Pembahasan Try Out 7

Literasi Bahasa Inggris

2023

Questions 1-5 are based on the following passage.

The messages communicated by the eyes vary depending on the duration, direction, and quality
of the eye behavior. For example, in every culture are rather strict, though unstated, rules for the
proper duration for eye contact. In much of England and the United States, for example, the average
length of gaze is 2.95 seconds. The average length of mutual gaze (two persons gazing each other) is
1.18 seconds. When eye contact falls short of this amount, you may think the person is uninterested,
shy, or preoccupied. When the appropriate amount of time is exceeded, you may perceive this as
showing high interest.
In much of the United States direct eye contact is considered an expression of honesty and forth
brightness. But the Japanese often view this movement as a lack of respect. They will glace at the
other person’s face rarely and only for very short periods. In many Hispanic cultures, direct eye
contact signifies certain equality and so should be avoided by, say, children when speaking to a
person in authority. You also use it to serve several important functions. You can use it to monitor
feedback. For example, when you talk to someone, you look at the person intently, as if to say,
“Well, what do you think?” or “React to what I’ve just said.” When you speak with two or three
people, you maintain eye contact to secure attention and interest of your listeners. This non-verbal
communication also helps signal the nature of the relationship between two people.
Eye movements are often used to compensate for increased physical distance. By making eye
contact, we overcome psychologically the physical distance between us. When we catch someone’s
eye at a party, for example, we become psychologically close even though we may be separated by
considerable physical distance. Eye contact and other expressions of psychological closeness have
been found to vary in portion to each other. The eyes, sociologist Erving Goffman observed in
Interaction Ritual (1967), are “great intruders.” When you avoid eye contact or avert your glance,
you allow others to maintain their privacy. You probably do this when you see a couple arguing in
the street or on a bus. You turn your eyes away as if to say, “I don’t mean to intrude, I respect your
privacy.” Goffman refers to this behavior as civil intention. (Source: https://www.coursehero.com)

1. The topic of this passage is ….

(A) the functions of eye contact
(B) the etiquettes of eye contact
(C) the importance of eye contact
(D) the proper ways to do eye contact
(E) the making of eye contact

Pembahasan:
Secara umum teks tersebut membahas tentang pesan yang dapat disiratkan dari kontak mata,
kontak mata dalam budaya tertentu, sampai pergerakan mata. Sehingga dapat disimpukan topik
yang tepat adalah etika dalam melakukan kontak mata (the etiquettes of eye contact).
Jawaban B

2. The word ‘intrude’ in paragraph 3 can be best replaced by ….

(A) avoid
(B) ignore
(C) interrupt
(D) command
(E) overlook

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 Pembahasan Try Out 7
Literasi Bahasa Inggris
2023

Pembahasan:
Kata intrude terdapat dalam kalimat “I don’t mean to intrude, I respect your privacy”. Dilihat dari
konteks kalimatnya yang membicarakan tentang privasi, dapat disimpulkan makna kata intrude sama
dengan interrupt yang artinya ‘mengganggu’.
Avoid: menghindari
Ignore: mengabaikan
Command: memerintahkan
Overlook: melupakan
Jawaban C

3. Which of the following is the restatement of the sentence ‘You probably do this when you see a
couple arguing in the street or on a bus’ in paragraph 3?
(A) You notice a couple fighting on the bus.
(B) You come for help after you see a couple arguing.
(C) You seek for your own privacy in public.
(D) You pay more attention to the fighting couple on the bus.
(E) You tend to ignore when you come across people arguing in public.

Pembahasan:
Maksud dari kalimat yang dikutip dalam soal akan lebih jelas jika kita membaca kembali kalimat
sebelumnya yang menyatakan “When you avoid eye contact or avert your glance, you allow others to
maintain their privacy”. Bedasarkan pernyataan tersebut, jawaban yang tepat adalah “You tend to
ignore when you come across people arguing in public”.
Jawaban E

4. The preceding paragraph the passage will likely talk about ….

(A) eye contact in western culture
(B) eye contact duration
(C) eye contact function
(D) eye contact as non-verbal communication
(E) research about eye contact

Pembahasan:
Preceding paragraph merupakan bagian awal atau paragraf pertama dari teks. Paragraf tersebut
membahas tentang durasi kontak mata orang Inggris dan Amerika Serikat dan pilihan jawaban yang
tepat adalah eye contact duration.
Jawaban B

5. The word ‘it’ in You also use it to serve several important functions refers to ….
(A) culture
(B) authority
(C) movement
(D) eye contact
(E) equality
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Literasi Bahasa Inggris
2023

Pembahasan:
Kalimat keempat paragraf kedua menjelaskan tentang kontak mata dalam budaya hispanik, sehingga
kata ‘it’ yang terdapat pada kalimat setelahnya merujuk pada ‘eye contact’.
Jawaban D

Questions 6-10 are based on the following passage.

