Sample Test
Sample Test
Sample Test
Exercise 1:
The memoir describes Frank McCourt's pedagogies, which involves the students taking
responsibility for their own learning, especially in his first school, McKee Vocational and
Technical High School, on Staten Island in New York City. On the first day he nearly gets
fired for eating a sandwich, which a boy had thrown in front of his desk, and the second day
he nearly gets fired for joking that in Ireland, people go out with sheep after a student ask
them if Irish people date. Much as his early teaching involves telling anecdotes about his
childhood in Ireland in response to questions from his students, which incidents were mainly
covered in his earlier books Angela's Ashes and 'Tis. He explains the continue effort of
adolescents to divert him from the lessons he wants to teach; he slowly realizes the stories
can be part of teaching English, as the stories had structure just like the novels the students
are reading, and he uses the stories to segue to the course material. It benefits him to
verbalize his upbringing and hear the reactions of the students, a topic he expected to leave
behind him when he sailed to America. McCourt then teaches English as a Second
Language, and also a class of predominantly African American female students, whom he
took to a production of Hamlet. He writes about his teacher certification test when he was
asked about George Santayana, of whom he was ignorant, but later gives an excellent
lesson to a class on the war poets Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon, whose poems he
knew well. Other highlights include his connection between how a pen works and how a
sentence works; he did not feel strong in the topic of diagramming sentences, but did want to
get across the basics. The school administration was impressed by this idea and some of the
students grasped the point. His use of realia such as using students' forged excuse notes as
a segue to writing with scena is another highlight of his teaching style, keeping the students
involved. For his wife's request, he undertakes therapy, one on one and then a few sessions
in group therapy. He was uncomfortable in the group and stopped attending it. The only
breakthrough noted by the therapist was McCourt's statement that he is at ease in the
classroom but not comfortable outside the classroom, and wants the ease in social situations
that his wife has, that his brother Malachy has. His restfulness continues.
Exercise 2:
The BBC World Service compasses an English 24-hour global radio network and separate
services in 27 other languages. News and information is available in these languages on
the BBC website, with many having RSS feeds and specific versions for use on mobile
devices, and some also offer email notification of stories. In addition to the English service,
18 of the language services broadcast a radio service using the short
wave, AM or FM bands. These are also available to listen live or can be listened to later
(usually for seven days) on the Internet and, in the case of seven language services, can be
downloaded as podcasts. In recent years, video content had also been used by the World
Service: 16 language services show video reports on the website, and the Arabic and
Persian services have their own television channels. TV is also used to broadcast the radio
service, with local cable and satellite operators provide the English network (and occasionally
some local language services) free to air.Traditionally, the Service relied on shortwave
broadcasts, because of their ability to overcome barriers of censorship, distance, and
spectum scarcity. The BBC has maintained a worldwide network of shortwave relay
stations since the 1940s, mainly in former British colonies. These cross-border broadcasts
have also been used in special situation for emergency messages to British subjects abroad,
such as the advice to evacuate Jordan during the Black September incidents of September
1970. These facilities were privatised in 1997 as Merlin Communications, and later acquired
and operated as part of a wider network for multiple broadcasters by VT
Communications (now part of Babcock International Group). It is also common for BBC
programmes to air on Voice of America or ORF transmitters, while their programme is
relayed by a station located inside the UK. However, since the 1980s, satellite
distribution has made it possible for local stations to relay BBC programmes. The World
Service aims to be "the world's best-known and most-respected voice in international
broadcasting, by bringing benefit to the UK, the BBC, and to audiences around the world",
[39]
while retaining a "balanced British view" of international developments.[40] Like the rest of
the BBC, the World Service is on a Crown corporation of the UK Government. For the
financial year 2018–19, it received £327 million.[41] In addition to broadcast, the Service also
devotes resources to the BBC Learning English programme.[4
II.Bài summary
Televisual media has become a pervasive force in the lives of families around the world
today. Yet, a central question remains regarding whether watching television is harmful
or beneficial for children. An analysis of this question reveals that television programs
present three major concerns in the case of children, including depictions of violence,
the use of profane language, and the representation of poor moral role models.
Television programs that portray violence are a paramount concern for parents
nowadays. Recent research has shown that children may commit acts of violence
because they wish to emulate the behavior that they see on television. This is especially
true when violent acts are committed by well-known action “heroes.” In addition,
television programs show cartoon figures, as well as actors, committing violent acts.
Using comic situations to depict violent themes causes further problems with the way in
which young people view violence.
