Reading Exercise Answers

8/12/2019 Reading Exercise Answers

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Text 1

Mount Vesuvius, a volcano located between the ancient Italian cities of Pompeii andHerculaneum, has received much attention because of its frequent and destructive eruptions.The most famous of these eruptions occurred in A.D. !.

The volcano had been inactive for centuries. There was little warnin" of the comin" eruption,althou"h one account unearthed b# archaeolo"ists sa#s that a hard rain and a stron" wind haddisturbed the celestial calm durin" the precedin" ni"ht. $arl# the ne%t mornin", the volcano

poured a hu"e river of molten roc& down upon Herculaneum, completel# bur#in" the cit# andfillin" the harbour with coa"ulated lava.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountain, cinders, stone and ash rained down onPompeii. 'par&s from the burnin" ash i"nited the combustible rooftops quic&l#. (ar"e

portions of the cit# were destro#ed in the confla"ration. )ire, however, was not the onl# causeof destruction. Poisonous sulfuric "ases saturated the air. These heav# "ases were not

buo#ant in the atmosphere and therefore san& toward the earth and suffocated people.

*ver the #ears, e%cavations of Pompeii and Herculaneum have revealed a "reat deal aboutthe behaviour of the volcano. +# anal#in" data, much as a oolo"ist dissects an animalspecimen, scientists have concluded that the eruption chan"ed lar"e portions of the area-s"eo"raph#. )or instance, it turned the 'arno iver from its course and raised the level of the

beach alon" the +a# of /aples. Meteorolo"ists stud#in" these events have also concludedthat Vesuvius caused a hu"e tidal wave that affected the world-s climate.

In addition to ma&in" these investi"ations, archaeolo"ists have been able to stud# thes&eletons of victims b# usin" distilled water to wash awa# the volcanic ash. +# stren"thenin"the brittle bones with acr#lic paint, scientists have been able to e%amine the s&eletons anddraw conclusions about the diet and habits of the residents. )inall#, the e%cavations at bothPompeii and Herculaneum have #ielded man# e%amples of classical art, such as 0eweller#made of brone, which is an allo# of copper and tin. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius and itstra"ic consequences have provided ever#one with a wealth of data about the effects thatvolcanoes can have on the surroundin" area. Toda#, volcanolo"ists can locate and predicteruptions, savin" lives and preventin" the destruction of other cities and cultures.

1. Herculaneum and its harbour were buried under _________ lava.

A. liquid+. solid1. flowin"D. "as$. Answer not available

B:21oa"ulated2 means solidified. (iquid 3A4 is an opposite of solid. )lowin" 314 assumes aliquid, not solid, state. 5as 3D4 is another opposite of solid. 3Three states of matter, li&evolcanic material, are liquid, solid, and "aseous.4

2. The poisonous gases were not _________ in the air.


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A. able to float+. visible1. able to evaporateD. invisible$. able to condense

A:2+uo#ant2 means able to float. The passa"e indicates this b# indicatin" that the "asestherefore, san& toward earth and suffocated people. +uo#ant does not mean visible 3+4 or

possible to see. Able to float6buo#ant does not mean able to evaporate 314. $vaporationmeans turnin" to vapour, which onl# liquids can do. 5ases are alread# vapours. +uo#ant doesnot mean invisible 3D4 or unseen. Able to float does not mean able to condense 3$4, i.e. turnfrom vapour to liquid.

3. cientists anal!"ed data about #esuvius in the same wa! that a "oologist _________ a

specimen.

A. describes in detail+. studies b# cuttin" apart1. photo"raphsD. chart$. Answer not available

B: 2Dissect2 means to cut apart for stud#. It does not mean to describe in detail 3A4, tophoto"raph 314, or to chart 3D4 a specimen.

$. _________ have concluded that the volcanic eruption caused a tidal wave.

A. 'cientists who stud# oceans+. 'cientists who stud# atmospheric conditions1. 'cientists who stud# ashD. 'cientists who stud# animal behaviour$. Answer not available in article

B: Meteorolo"ists are scientists who stud# atmospheric conditions, particularl# weather.'cientists who stud# oceans 3A4 are oceano"raphers, i.e. marine scientists. 'cientists whostud# ash 314 do not e%ist as members of a separate discipline. 1limate scientists and man#others concerned with its effects stud# volcanic ash. 'cientists who stud# animal behaviour

3D4 are etholo"ists or animal behaviourists and do not stud# ash.

%. cientists have used _________ water to wash awa! volcanic ash &rom the s'eletons o&

victims.

A. bottled+. volcanic1. purifiedD. sea$. fountain

(:Distilled water is purified water. Distilled water is not equivalent to bottled 3A4, volcanic3+4, sea 3D4, or fountain 3$4 water.


