HSG9 - Reading
HSG9 - Reading
HSG9 - Reading
1: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to choose the
word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 1 to 5
Left-handers are the odd ones out. Sure, lefties (1) up about 10 percent of the
population - but, frankly, it seems like society has forgotten about them. Just consider all of the right-
handed gadgets, awkwardly designed desks, and cooking tools that fit comfortably only in your right
hand. What (2) _________ points to a complex (3) _________ someone to become a left hand?
Scientists aren’t exactly sure, but research between genes and environment While no exact set of
“leftie genes” have been discovered, people who dominantly use their left hands do have more left-
handed family members. And researchers have found different brain wirings in righties vs. lefties. But
no matter (4) _____ it is that drives someone to use their antipodal paw, science has also uncovered a
particular set of personality traits that left-handed people tend to have. So for all of you lefties, leftie-
loving righties, and ambidextrous folks out there - it’s time to brush up on your left-handed knowledge
and help (50) _______ an end to leftie discrimination once and for all.
Question 1: A. consist B. account C. hold D. make
Question 2: A. causes B. makes C. gets D. does
Question 3: A. collaborate B. collaboration C. collaborating D. collaborated
Question 4: A. which B. who C. what D. that
Question 5: A. put B. bring C. make D. take
2: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the
correct answer to each of the questions from 6 to 12.
Successful students often do the followings while studying. First, they have an overview before
reading. Next, they look for important information and pay greater attention to it (which often needs
jumping forward or backward to process information). They also relate important points to one
another. Also, they activate and use their prior knowledge. When they realize that their understanding
is not good, they do not wait to change strategies. Last, they can monitor understanding and take action
to correct or “fix up” mistakes in comprehension.
Conversely, students with low academic achievement often demonstrate ineffective study skills. They
tend to assume a passive role, in learning and rely on others (e.g., teachers, parents) to monitor their
studying, for example, low-achieving students often do not monitor their understanding of content;
they may not be aware of the purpose of studying; and they show little evidence of looking back, or
employing “fix-up” strategies to fix understanding problems. Students who struggle with learning new
information seem to be unaware that they must extent effort beyond simply reading the content to
understand and remember it. Children with learning disabilities do not plan and judge the quality of
their studying. Their studying may be disorganized. Students with learning problems face challenges
with personal organization as well. They often have difficulty keeping track of materials and
assignments, following directions, and completing work on time. Unlike good studiers who employ a
variety of study skills in a flexible yet purposeful manner, low-achieving students use a restricted range
of study skills. They cannot explain why good study strategies are important for learning; and they tend
to use the same, often ineffective study approach for all learning tasks, ignoring task content, structure
or difficulty.
(Source: Adapted from Study Skills: Managing Your Learning — NUI Galway)
Question 6: What is the topic of the passage?
A. Successful and low-academic achieving students B. Successful learners and their learning strategies
C. Study skills for high school students D. Effective and ineffective ways of learning
Question 7: The word “prior” in the first paragraph is closest meaning to _ ?
A. important B. earlier C. forward D. good
Question 8: According to the passage, what can be learnt about passive students?
A. They depend on other people to organize their learning B. They are slow in their studying
C. They monitor their understanding D. They know the purpose of studying
Question 9: Which of the followings is NOT an evidence of monitoring studying?
A. Being aware of the purpose of studying B. Monitoring their understanding of content
C. Fixing up mistakes in understanding D. Looking at their backs
Q10: According to the passage, to learn new information, low-achieving students do NOT .
A. just understand it B. relate it to what they have known
C. simply remember it D. read it
Question 11: In compared with low-achieving students, successful students use .
A. aimless study techniques B. various study skills
C. restricted strategies D. inflexible study ways
Question 12: The underlined pronoun “They” in the last sentence refers to .
A. study strategies B. study skills
C. low-achieving students D. good studiers
Ex3: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, c, or D on your answer sheet to indicate
the correct answer to each of the questions from 13 to 20
Pollution emitted in industrial areas represents a threat to human health and the surrounding natural
resources. We have a tendency to believe that the production processes are the only source of
environmental damage, and often forget about the possible long-term effects of harmful production
practices. We may think that the closure of these huge industrial areas would improve the quality of the
environment. Unfortunately, this ignores the threat of the remaining waste, which is abandoned and
poorly stored. It represents an even bigger danger because it stands neglected as it degrades and leaks
into the earth without any control at all.
Changes in the water chemistry due to surface water contamination can affect all levels of an
ecosystem. It can affect the health of lower food chain organisms and, consequently, the availability of
food up through the food chain. It can damage the health of wetlands and damage their ability to
support healthy ecosystems, control flooding, and filter pollutants from storm water runoff. The health
of animals and humans are affected when they drink or bathe in contaminated water. In addition water-
based organisms, like fish and shellfish, can pile up and concentrate contaminants in their bodies.
When other animals or humans eat these organisms, they receive a much higher dose of contaminant
than they would have if they had been directly exposed to the original contamination.
Contaminated groundwater can badly affect animals, plants and humans if it is removed from the
ground by manmade or natural processes. Depending on the study of rocks of the area, groundwater
may rise to the surface through springs or seeps, flow sideways into nearby rivers, streams, or ponds,
or sink deeper into the earth. In many parts of fhe world, groundwater is pumped out of the ground to
be used for drinking, bathing, other household uses, agriculture, and industry.
Contaminants in the soil can harm plants when they take up the contamination through their roots.
Eating, breathing in, or touching contaminated soil, as well as eating plants or animals that have piled
up soil contaminants can badly affect the health of humans and animals.
