Passage Four
Questions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage.
Although April did not bring us the rains we all hoped for, and although the Central Valley doesn't generally experience the atmospheric sound and lightning that can accompany those rains, it's still important for parents to be able to answer the youthful questions about thunder and lightning.
The reason these two wonders of nature are so difficult for many adults to explain to children is that they are not very well understood by adults themselves. For example, did you know that the lightning we see flashing down to the earth from a cloud is actually flashing up to a cloud from the earth? Our eyes trick us into thinking we see a downward motion when it's actually the other way around. But then, if we believed only what we think we see, we'd still insist that the sun rises in the morning and sets at night.
Most lightning flashes take place inside a cloud, and only a relative few can be seen jumping between two cloud or between earth and a cloud. But, with about 2,000 thunderstorms taking place above the earth every minute of the day and night, there's enough activity to produce about 100 lightning strikes on earth every second.
Parents can use thunder and lightning to help their children learn more about the world around them. When children understand that the light of the lightning flashing reaches their eyes almost at the same moment, but the sound of the thunder takes about 5 seconds to travel just one mile, they can begin to time the interval between the flash and the crash to learn how close they were to the actual spark.
36. According to the author, in the area of the Central Valley, ______.
(A) rains usually come without thunder and lightning
(B) it is usually dry in April
(C) children pay no attention to natural phenomena
(D) parents are not interested in thunder and lightning
37. We believe that lightning is a downward notion because ______.
(A) we were taught so by our parents from our childhood
(B) we are deceived by our sense of vision
(C) it is a common natural phenomenon
(D) it is a truth proved by science
38. What is TRUE about lightning according to the passage?
(A) Only a small number of lightning flashes occur on earth.
(B) Lightning travels 5 minutes faster than thunder.
(C) Lightning flashes usually jump from one cloud to another.
(D) There are far more lightning strikes occurring on earth than we imagine.
39. The word "activity" (Para. 3, Line 3) is most closely related to the word(s) _____.
(A) "cloud" (C) "lightning flashes"
(B) "lightning strikes" (D) "thunderstorms"
40. It can be concluded from the passage that ______.
(A) we should not believe what we see or hear
(B) things moving downward are more noticeable
(C) people often have wrong concepts about ordinary phenomena
(D) adults are not as good as children in observing certain natural phenomena
Part III Vocabulary and Structure (20 minutes)
41. Before he left for his vacation he went to the bank to _____ some money.
(A) pull (B) pick (C) gain (D) draw
42. By the end of the year all but two people ______.
(A) have left (B) will leave (C) will be leaving (D) will have left
43. Frankfurt, Germany, is in one of the most _____ populated regions of Western Europe.
(A) densely (B) vastly (C) enormously (D) largely
44. Everyone had an application from in his hand, but no one knew which office room _____.
(A) to send it to (B) to send it (C) to be sent to (D) to have it sent
45. The police set a _____ to catch the thieves.
(A) plan (B) device (C) trap (D) trick
46. We _____ to start our own business, but we never had enough money.
(A) have hoped (B) hope (C) had hoped (D) should hope
47. We have to try every means to _____ the costs of the construction project.
(A) bring off (B) bring forth (C) bring down (D) bring back
48. The students were participating _____ an international energy-saving competition between towns in New England and Canada.
(A) for (B) in (C) to (D) at
49. When she was criticized, she claimed that it was outside her _____ of responsibility.
(A) field (B) limit (C) extent (D) range
50. While _____ the sun, the satellite has sent more than four billion bits of information back to earth.
(A) having orbited (B) being orbited (C) having been orbited (D) orbiting
51. language is a city, to the building of _____ every human being brought a stone.
(A) which (B) that (C) it (D) this
52. _____ of the two books holds the opinion that the danger of nuclear war is increasing.
(A) None (B) Either (C) Both (D) Neither
53. Government cannot operate effectively _____ it is free from such interference.
(A) so long as (B) so that (C) unless (D) because
54. We welcome rain, but a (an) _____ large amount of rainfall will cause floods.
(A) extensively (B) extremely (C) specially (D) constantly
55. Beethoven is my favorite musician. I regard him as _____ other musicians.
(A) superior to (B) more superior than (C) more superior to (D) superior than
56. I hope that you'll be more careful in typing the letter. Don't _____ anything.
(A) withdraw (B) omit (C) reduce (D) lead
57. We don't need air conditioning, _____.
(A) nor can we afford it (C) neither can afford it
(B) and nor we can afford it (D) and we can neither afford it
58. She is a very _____ secretary: she never forgets anything or makes a mistake.
(A) anxious (B) effective (C) adequate (D) efficient
59. The Browns ______ here, but not any more.
(A) were used to living (B) had lived (C) used to live (D) had been living
60. I'll accept any job _____ I don't have to get up early.
(A) lest (B) as long as (C) in case (D) though
61. Once out of the earth's gravity, the astronauts is _____ by the problem of weightlessness.
(A) affected (B) effected (C) inclined (D) related
62. Medical research has shown that the widespread of use of cigarettes contributes _____ the increase of cancers.
(A) towards (B) for (C) with (D) to
63. Could you find someone _____.
(A) for me to play tennis with (C) play tennis with
(B) for me to play tennis (D) playing tennis with
64. The computer has brought about surprising technological changes ______ we organize and produce information.
(A) in a way (B) in the way (C) in that way (D) in no way
65. The manager of the hotel requests that their guests _____ after 11:00 p.m.
(A) not to play loud music (C) don't play loud music
(B) shouldn't play loud music (D) couldn't play loud music
66. He is late again today. I'll _____ that he will not be late tomorrow.
(A) be sure (B) hope for (C) felt (D) to be felt
67. In Australia the Asians make their influence ______ in businesses large and small.
(A) feeling (B) feel (C) felt (D) to be felt
68. This popular sports car is now being _____ at the rate of a thousand a week.
(A) turned down (B) turned out (C) turned up (D) turned on
69. In Britain people drive _____ the left.
(A) at (B) on (C) to (D) in
70. This programme will examine the writer's books in detail, _____ an introduction to her life.
(A) following (B) having followed (C) being followed (D) to be followed