Section 3 • Reading Comprehension 457

@] Reading Comprehension
Time: 55 minutes
This section of the test measures your ability to comprehend written materials.
Directions: This section contains several passages, each followed by a number of questions. Read
the passages and, for each question, choose the one best answer-(A), (B), (C), or (D)-based on
what is stated in the passage or on what can be inferred from the passage. Then fill in the space on
your answer sheet that matches the letter of the answer that you have selected.

Read the following passage:

Like mammals, birds claim their own territories. A
bird's territory may be small or large. Some birds
claim only their nest and the area right around it,
(line) while others claim far larger territories that include
(5) their feeding areas. Gulls, penguins, and other waterfowl
nest in huge colonies, but even in the biggest colonies,
each male and his mate have small territories of their
own immediately around their nests.
Male birds defend their territory chiefly against other
(10) males of the same species. In some cases, a warning call
or threatening pose may be all the defense needed, but in
other cases, intruders may refuse to leave peacefully.
Example! Sample Answer

What is the main topic of this passage l

(A) Birds that live in colonies
(B) Birds' mating habits
(C) The behavior of birds
(D) Territoriality in birds
The passage mainly concerns the territories of birds. You should fill in (D) on your answer sheet.
458 Practice Test 2

Example 1/ Sample Answer

According to the passage, male birds defend

their territory primarily against
(A) female birds
(B) birds of other species
(C) males of their own species
(D) mammals
The passage states that "Male birds defend their territory chiefly against other males of the same
species." You should fill in (C) on your answer sheet.
As soon as you understand the directions, begin work on this section.

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 Section 3 • Reading Comprehension 459

Questions 1-11

The time when humans crossed the Arctic land bridge from
Siberia to Alaska seems remote to us today, but actually
represents a late stage in the prehistory of humans, an era when
(line) polished stone implements and bows and arrows were already being
(5) used, and dogs had already been domesticated.
When these early migrants arrived in North America, they found
the woods and plains dominated by three types of American
mammoths. These elephants were distinguished from today's
elephants mainly by their thick, shaggy coats and their huge,
(10) upward-curving tusks. They had arrived on the continent hundreds
of thousands of years before their human followers. The
wooly mammoth in the North, the Columbian mammoth in middle North
America. and the imperial mammoth of the South, together with
their distant cousins the mastodons, dominated the land. Here, as
(15) in the Old World, there is evidence that humans hunted these
elephants, as shown by the numerous spear points found with
mammoth remains.
Then, at the end of the Ice Age, when the last glaciers had
retreated, there was a relatively sudden and widespread
(20) extinction of elephants. In the New World, both mammoths and
mastodons disappeared. In the Old World, only Indian and African
elephants survived.
Why did the huge, seemingly successful mammoths disappear?
Were humans connected with their extinction? Perhaps, but at
(25) that time, although they were cunning hunters, humans were still
widely scattered and not very numerous. It is difficult to see
how they could have prevailed over the mammoth to such an extent.
1. With which of the following is the passage primarily concerned'
(A) Migration from Siberia to Alaska
(B) Techniques used to hunt mammoths
(C) The prehistory of humans
(D) The relationship between man and mammoth in the New World
2. The word "implements" in line 4 is closest in meaning to
(A) tools
(B) ornaments
(C) houses
(D) carvings
3. The phrase "these early migrants" in line 6 refers to
(A) mammoths
(B) humans
(C) dogs
(D) mastodons

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460 Practice Test 2

4. Where were the imperial mammoths the dominant type of mammoth?

(A) In Alaska
(B) In the central portion of North America
(C) In the southern part of North America
(D) In South America
5. It can be inferred that when humans crossed into the New World, they
(A) had previously hunted mammoths in Siberia
(B) had never seen mammoths before
(C) brought mammoths with them from the Old World
(D) soon learned to use dogs to hunt mammoths
6. Which of the following could best substitute for the word "remains" in line 17?
(A) Bones
(B) Drawings
(C) Footprints
(D) Spear points
7. The word "seemingly" in line 23 is closest in meaning to
(A) tremendously
(B) apparently
(C) formerly
(D) obviously

