Task 1: Reading Comprehension part 1

Task 1: Reading Comprehension part 1

Aspirin’s origins go back at least as early as 1758. In that year, Englishman Edward Stone noticed a distinctive bitter flavor in the bark of the willow tree. To Stone, this particular bark seemed to have much in common with “Peruvian Bark,” which had been used medicinally since the 1640s to bring down fevers and to treat malaria. Stone decided to test the effectiveness of the willow bark. He obtained some, pulverized it into tiny pieces, and conducted experiments on its properties. His tests demonstrated that this pulverized willow bark was effective both in reducing high temperatures and in relieving aches and pains. In 1763, Stone presented his findings to the British Royal Society.

Several decades later, further studies on the medicinal value of the willow bark were being conducted by two Italian scientists. These chemists, Brugnatelli and Fontana, determined that the active chemical that was responsible for the medicinal characteristics in the willow bark was the chemical salicin, which is the active ingredient of today’s aspirin.  

The name “aspirin” is the trade name of the drug based on the chemical salicin, properly known as acetylsalicylic acid. The trade name “aspirin” was invented for the drug in the 1890s by the Bayer Drug Company in Germany. The first bottles of aspirin actually went on sale to the publicjust prior to the turn of the century, in 1899.

1.  According to the passage, aspirin originated   

            a.       no later than 1758

            b.      sometime after 1758

            c.       definitely sometime in 1758

            d.      no earlier than 1758

2. It can be inferred from the passage that Peruvian Bark

            a.       caused fevers

            b.      was ineffective in treating malaria

            c.       was described to the British Royal Society by Stone     

            d.      was in use prior to aspirin

3. The pronoun “it” in line 5 refers to

            a.      malaria

            b.      willow bark

            c.       effectiveness

            d.      the British Royal Society

4. The word “properties” in line 6 could best be replaced by

            a.       ownership

            b.      body

            c.       characteristics 

            d.      materials

5. What did the willow bark look like after Stone prepared it for his experiments?

           a.       It was in large chunks.

           b.      It was a thick liquid.

           c.       It was a rough powder.

           d.      It was in strips of bark.

6. The Italian chemists mentioned in the passage most probably conducted their studies on willow bark

           a.      in the 1750s

           b.      in the 1760s

           c.       in the 1770s

           d.      in the 1780s

7.  What is true about Brugnatelli and Fontana?

           a.       They were from Italy.

           b.      They added a chemical to the willow bark.

           c.       They conducted studies on the willow bark.

           d.      They were medical doctors.

8. The expression “prior to” in line 14 could best be replaced by

            a.       at

            b.      before

            c.       during

            d.      after

9. The word “turn” in line 15 could best be replaced by

            a.      spin

            b.      corner

            c.       change

            d.      reversal

10. Where in the passage does the author name the scientific compound that makes up aspirin?

             a.       Lines 2-4

             b.      Line 7

             c.       Lines 8-9

             d.      Lines 14-15

     The cause of tooth decay is acid, which is produced by bacteria in the mouth. The acid removes minerals from tooth enamel, allowing tooth decay to begin; the saliva in your mouth encourages remineralization and Line neutralizes the acid. The rate at which bacteria in the mouth produce acid depends on the amount of plaque on the teeth, the composition of the microbial flora, and whether the bacteria of the plaque have been “primed” by frequent exposure to sugar. To keep your teeth healthy, a regular dental hygiene program should be followed.

     Removing plaque with a toothbrush and dental floss temporarily reduces the numbers of bacteria in the mouth and thus reduces tooth decay. It also makes the surfaces of the teeth more accessible, enabling saliva to neutralize acid and remineralise lesions. If fluoride is present in drinking water when teeth are forming, some fluoride is incorporated into the enamel of the teeth, making them more resistant to attack by acid. Fluoride toothpaste seems to act in another way, by promoting the remineralization of early carious lesions.

       In addition to a regular dental hygiene program, a good way to keep your teeth healthy is to reduce your intake of sweet food. The least cavity- causing way to eat sweets is to have them with meals and not between. The number of times you eat sweets rather than the total amount determines how much harmful acid the bacteria in your saliva produce. But the amount of sweets influences the quality of your saliva. Avoid, if you can, sticky sweets that stay in your mouth a long time. Also try to brush and floss your teeth after eating sugary foods. Even rinsing your mouth with water is effective. Whenever possible, eat foods with fiber, such as raw carrot sticks, apples, celery sticks, etc., that scrape off plaque, acting as a toothbrush. Cavities can be greatly reduced if these rules are followed when eating sweets.

