1 We believe the Earth is about 4.6 billion years old. At present we are forced to look to other bodies in the solar system for hints as to what the early history of the Earth was like. Studies of our moon, Mercury, Mars, and the large satellites of Jupiter and Saturn have provided ample evidence that all these large celestial bodies were bombarded by smaller objects in a wide 5 variety of sizes shortly after the larger bodies had formed. This same bombardment must have affected Earth as well. The lunar record indicates that the rate of impacts decreased to its present low level about 4 billion years ago. On Earth, subsequent erosion and crustal motions have obliterated the craters that must have formed during this epoch.
Scientists estimate the Earth's age by measuring the ratios of various radioactive 10 elements in rocks. The oldest Earth rocks tested thus far are about 3 1/3 billion years old. But no one knows whether these are the oldest rocks on Earth. Tests on rocks from the moon and on meteorites show that these are about 4.6 billion years old. Scientists believe that this is then true age of the solar system and probably the true age of the Earth.
1. In line 8, the word "obliterated" means
(A) created.
(B) destroyed.
(C) changed.
(D) eroded.
2. According to this passage, how do scientists estimate the age of the Earth?
(A) By measuring the ratios of radioactive elements in rocks
(B) By examining fossils
(C) By studying sunspots
(D) By examining volcanic activity
3. Scientists estimate the age of the Earth as
(A) 3 1/3 billion years old.
(B) 4 billion years old.
(C) 4.6 billion years old.
(D) 6 billion years old.
4. Which of the following processes led to the obliteration of the craters formed by the bombardment of the Earth by celestial bodies?
(A) Volcanic activity
(B) Solar radiation
(C) Gravity
(D) Crustal motions
5. According to the passage, why are scientists forced to look at other bodies in the solar system to determine the early history of the Earth?
(A) Human alteration of the Earth
(B) Erosion and crustal motions
(C) Solar flares
(D) Deforestation
6. What is the BEST title for this passage?
(A) "Determining the Age of the Earth"
(B) "Determining the Age of the Solar System"
(C) "Erosion and Crustal Motion of Earth"
(D) "Radioactive Elements in Rocks"
7. Which of the following bodies was NOT studied to give evidence that the Earth was bombarded in its early history?
(A) Mars
(B) Mercury
(C) Jupiter
(D) Earth's moon
8. Bombardment of the Earth at one time by various sized bodies is
(A) inferred from what happened on other planetary bodies.
(B) documented fact.
(C) proven by the lunar record.
(D) indicated by erosion.
9. The level of impacts of the bombardments of Earth have
(A) decreased to below normal.
(B) increased to a current high.
(C) increased after a periodic low.
(D) decreased to a current low.
10. In line 6, the word "bombardment" means
(A) an avoidance.
(B) an assault.
(C) an effect.
(D) a cause.
lunes, 1 de marzo de 2010
Tips for Grammar
Present Perfect
Positive
Subject to have past participle
She has finished.
Negative
Subject to have + not past participle
She hasn't finished.
Interrogative positive
to have subject past participle
Has she finished...?
Interrogative negative
to have + not subject past participle
Hasn't she finished...?
The present perfect is used for a complete action: We are thinking of the result when describing:
1. An action or situation that started in the past and continues in the present.
I have lived in Canada since 1984. (and I still do)
2. An action performed during a period that has not yet finished.
She has been to the doctor twice this week. (and the week isn't over yet)
3. A repeated action in an unspecified period between the past and now.
We have visited London several times.
4. An action that was completed in the very recent past (expressed by 'just')
I have just finished my work.
5. An action when the result is very important but the time is not.
He has seen ‘Harry Potter’.
Present perfect OR past simple?
Very Important: When we want to give or ask details about when, where, who, we use the simple past.
Example: He saw ‘Harry Potter’ last week.
1. I'm very hungry. I______________________ all day.
a)didn't eat
b)haven't ate
c)haven’t eaten
d)have been eating
2. Their new kitchen looks fantastic. They ________ completely ________ it.
a)have been redecorating
b)have redecorated
c)already redecorated
d)didn't redecorated
3. Our kitchen’s a mess. We____________________ any cleaning for weeks.
a)didn't do
b)haven't been doing
c)have done
d)haven't done
The anwers: 1. (C), 2. (B), 3. (D). The explanation is in the first four points in the begining.
Nouns contables and uncontables
Countable nouns:
Most of the nouns are countable. You can combine them with numbers, e.g one, two or three. Here is an example:
one pencil
two pencils
three pencils
etc.
