Reading Comprehension 1

Atmosphere of Venus

Data from the Pioneer spacecraft of NASA apparently prove the theory that the high surface temperature of Venus is due to an atmospheric greenhouse effect caused mainly by a blanket of carbon dioxide. Such a greenhouse effect is created when energy in the form of sunlight easily passes through a planet’s atmosphere, warms its surface, and is converted to heat radiation that is then held in by the atmosphere from top to bottom. Venus has a relatively thin atmosphere like the Earth’s, but Venus’ atmosphere consists of more than ninety percent carbon dioxide, compared to less than four percent in that of the Earth. Because of its higher percentage of carbon dioxide, Venus’ atmosphere traps much more heat radiation than does the Earth’s. Thus, the Venus studies are believed to be important to the understanding of possible adverse effects on the Earth’s agriculture that could result from the long-term use of fossil fuels, which add carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

1. According to the passage, data from the Venus study can be used to____________

• measure the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere accurately.

• increase the emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

• predict future agricultural problems on Earth.

• determine the topography and the surface characteristics of the Earth.

How Does Brain Work?

Theories about how brain works remain a topic of debate. It is agreed, though, that the hippocampus, a part of the brain, is undeniably important for memory. When we experience something, the information is sent via our senses to the hippocampus, where it is processed. Scientists believe that brain cells called neurons first transform the sensory stimuli we experience into images in our immediate memory. Then, these images are sent to the hippocampus and stored temporarily in short-term memory. In the hippocampus, information is organized, and it is during this process that parts of the image of our experience fade away. Finally, certain information is then transferred to long-term memory in a section in the frontal lobe of the brain known as the cerebral cortex. Scientists think this process may happen while we are sleeping, but exactly how the information is transferred from one area of the brain to another is a mystery.

According to the passage scientists__________

• know that information is sent from the long-term memory to the hippocampus.

• have found out why some of the information is lost in the hippocampus.

• don’t know exactly how the information is transferred from one area of the brain to another.

• agree on how the brain works.

People With Extraordinary Abilities

Fictional stories about people who have extraordinary abilities have always attracted people’s attention. One of them is the story of Vera Petrova, who is able to perceive things with different parts of her skin, and through solid walls. One day she comes into his father’s office and puts her hands on the door of a locked safe. Suddenly she asks her father why he keeps so many old newspapers locked away there. Vera’s curious talent is brought to the notice of a scientific research institute and she is given a series of tests by a special commission. During these tests she manages to read a newspaper through an opaque screen and then she describes the figures and colors of a picture hidden under a carpet. During all these tests Vera is blindfolded; and, indeed, except when blindfolded she lacks the ability to perceive things with her skin. It was also found that although she could perceive things with her fingers, this ability ceased the moment her hands were wet.

It is pointed out in the reading that Vera Petrova loses the ability to perceive objects with her fingers_________

• when she is asked to read a newspaper through an opaque screen.

• after she is given a series of tests.

• as soon as her hands get wet.

• when the object is hidden under a carpet.

When the typewriter was first invented, its keys were arranged alphabetically. This made the keys easy to find. However, this arrangement also caused the bars of the machine to jam, or get stuck. To solve this problem, a new letter arrangement was introduced by Christopher Latham Scholes in 1872. His system, the standard keyboard system, is still used on typewriters today. He arranged the letters in such a way that the bars hit the inked ribbon from opposite directions as much as possible. This resulted in far less jamming than had occurred with the alphabetical models.

The main topic of this passage is ...

• a problem and solution concerning the early typewriter

• the invention of the typewriter

• how to write a letter on the typewriter

• why the keys stick on today’s typewriter

When the typewriter was first invented, its keys were arranged alphabetically. This made the keys easy to find. However, this arrangement also caused the bars of the machine to jam, or get stuck. To solve this problem, a new letter arrangement was introduced by Christopher Latham Scholes in 1872. His system, the standard keyboard system, is still used on typewriters today. He arranged the letters in such a way that the bars hit the inked ribbon from opposite directions as much as possible. This resulted in far less jamming than had occurred with the alphabetical models.

According to the passage, on the first typewriters ...

