Part 1 Skimming and Scanning
Part 1: A
In the following passage, each paragraph has a heading that expresses the main idea of
that paragraph. For questions 1 to 6, choose one of the headings from the list (A-K) for
each paragraph that lacks a heading. Note that you will not use all the headings in the
list. One of the missing headings has been filled in for you as an example (E for
paragraph 1). Mark the appropriate letters for questions 1 to 6 on your answer sheet.
Part 1: B
In the following passage, each paragraph (except for the first and last paragraphs) has
a heading that expresses the main idea of that paragraph. For questions 7 to 12,
choose one of the headings from the list (A-J) for each paragraph that lacks a heading.
Note that you will not use all of the headings in the list. Mark the appropriate letters
for questions 7 to 12 on your answer sheet.
Part 1: C
In this part, there are three passages with eight questions. Please first read the
questions and then read the passages quickly and selectively to find the answers. For
each question, mark A, B, or C on your answer sheet.
Part 1: A
Questions 1-6
Headings for "The First Greenlanders"
A. A New Culture G. Invaders from the West
B. Communities Are Established H. Life on the Land
C. Crops Flourish I. Difficult Times
D. Natives Resist Icelanders J. A Pioneer Attracts Followers
E. Early Stories May Be True K. Ties with North America Strengthen
F. Greater Dependence on the Sea
The First Greenlanders
E
About a millennium ago, legends tell us, a Viking named Leif Eriksson sailed to the shores of North
America, arriving hundreds of years ahead of Christopher Columbus. Even though archaeologists
have yet to uncover any physical evidence of Eriksson's visit, the presumption that a Viking band
traveled that far has gained credibility in recent years. Excavations in Greenland indicate that Vikings
flourished there for hundreds of years, trading with the European continent and probably Native
American tribes, before disappearing.
1.
A central figure in this story was Eriksson's father, Erik the Red, who grew up in Iceland. In 980 A.D.,
Erik the Red headed farther west when he was banished from Iceland for murder. He set sail for land
that was visible west of Iceland. Three years later, he returned to Iceland and convinced hundreds of
others to join him in settling this new country. Some 25 boats set out for what Erik the Red had
dubbed Greenland. Only 14 ships survived the seas, but about 450 new colonists set foot ashore.
2.
The land they saw before them was bare, uninhabited, and inhospitable, but Erik the Red's
advertisements were not entirely false. A thin green carpet of arctic heath promised support for
grazing farm animals. Farms sprang up quickly and, later, churches. One colony, simply called the
Eastern Settlement, sat in the toe of Greenland; the Western Settlement lay close to what is now
Nuuk, Greenland's capital.
Settlement a Challenge
Settling Greenland posed a formidable challenge. There were no trees large enough to produce
timber for shelter or fuel. The only wood was small brush and driftwood. The Vikings settled inland,
on fjords resembling those of their homeland. There they built homes of driftwood, stone, and sod.
For adequate insulation, the walls of some buildings were made 6 to 10 feet thick.
3.
Shelter, food, and clothing were, of course, essential to survival. The summer was too short to farm
grain crops, so settlers probably went without beer or bread. Although they farmed domesticated
animals imported from Europe--goats, sheep, cattle--the settlers ate them sparingly, relying instead
on secondary products, such as milk and cheese. In the early days, the Greenlanders' lives differed
little from those of their compatriots in Scandinavia. They netted fish and hunted seal and caribou.
They wove clothing from wool and linen, sometimes adding the fur of the arctic hare.
Trade with Scandinavia
For about two centuries, Greenland's Vikings had the country to themselves. Yet life was by no
means easy, and they relied on a fragile trade with Scandinavia to survive. In exchange for iron,
timber, and grain from Europe, they traded pelts of bear and arctic fox as well as narwhale tusks and
rope made of walrus hide. Whalebone, too, was traded to Europeans for use in stiffening clothes.
According to one account, the Greenlanders even traded live polar bears.
4.
At some point during the fourteenth century, Greenland's climate grew colder. With the climate
change, glaciers began creeping over the land, bringing with them a runoff of sand, silt, and gravel.