Television programs that contain profane or disrespectful language also worry parents
with young children. Because censorship laws have relaxed over the past few decades,
it has become very common for television programs of each and every kind to show
characters expressing impolite, rude, and insulting utterances to one another. Bearing
resemblance to the case of portrayals of violence, children unfortunately often try to
imitate these actions they watch on their television screens.
Finally, some parents are upset about the moral behavior depicted on television. As
they struggle to teach their children moral and ethical values, parents might despair
about the lack of morals and ethics represented in some of the so-called role models on
television. For instance, certain characters not only have no remorse for their immoral
actions, but also frequently go unpunished by larger society.
Reading 1
Ancient people probably assembled the massive sandstone horseshoe at Stonehenge more
than 4,600 years ago, while the smaller bluestones were imported from Wales later, a new
study suggests.
The conclusion, detailed in the December issue of the journal Antiquity, challenges earlier
timelines that proposed the smaller stones were raised first.
"The sequence proposed for the site is really the wrong way around," said study co-author
Timothy Darvill, an archaeologist at Bournemouth University in England. "The original idea
that it starts small and gets bigger is wrong. It starts big and stays big. The new scheme puts
the big stones at the center at the site as the first stage."
The new timeline, which relies on statistical methods to tighten the dates when the stones
were put into place, overturns the notion that ancient societies spent hundreds of years
building each area of Stonehenge. Instead, a few generations likely built each of the major
elements of the site, said Robert Ixer, a researcher who discovered the origin of the
bluestones, but who was not involved in the study.
"It's a very timely paper and a very important paper," Ixer said. "A lot of us have got to go
back and rethink when the stones arrived."
Mysterious monument
The Wiltshire, England, site of Stonehenge is one of the world's most enduring mysteries. No
one knows why prehistoric people built the enigmatic megaliths, although researchers over
the years have argued the site was originally a sun calendar, a symbol of unity, or a burial
monument.
Though only some of the stones remain, at the center of the site once sat an oval of
bluestones, or igneous rocks (those formed from magma) that turn a bluish hue when wet or
freshly cut. Surrounding the bluestones are five giant sandstone megaliths called trilithons, or
two vertical standing slabs capped by a horizontal stone, arranged in the shape of a
horseshoe.
Around the horseshoe, ancient builders erected a circular ring of bluestones. The sandstone
boulders, or sarsens, can weigh up to 40 tons (36,287 kilograms), while the much smaller
bluestones weigh a mere 4 tons (3,628 kg).
Past researchers believed the bluestone oval and circle were erected earlier than the
massive sandstone horseshoe. But when Darvill and his colleagues began excavations at
the site in 2008, they found the previous chronology didn't add up. The team estimated the
age of new artifacts from the site, such as an antler bone pick stuck within the stones.
Combining the new information with dating from past excavations, the team created a new
timeline for Stonehenge's construction.
Like past researchers, the team believes that ancient people first used the site 5,000 years
ago, when they dug a circular ditch and mound, or henge, about 361 feet (110 meters) in
diameter.
But the new analysis suggests around 2600 B.C. the Neolithic people built the giant
sandstone horseshoe, drawing the stone from nearby quarries. Only then did builders
arrange the much smaller bluestones, which were probably imported from Wales. Those
bluestones were then rearranged at various positions throughout the site over the next
millennium, Darvill said.
"They sort out the local stuff first, and then they bring in the stones from Wales to add to the
complexity of the structure," Darvill told LiveScience.
The new dating allows the archaeologists to tie the structure to specific people who lived in
the area at the time, Darvill said. The builders of the larger sandstone structures were pig
farmers found only in the British Isles. In contrast, the bluestone builders would've been the
Beaker people, sheep and cow herders who lived throughout Europe and are known for the
distinctive, bell-shape pottery they left behind.
The new timeline "connects everything together, it gives us a good sequence of events
outside, and it gives us a set of cultural associations with the different stages of
construction," Darvill said.
1. The new study described in this article suggests which sequence of events for
the building of Stonehenge?
A. The bluestones were arranged in the horseshoe configuration and then accented
with the larger stones
B. Ancient peoples first arranged the small bluestone configuration and later ringed it
with large, imported granite slabs
C. The sandstone horseshoe was developed first, thousands of years ago, and the
smaller bluestones were imported later from Wales
D. All the stones were brought in at the same time and slowly arranged over
centuries
2. Which type of methodology does the new study rely on to discern
Stonehenge's timeline?