• the keys were in alphabetical order

• the keys were hard to find

• the bars on the machine never jammed

• Scholes’s system worked quite well

When the typewriter was first invented, its keys were arranged alphabetically. This made the keys easy to find. However, this arrangement also caused the bars of the machine to jam, or get stuck. To solve this problem, a new letter arrangement was introduced by Christopher Latham Scholes in 1872. His system, the standard keyboard system, is still used on typewriters today. He arranged the letters in such a way that the bars hit the inked ribbon from opposite directions as much as possible. This resulted in far less jamming than had occurred with the alphabetical models.

The passage indicates that under Scholes’s system, the bars hit the ribbon ..

• in alphabetical order

• and caused the keys to jam

• from opposite directions

• in the same way as they had on the original typewriter

Weather reporters have to give out a lot of information. That's why they use pictures. The pictures help them tell us about the weather without using so many words. Weather reporters need to know where the cold air is. They need to know where the warm air is. They have to know where it is raining and what types of clouds are in the area. Their reports need to be correct, but they also need to be short. The pictures help weather reporters get the information out in a fast way.

Which sentence best describes the main idea of the paragraph?

• Weather reporters need to know where the cold air is

• Pictures help weather reporters get information out in a fast way

• Their reports need to be correct, but they also need to be short

• They have to know where it is raining and what types of clouds are in the area

Soccer is known in some countries as football. It is a popular sport across the world, with over 200 countries playing the sport. It is estimated that over 250 million people, both men and women, play soccer. The sport has been part of the Olympic games from 1900 to 1928 and from 1936 to today.

 What is the main idea?

• Soccer is important at the Olympics.
• Soccer is a worldwide sport.
• Soccer is also called football.
• Soccer is played by men and women.

When another old cave is discovered in the south of France, it is not usually news. Rather, it is an ordinary event. Such discoveries are so frequent these days that hardly anybody pays heed to them. However, when the Lascaux cave complex was discovered in 1940, the world was amazed. Painted directly on its walls were hundreds of scenes showing how people lived thousands of years ago. The scenes show people hunting animals, such as bison or wild cats. Other images depict birds and, most noticeably, horses, which appear in more than 300 wall images, by far outnumbering all other animals. Early artists drawing these animals accomplished a monumental and difficult task. They did not limit themselves to the easily accessible walls but carried their painting materials to spaces that required climbing steep walls or crawling into narrow passages in the Lascaux complex. Unfortunately, the paintings have been exposed to the destructive action of water and temperature changes, which easily wear the images away. Because the Lascaux caves have many entrances, air movement has also damaged the images inside. Although they are not out in the open air, where natural light would have destroyed them long ago, many of the images have deteriorated and are barely recognizable. To prevent further damage, the site was closed to tourists in 1963, 23 years after it was discovered.

Based on the passage, what is probably true about the south of France?

• It is home to rare animals.

• It has a large number of caves.

• It is known for horse-racing events.

• It has attracted many famous artists.

When another old cave is discovered in the south of France, it is not usually news. Rather, it is an ordinary event. Such discoveries are so frequent these days that hardly anybody pays heed to them. However, when the Lascaux cave complex was discovered in 1940, the world was amazed. Painted directly on its walls were hundreds of scenes showing how people lived thousands of years ago. The scenes show people hunting animals, such as bison or wild cats. Other images depict birds and, most noticeably, horses, which appear in more than 300 wall images, by far outnumbering all other animals.

Early artists drawing these animals accomplished a monumental and difficult task. They did not limit themselves to the easily accessible walls but carried their painting materials to spaces that required climbing steep walls or crawling into narrow passages in the Lascaux complex. Unfortunately, the paintings have been exposed to the destructive action of water and temperature changes, which easily wear the images away. Because the Lascaux caves have many entrances, air movement has also damaged the images inside. Although they are not out in the open air, where natural light would have destroyed them long ago, many of the images have deteriorated and are barely recognizable. To prevent further damage, the site was closed to tourists in 1963, 23 years after it was discovered.

According to the passage, which animals appear most often on the cave walls?

• Birds

• Bison

• Horses

• Wild cats