the land to change its appearance.
Since most of the Earth's surface is water, numerous earthquakes happen
beneath the planet's oceans. Underwater earthquakes cause the seafloor to move.
This results in the displacement of water in the ocean. When this occurs, a
tsunami may form. This is a wave that forms on the surface and moves in all
directions from the place where the earthquake happened. A tsunami moves
extremely quickly and can travel thousands of kilometers. As it approaches land,
the water near the coast gets sucked out to sea. This causes the tsunami to increase
in height. Minutes later the tsunami arrives. A large tsunami - one more than ten
meters in height can travel far inland. As it does that, it can flood the land, destroy
human settlements, and kill large numbers of people.

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11. What is the passage mainly about?

A. How earthquakes and tsunamis occur
B. What kind of damage natural disasters can cause
C. Why tsunamis are deadlier than earthquakes
D. When earthquakes are the most likely to happen

12. Which of the following statements does paragraph 1 support?

A. The most severe type of natural disaster is an earthquake.
B. Earthquakes cause more destruction than tsunamis.
C. A tsunami happens in tandem with an earthquake.
D. Earthquakes frequently take place after tsunamis do.

13. The following sentence could be added to paragraph 1.

This movement causes huge waves.
Where would it best fit into the paragraph?

14. The word “It” in paragraph 2 refers to _______.

A. The mantle
B. The core
C. The crust
D. The earth

15. Which of the following is true regarding the crust?

A. It is the smallest of the Earth’s three layers.
B. The mantle beneath it keeps it from moving too much.
C. It is thicker on land than it is under the water.
D. There are many separate pieces that make it up.

16. The word “adjoining” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ________.

A. approaching
B. bordering
C. residing
D. appearing

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17. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in paragraph 3 about earthquakes?

A. How often powerful ones take place
B. How severe the majority of them are
C. What kind of damage they can cause
D. How many people they typically kill

18. The word “perceive” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to _________.

A. comprehend
B. detect
C. locate
D. prevent

19. The word “Others” in paragraph 3 refers to _________.

A. instruments
B. earthquakes
C. tsunamis
D. plates

20. Based on the passage, what is probably true about tsunamis?

A. They kill more people each year than earthquakes.
B. They can be deadly to people standing near the shore.
C. They are able to move as fast as the speed of sound.
D. They cannot damage ships sailing on the ocean.

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PASSAGE 3 Questions 21-30

The Forbidden City is the former imperial palace in the center of Beijing,
China. Construction began in 1406, and the emperor’s court officially moved in by
1420. The Forbidden City got its name because most people were barred from
entering the 72-hectare site, surrounded by walls. Even government officials and
the imperial family were permitted only limited access. Only the emperor could
enter any section at will.
The architecture of the Forbidden City conforms rigidly to traditional
Chinese principles. All buildings within the walls follow a north-south line, and the
most important ones face south to honor the sun. The designers arranged the other
buildings, and the ceremonial spaces between them, to impress all visitors with
the great power of the Emperor, while reinforcing the significance of the
individual. This architectural concept was carried out to the smallest detail. For
example, the importance of a building was determined not only by its height or
width but also by the style of its roof and the quantity of statuettes placed on the
roofs ridges.
In recognition of the importance of its unparalleled architecture, UNESCO
added the palace to its World Heritage List in 1987. Today, visitors from all over
the world do not wait for an imperial invitation to walk about this palace, now a
museum of imperial art.
One of the most impressive landmarks of the Forbidden City is the Meridian
Gate, the formal entrance to the southern side of the Forbidden City. The gate, with
its auxiliary wings on either side of the entryway, is 38 meters high at its roof ridge.
When you stand in front of this majestic structure, you understand how awed
people felt when they stood there listening to imperial proclamations.
As you walk through the gate, you come into a large courtyard, 140 meters
long and 210 meters wide. Running through the courtyard is the Golden River,
which is crossed by five parallel white marble bridges. These bridges lead to the
Gate of Supreme harmony, which, in turn, leads to the heart of the Forbidden City.
Its three main halls stand atop a three-tiered marble terrace overlooking an
immense plaza. The plaza has enough space to hold tens of thousands of subjects
paying homage to the emperor.
At the northernmost end of the Forbidden City is the Imperial Garden, which
is totally different from the rest of the compound. Instead of rigid formality, you
see a seemingly spontaneous arrangement of trees, fishponds, flowerbeds, and
sculpture. Here is the place of relaxation for the emperor. The motion picture The
Last Emperor (1987), which portrays the life of Hsuan-t’ung P’u-i, was filmed
partly within the Forbidden City.