8. The passage supports which of the following conclusions about mammoths?

(A) Humans hunted them to extinction.
(B) The freezing temperatures of the Ice Age destroyed their food supply.
CC) The cause of their extinction is not definitely known.
CD) Competition with mastodons caused them to become extinct.
9. The word "cunning" in line 25 is closest in meaning to
(A) clever
(B) determined
(C) efficient
(D) cautious
10. Which of the following is NOT true about prehistoric humans at the time of the mammoths'
extinction?
(A) They were relatively few in number.
(8) They knew how to use bows and arrows.
CC) They were concentrated in a small area.
(D) They were skilled hunters.
11. Which of the following types of elephants does the author discuss in the most detail in the
passage?
(A) The mastodon
(B) The mammoth
CC) The Indian elephant
(D) The African elephant

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 Section 3 • Reading Comprehension 461

Questions 12-23
--------------------

Just before and during World War I, a number of white

musicians came to Chicago from New Orleans playing in an idiom
they had learned from blacks in that city. Five of them formed
(line) what eventually became known as the Original Dixieland Band. They
(5) moved to New York in 1917 and won fame there. That year they
recorded the first phonograph record identified as jazz.
The first important recording by black musicians was made in
Chicago in 1923 by King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band, a group that
featured some of the foremost jazz musicians of the time,
(10) including trumpet player Louis Armstrong. Armstrong's dynamic
trumpet style became famous worldwide. Other band members had
played in Fate Marable's band, which traveled up and down the
Mississippi River entertaining passengers on riverboats.
The characteristics of this early type of jazz, known as
(15) Dixieland jazz, included a complex interweaving of melodic lines
among the cornet or trumpet, clarinet, and trombone, and a
steady chomp-chomp beat provided by the rhythm section, which
included the piano, bass, and drums. Most bands used no written
notations, preferring arrangements agreed on verbally.
(20) Improvisation was an indispensable element. Even bandleaders such
as Duke Ellington, who provided his musicians with written
arrangements, permitted them plenty to freedom to improvise when
playing solos.
In the late 1920's, the most influential jazz artists in
(25) Chicago were members of small bands such as the Wolverines. In
New York, the trend was toward larger groups. These groups
played in revues, large dance halls, and theaters. Bands would
become larger still during the next age of jazz, the Swing era.
12. What is the main topic of this passage-
(A) The early history of jazz
(B) The music of World War I
(C) The relationship of melody and rhythm in jazz
(D) The New York recording industry in the 1920's
13. The word "idiom" in line 2 is closest in meaning to
(A) slang
(B) tempo
(C) tune
(D) style
14. The musicians who made the earliest jazz recordings were originally from
(A) New Orleans
(B) Chicago
(C) New York
(D) Mississippi
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462 Practice Test 2

15. When was the first important recording by black jazz musicians made?
(A) In 1917
(B) In 1923
(C) In the late 1920's
(D) In the early 1930's
16. According to the passage, Louis Armstrong was a member of which of the following'
(A) The Original Dixieland Band
(B) Fate Marable's riverboat band
(C) King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band
(D) The Wolverines
17. The word "steady" in line 17 is closest in meaning to
(A) constant
(13) basic
(C) urgent
(I)) happy

IR. According to the passage, which of the following instruments helped provide the beat for
Dixieland jazz?
(A) The cornet
(B) The piano
(C) The trombone
(D) The clarinet
19. Duke Ellington is given as an example of a bandleader who
(A) could not read music
(B) did not value improvisation
(C) discouraged solo performances
(D) used written arrangements
20. Which of the following phrases would be LEAST likely to be applied to Dixieland jazz'
(A) Relatively complex
(B) Highly improvisational
(C) Rhythmic and melodic
(D) Carefully planned
21. According to the passage, who were the Wolverines?
(A) A band that played in large dance halls
(B) A New York group
(C) A Swing band
(D) A small group
22. The author provides the most detailed description of early jazz music in the
(A) first paragraph
(B) second paragraph
(C) third paragraph
(D) fourth paragraph

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 Section 3 • Reading Comprehension 463

23. The paragraph following this one most likely deals with
(A) the music of small bands
(B) the Swing era
(C) music that influenced Dixieland Jazz
(D) other forms of music popular in the 1920's