That runoff slowly robbed the settlers of valuable pastureland. To make matters worse, the Black
Death hit Iceland, killing some 30% of the population. Although there is still no evidence the sickness
reached Greenland, archaeologists believe it left its mark by curtailing the flourishing trade.
5.
The Greenlanders adapted. Recent evidence shows that their diet shifted from land-based foods to
marine products. Like their kin in Norway, the Vikings in Greenland had always exploited marine life
but, by the close of the fourteenth century, the proportion of their food taken from the sea had risen
to 80%.
6.
Between 1100 and 1200 A.D., as the colder weather arrived, so did the Thules. These Native
Americans, migrants from the area surrounding the Bering Strait, began trickling eastward from
Ellesmere Island, just northwest of Greenland. It is likely that an uneasy trade between the Vikings
and Thules sprang up and that, as living conditions grew harsher for the Vikings, the better-adapted
Thules thrived.
Greenland Settlements Abandoned
The Western Settlement was abandoned by 1350 A.D. and the Eastern Settlement by 1500 A.D.
When asked what became of the Vikings, Danish archaeologist, Jette Arneborg says she thinks they
struggled mightily to adapt to the increasingly difficult conditions. But as the weather worsened and
life became even harsher, some may have returned to Iceland. And it is easy to imagine that, as trade
dwindled, the settlements may have become so depopulated the colonists simply were unable to
replace themselves.
Back Part 1: B
Part 1: B
Questions 7-12
Headings for "Computers in Primary Education"
A. Further Studies Planned F. Lack of Sufficient Proof
B. No Substitute for the Great Outdoors G. Health Concerns Cited
C. Early Learning Is Unnecessary H. Education Enhanced by Technology
D. Credible Claims of Benefits I. Disappointing Instructional Materials
E. Growth May Be Hindered J. Dangers Unclear
Computers in Primary Education
In recent years, the use of computers in primary education has become widespread in advanced
countries. By 2000, instructional computers were present in 97% of U.S. elementary school
classrooms. In the same year, the average primary school in the U.K. had about 18 computers, one
for every 12.6 students, and similar levels of computer use have been reported in other countries as
well. Proponents of computers in primary education claim many benefits, among which are that they
help young students perform better academically and teach them job-related skills. However, a
growing number of educators and parents are speaking out against the growing use of
computer-based instruction in primary school classrooms. They assert that the claims made by
proponents are not supported by research and warn that computer use may, in fact, retard normal
childhood development and pose a serious risk to the health of young students.
7.
Educators on both sides of the debate agree that previous studies on the effects of computers on
academic achievement have not produced conclusive results, in part because they often lacked
scientific controls and were not replicable by other researchers. In fact, three decades of research on
educational technology has revealed only one clear connection between computer use and learning
by children: computer programs based on drills and practice slightly improve scores on standardized
tests in some skill areas. Larry Cuban, former president of the American Educational Research
Association, says that other than that finding, there is a lack of compelling evidence that
computerized instruction contributes to academic success in any way.
8.
Meanwhile, computer-based education may have a negative impact on other aspects of childhood
development. A huge body of research has confirmed the critical importance in early development
of non-academic skills--social, emotional, and physical--through experience, experimentation and
observation in the real world. In this light, opponents of computers in early childhood and primary
education warn that the time children spend on computers takes away from the time they need to
spend interacting with people and the physical world, interaction necessary for normal
development.
9.
Supporting this viewpoint is scientific evidence that childhood is the critical time of life for
developing knowledge of and appreciation for the natural world. It is largely through contact with
nature, researchers also conclude, that a child's senses are trained, and that he/she learns the
important skills of thoughtful reflection and careful observation. But far from bringing children and
nature together, opponents say, computers in fact isolate children from the natural environment.
Even computer programs designed to teach children about nature are, finally, ineffective because
they replace real contact with nature with artificial, simulated experiences.
10.
Another criticism frequently leveled at computer-based education focuses on the poor quality of
software designed for young students, which tends to rely on drills and practice that mainly promote
rote learning. Using these programs, children have little opportunity to explore the concepts behind
the facts they are meant to be learning or to engage in creativity, another essential ingredient in
childhood development.