A. Mineralogy
B. Statistical analysis
C. Carbon dating
D. DNA analysis
3. According to the article, a sarsen could weigh how much?
A. 38 tons
B. 42 tons
C. 56 tons
D. 41 tons
4. Until the study that is discussed in the article, what was the accepted
sequence of Stonehenge's construction?
A. Bluestone horseshoe, then sandstone oval
B. Bluestone diamond, then sandstone square
C. Bluestone square, then sandstone circle
D. Bluestone oval, then sandstone horseshoe
5. None of the following were known artifacts in constructing the new Stonehenge
timeline EXCEPT
A. Arrowheads of the nearby civilizations
B. Skeletons of ancient peoples
C. An antler bone wedged between stones
D. Stone eroded clearly enough to be dated
6. It is agreed between old and new studies that Stonehenge was first used by
civilizations?
A. 5,000 years ago
B. 6,000 years ago
C. 7,000 years ago
D. 8,000 years ago
7. The later bluestones, believed to be imported from Wales,
A. Were originally arranged to outline the horseshoe shape of the sandstone
boulders
B. Were arranged over the course of a millennium
C. Were actually recovered from local quarries
D. Were settled in their pattern within a year
8. According to Darvill, what effect did the bluestones have upon Stonehenge
A. They allowed the dimensions of Stonehenge to be more aesthetically pleasing
B. They provided an added complexity to the structure by using foreign material
C. They represented strong cultural ties with the Welsh culture
D. They were symbols of conquest of foreign lands
9. According to Daville, what is the most important piece of knowledge obtained
from this new timeline?
A. That sandstone and bluestone were both native to the region
B. That Stonehenge became the model for future Scottish architecture
C. That the original peoples who built Stonehenge were wealthy enough to acquire
rare stones
D. That the original builders of Stonehenge were different types of animal herders
10. What is the conclusion that Darville draws in the quote in the final paragraph?
A. Stonehenge remains an inspiration for modern artists and architects
B. The mysteries of Stonehenge are entirely clarified by the new research and
timeline
C. Previous timelines for Stonehenge may have given us a flawed interpretation of
the civilizations and materials they had access to at the time
D. Stonehenge was really a foreign project, made from materials outside of the
country, and influenced by civilizations other than those who lived locally
Reading 2
When people learn to play video games, they are learning a new literacy. Of course, this is
not the way the word "literacy" is normally used. Traditionally, people think of literacy as the
ability to read and write. Why, then, should we think of literacy more broadly, in regard to
video games or anything else, for that matter? There are two reasons.
First, in the modern world, language is not the only important communicational system.
Today images, symbols, graphs, diagrams, artifacts, and many other visual symbols are
particularly significant. Thus, the idea of different types of "visual literacy" would seem to be
an important one. For example, being able to "read" the images in advertising is one type of
visual literacy. And, of course, there are different ways to read such images, ways that are
more or less aligned with the intentions and interests of the advertisers. Knowing how to read
interior designs in homes, modernist art in museums, and videos on MTV are other forms of
visual literacy.
Furthermore, very often today words and images of various sorts are juxtaposed and
integrated in a variety of ways. In newspaper and magazines as well as in textbooks, images
take up more and more of the space alongside words. In fact, in many modern high school
and college textbooks in the sciences images not only take up more space, they now carry
meanings that are independent of the words in the text. If you can't read these images, you
will not be able to recover their meanings from the words in the text as was more usual in the
past. In such multimodal texts (texts that mix words and images), the images often
communicate different things from the words. And the combination of the two modes
communicates things that neither of the modes does separately. Thus, the idea of different
sorts of multimodal literacy seems an important one. Both modes and multimodality go far
beyond images and words to include sounds, music, movement, bodily sensations, and
smells.
None of this news today, of course. We very obviously live in a world awash with images. It is
our first answer to the question why we should think of literacy more broadly. The second
answer is this: Even though reading and writing seem so central to what literacy means
traditionally, reading and writing are not such general and obvious matters as they might at
first seem. After all, we never just read or write; rather, we always read or write something in
some way.
So there are different ways to read different types of texts. Literacy is multiple, then, in the
sense that the legal literacy needed for reading law books is not the same as the literacy
needed for reading physics texts or superhero comic books. And we should not be too quick
to dismiss the latter form of literacy. Many a superhero comic is replete with post-Freudian
irony of a sort that would make a modern literary critic's heart beat fast and confuse any
otherwise normal adult. Literacy, then, even as traditionally conceived to involve only print, is
not a unitary thing but a multiple matter. There are, even in regard to printed texts and even
leaving aside images and multimodal texts, different "literacies."