11. What does this passage mainly discuss?

              a.       Good nutrition

              b.      Food with fiber 

              c.       Ways to keep your teeth healthy

              d.      Fluoridization and cavities

12. According to the passage, all of the following statements about plaque are true EXCEPT…

              a.       it consists of acid producing bacteria

              b.      it is not affected by eating sweets

              c.       it can be removed from teeth by brushing and flossing

              d.      it reduces the positive effect of saliva

13. We can infer from the passage that one benefit of fluoride to healthy teeth is…    

             a.      It strengthens tooth enamel

             b.      it stimulates saliva production

             c.       it makes teeth whiter

             d.      It Is a replacement for brushing and flossing in dental care

14. The word “it” in paragraph 2 refers to …

             a.       dental floss

             b.      bacteria

             c.       removal of plaque  

             d.      plaque

15. What can be concluded from the passage about sweets?

             a.       All sweets should be avoided.

             b.      Sweets should be eaten with care. 

             c.       It is better to eat sweets a little at a time throughout the day.

             d.      Sticky sweets are less harmful than other sweets.

16. The word “scrape off” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to…

             a.       repel

             b.      rub together with

             c.       remove

             d.      dissolve

17. According to the passage, the value of eating foods with fiber is that …

             a.       they contain Vitamin A

             b.      they are less expensive than a toothbrush   

             c.       they are able to remove the plaque from your teeth

             d.      they contain no sugar

18. The author of the passage states that the amount of acid produced by the bacteria in your saliva increases …

              a.       with the amount of sweets you eat

              b.      with the number of times you eat sweets 

              c.       if you eat sweets with your meals

              d.      if you eat sticky sweets

In 1900 the United States had only three cities with more than a million residents-New York, Chicago, and Philadelpia. By 1930, it had ten giant metropolises. The newer ones experienced remarkable growth, which reflected basic changes in the economy. The population of Los Angeles (114,000 in 1900) rose spectacularly in the early decades of the twentieth century, increasing a dramatic 1,400 percent from 1900 to 1930.

            A number of circumstances contributed to the meteoric rise of Los Angeles. The agricultural potencial of the area was enormous if water for irrigation could be found, and the city founders had the vision and dating to obtain it by constructing a 225-mile aqueduct, completed in 1913, to tap the water of the Owens River. The city had a superb natural harbor, as well as excellent rail connections.

The climate made it possible to shoot motion pictures year-round; hence Hollywood. Hollywood not only supplied jobs; it disseminated an image of the good life in Southern Californiaon screens all across the nation. The most important single industry powering the growth of Los Angeles, however, was directly linked to the automobile. The demand for petroleum to fuel gasoline engines led to the opening of Southern California oil fields, and made Los Angeles North America’s greatest refining center.

            Los Angeles was a product of the auto age in another sense as well: its distinctive spatial organization depended on widespread private ownership of automobiles. Los Angeles was a decentralized metropolis, sprawling across the desert landscape over an area of 400 square miles. It was a city without a real center.

The downtown business distric did not gro aace with the city as a whole, and the rapid transit system designed to link the center with outlying areas whitered away from disuse. Approximately 800,000 cars were registered in os Angeles County in 1930, one per 2.7 residents. Some visitors from the east coast were dismayed at the endless urban sprawl and dismissed Los Angeles as a mere collection of suburbs in search of a city. But the freedom and mobility of a city built on wheels attracted floods of migrants to the city

19. What is the passage mainly about?

             a.       The growth of cities in the United States in the early 1900’s

             b.      The development of the Southern California oil fields

             c.       Factors contributing to the growth of Los Angeles

             d.      Industry and city planning in Los Angeles.

20. The author characterizes the growth of new large cities in the United States after 1900 as     resulting primarily from

            a.      new economic conditions

            b.      images of cities  

            c.       new agricultural techniques

            d.      a large migrant population 

21. The word “meteoric” in line 6 is closest in meaning to

             a.      rapid

             b.      famous

             c.       controversial

             d.      methodical

  

22. The word “it” in line 8 refers to

             a.       aqueduct

             b.      vision

             c.       water

             d.      agricultural potential

23. According to the passage, the most important factor in the development of agriculture around Los Angeles was the

             a.       influx of “new residents to agricultural areas near the city

             b.      construction of an aqueduct

             c.       expansion of transportation facilities

             d.      development of new connections to the city’s natural harbor

24. According to the passage, the initial success of Hollywood’s motion picture industry was due largely to the

             a.       availability of many skilled workers

             b.      beauty of the countryside

             c.       region’s reputation for luxurious lifestyle

             d.      region’s climate and good weather

25. It can be inferred from the passage that in 1930 the greatest number of people in the Los Angeles area were employed in       

             a.       farming

             b.      oil refining  

             c.       automobile manufacturing 

             d.      the motion picture industry

sumber

http://cgeduntuksemua.blogspot.co.id/2013/05/contoh-soal-dan-pembahasan-bagian.html

http://www.pustakabahasainggris.com/50-contoh-soal-toefl-reading-comprehension-lengkap-dengan-kunci-jawaban-dan-pembahasan-part-a/

http://www.ilmubahasainggris.com/11-soal-reading-comprehension-dalam-tes-toefl-lengkap-beserta-jawaban-dan-pembahasannya/