READING PRACTICE TEST 9

PASSAGE 1 – Questions 1-10

Social Networks
Do the names MySpace, Facebook, Orkut, etc. ring a bell? They probably do because they
are some of the most popular sites on the internet today. These sites are all called 'social
networking' sites because they help people meet and discuss things online.
Each of these social networking sites has its own strengths: MySpace is especially popular
among teenagers, Facebook is popular with college age people, Orkut is especially loved in
Brazil, and CyWorld is the site to visit in South Korea. The common thread between all of
these social networks is that they provide a place for people to interact, rather than a place to
go to read or listen to 'content'.

Web 2.0
Social networks are considered to be web 2.0. What does this mean? To understand this, it's
important to understand what the original web did (often called web 1.0). Back in the
nineties, the internet - or web - was a place to go to read articles, listen to music, get
information, etc.
Most people didn't contribute to the sites. They just 'browsed' the sites and took advantage of
the information or resources provided. Of course, some people did create their own sites.
However, creating a site was difficult. You needed to know basic HTML coding (the original
language the internet uses to 'code' pages). It certainly wasn't something most people wanted
to do as it could take hours to get a basic page just right.
Things began to get easier when blogs (from web log) were introduced. With blogs, many
more people began writing 'posts', as well as commenting on other people's blogs.

MySpace Surprises Everybody

In 2003 a site named MySpace took the internet by storm. It was trying to mimic the most
popular features of Friendster, the first social networking site. It quickly became popular
among young users and the rest was history. Soon everyone was trying to develop a social
networking site. The sites didn't provide 'content' for people to enjoy, they helped people
create, communicate and share what they loved including music, images and videos.

Key to Success
Relying on users to create content is the key to the success of web 2.0 companies. Besides
the social networking sites discussed here, other huge success stories include: Wikipedia,
Digg.com and the latest success - Twitter. All of these companies rely on the desire of users
to communicate with each other, thereby creating the 'content' that others want to consume.
1. Which social networking site was NOT mentioned in the reading?
 A. MySpace
B. LinkedIn
C. Facebook
D. Friendster
2. Where is Orkut especially popular?
A. In Japan C. In the United States
B. In South Korea D. In Brazil
3. Why does the writer mention CyWorld in paragraph 2?
A. to give an example of a strong point of a social networking site
B. to emphasize the importance social networking sites
C. to demonstrate the popularity of social networking sites
D. to express the common feature of social networking sites
4. Which phrase best describes what people do at social networking sites?
A. They comment other people’s blog.
B. They code pages in HTML.
C. They browse articles and other content.
D. They interact with other people.
5. What was the original web mainly used for?
A. Interacting with other people
B. Browsing content
C. Creating pages in HTML
D. Writing on blogs
6. What does the word they in paragraph 2 refer to?
A. resources C. most people
B. the sites D. social networks
7. The world mimic in paragraph 6 could be best replaced by:
A. imitate C. eliminate
B. imagine D. utilize
8. What does the writer imply about MySpace?
A. It was the first social networking site.
B. It was successful.
C. People could enjoy the content it provided.
D. It destroyed the internet like a storm.
9. What is most important for web 2.0 companies to be successful?
A. Users' desire to communicate with each other
B. Users' desire to read interesting content written by professionals
C. Users' desire to learn coding
D. Users' intelligence
10. What is the writer’s purpose?
 A. to advertise for web 2.0 companies
B. to persuade people to develop social networking sites
C. to give information about social networking sites
D. to criticize social networking sites
PASSAGE 2 – Questions 11-20
Floods are second only to fire as the most common of all natural disasters. They occur
almost everywhere in the world, resulting in widespread damage and even death.
Consequently, scientists have long tried to perfect their ability to predict floods. So far, the
best that scientists can do is to recognize the potential for flooding in certain conditions. There
are at least a number of conditions, from deep snow on the ground to human error, that cause
flooding.
The first cause of flooding is deep snow on the ground. When deep snow melts, it
creates a large amount of water. Although deep snow alone rarely causes floods, when it
occurs together with heavy rain and sudden warmer weather, it can lead to serious flooding. If
there is a fast snow melt on top of frozen or very wet ground, flooding is more likely to occur
than when the ground is not frozen. Frozen ground or ground that is very wet and already
saturated with water cannot absorb the additional water created by the melting snow. Melting
snow also contributes to high water levels in rivers and streams. Whenever rivers are already
at their full capacity of water, heavy rains will result in the rivers overflowing and flooding the
surrounding land.
Secondly, rivers that are covered in ice can also lead to flooding. When ice begins to
melt, the surface of the ice cracks and breaks into large pieces. These pieces of ice move and
float down the river. They can form a dam in the river, causing the water behind the dam to
rise and flood the land upstream. If the dam breaks suddenly, then the large amount of water
held behind the dam can flood the areas downstream too.
Broken ice dams are not the only dam problems that can cause flooding. Those
carelessly constructed by humans can also result in floods. When a large human-made dam
breaks or fails to hold the water collected behind it, the results can be devastating. Dams
contain such huge amounts of water behind them that when sudden breaks occur, the
destructive force of the water is like a great tidal wave. Unleashed dam waters can travel tens
of kilometres, cover the ground in metres of mud and debris, and drown and crush every thing
and creature in their path.
Although scientists cannot always predict exactly when floods will occur, they do know a
great deal about when floods are likely, or probably, going to occur. Deep snow, ice-covered
rivers, and weak dams are all strong conditions for potential flooding. Hopefully, this
knowledge of why floods happen can help us reduce the damage they cause.