Once we see this multiplicity of literacy (literacies), we realize that when we think about
reading and writing, we have to think beyond print. Reading and writing in any domain,
whether it is law, rap songs, academic essays, superhero comics, or whatever, are not just
ways of decoding print, they are also caught up with and in social practices... Video games
are a new form of art. They will not replace books; they will sit beside them, interact with
them, and change them and their role in society in various ways, as, indeed, they are already
doing strongly with movies. (Today many movies are based on video games and many more
are influenced by them.) We have no idea yet how people "read" video games, what
meanings they make from them. Still less do we know how they will "read" them in the future.
1. According to the first paragraph, the broadest definition of "literacy" is
A. The ability to analyze literature
B. The ability comprehend basic cultural cues
C. The ability to read and write
D. The ability to compose poetry
2. All are mentioned as being types of "visual literacy" EXCEPT
A. Musical tones
B. Interior Design
C. Diagrams
D. Modern Art
3. An example from a science textbook of the phenomenon the author describes
in the third paragraph could be
A. A genetic tree that coincides with the discussion of specific mammal classes in
the text
B. A diagram of a specific chemical reaction that is used to explain a broad
definition in the text
C. An illustration of a plant cycle that accompanies a chapter on photosynthesis
D. A cartoon that references the same methods discussed in the text about
laboratory safety
4. What is an example of a "multimodal" text?
A. A dictionary
B. A movie script
C. A photo album
D. An art book that describes the art as well as reproduces images of the original
prints
5. The idiom in the sixth paragraph, "read against the grain of the text" is closest
in meaning to
A. Reading to understand the underlying meanings and themes of the author's
words-not just a literal interpretation
B. Reading text that defines different types of wheat and grains
C. To read the text from right to left rather than left to right
D. To read books that use recycled paper and other green alternatives
6. In the seventh paragraph, the author suggests that literacy is multiple,
meaning that
A. A) To be "literate" can mean participating in any form of expression
B. One's literacy increases exponentially as greater mastery of reading and
writing is achieved
C. Different genres and modes of expression require different background
knowledge and perspectives to understand them
D. Literacy can only be gained by exploring every type of media and expression
7. Why does the author give the example of superhero comics to explain multiple
literacies?
A. To explain that comic books are written for children and purely for entertainment.
They require only a basic knowledge of the action that occurs in the story
B. To once again refer to his earlier points about "multimodal" texts
C. To insist that even when an author may intend multiple meanings and
interpretations, they are rarely successful in conveying those to readers
D. Things that may seem on the surface to be only meant for a particular group of
people can actually have very profound meanings to those who possess other
types of literacy
8. The author suggests that all of the following require different types of literacy
and the ability to decode meaning EXCEPT
A. Rap music
B. Academic papers
C. Symphonies
D. Comic books
9. The author says that video games
A. Are not yet entirely understood in terms of literacy, but are already impacting
other forms of expression such as filmmaking
B. Are unrealistic and should not fall into the same categories as the other texts he
describes
C. Are too violent to risk experimenting with for the purposes of understanding
literacy
D. Are irrelevant in academic discussion because no one has yet determined how to
explain the ways that people understand them
10. What would be the most logical information for the next paragraph to contain if
the article continued?
A. A historical explanation of the very first video game and its evolution
B. Examples of the way that some people currently interpret video games and what
they mean to them
C. A price comparison of video game consoles and whether or not quality has a
direct impact on literacy
D. A technological definition of video games, how they are made, and how they are
played
Reading 3
In the middle of the night, as most of New York slept, something big and bright lit up the
Manhattan skyline for just seconds a tightly kept secret to all but a handful of people.
It was a tiny test for the huge public surprise four days later: the flipping of a switch at the
Empire State Building to turn on its dancing new LED lights. They burst from the skyscraper
while synchronized with R&B star Alicia Keys singing "Empire State of Mind" on nationwide
radio.
The LED system has "16.7 million color possibilities, in digital combinations of ripples,
sparkles, sweeps and strobes," says Phil O'Donnell, of Burlington, Mass.-based Philips Color
Kinetics that's responsible for the system and worked with a resident lighting designer. "It's
the sum of all possibilities a huge palette."
The old lights came in only 10 colors.
From Manhattan and the Bronx to Staten Island and even New Jersey, "there were hundreds
of thousands of people on the streets looking up, filming and videoing, clustered on street
corners," when the new lights came on, said Anthony Malkin, whose family controls the
iconic Art Deco building.
In an interview with The Associated Press at his office, he glowed with pleasure describing
Monday night's inaugural light show.
Keys also sang "Girl On Fire" from her new CD.
