Reading Comprehension  Unit 5

Exploring the Titanic

Then we had only fve days left to go. The crunch had come. Suddenly the
ocean seemed huge, and our doubts began to grow. Was the Titanic really in our
carefully plotted search area? If so, surely something would have shown up on our
monitor screens by now. Were we looking in the wrong place? Would we return
empty-handed? I began to feel a rising panic.
In a last-ditch effort, we decided to check out a tiny portion of ocean bottom
that Jean-Louis and his SAR sonar system had missed because of strong currents. We
headed to that spot ten miles away.

1. Based on the above paragraph, what is a“last-ditch effort”?

a. a deep dive into unexplored areas
b. a plan to do something dangerous
c. a final try to accomplish something
d. a way to correct a previous mistake

In 1869, the British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace was tromping through the
rainforests of Borneo when a local man brought him a surprising animal specimen. It was a
large tree frog that Wallace later described as having “come down, in a slanting direction,
from a high tree, as if it flew.” Wallace was fascinated. Examining the frog, he found “the
toes very long and fully webbed to their very extremity, so that when expanded they offered
a surface much larger than that of the body.” He concluded that this was the first known case
of a “flying frog.”
These frogs don’t truly fly, as birds or bats do. What they do is glide-somewhat
like humans piloting a hang glider. In hang gliding, the pilot jumps off a cliff or hilltop and
sails through the air at a gradual downward slant, held aloft by lightweight “wings” strapped
to a harness. The pilot controls the craft by shifting his or her weight, or by changing the
angle of the wings.

2. What is mainly discussed in the text?

a. Different types of flying frogs.
b. Some myths about flying frogs.
c. Highlight extraordinary abilities of flying frogs.
d. Description about one of the earliest discoveries of flying frogs.
 Frogs have a unique ability to regulate their body temperature by changing the color
of their skin. Because the tree frog endures greater extremes of light and temperature than its
pond-dwelling relatives, it can change even more than other frogs. Light colors reflect heat, so
the frog’s skin may get lighter in hot, bright sunshine. When temperatures drop or when it gets
dark, the frog’s skin grows darker to absorb warmth. These changes are caused by the
movements of various pigments within the skin cells. 10 Color changes also provide
camouflage. In response to signals from its hormones or nervous system, the frog’s color may
change to match that of the mottled brown bark or the bright green leaf it’s sitting on. Then
predators such as owls or monkeys are less likely to see it. If one does spot it, the flying frog can
often glide to safety.

3. Based on the passage, tree frogs protect themselves from enemies mainly by…
a. snaring them in traps.
b. frightening them away.
c. producing poison to kill them.
d. using camouflage to hide from them.

But like all inhabitants of the world’s rainforests, the flying frog faces the threat of
displacement from its natural habitat. As more and more forest is cleared for human use, and as
the effects of pollution trickle into what forest is left, the frogs may face an uncertain future. One
of only about a dozen kinds of flying frogs in the world, this agile creature is a valuable member
of the rainforest’s community of wonders.

4. What is the main purpose of the above paragraph?

a. to present expert opinions about flying frogs
b. to raise concerns about the survival of flying frogs
c. to describe how flying frogs may adapt in the future
d. to explain why flying frogs receive so much attention
 Truth or Consequences Cities in the United States are named after many things. Some are named
after people, others are named for ancient places, and still others are named for land features, Native
American terms, or even animals. Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, however, is a different story.
Known throughout New Mexico as "T or C," the town of Truth or Consequences got its name from the
popular 1950’s radio show. In the show Truth or Consequences, contestants would have two seconds to
answer a difficult trivia question before having to perform an embarrassing stunt. In 1950, the host of the
show, Ralph Edwards, announced that he would broadcast the program from a town that agreed to rename
itself after the show. The town, originally called Hot Springs, for its naturallyhot mineral baths, saw an
opportunity to market itselfto the entire nation. The residents overwhelmingly voted to change the town’s
name to Truth or Consequences. Truth or Consequences suddenly received attention from across the
nation, but since it was announced on April 1, many assumed it was an April fools joke! It was no joke,
however. According to Ralph Edwards, the town was chosen because it “demonstrated a real friendliness
for people and a desire to help mankind.” Until his death in 2005, Edwards returned to the town every year
in honor of its name change during a city-wide celebration known as “Fiesta.” “Fiesta,” usually held during
the first week of May, celebrates the life of Ralph Edwards and features a parade, a beauty contest and a
stage show.

5. How did Truth or Consequences get its name?

a. The town of Hot Springs named itself after a radio show.
b. It was named after the mineral baths in the area
c. It was named after a parade
d. It was named after Ralph Edwards

Millions of British children are "culture starved" as they have never been to an art gallery,
theatre or museum, a study has claimed. The research, commissioned by Visit Birmingham, found four in
10 children had never been to an art gallery, while a quarter of parents had never taken their offspring to
the theatre. One in five parents said they did not think their child would be interested. The study surveyed
2,000 parents of five to 12-year-olds around the UK. It also found 17% of children had never visited a
museum, while one in 10 had not been outside their home town to visit other sites in the UK. Half of
parents said they made little effort to educate their children about culture or history and relied on schools to
do so. A quarter said they could not afford to visit attractions with 28% saying they did not have the time
and 18% believed their child was "too young for culture".
However half said they were more likely to take their children sight-seeing when they were
abroad on holiday. When asked what cultural activities their children had participated in, the most popular
was learning an instrument (39%), with ballet (24%), painting (23%) and singing in a choir (22%) the next
most popular activities. Just over a fifth of children were learning a foreign language.

