| Directions : There are three passages in this part. Each passage is followed by five questions. For each question there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. You should decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet with a single line through the center
Passage 1
Over half a century has passed since the day in August 1914 when the 9,000 ton ship “Ancon” became the first in history to sail direct from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean through the new 50-mile-long canal.
Ferdinand de Lesseps, the French engineer, built the Suez Canal . The French, certain that de Lesseps could repeat his triumph, made plans for the canal across Panama . Work began in 1888, but the engineers were beaten not by engineering problems or financial troubles but by a small winged insect, the mosquito. There were millions of them there and they carried the deadly yellow fever against which, in those days, medical science was helpless. So many of the workers died that they couldn't continue.
The French wanted to build a sea-level canal. But, when the Americans finally decided to build the canal, the route demanded twelve locks, Canal locks are doors in a canal which can be opened or closed so that the level of the water between two locks can be raised or lowered. This makes it possible for a canal to take ships up and down hills. This is one reason why the Panama Canal is now considered out -of- date. If war should come and these locks were bombed, the canal would be out of action for months.
In 1956 Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal and now people in Latin America are beginning to say the Panama Canal should be also be nationalized. This would mean that the Americans would no longer be able to control it. The USA is considering building a second canal---- a sea-level one which could not easily be put out of action because there would be no locks. The engineers planning this job have one great new idea--- to move the earth and rock for the canal by using atomic explosions.
1)
Who built the Panama Canal ?
(A)
Ferdinand de Lesseps
(B)
Americans
(C)
The French people
(D)
None of the above
2)
When was the Panama open to traffic?
(A)
In 1914
(B)
In 1888
(C)
In 1898
(D)
In 1956
3)
What did the French engineer intend to build?
(A)
A lock canal
(B)
A sea-level canal
(C)
A sea-level canal with locks
(D)
A lock canal at the sea level
4)
Why was the first attempt to build the Panama Canal a failure?
(A)
The engineer was not competent
(B)
There were not enough funds
(C)
The local people were against it
(D)
There was a deadly disease.
5)
What is the advantage of a sea-level canal?
(A)
It shortens the distance
(B)
It guarantees smooth sailing
(C)
It won't be easily damaged in war
(D)
It ensures American funds
Passage 2
In the year following the Civil War, business began to form monopolies. A monopoly is a business or corporation that has exclusive control over a certain market. This means that a monopoly has no competitors.
In business, competition among business tends to keep the prices of products down. Since they had no competitors, monopolies, depending on how essential their product was, could charge as much as they wanted for their product.
As more and more monopolies began to appear, some Americans began to wonder how these big companies could so easily drive their competitors out of business. One person who was especially interested in the practices of these monopolies was a journalist named Ida Tarbell.
During the early 1900' s Ida Tarbell's articles took on such big corporations as the Standard Oil Trust Company. She described the methods that these monopolies would use to drive rival companies out of business. For example, she described hw big companies would make deals with railroad companies. According to the terms of these deals, the railroad companies would charge the big companies lower rates to transport goods. Smaller companies who competed with the big companies would be charged the regular rate, which was much higher.
6)
What I the passage mainly concerned with?
(A)
The definition of monopolies.
(B)
The success of monopolies
(C)
The reasons fro the success of monopolies.
(D)
Both B and C
7)
A monopoly is a business that controls the market,_____
(A)
beating all other competitors
(B)
including only a few competitors
(C)
excluding many rivals
(D)
none of the above
8)
If a monopoly wants to charge as much as possible,______
(A)
it must have competitors
(B)
it must be a big business
(C)
its products must be indispensable to people.
(D)
Its products must be of high quality
9)
Tarbell's articles are mainly concerned with_______
(A)
the competitive power of big companies.
(B)
the competitive methods by big companies.
(C)
the dirty deals between big and small companies
(D)
the dirty deals between big companies and railroad companies
10)
The word “terms” in Paragraph 4 means__________.
(A)
conditions
(B)
semesters
(C)
periods of time
(D)
money
Passage 3
When it was started in the 1960' s, it was considered a grand experiment that would make Latin American nations rich. Today, that grand experiment has become a disaster that has damaged both the economy and the environment of many South American Nations.
The grand experiment was cattle ranching. Many South American governments, troubled by failures to establish crop farms in tropical regions, turned to cattle ranching to help solve their countries' economic problems. From 1965 to 1978, South American nations spent a combined total of more than $1 billion to develop a cattle raising industry. At one point, Brazil had as many as 336 cattle ranches.
Why did these countries invest so heavily in cattle ranching? Well, demand for beef was high in the United States and in other industrial nations. It was felt that cattle raised in the tropical regions of South America could be sold to the U.S. and other nations for handsome profit. The cost of providing beef was low in South America because the cattle were to feed on the rich grassland in the tropical areas.
Everything about the cattle ranching plans sounded promising. However, the promise did not last long. It turned out that the grass-fed cattle from South America processed meats such as hot dogs and cold cuts. The grass-fed cattle did not bring high prices. Even though demand for beef in the U.S and other nations was high, consumers in these nations were not willing to accept grass-fed beef, staying instead with beef fed on corn and grain.
There were other problems as well. The quick growth of the cattle raising industry led to such environmental problems as overgrazing and soil erosion. Also, the grasses in the tropics were mixed with weeds that were poisonous to cattle. These weeds further reduced the economic promise of cattle ranching. Today, nearly every South American nation that was eager for cattle ranching has abandoned the project.
11)
Which of the following could be the best title for the passage?
(A)
The Emergence of Cattle Ranching in South America .
(B)
The Rise and Fall of Cattle Ranching in South America
(C)
The Reasons for the Failure of Cattle Ranching in South America .
(D)
The Gradual Decline of Cattle Ranching in South America .
12)
Why did many South American countries want to start cattle ranching?
_
(A)
They could not set up crop farms
(B)
They wanted to make plenty of money
(C)
They expected that the beef would sell well.
(D)
All of the above.
13)
“At one point” in the last sentence of Paragraph 2 means
(A)
At one time
(B)
At one place
(C)
At one critical moment
(D)
In one crisis
14)
What is mainly discussed in this passage?
(A)
The way to develop the cattle ranching
(B)
The reason why the grand experiment failed
(C)
The future of the grand experiment.
(D)
The demand for beef in South America .
15)
What seems to be the disaster(s) for South American countries?
(A)
They spent a lot of money on cattle ranching without good profits.
(B)
The soil quality got worse
(C)
They were badly treated by rich countries
(D)
Both A and B
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