After all, the 102-story skyscraper "has always been a symbol of what's possible in New
York, and all the dreams that can come true in this city that never sleeps," Keys, a New York
native, said before her performance, which was ready on tracks while she watched from a
Manhattan studio.
Malkin and his technical team wanted to test the new lighting system with as few people
noticing as possible and chose early Thanksgiving morning.
Good luck, in the middle of Manhattan, with people walking around even at 2:30 a.m.
That seemed the best moment, after most bars close and before dawn.
"We decided to do it facing west, in very short bursts between 2:30 a.m. and 3 a.m., because
we knew we didn't have a camera trained on us from there," Malkin said.
Apparently, the secret test worked. No images of the Empire State Building alight that night
appeared anywhere, as far as Malkin knows.
To stage the show, he worked with Clear Channel radio, which has 239 million monthly
listeners in the United States.
The lights are part of a larger effort to modernize the 81-year-old edifice that is undergoing a
more than half a billion-dollar renovation that includes making it "green." The computerized
LED system will cut energy consumption by more than half, while delivering light and
vibrancy superior to the old floodlights, which have huge timpani drum-size lenses that had to
be changed every so often, O'Donnell said.
They may still have nostalgic value to some who watched them light up New York City for
every special occasion from Christmas to the Fourth of July.
They were part of "the grande dame of the New York skyline, now state-of-the-art, but still
stately," says Malkin, adding that the light show was "a gift we gave to the world, these lights.
We don't get paid for this."
On a sunny Wednesday afternoon, with a spectacular view of the new World Trade Center
and New York Harbor, a vacant space under reconstruction on the building's 72nd floor was
filled with the retired floodlights, sitting side by side in long lines, veterans of years of New
York weather. What will be done with them is also a secret for now.
One old light will not be discarded in favor of a 21st century novelty: a red beacon "half the
size of a Volkswagen Beetle," as Malkin puts it that serves as a warning signal for aircraft
constantly flying over New York City.
1. What is the primary purpose of the first sentence of the article?
A. To explain that New Yorkers are commonly asleep in the middle of the night.
B. To mislead readers into thinking the light flash was some sort of attack
C. To suggest that there is a secret organization working late at night at the Empire
State Building
D. To build suspense and curiosity so that the reader wants to know more
2. The phrase "huge palette" in Paragraph 3 is most likely
A. A metaphor for the scope and range of combinations the new LED lights have
B. A literal explanation of the shape of the new lights, which form an artist's palette
C. An extreme over exaggeration meant to draw more onlookers to the new display
D. A way to emphasize the amount of lights, since 16.7 could never fit onto a palette
3. What does Alicia Keys suggest the Empire State building is a symbol of?
A. A way for Americans to have a landmark similar to other major global cities
B. The iconic American capacity to push boundaries and break new ground in art
and architecture.
C. Lights that are always on due to the number of New Yorkers who work night
shifts
D. That any person can use the new lights as a way to make a wish, as people do
with other world landmarks.
4. To help keep the new lights secret during their initial test, all precautions were
taken EXCEPT:
A. Conducting the test in the middle of the night
B. Conducting the test facing west, away from cameras
C. Conducting the test in short bursts, so that there was no sustained lighting
D. Conducting the test with additional sound effects to distract anyone who might be
on the street
5. What was the primary reason Malkin and his team choose to test the new LED
lights in the middle of the night?
A. Because the lights are impossible to see in the daylight
B. So that no spies would be awake to steal the new lighting design
C. Because his team only works at night, to enhance their creativity
D. So that when they made the formal reveal to the city and world, it would be a true
surprise
6. The article suggests that some older people might miss the old lights. Why is
this?
A. The elderly who have poorer eyesight have an easier time seeing the old lights
B. The older generation might not understand the technology behind the new LED
lighting
C. Those who used to work in the Empire State Building will no longer be able to
recognize it without the old, larger lights
D. The old lights represented momentous occasions in American history, and may
still have nostalgic value
7. How does the new LED display contribute to the Empire State Building's efforts
to become more 'green'?
A. The lights will be bright enough to reflect into the building, allowing less lighting to
be used indoors
B. The new lighting will consume almost half the amount of energy the old lights did
C. The lights can become green in color, to cover the entire building
D. The lights will be solar-powered, generating their own electricity.
8. In the second-to-last paragraph, the old floodlights are described as veterans.
What is the most suitable explanation for this word in context?