11. What is the most common natural disaster?

A. flood B. fire
 C. tidal wave D. rain
12. What does the word they in paragraph 1 refer to?
A. floods C. scientists
B. disasters D. conditions
13. Which of the following best describes how deep snow causes flooding?
A. melting snow that creates a large amount of water causes flooding.
B. freezing water causes flooding.
C. melting snow combining with considerable amount of rain and sudden increase in
temperature leads to flooding.
D. snow that melts in wet weather causes flooding.
14. Why does saturated ground contribute to flooding problems?
A. the ground cannot absorb more water
B. the ground is too hard, so the water runs off
C. the ground forms a kind of dam
D. it remains frozen
15. How can a frozen river cause a flood?
A. The ice in the river melts too quickly and causes a flood.
B. The ice in the river cracks causing the water to overflow.
C. The ice in the river cracks into pieces that eventually create a dam causing the water to
overflow.
D. The water behind the ice dam collects and when the dam breaks, it causes flooding
upstream.
16. Why does the writer mention tidal wave in paragraph 4?
A. to compare the force of a broken human-made dam
B. to introduce another natural disaster
C. to emphasize the effects of natural disasters
D. to criticize dam designers
17. How far can dam water travel when it is unleashed from a broken dam?
A. less than 10 kilometres
B. tens of kilometres
C. thousands of kilometres
D. tens of thousands of kilometres downstream
18. The word devastating in paragraph 4 has the closest meaning to
A. fabulous C. priceless
B. uncountable D. disastrous
19. Which of the following is not mentioned as a cause for flood in the reading passages?
A. melting snow C. broken dams
B. ice-covered rivers D. poorly built roads
20. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
 A. Scientists know very little about floods.
B. Potential flooding cannot be predicted.
C. Consequences of flooding can be reduced if its causes are identified.
D. There are only three conditions for potential flooding.
PASSAGE 3 – Questions 21-30
Musical Talents
Among all the abilities with which an individual may be endowed, musical talent appears
earliest in life. Very young children can exhibit musical precocity for different reasons. Some
develop exceptional skill as a result of a well – designed instructional regime, such as the
Suzuki method for the violin. Some have the good fortune to be born into a musical family
in a household filled with music.
In a number of interesting cases, musical talent is part of an otherwise disabling condition such
as autism or mental retardation. A musically gifted child has an inborn talent; however, the
extent to which the talent is expressed publicly will depend upon the environment in which the
child lives.
Musically gifted children master at an early age the principal elements of music, including
pitch and rhythm. Pitch – or melody – is more central in certain cultures, for example, in
Eastern societies that make use of tiny quarter – tone intervals. Rhythm, sounds produced at
certain auditory frequencies and grouped according to a prescribed system, is emphasized in
sub – Saharan Africa, where the rhythm ratios can be very complex.
All children have some aptitude for making music. During infancy, normal children sing as
well as babble, and they can produce individual sounds and sound patterns. However,
individual differences begin to emerge in young children as they learn to sing. Some children
can match large segments of a song by the age of two or three. Many others can only