Uncountable nouns:
These nouns can't be combined with numbers. Here is an example:
water
If you want to express a quantity, you have to use a special phrase e.g. a glass of water.
NOTE:
Some nouns can be either countable or uncountable. We recommend to use a good dictionary. Here is an example, too. hair - hairs
You've got some hairs on your T-shirt. (There might be 5 or 6 of them.)
Your hair looks lovely. (Here you think of the hairstyle.)
Select the wrong answer:
1.- A pack of wolfs can encircle and kill a moose.
a) A
b) wolfs
c) encircle
d) moose
2.- Three species of the fruit bat have been found to have a primatelike visual systems.
a) the
b) bat
c) to have
d) systems
3.- Aeronautical histonian have conclude that the Frenchman Clement Ader made a short leap but never a sustained flight.
a) historian
b) the
c) leap
d) flight
The correct answer: 1. (b) the correct is wolf because is only one, 2.(d) the correct is system because is only one, 3. (a) the correct is historians because is more than one.
Positive
Subject to have past participle
She has finished.
Negative
Subject to have + not past participle
She hasn't finished.
Interrogative positive
to have subject past participle
Has she finished...?
Interrogative negative
to have + not subject past participle
Hasn't she finished...?
The present perfect is used for a complete action: We are thinking of the result when describing:
1. An action or situation that started in the past and continues in the present.
I have lived in Canada since 1984. (and I still do)
2. An action performed during a period that has not yet finished.
She has been to the doctor twice this week. (and the week isn't over yet)
3. A repeated action in an unspecified period between the past and now.
We have visited London several times.
4. An action that was completed in the very recent past (expressed by 'just')
I have just finished my work.
5. An action when the result is very important but the time is not.
He has seen ‘Harry Potter’.
Present perfect OR past simple?
Very Important: When we want to give or ask details about when, where, who, we use the simple past.
Example: He saw ‘Harry Potter’ last week.
1. I'm very hungry. I______________________ all day.
a)didn't eat
b)haven't ate
c)haven’t eaten
d)have been eating
2. Their new kitchen looks fantastic. They ________ completely ________ it.
a)have been redecorating
b)have redecorated
c)already redecorated
d)didn't redecorated
3. Our kitchen’s a mess. We____________________ any cleaning for weeks.
a)didn't do
b)haven't been doing
c)have done
d)haven't done
The anwers: 1. (C), 2. (B), 3. (D). The explanation is in the first four points in the begining.
Nouns contables and uncontables
Countable nouns:
Most of the nouns are countable. You can combine them with numbers, e.g one, two or three. Here is an example:
one pencil
two pencils
three pencils
etc.
Uncountable nouns:
These nouns can't be combined with numbers. Here is an example:
water
If you want to express a quantity, you have to use a special phrase e.g. a glass of water.
NOTE:
Some nouns can be either countable or uncountable. We recommend to use a good dictionary. Here is an example, too. hair - hairs
You've got some hairs on your T-shirt. (There might be 5 or 6 of them.)
Your hair looks lovely. (Here you think of the hairstyle.)
Select the wrong answer:
1.- A pack of wolfs can encircle and kill a moose.
a) A
b) wolfs
c) encircle
d) moose
2.- Three species of the fruit bat have been found to have a primatelike visual systems.
a) the
b) bat
c) to have
d) systems
3.- Aeronautical histonian have conclude that the Frenchman Clement Ader made a short leap but never a sustained flight.
a) historian
b) the
c) leap
d) flight
The correct answer: 1. (b) the correct is wolf because is only one, 2.(d) the correct is system because is only one, 3. (a) the correct is historians because is more than one.
Tips for Listening
Idioms
Idioms are special expressions that all speakers can use and know, these expressions depend on the context I were the conversation is taking place. For example:
Leo: Yesterday I went to the movies and I didn´t like the movie.
Monse: An why is that?
Leo: Are you joking it scared the hell out of me! And it even wasnt´about monsters.
Narrator: In this conversation "scared out the hell of me" what did Leo means?
a) He had a monster in himself.
b) He saw a monster at the cinema.
c) He did not like the movie because it wasn´t about mosters.
d) He got scared about the movie.
The correct answer is C because the idiom "scared out the hell of me" is making reference to what the movie caused to him.
He made referenceto monsters movies, but as you read a whole text you undestand it is a comparison because he´s talking about fears. It is neither A, B nor C because he´s emphising the movie wasn´t about monsters. So the recomendation would be not to just read the words, but to undesrtand the whole context and get the conclusion.