A. The old lights have worked through the years, despite harsh weather conditions
and continual use for special occassions
B. The old lights have been up through many previous wars, making them literal
veterans
C. The old lights were dedicated to the Empire State Building to memorialize war
heroes
D. The old lights were only used before to celebrate Veteran's Day
9. Currently, how many of the former lights are set to be preserved for a specific
purpose?
A. All, to replace other major lights around the city
B. None, they are all set to be discarded entirely
C. Five, spaced across Central Park for more light and better security
D. One, to serve as a warning beacon for aircraft
10. Why might it be important for the Empire State's global image to replace its
lighting?
A. To represent that it is both environmentally conscious as well as technologically
advanced
B. To prove that other world landmarks are not as spectacular
C. To suggest that despite its being decades-old, the Empire State Building is still
relevant
D. To provide New Yorkers and visitors with better entertainment
Reading 4
The subatomic particle is better known to scientists as the Higgs boson. And after decades of
searches, it seems likely the elusive particle has been successfully detected inside an
underground tunnel experiment run by the European Organization for Nuclear Research
(CERN) outside Geneva. Results "consistent" with the hard-to-detect particle, in the words of
CERN chief Rolf Heuer as he announced the discovery July 4, may be the opening act in
explaining the structure of the sky over our heads.
A source of heartburn to serious science types now, the "God particle" nickname for the
Higgs boson comes from the title of a 1993 book by Nobel-prize winner Leon Lederman, who
was trying to play up the elusive nature of the particle.
For a glimpse of one implication of this latest big news in science, climb aboard a time
machine, says physicist Jonathan Feng of the University of California-Irvine, and visit the
birth of the universe 13.7 billion years ago.
"Simply take the universe backwards, to an early time when the cosmos was a hot mass,
brand new, filled with particles that each weighed perhaps 500 times as much as a proton,"
says Feng (protons are positively charged subatomic particles inside atoms). "Now play the
film forward. Just let it go until it expands to fill with today's stars and galaxies, and what you
find is that it contains amounts of that particle that are just right to be 'dark matter' filling the
universe."
Terrific, you might say, but what's so wonderful about dark matter?
Dark matter is basically a bunch of stuff, likely exotic physics particles, that we can't really
see (hence its name) but we know is out there. Astronomers realized a few decades ago that
galaxies should be spinning faster than they are if the stars within them were the only things
providing the gravity that holds them together. So, their theories go, there must be something
- dark matter - slowing them down.
It turns out that stars are just the shiny hubcaps on each galaxy, outweighed by a factor of
nearly 6-to-1 by all the dark matter out there. Dark matter even pulls itself together through
gravity. For example, the journal Nature last week reported that a dark matter cloud
gravitationally connects two clusters of galaxies, called Abell 222 and Abell 223. This cloudy
filament stretches over 11 million light years between the clusters and weighs 98 trillion times
as much as our sun.
That's a lot of dark matter. So is the Higgs boson this elusive dark matter particle (or
particles) then?
Nope. But it may be a key to dark matter, physicists say.
The Higgs boson is the physics particle that gives other particles their mass. Essentially it
interacts with them to increase their resistance to being moved faster, which we can measure
as mass.
Because the Higgs boson's basic job is to interact with other physics particles to give them
mass, "the Higgs boson can interact with dark matter very easily," Caltech's Sean Carroll
explained on NPR's Science Friday show after the recent "God particle" announcement.
"Dark matter is one of the most exciting implications of this discovery," Carroll said.
How? That brings us back to Feng's rerun of the universe. "Having a particle out there
theoretically just a little heavier than the Higgs boson, which interacts with it, is waving a red
cape in front of the eyes of physicists," Feng says. "There is a lot more data coming from
CERN ahead that may reveal the dark matter particle."
Dark matter particles that theoretically could be detected at CERN's underground Large
Hadron Collider are envisioned by a theory called "focus point supersymmetry."
Supersymmetry theories predict that the already- discovered particles that comprise
everyday matter have much-heavier "super" counterparts awaiting detection (for example,
the already detected "quarks" inside protons would have an undetected super-partner called
"squarks").Focus point supersymmetry predicts both a Higgs boson with a weight similar to
the one reported on July 4, about 130 times as heavy as a proton, and dark matter particles.
"In fact, the simplest focus point models predict that dark matter particles should be seen not
long from now in the underground detectors that are searching for them," if the CERN lab
indeed found a Higgs boson, Feng says. "So there are really two predictions - dark matter
should be seen in underground detectors, and new particles should be seen at the Large
Hadron Collider in the next few years." Some of the new superpartner particles theoretically
weigh in the detectable range for the underground experiment.