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21. According to paragraph 1, who could go anywhere in Forbidden City at any

time?
A. Most people
B. Government officials
C. The imperial family
D. The emperor

22. How long did it take to build the Forbidden City?

A. About five years
B. About seven years
C. About ten years
D. About fourteen years

23. From the passage, it can be inferred that __________.

A. Chinese architects borrowed ideas from many different countries
B. the design of the Forbidden City is dull and colorless
C. the architecture of the Forbidden City exemplifies traditional Chinese values
D. the garden of the Forbidden City was laid out in a strict, rectangular pattern

24. Which phrase is closest in meaning to the word “unparalleled” as used in

paragraph 3?
A. At an angle from the main line
B. A high quality found nowhere else
C. Partially designed in a foreign country
D. Careless of small details in design

25. Which word(s) does the word “its” refer to in paragraph 3?

A. UNESCO
B. Architecture
C. Palace
D. World Heritage List

26. From the passage, it is implied that the main entrance area to the Forbidden
City is __________.
A. surrounded by three tall walls
B. painted gold and green
C. decorated with statuettes
D. not very impressive

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27. Which phrase is closest in meaning to the word “proclamations” as used in

paragraph 4?
A. Music composed for public ceremonies
B. Speeches encouraging soldiers to fight
C. Official public announcements
D. Poetry written for the emperor

28. All of the following are found in the Imperial Garden EXCEPT __________.
A. fishponds
B. sculpture
C. white marble bridges
D. flowerbeds

29. The word “spontaneous” in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to

__________.
A. without meaning
B. without planning
C. without thinking
D. without drawing

30. According to the passage, what do the bridges over the Golden River lead to?
A. The Meridian gate
B. The center of Beijing
C. The Gate of Supreme Harmony
D. The Imperial Gardens

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PASSAGE 4 Questions 31- 40

Anyone who has ever tasted seawater knows that it is truly salty. [32A] The
salty residue left on swimsuits after they've been in the ocean is further evidence
of the ocean's salinity. [32B] Salinity is a measure of how much salt is dissolved in
water. The average salinity of seawater for all Earth’s oceans is about 35 grams of
dissolved salts per kilogram of seawater. [32C] This is shown as 35 parts per
thousand, or 35‰. The symbol ‰ is read "per mill." [32D]
If the salinity of ocean waters is analyzed, it is found to vary only slightly
from place to place. Nevertheless, some of these small changes are important.
There are three basic processes that cause a change in oceanic salinity. One of
these is the subtraction of water from the ocean by means of evaporation –
conversation of liquid water to water vapour. In this manner, the salinity is
increased, since the salts stay behind. If this is carried to the extreme, of course,
white crystals of salt would be left behind.
The opposite of evaporation is precipitation, such as rain, by which water is
added to the ocean. Here the ocean is being diluted so that the salinity is decreased.
This may occur in areas of high rainfall or in coastal regions where rivers flow into
the ocean. Thus salinity may be increased by the subtraction of water by
evaporation, or decreased by the addition of fresh water by precipitation or runoff.
Normally, in tropical regions where the sun is very strong, the ocean salinity
is somewhat higher than it is in other parts of the world where there is not as much
evaporation. Similarly, in coastal regions where rivers dilute the sea, salinity is
somewhat lower than in other oceanic areas.
A third process by which salinity may be altered is associated with the
formation and melting of sea ice. When seawater is frozen, the dissolved materials
are left behind. In this manner, seawater directly beneath freshly formed sea ice
has a higher salinity than it did before the ice appeared. Of course, when this ice
melts, it will tend to decrease the salinity of the surrounding water.
In the Weddell Sea, off Antarctica, the densest water in the oceans is formed
as a result of this freezing process, which increases the salinity of cold water. This
heavy water sinks and is found in the deeper portions of the oceans of the world.

31. What does the passage mainly discuss?

A. The elements of salt
B. The bodies of water of the world
C. The many forms of ocean life
D. The salinity of ocean water

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32. The following sentence could be added to paragraph 1.

It is similar to percent, but it refers to parts per thousand instead of
parts per hundred.
Where would it best fit into the paragraph?

33. The word “this” in paragraph 2 refers to ________.

A. ocean
B. evaporation
C. salinity
D. crystals

34. According to the passage, the ocean generally has more salt in ________.
A. coastal areas
B. tropical areas
C. rainy areas
D. turbulent areas

35. All of the following are processes that decrease salinity EXCEPT ________.
A. evaporation
B. precipitation
C. runoff
D. melting

36. Which of the following statements about the salinity of a body of water can
best be inferred from the passage?
A. The temperature of the water is the most important factor.
B. The speed with which water moves is directly related to the amount of salt.
C. Ocean salinity has little effect on sea life.
D. Various factors combine to cause variations in the salt content of water.

37. The word “it” in paragraph 5 refers to _________.

A. sea ice
B. salinity
C. seawater
D. manner

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38. Why does the author mention the Weddell Sea?

A. To show that this body of water has salinity variations
B. To compare Antarctic waters with Arctic water
C. To give an example of increased salinity due to freezing
D. To point out the location of deep waters

39. Which of the following is NOT a result of the formation of ocean ice?
A. The salt remains in the water.
B. The surrounding water sinks.
C. The water becomes denser
D. Water salinity decreases.

40. What can be inferred about the water near the bottom of oceans?
A. It is relatively warm.
B. Its salinity is relatively high.
C. It does not move.
D. It evaporates quickly.

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