Conclusion about who, what & where.
It´s common in listenign to ask you to draw some kind of concluison. In this type of question the answer it not clearly stated; instedad you must draw a conclusion based on a clues given in the conversation. If the conversation contains a passive satatement, the answer to the question is often a active satement or the contraty if the conversation contains an active statement, the answer is oftern a passive statement.
Carlos: Last night I´m feeling very sick.
Mariana: You should go to the doctor or get some medicine befor going to the work.
Carlos: Yes probably that would be the best.
Narrator: What will the man do next?
a) Go to the work
b) Go to the bathroom
c) Have a dinner
d) Go by some medicine
In this conversation you need to focus in the context for get the correct answer and conlusion, to follow just the meaning of some words can be dangerous for made a conclusion of the situation so the tips are idenfify the place, identify the persons and objects, identify the main thing action.
The context in this example is about a sickness person, the correct answer is D.
Idioms are special expressions that all speakers can use and know, these expressions depend on the context I were the conversation is taking place. For example:
Leo: Yesterday I went to the movies and I didn´t like the movie.
Monse: An why is that?
Leo: Are you joking it scared the hell out of me! And it even wasnt´about monsters.
Narrator: In this conversation "scared out the hell of me" what did Leo means?
a) He had a monster in himself.
b) He saw a monster at the cinema.
c) He did not like the movie because it wasn´t about mosters.
d) He got scared about the movie.
The correct answer is C because the idiom "scared out the hell of me" is making reference to what the movie caused to him.
He made referenceto monsters movies, but as you read a whole text you undestand it is a comparison because he´s talking about fears. It is neither A, B nor C because he´s emphising the movie wasn´t about monsters. So the recomendation would be not to just read the words, but to undesrtand the whole context and get the conclusion.
Conclusion about who, what & where.
It´s common in listenign to ask you to draw some kind of concluison. In this type of question the answer it not clearly stated; instedad you must draw a conclusion based on a clues given in the conversation. If the conversation contains a passive satatement, the answer to the question is often a active satement or the contraty if the conversation contains an active statement, the answer is oftern a passive statement.
Carlos: Last night I´m feeling very sick.
Mariana: You should go to the doctor or get some medicine befor going to the work.
Carlos: Yes probably that would be the best.
Narrator: What will the man do next?
a) Go to the work
b) Go to the bathroom
c) Have a dinner
d) Go by some medicine
In this conversation you need to focus in the context for get the correct answer and conlusion, to follow just the meaning of some words can be dangerous for made a conclusion of the situation so the tips are idenfify the place, identify the persons and objects, identify the main thing action.
The context in this example is about a sickness person, the correct answer is D.
Tips for Reading
Check the topic and main ideas for the passage:
1.- Read the first sentences for the topic and main ideas.
2.- Read the last sentences for the conclusion and a possible restatement of the topic and the main ideas.
3.- Skim the rest of the passage for the key words that will confirm the topic and the main ideas and show the organization of the passage.
4.- Read the first question about a passage and answer it.
5.- Read the answer choices. Eliminate any answer that are definitely wrong, and choose the best answer from the remaining ones.
Answer choices for questions about purpose and organizational pattern:
1.- Distinguish between the overall purpose of a passage or are to general for the purpose of a passage.
2.- Identify statements that are not true about the passage or are to general for the purpose.
3.- Identify category words that restate the purpose.
4.- Identify the orgaizational pattern of the passage by recognizing relation ships between points made in passage and recognize signal words in the passage.
Answers reading example
1. (B) In this context, obliterated would mean destroyed. Created (A) is the opposite of obliterated. Changed (C) and eroded (D) are not meanings for obliterated.
2. (A) The second paragraph states that scientists estimate the Earth's age by measuring the ratios of various radioactive elements in rocks. The other methods are not mentioned in the passage.
3. (C) Scientists estimate that the Earth is 4.6 billion years old by testing rocks found on the moon and meteorites. (A) 3 1/3 billion years (A) old is the age of the oldest rock found on Earth.
4. (D) The passage indicates that the craters were obliterated by crustal motions and erosion. None of the other answers were mentioned in the passage.
5. (B) Erosion and crustal motions are mentioned in the passage as the cause for the obliteration of the craters that formed from celestial bombardment of the Earth. Human alteration (A) and deforestation (D) are both man-made procesess of recent occurence.
