Part II

　　Questions 26 to 30 are based on the following passage:

　　After inventing dynamite, Swedish-born Alfred Nobel became a very rich man. However, he foresaw its universally destructive powers too late. Nobel preferred not to be remembered as the inventor of dynamite, so in 1895, just two weeks before his death, he created a fund to be used for awarding prizes to people who had made worthwhile contributions to mankind. Originally there were five awards: literature, physics, chemistry, medicine, and peace. Economics was added in 1968, just sixty-seven years after the first award ceremony.

　　Nobel’s original legacy of nine million dollars was invested, and the interest on this sum is used for the awards which vary from $30,000 to $125,000.

　　Every year on December 10, the anniversary of Nobel’s death, the awards (gold medal, illuminated diploma, and money) are presented to the winners. Sometimes politics plays an important role in the judges’ decisions. Americans have won numerous science awards, but relatively few literature prizes.

　　No awards were presented from 1940 to 1942 at the beginning of World War II. Some people have won two prizes, but this is rare; others have shared their prizes.

　　26. When did the first award ceremony take place?

　　a. 1895 b. 1901 c. 1962 d. 1968

　　27. Why was the Nobel prize established?

　　a. To recognize worthwhile contributions to humanity.

　　b. To resolve political differences.

　　c. To honor the inventor of dynamite.

　　d. To spend money.

　　28. Which of the following statements is NOT true?

　　a. Awards vary in monetary value.

　　b. Ceremonies are held on December 10 to commemorate Nobel’s invention.

　　c. Politics can play an important role in selecting the winners.

　　d. A few individuals have won two awards.

　　29. In which area have Americans received the most awards?

　　a. literature b. peace c. economics d. science

　　30. In how many fields are prizes bestowed?

　　a. 2 b. 5 c. 6 d. 10

　　Questions 31 to 35 are based on the following passage:

　　My formula for staying young is simple: concentrate on the part of you that’s young and growing—your brain. Keep your mind awake and you’ll stay young all over. These are exciting times. Take an interest in the world around you, and make a point of learning at least one new thing every day.

　　Regardless of your age, it’s not too late to make your life more interesting. I know a housewife with no previous knowledge who made herself into an outstanding industrial designer; I know a retired electrical engineer who has become a highly paid ceramic artist.

　　Get over the notion that you are ever too old to go back to school. I know a man who entered medical college at 70. He got his degree with honors and became an eminent physician. Another man went to law school 71 and is now an active lawyer.

　　In spite of years, staying young is easy for those who live in the future. You can do it if you care enough to try. Keep your mind awake and active; that’s the only youth elixir guaranteed to work.

　　31. The statement that our brain remains young and growing regardless of age is ________.

　　a. an impossibility b. a scientific fact

　　c. a supposition d. a ridiculous conclusion

　　32. It is wrong to ________.

　　a. think oneself too old to go back to school

　　b. keep one’s mind awake

　　c. try to stay young

　　d. get one’s degree with honors

　　33. The passage states that a man who entered college at 70 became ________.

　　a. an active lawyer b. an electric engineer

　　c. a distinguished doctor d. a highly paid ceramic artist

　　34. The only youth elixir is to ________.

　　a. go back to school b. forget one’s own age

　　c. keep in touch with young people d. keep one’s mind awake and active

　　35. All of the following statements are true EXCEPT that ________.

　　a. human brain never gets old with age

　　b. every person should take up a new occupation when he becomes old

　　c. staying young is not difficult if one is willing to try

　　d. there is always something to learn if you have an interest in what’s going on around you

　　Questions 36 to 40 are based on the following passage:

　　The Egyptian kingdom was not self-contained but traded widely with the outside world, using the enormous surpluses of wheat grown on the rich valley soil to profit from high prices resulting from famine in various parts of the Mediterranean world. Relations with the neighboring and in some ways similar civilization of Mesopotamia were always close, though often hostile. Syria and Palestine suffered much in biblical times from the competition of the two world powers of the day. For long, Egypt ruled over Syria but gradually its power declined and it was itself conquered, first by the Assyrians (663 B. C.) and then for a longer term by the Persians (525-332 B. C.).

　　36. This passage is mainly about ________.

　　a. the early history of Egypt b. wheat trade between Egypt and its neighbors

　　c. the fall of Egypt d. famine in the Mediterranean world

　　37. Egypt sold its wheat at a high price because ________.

　　a. the Mediterranean nations were at war

　　b. the wheat was of high quality

　　c. Egypt had control over the neighboring countries

　　d. the neighboring countries were badly in need of food

　　38. Egypt’s relations with its neighbors were ________.

　　a. close and friendly b. close but hostile

　　c. friendly though sometimes hostile d. hostile but sometimes friendly

　　39. By “the two world powers” the author means ________.

　　a. Egypt and Syria b. Egypt and Persia

　　c. Syria and Palestine d. Assyria and Persia

　　40. Which of the following statements is true?

　　a. The famine in the Mediterranean countries brought about damaging results to Egyptian farming.

　　b. Egypt had developed an entirely different culture from its neighbors.

　　c. Egypt turned out much more wheat every year than its people could eat.

　　d. Egypt ruled over Assyria and Persia before 633 B. C.

　　Questions 41 to 45 are based on the following passage:

　　How men first learned to invent words is unknown. In other words, the origin of language is a mystery. All we really know is that men, unlike animals, somehow invented certain sounds to express thoughts and feelings, actions and things, so that they could communicate with each other; and that later they agree upon certain signs, called letters, which could be combined to represent those sounds, and which could be written down. Those sounds, whether spoken or written in letters, we call words.

　　The power of words, then lies in their associations—the things they bring up before our minds. Words become filled with meaning for us by experience; and the longer we live, the more certain words recall to us the glad and sad events of our past; and the more we read and learn, the more the number of words that mean something to us increase.

　　41. How language began is ________.

　　a. a legend handed down from the past b. a matter that is hidden and secret

　　c. a question difficult to answer d. a problem not yet solved

　　42. Why men invented certain sounds to express thoughts and actions was that ________.

　　a. they could agree upon certain things b. they could communicate with each other

　　c. they could write them down d. they could combine them

　　43. The meaning of words comes from their ________.

　　a. letters b. differences c. sounds d. associations

　　44. By “association”, the author means ________.

　　a. a joining of ideas in the minds b. a special quality

　　c. a strange feature d. an appearance which is puzzling

　　45. Which of the following statements is true?

　　a. The more we read and learn, the more ignorant we are.

　　b. The more we read and learn, the more sensitive we become.

　　c. The more we read and learn, the more learned we are.

　　d. The more we read and learn, the more confused we will be.