11.
As for the claim that classroom computers help young students learn important job-related skills,
opponents maintain that with the speed at which technology is changing, the computer skills
children learn today will be obsolete long before they are old enough to have jobs. Business leaders
also point out that most work-related computer skills can be learned in a relatively short time just
before students enter the job market. There is, therefore, no need for these skills to be acquired at
an early age.
12.
Perhaps the greatest concern is with the physical risks that computers pose to young students.
According to eye experts, the close-up reading children do on computers can lead to eye strain and
worsen such problems as nearsightedness. Many studies have also shown that prolonged typing on a
computer keyboard can cause repetitive stress injury, a serious nerve condition afflicting an
increasing number of people. Furthermore, computer furniture designed for adults can create
serious physical problems for children. To use computer tables, young students must often sit on
chairs that are so high their feet cannot touch the floor, thus cutting off blood circulation in their
legs. In addition, because computer monitors are typically at eye level for adults, children must strain
their necks and lean forward to properly focus on the screen, causing additional physical strain.
The debate over computers in primary education will not be settled anytime soon. There is,
however, broad agreement on two points. Long-term research is needed to determine the real
benefits and risks of computer-based education in primary schools. Moreover, wherever computer
technology is used in primary education, it must be applied very carefully so that it will serve only as
a positive tool for the emotional and intellectual development of every child.
Part 1: A Part 1: C
Part 1: C
Questions 13-20
First read the following questions.
13. Which school is located close to a large city?
14. Which school has the largest percentage of minority students?
15. Which school has announced plans to hire more teachers?
16. Which school recently built a new cultural center?
17. Which school did writer Hawthorne graduate from?
18. Which school offers students summer research opportunities?
19. Which school requires students to take a writing course?
20. Which school claims that its strongest programs are in the sciences?
Now scan the following three passages to find the answers to the above questions.
Passage A Passage B Passage C
Middlebury Bowdoin Colgate
Part 1: B
Part 1: C
Questions 13-20
First read the following questions.
13. Which school is located close to a large city?
14. Which school has the largest percentage of minority students?
15. Which school has announced plans to hire more teachers?
16. Which school recently built a new cultural center?
17. Which school did writer Hawthorne graduate from?
18. Which school offers students summer research opportunities?
19. Which school requires students to take a writing course?
20. Which school claims that its strongest programs are in the sciences?
Now scan the following three passages to find the answers to the above questions.
Passage A Passage B Passage C
Middlebury Bowdoin Colgate
Middlebury College
Middlebury College, located in Middlebury, Vermont, is one of New England's leading small,
residential liberal arts colleges. It offers students a broad curriculum embracing the arts, humanities,
literature, foreign languages, social sciences, and natural sciences. In addition, the College's 350-acre
campus has been said to be "among the prettiest in the world."
Middlebury believes that the purpose of the liberal arts curriculum is to give every student a
detailed knowledge of at least one subject, and to correlate this with a broad understanding of the
liberal arts. To achieve this objective, students are required to work intensively in one or more
departments, while also completing electives in fields outside of their specialization. All students
must complete a major, a first-year seminar, a college writing course, and two units of physical
education.
Middlebury's undergraduate program is greatly enriched by its other programs. Every summer,
the main campus is devoted completely to the study of eight foreign languages and cultures. At the
same time, at the nearby Bread Loaf campus, the Bread Loaf School of English is in session.
Currently, there are 2,265 students enrolled at Middlebury, of whom 12% are members of
minority groups, and 95% are from out of state. By the year 2005, the College plans to increase the
size of its student body to around 2,350. Middlebury's full-time faculty of 218 is also expected to
increase to nearly 250 by that time, enabling the College to further deepen and strengthen its
academic programs.
And to better serve this enlarged community, Middlebury is in the process of constructing
major new facilities. In addition to a new hockey rink and a new science center, planned capital
projects include an expansion and renovation of Starr Library, new dining facilities, expanded
student activities space, new student residence halls, and a new humanities center.