approximate pitch at this age and may still have difficulty in producing accurate melodies by
the age of five or six. However, by the time they reach school age, most reasonably accurate
imitation of the songs commonly heard in their environment.
The early appearance of superior musical ability in some children provides evidence that
musical talent may be a separate and unique form of intelligence. There are numerous tales of
young artists who have a remarkable ―ear‖ or extraordinary memory for music and a natural
understanding of musical structure. In many of these cases, the child is average in every other
way but displays an exceptional ability in music. Even the most gifted child, however, takes
about ten years to achieve the levels of performance or composition that would constitute
mastery of the musical sphere.
Every generation in music history has had its famous prodigies – individuals with exceptional
musical powers that emerge at a young age. In the eighteenth century, Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart began composing and performing at the age of six. As a child, Mozart could play the
piano like an adult. He has perfect pitch, and at age nine he was also a master of the art of
modulation – transitions from one key to another – which became one of the hallmarks of his
style. By the age of eleven, he had composed three symphonies and 30 other major works.
Mozard’s well – developed talent was preserved into adulthood.
21. The word precocity in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to
A. strong interest C. advanced skill
B. good luck D. personal style
22. Which sentence below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence
in paragraph 1?
A. Children may be born with superior musical ability, but their environment will
determine how this ability is developed.
B. Every child is naturally gifted, and it is the the responsibility of the public schools to
recognize and develop these talent.
C. Children with exceptional musical talent will look for the best way to express
themselves through music – making.
D. Some musically talented children live in an environment surrounded by music, while
others have little exposure to music.
23. What is pitch?
A. rhythm C. tone
B. a principal element of music D. frequency
24. According to paragraph 2, how are principal elements of music emphasized in Sub –
Saharan Africa?
A. Melody is the most important element.
B. Rhythm with complicated ratios is emphasized.
C. Rhythm is not significant.
D. These elements are totally ignored.
25. According to the passage, when does musical talent usually begin to appear?
A. When infants start to babble and produce sound patterns
B. Between the ages of two and four months
C. When children learn to sing at two or three years old.
D. Between ten years old and adolescence.
26. What does the word others in paragraph 3 refer to?
A. children C. segments
B. differences D. melodies
27. According to the passage, which of the following suggests that musical talent is separate
form of intelligence?
A. Exceptional musical ability in an otherwise average child.
B. Recognition of the emotional power of music.
C. The ability of all babies to acquire core elements of music.
D. Differences between learning music and learning language.
28. Why does the author discuss Mozart in Paragraph 5?
 A. To compare past and present views of musical talent
B. To give an example of a well – known musical prodigy
C. To list musical accomplishment of the eighteenth century
D. To describe the development of individual musical skill