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Text 2

Man# "reat inventions are initiall# "reeted with ridicule and disbelief. The invention of theairplane was no e%ception. Althou"h man# people who heard about the first powered fli"hton December 7, 7!89 were e%cited and impressed, others reacted with peals of lau"hter. The

idea of fl#in" an aircraft was repulsive to some people. 'uch people called :ilbur and*rville :ri"ht, the inventors of the first fl#in" machine, impulsive fools. /e"ative reactions,however, did not stop the :ri"hts. Impelled b# their desire to succeed, the# continued theire%periments in aviation.

*rville and :ilbur :ri"ht had alwa#s had a compellin" interest in aeronautics andmechanics. As #oun" bo#s the# earned mone# b# ma&in" and sellin" &ites and mechanicalto#s. (ater, the# desi"ned a newspaper;foldin" machine, built a printin" press, and operated a

bic#cle;repair shop. In 7

(ilienthal, a pioneer in han";"lidin", had controlled his "liders b# shiftin" his bod# in thedesired direction. This idea was repellent to the :ri"ht brothers, however, and the# searchedfor more efficient methods to control the balance of airborne vehicles. In 7!88 and 7!87, the:ri"hts tested numerous "liders and developed control techniques. The brothers- inabilit# toobtain enou"h lift power for the "liders almost led them to abandon their efforts.

After further stud#, the :ri"ht brothers concluded that the published tables of air pressure oncurved surfaces must be wron". The# set up a wind tunnel and be"an a series of e%perimentswith model win"s. +ecause of their efforts, the old tables were repealed in time and replaced

b# the first reliable fi"ures for air pressure on curved surfaces. This wor&, in turn, made itpossible for the brothers to desi"n a machine that would fl#. In 7!89 the :ri"hts built theirfirst airplane, which cost less than >7,888. The# even desi"ned and built their own source of

propulsion;a li"htwei"ht "asoline en"ine. :hen the# started the en"ine on December 7, theairplane pulsated wildl# before ta&in" off. The plane mana"ed to sta# aloft for 7? seconds,however, and it flew 7?8 feet.

+# 7!8@, the :ri"hts had perfected the first airplane that could turn, circle, and remainairborne for half an hour at a time. *thers had flown in balloons and han" "liders, but the:ri"ht brothers were the first to build a full;sie machine that could fl# under its own power.As the contributors of one of the most outstandin" en"ineerin" achievements in histor#, the:ri"ht brothers are accuratel# called the fathers of aviation.

1. The idea o& &l!ing an aircra&t was ______ to some people.

A. borin"+. distasteful1. e%citin"D. needless$. Answer not available

B:2epulsive2 means distasteful. It does not mean borin" 3A4, e%citin" 314, or needless 3D4.

2. )eople thought that the *right brothers had ______.


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A. acted without thin&in"+. been ne"ativel# influenced1. been too cautiousD. been mista&en$. acted in a ne"ative wa#

A:2Impulsive2 means actin" on impulse, i.e. actin" without thin&in". People thin&in" the:ri"hts 2impulsive fools2 does not mean the# thou"ht the :ri"hts had been ne"ativel#influenced 3+4, too cautious 314, mista&en 3D4, or had acted in a ne"ative wa# 3$4.

3. The *rights+ interest in &light grew into a ______.

A. financial empire+. plan1. need to actD. foolish thou"ht

$. Answer not available

(:A 2compulsion2 is a need or an ur"e to act. It is not a financial empire 3A4, a plan 3+4, or afoolish thou"ht 3D4.

$. ,ilienthal+s idea about controlling airborne vehicles was _________ the *rights.

A. proven wron" b#+. opposite to the ideas of1. disli&ed b#

D. accepted b#$. improved b#

(:2epellent2 means offensive or hateful in other words, (ilienthal-s idea was disli&ed b#the :ri"hts. It does not mean his idea was opposite to the idea of 3+4 the :ri"hts. It meansthe opposite of its bein" accepted b# 3D4 the :ri"hts. The# found his idea unpleasant ratherthan improvin" 3$4 on it.

%. The old tables were _________ and replaced b! the &irst reliable &igures &or air

pressure on curved sur&aces.

A. destro#ed+. invalidated1. multipliedD. approved$. not used

B: 2epealed2 means invalidated, i.e. disproven or overturned. It does not mean destro#ed3A4 multiplied 314, i.e. increased6approved 3D4, an anton#m or unused 3$4.

-. The *rights designed and built their own source o& _________.

A. force for movin" forward+. force for turnin" around


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1. turnin"D. force for "oin" bac&ward$. /one of the above

A:2Propulsion2 is force for propellin" or movin" forward. It does not mean force for turnin"

around 3+4, turnin" 314 3oscillation perhaps4, or force for "oin" bac&ward 3D4 3li&erepulsion4.

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