Air pollution can cause breathing-related problems and other bad health effects as contaminants are
absorbed from the lungs into other parts of the body. Certain air contaminants can also harm animals
and humans when they contact the skin. Plants rely on breathing for their growth and can also be
affected by exposure to contaminants moved in the air.
Question 13: What is the topic of the passage?
A. Sources of environmental damage B. The pollution from the city
C. Bad effects of industrial waste D. The quality of the environment
Question 14: According to the passage, the industry is likely to be thought as_ .
A. a danger to the environment B. the only source of pollution
C. the utmost harmful activity D. a threat to human health
Question 15: The word “it” in the first paragraph refers to .
A. the remaining waste B. a danger
C. the environment D. the threat of the remaining waste
Question 16: Which of the followings affect an ecosystem as the whole?
A. Surface water contamination B. Soil contamination
C. Groundwater contamination D. Air contamination
Question 17: According to the passage, which of the followings supports healthy ecosystems?
A. Lower food chain organisms B. Animals C. Water-based organisms D. Wetlands
Question 18: Which of the followings is NOT badly affected by contaminated groundwater?
A. Human B. Plants C. Rocks D. Animals
Question 19: Which of the followings is the flow of water from the ground to the surface?
A. Streams B. Ponds C. Rivers D. Springs
Question 20: Which of the followings has the closest meaning to the word “absorbed” in the last
paragraph?
A. Consumed B. Taken in C. Swallowed D. Piled up
Ex4:
Understanding India's Caste System
It has been said that life is what we make of it. In other words, if we work hard and focus on our goals,
we can have great careers and enjoy high status is society. However, these opportunities don‟t exist for
everyone. In some places, the family you are born into will decide almost everything about your life.
India’s caste system is an example of this.
The caste system is a major part of the Hindu religion that has existed for thousands of years. It is a
way of organizing and grouping people based on the occupation of the family. Castes will determine
whom people can socialize with and their place in society. Originally, a person’s caste was supposed to
be determined by their personality, but over time it has been linked to their job and family.
There are four classes, also known as varnas, in India’s caste system. The highest one is Brahmin.
People in this class have jobs in education and religion. These are seen as extremely important
functions for the society as they deal with the knowledge. The second highest level is the Kshatriya, or
ruling class. People from this group can be soldiers, landowners, or have jobs in politics. The class
beneath this is the Vaishya. These people often work in the commercial sector as merchants. The fourth
class level is the Shudra. Shudras typically work as unskilled labourers doing factory or farm work, or
they may also be employed as artists.
There is another group, the Harijan, that is at the bottom and considered to be outside of the caste
system. For many years, they were known as Untouchables, people from this caste held the most
undesirable jobs in society, such as cleaning up garbage. Furthermore, they weren‟t allowed to pray at
public temples or drink water from the same wells as other classes. If someone from another caste
came into contact with an Untouchable, they were considered dirty and would be expected to bathe
vigorously to clean themselves.
Although the caste system still exists in India, the government is taking steps to improve the living
conditions and decrease unemployment rates for the Shudras and Harijan. This includes providing
better health care, offering literacy programmes, and making sure that people from higher social
classes do not exploit them. It seems unlikely that the caste system will disappear any time soon, but
the overall conditions for those at the bottom do seem to be improving.
21. Which of the following is not true about India‟s caste system?
A. The caste system has been used in India for a long time.
B. The Kshatriya is the second highest class.
C. Hard work helps people move up in the caste system.
D. It is possible that a Shudra would work on a farm.
22. The word “this” in paragraph 1 refers to .
A. the fact that your origin will mostly decide your future B. the pleasure of life in India
C. the India’s caste system existing for thousands of years D. the major part of the Hindu
religion
23. What is the caste system mainly based on?
A. What a person believes on B. When a person starts school
C. Who a person’s parents are D. Where a person was born
24. What kind of job would a Brahmin likely have?
A. A priest B. A warrior C. An inventor D. A painter
25. What could replace the word “ruling” in paragraph 3?
A. defeating B. guessing C. delaying D. governing
26. All of the following are true about the Harijan EXCEPT that .
A. they used to be known as Untouchables
B. they had to do undesirable jobs in society
C. any contact between someone from another caste with an Untouchable was considered unacceptable
D. anyone from another caste coming to contact with an Untouchable is not allowed to pray at temples
27. What does the passage suggest about the future of the caste system?
A. One day soon it won’t be used anymore in India.
B. It is probably going to get worse before it gets better.
C. The bottom groups will rise to rule over the top classes.
D. It will likely continue to exist for a long time in India.
5: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the
correct answer for each of the questions.
Throughout the world there are different ways for people to greet each other. In much of the world, a
handshake is the (28) _ form of welcoming and greeting someone. In many countries
around the Mediterranean Sea a (29) kiss on the cheek is the appropriate way to
welcome friends and family. It can be a very (30) surprise if you expect to shake hands and
get a kiss or a hug instead.
At times, it is difficult to tell what sort of greeting (31) is followed. People may bow, grab
another’s arm or even slap the other person on the back. In some places people just smile, look at the
other’s face and say nothing.
Most people in the world are tolerant of visitors and don’t mind what travellers do that seems wrong as
long as the visitors are (32) . A big part of the delightfulness of world travel is
experiencing different customs.
28. A.different B.unique C.common D.same
29. A.light B.superficial C.fast D.heavy
30. A.huge B.large C.big D.great
31. A.habit B.routine C.custom D.tradition
32. A.sincere B.truthful C.faithful D.hopeful