Historians have traced the first toothbrushes to the 11th century China. They were made of
bristles from Siberian hogs, which were raised in cold climates to increase their bristles. The bristles
were attached to handles made of bamboo or wood.
During the Dark Age in Europe, dental hygiene consisted of using the tip of knife as a toothpick.
When hog-bristle toothbrushes came to Europe in the 15th century, many people found the bristles
too stiff, and preferred toothpicks. Other people used horsehair or badger hair brushes, which were
too soft to do much good.
Nonetheless, in England by the late 19th century, mass production of hog-bristle toothbrushes
was underway. It wasn’t until 1938, in the United States, that toothbrushes made of synthetic nylon
were introduced. Again, people found them too stiff.
Finally in the 1950s, softer nylon brushes arrived. As for toothpaste, its earliest recorded recipe
was found in an Egyptian tomb dating back 4000 years. Since it contained strong vinegar along with
powered pumice stone, it actually wore down tooth enamel, caused decay.
The Romans had similar recipes, with similar result, but one of their ingredients was urine. The
ammonia found in urine may offer protection against decay, and ammonia compounds are still used
in some tooth-pastes today.
Up until the 19th century, toothpastes were doing as much harm as good. But they continued to
evolve, and after World War II modern toothpaste were produced. The introduction of fluoride in
1956 caused a dramatic drop in cavities. (Source: https://www.numerade.com)

6. In presenting the ideas, the author starts by ….

(A) giving explanation about dental hygiene in Europe
(B) exposing what scientist found in China
(C) describing the prototype of toothbrush
(D) history of toothpick
(E) giving information about toothbrush production

Pembahasan:
Teks ini membahas tentang sejarah perkembangan sikat gigi dari masa ke masa. Paragraf awal
membahas tentang sikat gigi yang awalnya dibuat dari bulu hewan sejenis babi (Siberian hog), jadi
dapat dikatakan bahwa penulis mulai menyampaikan gagasannya dengan cara mendeskripsikan
purwarupa (prototype) dari sikat gigi.
Jawaban C

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Literasi Bahasa Inggris
2023

7. Based on the passage, which of the following most likely reflects the association between
ammonia which is used in toothpaste and decay?
(A) rain - flood
(B) helmet - rider
(C) study hard – best score
(D) exercise - healthy
(E) money - price

Pembahasan:
Pada paragraf kelima dinyatakan bahwa kandungan amonia dalam urine dapat melindungi gigi dari
kerusakan (The ammonia found in urine may offer protection against decay). Analogi yang tepat
untuk menggambarkan hal terbut adalah penggunaan helm pada pengendara motor yang bisa
melindungi dari cedera.
Jawaban B

8. Based on the passage, it can be summarized that ….

(A) Most of hog bristles are found in Europe.
(B) Toothbrush was made of bristles in the past.
(C) Toothpaste contains synthetic nylon as main ingredient.
(D) Europeans preferred hog-bristle toothbrush to toothpick.
(E) The usage of vinegar can make tooth stronger.

Pembahasan:
Secara umum teks ini membahas tentang sejarah perkembangan sikat gigi dari masa ke masa.
Ringkasan yang tepat atau pernyataan yang benar sesuai dengan isi teks adalah adanya informasi
yang menyatakan bahwa sikat gigi awalnya terbuat dari bulu hewan (bristle).
Jawaban B

9. What is the author’s intention by stating ‘Again, people found them too stiff’ in paragraph 3?
(A) to mention another drawback of the new toothbrushes
(B) to mention the newest material
(C) to stress the positive review of the new toothbrush
(D) to strengthen the users’ positive remark
(E) to mention the advantage of the newest material

Pembahasan:
Maksud dari pernyataan penulis tersebut dapat dilihat dari kalimat-kalimat sebelumnya di paragraf
kedua dan ketiga. Dalam kalimat tersebut penulis menyatakan bahwa sikat gigi yang terbuat dari
bulu terasa keras (stiff) saat digunakan. Sikat gigi bulu digantikan dengan yang berbahan nilon
sintesis tapi masih dirasakan keras juga. Jadi, secara tersirat penulis ingin menyampaikan tentang
kekurangan/kelemahan (drawback) dari inovasi sikat gigi yang baru.
Jawaban A