6. (A) "Determining the Age of the Earth" would be the primary focus of the passage. "Determining the Age of the Solar System" (B) is mentioned but is not the focus of the passage. "Erosion and Crustal Motion of Earth" (C) is a process that hampered scientific determining of the Earth's age. "Radioactive Elements in Rocks" (D) help determine the age of the Earth.
7. (C) Choices (A), (B), and (D) were all studied to determine if Earth was bombarded in its early history. The satellites of Jupiter were studied according to the passage. Jupiter, choice (C), was not studied, however. Therefore, (C) is the correct answer.
8. (A) The passage says that there is evidence that the other planetary bodies were bombarded; from that evidence, one can infer that Earth was bombarded as well. There is no mention in the passage that bombardment of Earth is documented fact, so choice (B) is incorrect. The lunar record is discussed in the passage as indicating the decrease of bombardment, not whether it actually happened, so choice (C) is incorrect. The passage states that erosion has gotten rid of any evidence that Earth was bombarded, so (D) is incorrect.
9. (D) The passage states that the number of bombardments "decreased to its current low about 4 billion years ago." Choices (A), (B), and (C) are incorrect because they state that information incorrectly.
10. (B) "Assault" is the best answer because it is closest to the meaning of "bombardment," which is an attack or battering. An "avoidance" (A) is the opposite of a bombardment, so (A) is a wrong answer. Choices (C) and (D), effect and cause, have nothing to do with the meaning of bombardment.
1.- Read the first sentences for the topic and main ideas.
2.- Read the last sentences for the conclusion and a possible restatement of the topic and the main ideas.
3.- Skim the rest of the passage for the key words that will confirm the topic and the main ideas and show the organization of the passage.
4.- Read the first question about a passage and answer it.
5.- Read the answer choices. Eliminate any answer that are definitely wrong, and choose the best answer from the remaining ones.
Answer choices for questions about purpose and organizational pattern:
1.- Distinguish between the overall purpose of a passage or are to general for the purpose of a passage.
2.- Identify statements that are not true about the passage or are to general for the purpose.
3.- Identify category words that restate the purpose.
4.- Identify the orgaizational pattern of the passage by recognizing relation ships between points made in passage and recognize signal words in the passage.
Answers reading example
1. (B) In this context, obliterated would mean destroyed. Created (A) is the opposite of obliterated. Changed (C) and eroded (D) are not meanings for obliterated.
2. (A) The second paragraph states that scientists estimate the Earth's age by measuring the ratios of various radioactive elements in rocks. The other methods are not mentioned in the passage.
3. (C) Scientists estimate that the Earth is 4.6 billion years old by testing rocks found on the moon and meteorites. (A) 3 1/3 billion years (A) old is the age of the oldest rock found on Earth.
4. (D) The passage indicates that the craters were obliterated by crustal motions and erosion. None of the other answers were mentioned in the passage.
5. (B) Erosion and crustal motions are mentioned in the passage as the cause for the obliteration of the craters that formed from celestial bombardment of the Earth. Human alteration (A) and deforestation (D) are both man-made procesess of recent occurence.
6. (A) "Determining the Age of the Earth" would be the primary focus of the passage. "Determining the Age of the Solar System" (B) is mentioned but is not the focus of the passage. "Erosion and Crustal Motion of Earth" (C) is a process that hampered scientific determining of the Earth's age. "Radioactive Elements in Rocks" (D) help determine the age of the Earth.
7. (C) Choices (A), (B), and (D) were all studied to determine if Earth was bombarded in its early history. The satellites of Jupiter were studied according to the passage. Jupiter, choice (C), was not studied, however. Therefore, (C) is the correct answer.
8. (A) The passage says that there is evidence that the other planetary bodies were bombarded; from that evidence, one can infer that Earth was bombarded as well. There is no mention in the passage that bombardment of Earth is documented fact, so choice (B) is incorrect. The lunar record is discussed in the passage as indicating the decrease of bombardment, not whether it actually happened, so choice (C) is incorrect. The passage states that erosion has gotten rid of any evidence that Earth was bombarded, so (D) is incorrect.
9. (D) The passage states that the number of bombardments "decreased to its current low about 4 billion years ago." Choices (A), (B), and (C) are incorrect because they state that information incorrectly.
10. (B) "Assault" is the best answer because it is closest to the meaning of "bombardment," which is an attack or battering. An "avoidance" (A) is the opposite of a bombardment, so (A) is a wrong answer. Choices (C) and (D), effect and cause, have nothing to do with the meaning of bombardment.
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