Part 1: B
Part 1: C
Questions 13-20
First read the following questions.
13. Which school is located close to a large city?
14. Which school has the largest percentage of minority students?
15. Which school has announced plans to hire more teachers?
16. Which school recently built a new cultural center?
17. Which school did writer Hawthorne graduate from?
18. Which school offers students summer research opportunities?
19. Which school requires students to take a writing course?
20. Which school claims that its strongest programs are in the sciences?
Now scan the following three passages to find the answers to the above questions.
Passage A Passage B Passage C
Middlebury Bowdoin Colgate
Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College's beautiful 110-acre campus is located in Brunswick, Maine. Brunswick, one of
New England's most attractive college towns, is just 42 kilometers from Maine's largest city of
Portland, and a two-hour drive from Boston.
The alma mater of literary giants Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,
Bowdoin has undergone significant changes in recent years. The College now boasts two new,
state-of-the-art science facilities and new residential halls. It has gradually phased out its fraternities
and sororities, and instituted a new College House system designed to promote interaction among
diverse groups of students.
Bowdoin currently enrolls 1,608 students, of whom 13% are members of minority groups, and
82% come from out of state. The school has a full-time faculty of 113, for a student/faculty ratio of
10:1.
Bowdoin's general distribution requirements ensure that all graduates gain a strong foundation
in humanities and the arts, natural sciences and math, social sciences, and non-Eurocentric studies.
At the same time, Bowdoin is unusual among liberal arts colleges because its strongest programs are
in the sciences. Self-designed and double majors have become increasingly popular among Bowdoin
undergraduates, and about 80% of juniors and seniors conduct independent study programs with
faculty members. Students can also elect unusual research opportunities, such as participation in
Arctic archaeological research in Labrador or ecological research in the Bay of Fundy, Canada.
During the nonacademic portion of the year, Bowdoin opens its doors to people from all walks
of life. Bowdoin College Summer Programs consist of educational seminars, professional
conferences, sports clinics, specialized workshops, and occasional social events, and they attract
several thousand people to the College each summer.
Part 1: B
Part 1: C
Questions 13-20
First read the following questions.
13. Which school is located close to a large city?
14. Which school has the largest percentage of minority students?
15. Which school has announced plans to hire more teachers?
16. Which school recently built a new cultural center?
17. Which school did writer Hawthorne graduate from?
18. Which school offers students summer research opportunities?
19. Which school requires students to take a writing course?
20. Which school claims that its strongest programs are in the sciences?
Now scan the following three passages to find the answers to the above questions.
Passage A Passage B Passage C
Middlebury Bowdoin Colgate
Colgate University
Colgate University is located in the village of Hamilton, at the northern end of the Chenango
Valley, in upstate New York. Its 515 acres of campus begin at the village edge on the valley floor and
rise to a forested hill.
Colgate currently enrolls 2,866 students, of whom 68% come from outside of New York State,
and 14% are members of minority groups. Its full-time faculty of 230 gives Colgate a student/faculty
ratio of 11:1.
Colgate is currently in the process of expanding and renovating its campus. Case Library was
recently renovated, new housing has been built, and a social sciences academic building, cultural
center, and fitness center have been added. Residence hall renovation continues, and a new
academic facility for the arts is under construction.
Colgate offers 50 undergraduate concentrations (majors), in four academic divisions:
Humanities, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Social Sciences, and University Studies. Competency
must be demonstrated in a foreign or classical language, and in English composition. First-year
students enroll in a first-year seminar during the fall term.
In addition, Colgate offers a small graduate program leading to the Master of Arts (M.A.) in
several academic fields, and the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) degree.
During the summer, Colgate encourages its students to take part in one of the many research
projects being carried out on campus. Each year, more than 100 Colgate undergraduates receive
summer research assistantships, enabling them to work full-time on research or scholarly projects in
close collaboration with faculty members. Typical research appointments are for eight- to ten-week
periods. During this time, partially subsidized on-campus housing is available, and special academic
and recreational events enhance this scholarly community at Colgate.
Part 1: B