Finding these new particles would crack the dark matter mystery and would indicate that
even heavier super- particles are out there, ones that someday could allow physicists to
explain gravity the same way they can explain electromagnetic and nuclear forces, a goal of
cosmologists for nearly a century.
"The simplest outcome is that we'll be totally wrong and it won't find anything," Feng says.
"But we are at a point in physics where we can talk about theories and experiments coming
together very closely thanks to what is now happening, and we couldn't do that for a long
time before ."
When do the next big results come from CERN that might offer more answers? Likely in
December. So, Feng says, physicists celebrated one holiday, July 4, with new particle results
and hopefully Christmas will bring them hints of new presents. "That would be excellent, we
couldn't ask for better gifts," he say
1. The word "hoopla" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to
A. Commotion
B. public outrage
C. propaganda
D. Insanity
2. What tone does the author demonstrate in paragraph 3 when he quotes
scientists use of "consistent" as a description for their experiments?
A. Skepticism
B. Awe
C. Fear
D. utter belief
3. Why is the Higgs boson nicknamed the "God Particle"
A. Its potential power is so great it could have universal influence
B. It has been a subject of religious study
C. Proving its existence has been as elusive to scientists as proving the existence of
god
D. It is believed that the particle has some mystical powers
4. What is the purpose of the time machine in the article?
A. To suggest that we will likely never know the true history of the particle until a
working time machine is invented
B. To demonstrate that we must understand the origins of the Higgs boson particle
to accurately understand its implications today
C. The particle does not have any viable evidence of existing before the galaxies
were formed
D. The life of the particle can only be explained using a linear timeline
5. According to the article, all are true of dark matter EXCEPT
A. Its gravitational force slows the spinning of galaxies
B. The ratio of dark matter to stars is 6 to 1
C. It is comprised most likely of physics particles, though it is invisible
D. Dark matter is named so because of its destructive, sinister force
6. What is the key function of the Higgs boson particle?
A. To increase the appearance of dark matter on scientific screening tools
B. To collide with other particles to produce energy
C. It proves the existence of god
D. It gives other particles measurable mass
7. In paragraph 14 the phrase "waving a red cape" is closest in meaning to
A. giving up
B. raising awareness among scientists
C. provoking conflict
D. encouraging scientists to avoid the topic
8. What is the most accurate definition for "focus point supersymmetry"?
A. The theory that particles all have a point of energy within them that is mirrored in
others of their kind
B. The theory that particles all have equal balance in their basic structures
C. The theory that particles that have already been discovered have heavier "super"
counterparts that are yet to be discovered still
D. The theory that particles can be merged at a particular point in their atomic
makeup
9. The phrase "crack the dark matter mystery" in paragraph 17 is closest in
meaning to
A. Put a definitive end to all theories involving dark matter
B. Disprove the theories around dark matter while proving other standing theories
C. Separate the theories around dark matter into more specific groupings
D. Solve a problem that has baffled scientists for a very long time
10. What is the most accurate summary for the article?
A. The discovery of Higgs boson is a notable step toward learning about dark matter,
but it is only one aspect of a larger mystery
B. Focus Point Supersymmetry is the most promising theory for understanding dark
matter
C. While dark matter provides an interesting story, it is much more a myth than a
phenomenon rooted in actual scientific evidence
D. Higgs boson, the "God Particle," and dark matter are all significant threats to
world religions.
Reading 5
Subtle changes in the way a person walks can be an early warning sign of cognitive decline
and a signal for advanced testing, according to research out at the Alzheimer's Association
International Conference 2012.
The findings are the first to link a physical symptom to disease, which up until now, required
doctors to begin a diagnosis by focusing on cognition and administering lengthy neurological
exams. The evidence in the five studies is "robust," say experts, adding walking changes can
occur even before cognition decline surfaces. The presentation on the opening day of the
weeklong meetings follows a government plan announced in May to help train doctors to
detect the disease earlier and to find a cure by 2025.
"Monitoring deterioration and other changes in a person's gait is ideal because it doesn't
require any expensive technology or take a lot of time to assess,'' says Bill Thies, chief
medical and scientific officer for the Alzheimer's Association.
The disease affects 5.4 million mostly older people in the USA, numbers expected to spike to
16 million in 2050 as the Baby Boomers age. Nearly 5,000 researchers are attending the
meetings in Vancouver, where dozens of studies will address new treatments currently being
tested in trials and how lifestyle influences the disease.
"Walking and movements require a perfect and simultaneous integration of multiple areas of
the brain,'' says Rodolfo Savica, author of a study done at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester,
Minn.