6. Which of the following that is NOT TRUE according to the facts from the research
above?
a. 4 in 10 children had never been to an art gallery, while 1/4 of parents had never
taken their offspring to the theatre.
 b. Seventeen percent of children had never visited a museum, while 1 in 10 had not
been outside their home town to visit other sites in the UK
c. 1in 5 parents think their child would not be interested to visit museum, art galery
and theatre.
d. Children are engaged in cultural activities such as learning an instrument (39%),
with ballet (24%), painting (23%) and singing in a choir (22%).

Students are responsible for familiarising themselves with the University Code of Student
Conduct, as on enrollment with the University the student has placed themselves under the policies and
regulations of the University and all of its duly constituted bodies. Disciplinary authority is exercised
through the Student Conduct Committee. The Committee has procedures in place for hearing allegations of
misconduct. Copies of the student conduct code are available at the Student Services Office. Academic
dishonesty is never condoned by the University. This includes cheating and plagiarism, which violate the
Student Conduct Code and could result in expulsion or failing the course.
Cheating includes but is not limited to obtaining or giving unauthorized help during an
examination, getting unauthorized information about the contents of an examination before it is
administered, using unauthorised sources of information during an examination, altering or falsifying the
record of any grades, altering or supplying answers after an examination has been handed in, falsifying any
official University record, and misrepresenting the facts to get exemptions from or extensions to course
requirements.

7. The word “misconduct” in line 5 is closest in meaning to…

a. Cheating
b. Penalty
c. Fidelity
d. Dishonesty

Plagiarism includes but is not limited to submitting any paper or other document, to satisfy an
academic requirement, which has been copied either in whole or in part from someone else’s work without
identifying that person; failing to identify as a quotation a documented idea that has not been thoroughly
assimilated into the student's language and style, or paraphrasing a passage so closely that the reader could
be misled as to the source; submitting the same written or oral material in different courses without
obtaining authorisation from the lecturers involved; or 'dry-labbing', which includes obtaining and using
experimental data from fellow students without the express consent of the lecturer, utilizing experimental
data and laboratory write-ups from other parts of the course or from previous terms during which the
course was conducted, and fabricating data to fit the expected results.

8. From the text above we know that ‘dry-labbing’ including the following actions, Except..
a. Submitting the same written or oral material in different courses without
obtaining authorisation from the lecturers involved.
 b. Obtaining and using experimental data from other fellow students without their
consent.
c. Utilizing experimental data and laboratory research from other courses.

Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it
may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health
problems. Body mass index (BMI), a measurement which compares weight and height, defines people as
overweight (pre-obese) when their BMI is between 25 kg/m2 and 30 kg/m2, and obese when it is greater
than 30 kg/m2.
Obesity increases the likelihood of various diseases, particularly heart disease, type 2 diabetes,
breathing difficulties during sleep, certain types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. Obesity is most commonly
caused by a combination of excessive dietary calories, lack of physical activity, and genetic
susceptibility, although a few cases are caused primarily by genes, endocrine disorders, medications or
psychiatric illness. Evidence to support the view that some obese people eat little yet gain weight due to a
slow metabolism is limited; on average obese people have a greater energy expenditure than their thin
counterparts due to the energy required to maintain an increased body mass.
The primary treatment for obesity is dieting and physical exercise. To supplement this, or in
case of failure, anti-obesity drugs may be taken to reduce appetite or inhibit fat absorption. In severe
cases, surgery is performed or an intragastric balloon is placed to reduce stomach volume and/or bowel
length, leading to earlier satiation and reduced ability to absorb nutrients from food.

9. Theisword
Obesity “this”preventable
a leading in the third paragraph refersworldwide,
cause of death to… with increasing prevalence in adults and
children, and authorities
a. Dieting view it as one of the most serious public health problems of the 21st century.
Obesity is stigmatized
b. Physicalinexercise
much of the modern world (particularly in the Western world), though it was
widely perceived as a symbol of wealth and fertility at other times in history, and still is in some parts of
c. Obesity
the world.
d. Treatment for obesity

The haka is a type of ancient Māori war dance traditionally used on the battlefield, as well as
when groups came together in peace. Haka are a fierce display of a tribe's pride, strength and
unity. Actions include violent foot-stamping, tongue protrusions and rhythmic body slapping to
accompany a loud chant. The words of a haka often poetically describe ancestors and events in
the tribe's history. Today, haka are still used during Māori ceremonies and celebrations to
honour guests and show the importance of the occasion. This includes family events, like
birthdays and weddings as well as to acknowledge great achievements, occasions or funerals.

10. According the the passage above it can be summarized that the main function of Haka
Hakais…
are also used to challenge opponents on the sports field.
a. To honour the guests
b. To challenge the opponents in the war
 c. To celebrate importance occasion and acknowledge great achievement
d. To celebrate family event like birthday, wedding or funerals

Answer Key:

1. C
2. D
3. D
4. B
5. A
6. C
7. D
8. A
9. D
10. B