MINI+TEST+READING+301

listen [|here] MINI-TEST READING This section tests your ability to understand an English academic reading passage. All questions except the last one are worth one point each. The last question is worth more than one point. The directions for the last question will state how many points It is worth. You will now start the Reading section. You have 20 minutes to read one passage and answer the questions about it. MINI-TEST 1: Reading 297 Read the passage. Paragraph Migration ~ A widely held theory today is that the ancestors of today's Native American peoples traveled to the Western Hemisphere from Asia between 25,000 and 30,000 years ago, which was around the same time that Japan was being settled by Stone Age inhabitants. There is dental evidence and blood-type evidence to support this theory. A dental pattern that is found among most ancient human fossils in the Americas is consistent with the dental pattern of ancient human fossils in northeastern Asia. In blood type, the fact that blood type B is almost nonexistent among Native American populations but exists in Asian populations leads to the conclusion that migrations to the Americas from Asia took place before the evolution of blood type B, which is believed to have occurred around 30,000 years ago. In addition to the dental and blood-type evidence, more general evolutionary evidence suggests that it took more than 20,000 years for the variety of physical traits common to Native American populations to evolve, and linguists broadly concur that the development of the approximately 500 distinct languages of the Native Americans would require approximately 25,000 years. ~ The proposed migration from Asia to the Americas took place during the Ice Age that characterized the Pleistocene epoch. During that period of time, there were huge glaciers holding enormous volumes of water, and, because of the huge glaciers, sea levels were as much as 100 meters lower than they are today. The reduced sea levels meant that Asia and North America were linked with a 750-mile-wide landmass, named Beringia after the Bering Straits that now cover it, and consisted of treeless grassland with warm summers and cold dry winters. Because of the geographical features of Beringia during the Pleistocene epoch, it was an environment well-suited to the large mammals of the time, such as mammoth, mastodon, bison, horse, and reindeer, as well as to the Stone Age hunters who depended on these animals for their existence. The Stone Age inhabitants of the area used these animals not only for food but also for shelter, clothing, and weapons; they were able to spread out and expand their hunting areas as their populations grew, and their populations most likely grew at a very high rate because of the huge amount of territory available for expansion. ~ In spite of the evidence, not all anthropologists are convinced that the migrations from Asia to the Americas took place as early as 25,000 to 30,000 years ago. There is general agreement that the migrations took place, but some believe that the migrations took place much later. No fossilized human bones have been found in what used to be Beringia; finding human bones dating from 25,000 to 30,000 years ago would be strong proof of the dates when the migrations took place. However, because what was once Beringia is submerged beneath ocean waters, it may be a formidable task to uncover fossil evidence of migration from Asia to the Americas through Beringia. 298 MINI-TEST1: Reading Refer to this version of the passage to answer the questions that follow. Paragraph Migration ~ A widely ~,~lt§heory today is that the ancestors of today's Native American peoples traveled to the Western Hemisphere from Asia between 25,000 and 30,000 years ago, which was around the same time that Japan was being settled by Stone Age inhabitants. There is dental evidence and blood-type evidence to ~!1R~gthis theory. A dental pattern that is found among most ancient human fossils in the Americas is consistent with the dental pattern of ancient human fossils in northeastern Asia. In blood type, the fact that blood type B is almost nonexistent among Native American populations but exists in Asian populations leads to the conclusion that migrations to the Americas from Asia took place before the evolution of blood type B, which is believed to have occurred around 30,000 years ago. In addition to the dental and blood-type evidence, more general evolutionary evidence suggests that it took more than 20,000 years for the varielf of physical traits common to Native American populations to evolve, and linguists ~tqiuser:anicapirt} thtYat !t!he development of the approximately 500 distinct languages of the Native Americans would require approximately 25,000 years. ,.. The proposed migration from Asia to the Americas took during the Ice characterized the Pleistocene. The reduced sea meant that and North America were linked with a 7S0-mlle-wide landmass, named Beringia after the Bering Straits that now cover it, and consisted of treeless grassland with warm summers and cold dry winters. Because of the geographical features of Beringia during the Pleistocene epoch, it was an environment ¥l.i!):tlf.