Walking changes occur because the disease interferes with the circuitry between these
areas of brain. Savica ruled out other diseases (Parkinson's, arthritis) as possible causes of
gait change.
In the Mayo Clinic study, researchers measured the stride length, cadence and velocity of
more than 1,341 participants through a computerized gait instrument at two or more visits
roughly 15 months apart. They found that study participants with lower cadence, velocity and
length of stride experienced significantly larger declines in global cognition, memory and
executive function.
"These changes support a possible role of gait changes as an early predictor of cognitive
impairment,'' Savica says.
Another large study of 1,153 adults with a mean age of 78 done by researchers at the Basel
Mobility Center in Basel Switzerland found gait became "slower and more variable as
cognition decline progressed.''
Participants were divided into groups based on their cognitive diagnoses: cognitively healthy,
mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or Alzheimer's dementia. Gait was measured using a
walkway with nearly 30,000 integrated sensors.
"Those with Alzheimer's dementia walked slower than those with MCI, who in turn walked
slower that those who were cognitively healthy,'' says Stephanie Bridenbaugh, lead
researcher.
Bridenbaugh says analysis of walking could also be used to show if treatments to treat the
disease are working.
"At the annual wellness visit required by Medicare, a physician could add a walking test to
the checklist without adding a lot of extra time,'' says Thies.
Yet, one of the study's researchers said that one annual test wouldn't work with everyone.
"You'd be surprised how many people say to me 'He doesn't walk that well at home,' when I
give them a gait test in the office,'' says physician Lisa Silbert.
"Walking speed taken at a single time point may overestimate the walking abilities in the
elderly,'' she says.
1. The word "robust" in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to
A. Durable
B. Healthy
C. Strong
D. full-bodied
2. According to paragraph 2, why is this new evidence about walking so
important to Alzheimer's researchers?
A. It demonstrates that walking longer distances may improve your chances of
developing disease
B. It could potentially be the earliest indication of potential Alzheimer's disease in
patients who show no other outward symptom
C. It could help prevent doctor liability in diagnosing these cases
D. It is something that could be observed and logged by family and friends
3. Why is the statistic in paragraph 4 about the potential spike in Alzheimer's
patients significant?
A. It shows that, because Alzheimer's primarily impacts older people, as largest
generation (the Baby Boomers) ages, the number of cases will likely rise
dramatically
B. It is of no real concern to the younger generation because Social Security will pay
for medical care
C. It suggests that if the next generation wants to be healthy, they must have their
gait tested now
D. The lifestyle of older generations is significantly poorer than that of younger
generations
4. The statement made in paragraph 5 implies all of the following EXCEPT
A. Movements require many complex interactions within the brain
B. Our movements and cognitive state could very well be closely linked
C. Movement may become impaired if any one brain activity is somehow altered
D. Our brains have no control over our walking or movements
5. In paragraph 7, the word "cadence" is closest in meaning to
A. musical beat
B. rhythm of steps
C. intonation
D. sequence of movement
6. What is the most significant discovery of the Mayo Clinic study described in
paragraph 7?
A. Cadence, velocity, and length of stride are all independent variables that impact
cognitive function in different ways.
B. The slower the participant's walk, the greater their memory capacity
C. The pace of participant's walk demonstrated no correlation to brain activity
D. The ways in which the participants walked had a definitive relationship to
cognitive functioning
7. Which of the following is NOT a population or group studied in the experiments
the article discusses?
A. movement impaired
B. cognitively health
C. Alzheimer's dementia
D. mild cognitive impairment (MCI)
8. Throughout the article, "gait" is mostly often used to refer to
A. walking speed
B. a combination of cadence, length of stride, and velocity
C. the time it takes to transition from a walk to a run
D. the posture used while walking
9. What is the primary argument that the article makes AGAINST the link between
gait and cognitive decline?
A. Areas of the brain that control movement are completely separate from those with
cognitive function
B. Walking speed can change significantly depending upon the scenario and
conditions
C. An annual test is too often to show significant changes over time
D. Dementia has no relationship to brain size
10. What best summarizes the overarching idea of the article?
A. The speed at which we walk and potential decline in cognitive function as we age
is clearly proven by the studies presented in the article
B. Whatever your current walking speed is, the better shape you are in and the
faster you become can both directly lower your chance of developing Alzheimer's
C. There is a definite probability that aspects of human gait and cognitive function
are related, but the evidence is far from definitive
D. Annual gait tests are an expensive and ineffective test to add to Alzheimer's
screenings
IV. Phần phrasal verbs