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 Pembahasan Try Out 7
Literasi Bahasa Inggris
2023

10. In the past, toothbrush and toothpaste were made of these following materials, except ….
(A) synthetic nylon
(B) horsehair
(C) vinegar
(D) bristles
(E) enamel

Pembahasan:
Telah dijelaskan sebelumnya di dalam teks bahwa di masa lampau sikat gigi terbuat dari bulu,
rambut kuda, dan nilon sintetis. Selain itu, cuka juga menjadi salah satu bahan pembuatan pasta gigi,
sedangkan enamel tidak digunakan.
Jawaban E

Questions 11-15 are based on the following passage.

The catastrophe called the Great Dying, which occurred between the Permian and Triassic
periods wiped out 90 percent of the planet’s marine life and 70 percent of all plant and animal life.
The most recent popular scientific belief about what caused it was the impact of a large object from
space, but the examination of sediment and fossils deposited at the time has led two groups of
scientists to revise this belief.
Animals and plants both on land and in the sea were dying at the same time and apparently
from the same causes “too much heat and too little oxygen,” said Peter Ward, a University of
Washington paleontologist. In their research published in Science Express, the groups found
increased levels of sulphur and depleted oxygen in the ancient rock. Ward and his team of
researchers from the United States and South Africa thought that the sulphur came from continued
volcanic eruptions in an area known as the Siberian Trap. The eruptions warmed the Earth, trapped
sunlight, and depleted oxygen in the air.
At the same time, the Earth’s shifting tectonic plates lowered the levels of the ocean, exposing
seabed’s and releasing methane trapped in the sediment there, further increasing the global
warming. The temperatures kept rising so that it got hotter and hotter until it reached a critical point
causing everything to die. Temperatures around the world rose 8 degrees, killing off plants which
served as food for animals, thereby starving them. In addition, oxygen levels dropped to about 16
percent of the atmosphere, whereas normal levels today are at 21 percent.
Therefore, it is believed that widespread volcanic eruptions that led to global warming was likely
the cause of massive extinction 250 million years ago, not the impact of an asteroid or comet.
(Source: sciencealert.com)

11. The text tells us about …

(A) The extinction of global life
(B) Research conducted by scientists
(C) The effect of the shifting of tectonic plates
(D) Prof. Ward, the anthropologist
(E) The cause of the Great Dying

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2023

Pembahasan:
Teks tersebut menjelaskan tentang peristiwa Great Dying, yaitu kepunahan massal yang
menghabiskan 90 persen kehidupan serta 70 persen kehidupan hewan dan tumbuhan.
Jawaban E

12. Which of the following is not the cause of the massive extinction millions of years ago?
(A) Increased global warming
(B) Sudden drop of high temperatures
(C) Gradual loss of oxygen
(D) Widespread eruptions of volcanoes
(E) High rate of sulphur emissions

Pembahasan:
Telah dijelaskan dalam paragraf kedua bahwa faktor utama yang menyebabkan kepunahan massal
jutaan tahun lalu, yaitu peningkatan suhu dan berkurangnya oksigen. Selain itu, ada pula yang
disebabkan oleh aktifitas tektonik gunung berapi seperti yang dijelaskan pada paragraf ketiga.
Jawaban B

13. From the text we may conclude that the writer’s objective is to show the public that …
(A) the Great Dying occurred two hundred and fifty million years ago.
(B) there is a new theory about the cause of the Great Dying
(C) he enormous extinction on earth was caused by the fall of a comet
(D) it was during the Permian and Triassic periods that the earth changed
(E) the Great Dying referred to the dying of marine life in the world

Pembahasan:
Berdasarkan penjelasan di paragraf pertama, secara tersirat tujuan penulis mengangkat topik ini
adalah untuk memberikan sudut pandang atau teori lain mengenai peristiwa the Great Dying.
Jawaban B

14. What was most probably the cause of the Great Dying?
(A) Volcanic eruptions in the area called the Siberian Trap
(B) The shifting of tectonic plates caused by terrible earthquakes
(C) The publication of scientific researches in the United States and in Africa
(D) The finding of excessive amounts of sulphur and lack of oxygen in the ancient rock
(E) The massive extinction of animal and plant life on the planet

Pembahasan:
Penjelasan mengenain dampak dari the Great Dying dapat ditemukan pada paragraf pertama
kalimat awal (wiped out 90 percent of the planet’s marine life and 70 percent of all plant and animal
life), sehingga dapat disimpulkan peristiwa tersebut menyeabkan kepunahan massal hewan dan
tumbuhan di bumi.
Jawaban E

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Literasi Bahasa Inggris
2023

15. ‘Marine life’ in the first paragraph means the life of …

(A) all life existing in the sea
(B) people working for sea-lines
(C) creatures living in nature
(D) sailors who have ranks in the navy
(E) fisherman living along the beach

Pembahasan:
Frasa 'marine life' pada kalimat pertama memiliki makna semua makhluk hidup yang ada di laut
karena kata 'marine' berhubungan dengan kelautan.
Jawaban A

Questions 16-20 are based on the following passage.