Questions 24-32

A pioneering study by Donald Appleyard made the astounding

discovery that a sudden increase in the volume of traffic through
an area affects people in the way that a sudden increase in crime
(line) does. Appleyard observed this by finding three blocks of houses
(5) in San Francisco that looked much alike and had the same kind of
middle-class and working-class residents, with approximately the
same ethnic mix. The difference was that only 2,000 cars a day
ran down Octavia Street (LIGHT street, in Appleyard's
terminology) while Gough Street (MEDIUM street) was used by 8,000
(10) cars daily, and Franklin Street (HEAVY street) had around 16,000
cars a day. Franklin Street often had as many cars in an hour as
Octavia Street had in a day.
Heavy traffic brought with it danger, noise, fumes, and soot,
directly, and trash secondarily. That is, the cars didn't bring
(15) in much trash, but when trash accumulated, residents seldom
picked it up. The cars, Appleyard determined, reduced the amount
of territory residents felt responsible for. Noise was a constant
intrusion into their homes. Many Franklin Street residents
covered their doors and windows and spent most of their
(20) time in the rear of their houses. Most families with children had
already left.
Conditions on Octavia Street were much different. Residents
picked up trash. They sat on their front steps and chatted with
neighbors. They had three times as many friends and twice
(25) as many acquaintances as the people on Franklin.
On Gough Street, residents said that the old feeling of
community was disappearing as traffic increased. People were
becoming more and more preoccupied with their own lives. A
number of families had recently moved, and more were conSidering
(30) it. Those who were staying expressed deep regret at the
destruction of their community.
24. The word "astounding" in line 1 is closest in meaning to
(A) startling
(B) disappointing
(C) dubious
(D) alternative

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464 Practice Test 2

25. The three streets mentioned in this passage are different in that
(A) they are in different cities
(B) the residents are of different ethnic backgrounds
(C) they have varying amounts of traffic
(D) the income levels of the residents vary considerably
26. Approximately how many cars use Fntnklin Street daily?
(A) 2,000
(13) 8,000
(C) 16,000
(D) 20,000
27. All of the following are direct results of heavy traffic EXCEPT
(A) increased amounts of trash
(B) greater danger to residents
(C) more pollution
(D) more vibrations
28. The author's main purpose in the second paragraph is to
(A) discuss the problems of trash disposal
(B) point out the disadvantages of heavy traffic
(C) propose an alternate system of transportation
(D) suggest ways to cope with trafflc problems
29. On which street is there the most social interaction?
(A) Octavia Street
(B) Gough Street
(C) Franklin Street
(D) There is no significant social interaction on any of the three streets.
30. The word "chatted" in line 23 is closest in meaning to
(A) joked
(13) talked
(C) argued
(D) walked
31. Which of the following is NOT a statement you would expect from a resident of Gough Street?
(A) People on this street are unhappy because the neighborhood is deteriorating.
(13) People on this street think mostly of themselves.
(C) People on this street have more and more space for which they feel responsible.
(D) A number of people are preparing to leave this street.
32. In what order does the author present detailed discussions of the three streets?
(A) LIGHT, MEDIUM, HEAVY
(B) HEAVY, MEDIUM, LIGHT
(C) HEAVY, LIGHT, MEDIUM
(D) LIGHT, HEAVY, MEDIUM

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 Section 3 • Reading Comprehension 465

Questions 33-42

Rachel Carson was born in 1907 in Springsdale, Pennsylvania.

She studied biology at college, and zoology at Johns Hopkins
University, where she received her master's degree in 1933. In
(line) 1936, she was hired by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, where
(5) she worked most of her life.
Carson's first book, Under the Sea Wind, was published in
1941. It received excellent reviews, but sales were poor until
it was reissued in 1952. In that year she published The Sea
Around Us, which provided a fascinating look beneath the ocean's
(10) surface, emphasizing human history as well as geology and marine
biology. Her imagery and language had a poetic quality. Carson
consulted no fewer than 1,000 printed sources. She had voluminous
correspondence and frequent discussions with experts in the
field. However, she always realized the limitations of her
(15) non-technical readers.
In 1962 Carson published Silent Spring, a book that sparked
considerable controversy. It proved how much harm was done by
the uncontrolled, reckless use of insecticides. She detailed how
they poison the food supply of animals, kill birds and fish, and
(20) contaminate human food. At the time, spokesmen for the chemical
industry mounted personal attacks against Carson and issued
propaganda to indicate that her findings were flawed. However,
her work was vindicated by a 1963 report of the President's
Science Advisory Committee.
33. The passage mainly discusses Rachel Carson's work
(A) as a researcher
(B) at college
(C) at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(D) as a writer
34. According to the passage, what did Carson primarily study at Johns Hopkins University?
(A) Oceanography
(ll) History
(C) Literature
(D) Zoology
35. When she published her first book, Carson was closest to the age of
(A) 26
(B) 29
(C) 34
(D) 45

