Reading Comprehensiontestforthe 10Thformstudents

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Reading ComprehensionTestforthe 10thFormStudents

Text1

Directions: in this section you will have to read a few short texts. Each text will be followed by a set of statements or questions with four possible answers. Read each of the statements (questions) carefully, choose the answer that best corresponds to what it started or implied in the text you have read, and mark your answer in the text booklet by encircling the letter of your choice.

TEXT 1

In October 1992, Yoshihiro Hattori, an energetic, outgoing 16-year-old exchange student from Japan, went to a Halloween party with his American host ,Webb Haymaker, in Baton Rouge , Louisiana. Since they were going to a Halloween costume party, the two were dressed in costumes. Unfortunately, they mistook the house number and by mistake went to a nearby house, inhabited by Rodney Pears, his wife Bonnie, and their young baby. Ms. Pears and Webb frightened Ms. Pears, who called to her husband to get his gun. Mr. Pears said that he though Yoshihiro was an intruder .Though Mr. Pears shouted “Freese,” Yoshihiro ,who did not speak much English, did not stop walking toward the house. He said, ”I’m here for a party,” and was jumping in the air , trying to imitate John Travolta,the character that he was dressed up as. Mr. Pears fired his gun, killing Yoshihiro.

Mr. Pears was taken into custody and released that same night because “there was no criminal intent”. A 1976 Louisiana law says that a homeowner is justified in killing intruders if he “reasonably” believes that his life is in danger or that the shooting will prevent a break-in. ( Someone had previously stolen the Pears’ truck from their drive way; it was never recovered).

Questions 1-5 refer to Text1

1The best title for the article would be :

a)”A Dangerous Exchange”;

b)”A Fatal Mistake”;

c)” A Halloween Tragedy”;

d)” A Law in Action”.

2. The two students intended to:

a) get acquainted with the Pears family;

b) have a good fun;

c) scare Mrs. Pears;

d) intrude into the house.

3. The article implies that laws of the state allow its citizens:

a) to take part in costume parties;

b) to own fire –arms;

c) to look frightening;

d) to imitate someone.

4. Yoshihiro’s trouble was in:

a) wearing John Travolta’s costume;

b) being together with a friend;

c) jumping up in the air;

d) poor English

. 5. It may be inferred from the text that Webb Haymaker:

a) provided Yoshihiro with the place to live;

b) organized Yoshihiro’s spare time;

c) had no gun;

d) made Halloween costumes.

Reading Comprehension Test forthe 10th Form Students

TEXT 2

Alcohol is connected to about half of all motor vehicle deaths of 15-to 19-year-olds. In 2005, for example, 2776 people in this age category who were killed in motor vehicle accidents had been drinking. In addition ,80,000 others were injured. Though these numbers are shocking enough , they used to be even higher before drinking and driving started to become socially unacceptable in the 1980s.

To combat these terrible, frightening statistics, two national organizations have sprung up. One is called MADD, which stands for Mothers Against Drunk Driving. This organization, which was started by mothers who had lost children in motor vehicle accidents involving alcohol, works to make the public more aware of the dangersof drinking and driving and to strive for tougher laws and sentences for drunk drivers. Another organization is SADD, which stands for Students Against Driving Drunk. This group now has chapters in approximately 30,000 junior high schools, high schools and colleges, but the vast majority are in high schools. Young people and their parents sign a “Contract for Life”in which the young people agree to call home for transportation at any time if they or their friends have been drinking. In return, the parents pledge to pick up their children or pay for a taxi without asking any questions or giving the children any hassles. Perhaps because of the work of these organizations, he term

“designated driver”, a person in a group who is selected ahead of time as the driver and who will not have any alcohol during the evening out, has now become a part of normal English usage.

Questions 6-10 refer to Text2

6. Before the 1980s the number of car accident casualties among teenagers most

probably was:

a) about 3 thousand people;

b) less than 83 thousand people;

c) more than 83 thousand people;

d) exactly 82,776 people.

7. We can make a conclusionthat in 1973 the attitude to drinking and driving was:

a) tolerant;

b) strict;

c) indifferent;
d) supportive.

8. The word “national” most probably means

a) covering certain ethnic groups;

b) covering certain age groups;

c) covering certain gender groups;
d) covering certain territory.

9. The organizations mentioned in the text mainly deal with:

a) promoting public contempt;

b) promoting public disgust;

c) promoting public concern;
d) promoting public blame.

10. SADD mainly works with:

a) adults;

b) older schoolchildren;

c) younger schoolchildren;
d) college students.

10th READING

TEXT 4

The Endangered Species Act, a special U.S. law designed to protect animal and plant species that are in danger of becoming extinct, was passed in 1973. Though the law does indeed serve its purpose of protecting animal and plant species, it has been a very controversial law because it costs a great deal of money to enforce and has resulted in the loss of jobs in certain cases.

The Endangered Species Act currently includes more than 1,300 species with 912 of the species found in the United States. Since the law took effect, 40 per cent of the U.S. endangered species nave stabilized or begun to improve in numbers while another 30 per cent continue to decline but are declining more slowly. The bald eagle, the national symbol of the United States, numbered only 417 in 1963, but by 1993 that number had increased to 4,017; the bald eagle can now be found throughout the lower 48 states.

Critics of the law point to the high costs (a 1990 government study concluded that it would cost 4.9 billion dollars to rescue the species then on the list). In addition, jobs are a very sensitive issue. The most well – known case involvers the spotted owl, which inhabits forests in the northwestern states. The protect the spotted owl, logging activities were halted or severely restricted. One estimate puts the number of lost jobs at 50,000 to 100,000 as many mills and even some small towns closed down.

The question boils down to this: What is one species worth? For some, it could be an undiscovered AIDS drug; for others, it could be a certain amount of money. Where do you stand?

Questions 16-20 refer to Text 4

16The best title for this abstract most probably will be:

a) “The Endangered Species Act”;

b) “The Law in Effect”;

c) “Pros and Cons of Species Protection”;

d) “Stabilization of Endangered Species”.

17The word “extinct” might best be replaced with:

a)vanished;

b)boiled;

c)disturbed;

d)saved.

18The passage mostly describes:

a)the history of adopting the Act;

b)the consequences of the Act;

c)endangered species statistics;

d)the criticism on the Act.

19For twenty years of the Act in action some mentioned species increased the number:

a)about 1,300 times;

b) about 10 times;

c)about 30 times;

d)about 900 times;

20. One of the states where the bald eagle is NOT living now most probably is:

a) Alaska;

b) Florida;

c) California;

d) Texas.