The view that women are better parents than men has shown itself to be true throughout
history. This is not to say that men are not of importance in child-rearing; indeed, they are most
necessary if children are to appreciate fully the roles of both sexes. But women have proven
themselves superior parents as a result of their conditioning, their less aggressive nature and their
generally better communication skills.
From the time they are little girls, females learn about nurturing. First with dolls and later
perhaps with younger brothers and sisters, girls are given the role of career. Girls see their mothers
in the same roles and so it is natural that they identify this as a female activity. Boys, in contrast,
learn competitive roles far removed from what it means to nurture. While boys may dream of
adventures, girls’ conditioning means they tend to see the future in terms of raising families.
Girls also appear to be less aggressive than boys. In adulthood, it is men, not women, who
prove to be the aggressors in crime and in war. Obviously, in raising children, a more patient, gentle
manner is preferable to a more aggressive one. Although there certainly exist gentlemen and
aggressive women, by and large, female are less likely to resort to violence in attempting to solve
problems.
Finally, women tend to be better communicators than men. This is shown in intelligence tests,
where females, on average, do better in verbal communication than males. Of course,
communication is of outmost importance in rearing children, as children tend to learn from and
adopt the communication styles of their parents.
Thus, while it is all very well to suggest a greater role for men in raising children, let us forget
that women are generally better suited to the parenting role. (Source: ielts-writing.info)

16. The main information of the text is about …

(A) the importance of men and women in childrearing
(B) the reluctance of men to play the role of parents
(C) the reason why women are better parents than men
(D) the superior role of women in a family
(E) the different attitudes of men and women as parents

Pembahasan:
Teks ini membahas tentang berbagai kelebihan wanita dalam mengasuh anak dibandingkan pria,
sehingga topik yang sesuai adalah the reason why women are better parents than men.
Jawaban C

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2023

17. As parents, women in general play a more important role than men because they are …
(A) not aggressive at all
(B) good communicators
(C) superior human beings
(D) experienced in raising children
(E) capable of solving problems

Pembahasan:
Telah dijelaskan pada kalimat akhir paragraf pertama bahwa wanita bisa menjadi orang tua yang
ideal dalam merawat anak karena secara umum mereka memiliki kemampuan komunikasi yang baik
(their generally better communication skills).
Jawaban B

18. Most women are good mothers because they …

(A) have brothers and sisters with whom they play
(B) had to learn about nurturing when they were children
(C) have never dreamed of adventures like boys
(D) are not to learn about competitive roles
(E) have known the role of career since childhood

Pembahasan:
Wanita bisa menjadi ibu yang baik karena sejak kecil secara alami telah terbiasa mengasuh mulai
dari boneka sampai adik-adiknya, seperti yang dijelaskan pada awal paragraf kedua.
Jawaban B

19. The following are the general characteristics of men, except …

(A) aggressive
(B) adventurous
(C) impatient
(D) irresponsible
(E) competitive

Pembahasan:
Telah dijelaskan pada paragraf kedua dan ketiga bahwa pria memiliki karakteristik yang agresif,
petualang, tidak sabaran, dan berjiwa kompetitif. Oleh karena itu, tidak bertanggung jawab
(irresponsible) tidak termasuk di dalamnya.
Jawaban D

20. According to the text, which of the following statements is true about parents in general?
(A) Children love their mothers more than they love their fathers
(B) All fathers tend to be aggressive and violent towards their children
(C) Mothers play a greater role in the education of their children
(D) Even gentle fathers are unable to communicate with children
(E) There is no communication between fathers and their children

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Literasi Bahasa Inggris
2023

Pembahasan:
Pernyatataan yang tepat sesuai dengan isi bacaan adalah Mothers play a greater role in the
education of their children yang didukung oleh pernyataan women have proven themselves superior
parents pada paragraf awal dan women are generally better suited to the parenting role di paragraf
akhir.
Jawaban C

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