29. In music, the change from one key to another is known as

A. rhythm C. perfect pitch
B. prodigy D. modulation
30. What can be inferred from the passage about exceptional musical ability?
A. It occurs more frequently in some cultures than in others.
B. It is evidence of a superior level of intelligence in other areas.
C. It has been documented and studied but is little understood.
D. It is the result of natural talent and a supportive environment.

PASSAGE 4 – Questions 31-40

The UH-1 Helicopter: Icon of the Vietnam War

Every modern war has its icon, the technological development essential to the conflict, the
one that changes the course of battle and becomes, ever after, symbolic of the time. The Civil
War’s cannon, World War I’s machine gun, World War II’s tank — each left its mark on
the landscape and the soldier. Vietnam’s icon was the helicopter, specifically the UH-1 utility
helicopter soldiers referred to as ―the Huey.‖
The geographic and political realities of Vietnam called for a new kind of warfare, one the
U.S. Army termed ―Airmobile.‖ Remote battle zones, mountains topped in old-growth
hardwood jungles, and poorly developed roads eliminated motor vehicles as a means of
quickly moving masses of troops and supplies. Helicopters took over. In Airmobile warfare,
flocks of helicopters took troops and supplies to strategic locations, monitored operations
from the air, engaged in battle, and evacuated forces. The famed U.S. Army 1 st Cavalry
joined aviation units already in Vietnam to pioneer Airmobile operations, trading its horses
for helicopters and creating an archetype followed by the 101 st Airborne, the 1st Aviation
Brigade, and several other aviation units and smaller detachments.
Many helicopters were used in Vietnam, but none was as widely employed as the
Huey. The UH-1 ―Iroquois,‖ popularly dubbed the Huey, is known as ―the workhorse of
the Vietnam War,‖ used by all military forces for troop transport, medical evacuation, and
combat assault. Hueys transported soldiers and supplies to the lines as the horses for a
modern cavalry. The U.S. Army and Marine Corps made them into gunships, modifying
them with machine guns and air-to-ground rocket pods and putting them to work in frontal
assaults. Hueys carried officers to develop battle plans, soldiers to battle, nurses to
orphanages, and ―Donut Dollies‖ to entertain troops. Outfitted with broadcasting systems,
they ferried Psychological Operations (PSYOPS) messengers.
And, perhaps most significantly, Hueys were the technology behind ―Dustoffs,‖ evacuations
of the wounded so-named by a pilot who gave his life doing it. The ability to swoop into the
battle, load the Huey with wounded, and fly to evacuation hospitals, started in Korea and
refined in Vietnam, has been called ―one of the major medical innovations of the Vietnam
War.‖ This quick transport meant that more than 90 percent of wounded soldiers who reached
a medical facility survived. The medical evacuation technology gained in the Huey
experience of Vietnam came home to become the air rescue operations we today take for
granted. The Huey is an enormously versatile helicopter, easily modified for various
missions. The interchangeable interiors of the Huey allowed for easy conversion from troop
carrier to ambulance. It was also an amazing machine, capable of flying in extreme stress and
relatively easy to get in and out quickly–a feature crucial in troop extraction and rescue
missions. Those who flew and maintained them, the pilots and crew chiefs, are fiercely loyal
to the Huey, even though many have flown many other aircraft.

More than 7,000 Huey helicopters served in Vietnam and nearly half were lost. 2,177 Huey
crew members were killed in action. Because the Huey was always there for them, for
soldiers on the ground, the distinctive WHOP WHOP of the Huey’s 48-foot rotor blades
slapping the air was the sound of their lifeline.

31. What is the best synonym for the word icon as it is used in the first paragraph?
A. helicopter
B. symbol
C. aircraft
D. tool
32. Why does the writer mention cannon, machine gun, and tank in paragraph 1?
A. to give examples of war symbols
B. to emphasize the power of U.S Army
C. to express the variety of U.S weapons and military equipment
D. to compare different weapons
33. Which list best describes the conditions that necessitated the use of the helicopter in
Vietnam?
A. strategic operations, supply routes, troop movements
B. large rivers, vast shoreline, marshy rice paddies
C. dense jungles, remote battle sites, bad roads
D. rapid transport, medical evacuation, soldier resupply
34. According to paragraph 2, which of the following was first implemented in Vietnam war?
A. 101st Airborne
 B. 1st Cavalry
C. 1st Aviation Brigade
D. UH-1 ―Iroquois‖
35. Which of the sentences below best expresses the information in the highlighted statement
in the passage?
A. The Huey was the least efficient among helicopters used in Vietnam
B. No helicopter was as big as the Huey.
C. The Huey was the most widely used helicopter in Vietnam.
D. Many helicopters were used in Vietnam, but none was helpful.
36. According to paragraph 3, which of the following was NOT carried by the Huey?
A. soldiers
B. officers
C. supplies
D. orphans
37. What name was given to helicopter ambulance missions?
A. Dustoff
B. PSYOP
C. Donut Dollies
D. Cavalry
38. The word evacuation in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to
A. hospitalization
B. increase
C. treatment
D. removal
39. Read the sentence below from paragraph 5, then answer the question.
The interchangeable interiors of the Huey allowed for easy conversion from troop carrier to
air ambulance. Which of these is the best category for this fact?
A. Safety features of the Huey
B. Huey crew members
C. Versatility of the Huey
D. Effects of the Huey on the enemy force
40. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A. Flying a Huey in Vietnam was dangerous work.
B. The Huey helicopter was extremely versatile.
C. Other helicopters were safer than the Huey.
D. Most military personnel preferred a motor vehicle to a Huey.