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466 Practice Test 2

36. It can be inferred from the passage that in 1952, Carson's book Under the Sea Wind
(A) was outdated
(B) became more popular than her other books
(C) was praised by critics
(D) sold many copies
37. Which of the following was NOT mentioned in the passage as a source of information for The
Sea Around Us?
(A) Printed matter
(B) Talks with experts
(C) A research expedition
(D) Letters from scientists
38. Which of the following words or phrases is LEAST accurate in describing The Sea Around Us?
(A) Highly technical
(B) Poetic
(C) Fascinating
(D) Well-researched
39. The word "reckless" in line 18 is closest in meaning to
(A) unnecessary
(B) limited
(C) continuous
(D) irresponsible
40. According to the passage, Silent Spring is primarily
(A) an attack on the use of chemical preservatives in food
(B) a discussion of the hazards insects pose to the food supply
(C) a warning about the dangers of misusing insecticides
(D) an illustration of the benefits of the chemical industry
41. The word "flawed" in line 22 is closest in meaning to
(A) faulty
(B) deceptive
(C) logical
(D) offensive
42. Why does the author of the passage mention the report of the President's Science Advisory
Committee (lines 23-24)?
(A) To provide an example of government propaganda
(B) To support Carson's ideas
(C) To indicate a growing government concern with the environment
(D) To validate the chemical industry's claims

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 Section 3 • Reading Comprehension 467

Questions 43-50

What is meant by the term economic resources? In general,

these are all the natural, man-made, and human resources that go
into the production of goods and services. This obviously covers
(line) a lot of ground: factories and farms, tools and machines,
(5) transportation and communication facilities, all types of natural
resources, and labor. Economic resources can be broken down into
two general categories: property resources-land and capital-
and human resources-labor and entrepreneurial skills.
What do economists mean by land? Much more than the non-
(10) economist. Land refers to all natural resources that are usable
in the production process: arable land, forests, mineral and oil
deposits, and so on. What about capital? Capital goods are all
the man-made aids to producing, storing, transporting, and
distributing goods and services. Capital goods differ from
(15) consumer goods in that the latter satisfy wants directly, while
the former do so indirectly by facilitating the production of
consumer goods. It should be noted that capital as defined here
does not refer to money. Money, as such, produces nothing.
The term labor refers to the physical and mental talents of
(20) humans used to produce goods or services (with the exception of a
certain set of human talents, entrepreneurial skiIIs, which will
be considered separately because of their special significance).
Thus the services of a factory worker or an office worker, a
ballet dancer or an astronaut all fall under the general heading of labor.
43. What is the author's main purpose in writing this passage?
(A) To explain the concept of labor
(B) To criticize certain uses of capital
(C) To contrast capital goods and consumer goods
(D) To define economic resources
44. In lines 3-4, the author uses the expression "This obviously covers a lot of ground ..." to
indicate that
(A) the factories and farms discussed in the passage are very large
(B) economic resources will be discussed in great depth
(C) the topic of economic resources is a broad one
(D) land is an important concept in economics
45. When non-economists use the term "land," its definition
(A) is much more general than when economists use it
(B) is much more restrictive than when economists use it
(C) changes from place to place
(D) includes all types of natural resources

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468 Practice Test 2

46. The word "arable" in line 11 is closest in meaning to

(A) dry
(B) fertile
(C) developed
(D) open

47. The phrase "the latter" in line 15 refers to

(A) economists
(B) non-economists
(C) capital goods
(D) consumer goods

48. Which of the following could be considered a capital good as defined in the passage?
(A) A railroad
(B) Money
(C) A coal deposit
(D) Human skills

49. The word "heading" in line 24 is closest in meaning to

(A) direction
(B) practice
(C) category
CD) utility
50. The skills of all the following could be considered examples of labor, as defined in the passage,
EXCEPT
(A) artists and scientists
(B) workers who produce services, not goods
(C) office workers
(D) entrepreneurs

THIS IS THE END OF THE SAMPLE READING COMPREHENSION SECTION.

IF YOU FINISH BEFORE TIME IS CAll.ED,

GO BACK AND CHECK YOUR WORK IN THIS SECTION ONLY.

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