~gtIh,e~glarge mammals of the time, such as mammoth, mastodon, bison, horse, and reindeer, as well as to the Stone Age hunters who depended on these animals for their existence. The Stone Age inhabitants of the area used these animals not only for food but also for shelter, clothing, and weapons; lw~ere able to spread out and expand their hunting areas as their populations grew, and their populations most likely grew at a very high rate because of the huge amount of territory available for expansion. ~ 1m (n~§wiI§Kgt the evidence, not all anthropologists are convinced that the migrations from Asia to the Americas took place as early as 25,000 to 30,000 years ago. mI There is general agreement that the migrations took place, but some believe that the migrations took place much later. DII No fossilized human bones have been found in what used to be Beringia; finding human bones dating from 25,000 to 30,000 years ago would be strong proof of the dates when the migrations took place. However, because what was once Beringia is submerged beneath ocean waters, it may be a t9.tm'i~,•~!iJtai sk to uncover fossil evidence of migration from Asia to the Americas through Beringia. III MINI-TEST1; Reading 299 .. Questions 1. The word 1ilQ" in paragraph 1 could best be replaced by ® accepted ® possessed © contained ® carried 2. The word 'In in paragraph 1 could best be replaced by ®hold ® finance © confirm ® stiffen 3. Which of the following is NOT provided as evidence to support the hypothesis that the migration discussed in the passage occurred 25,000 to 30,000 years ago? ® Dental patterns common to Asians and Native Americans ® Variations in blood types between Asians and Native Americans © The number of Native American languages in existence today ® The human bones found in Beringia 4. The phrase "!?lg~IIuser:anicapTin IpIa!rtagraph 1 is closest in meaning to ® have the contrary idea ® have extensive debates © openly question ® are in general agreement 5. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in paragraph 2? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information. ® Since the Ice Age, the amount of water in the oceans has decreased dramatically. ® During the Ice Age, sea levels were low because of how much water was frozen. © Glaciers have grown tremendously since the last Ice Age. ® During the Ice Age, huge glaciers displaced a lot of water, causing the oceans to rise. 300 MINI-TEST1: Reading 6. It is stated in the passage that Beringia ® was the source of the name Bering Straits ® used to be covered with trees © is now submerged ® was unable to support animal life 7. The phrase "1~1~!!t~"in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ® equal to ® appropriate for © flattering to ® modified for 8. The word "ttlEl" in paragraph 2 refers to ® Stone Age inhabitants ® animals © weapons ® their hunting areas 9. It is implied in the passage that the Stone Age inhabitants of Beringia were most likely ® dependent on agriculture ® poor hunters © involved in raising livestock ® mobile 10. The author begins paragraph 3 with the expression "r~ill~9lto" show that the fact that some anthropologists were not convinced by the evidence was ® unexpected ® a natural conclusion © unsurprising ® logical 11. Look at the four squares [.] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to paragraph 3. Some, in fact, hypothesize that the migrations took place around 15,000 B.C. Where would the sentence best fit? Click on a square [.] to add the sentence to the passage. 12. The word "fgt~1!~§iIn~p"aragraph 3 is closest in meaning to ® superior ® maddening © powerful ® difficult L ra r::';' l~, ,"~,2 poiInts "(2 poi"nts 'fo1r 3 cprr~1t an~we[rs~1"poinlt fc,r 2 correc't atnswlersl, anld ' j, ~1 L );< " ,', This passage discusses a theory of migration from the Eastern Hemisphere to the Western Hemisphere 25,000 to 30,000 years ago. • • • L Answer Choices (choose 3 to complete the chart): (1) There are geographical reasons to support this theory. (2) A number of fossils from the Pleistocene epoch have been found in Beringia. (3) There are physiological reasons to support this theory. (4) A study of blood types indicates that blood type B is rare among Native Americans. (5) There are sociological reasons to support this theory. (6) There are linguistic theories to support this theory. MINI-TEST 1: Reading 301