第 50至52題為題組

Many buildings in Taiwan have survived earthquakes, but some appear to have fallen over like toys. This, say experts, is a sign that engineers did not pay enough attention to the foundations, or that the quake virtually turned the soft sediment below into a “liquid”—meaning the apartments should not have been constructed in these locations in the first place. According to Dr. David Petley, of the UK’s Portsmouth University, there are widespread occurrences in Taiwan where building codes are ignored and where development has occurred in locations where it should not have been allowed. Having worked on government-backed risk reduction projects in Taiwan since 1991, Dr. Petley further pointed out that there’s quite a lot of illegal construction work going on in Taiwan as a result of the very rapid development.

However, seismologists and engineers say that the government’s use of three building codes formulated to counter the threat of earthquakes may have spared the island from a death toll far higher than that now being revealed. For instance, Walter Mooney, of the US Geological Survey, conducted a research comparing Taiwan’s preparedness for earthquakes with that of Turkey, and found that Taiwan h  as been doing a good job: Whereas an estimated 65% of buildings in Turkey were illegally constructed, failing many safety tests, Taiwan has been largely successful in enforcing its own laws.

50. This passage was written mainly to ________.

(A) warn Taiwan residents about the danger of rapid urban development 

(B) propose solutions to the problems caused by earthquakes in Taiwan

(C) discuss the safety problems of buildings in Taiwan during earthquakes

(D) compare the death tolls in Turkey and Taiwan during recent earthquakes 

51. Which of the following is mentioned by Dr. Petley as one factor leading to the collapse of buildings when earthquakes strike Taiwan?

(A) There is too much water underground.

(B) There is a lack of qualified engineers.

(C) Building codes are still waiting approval.

(D) Buildings have been constructed where they shouldn’t have been.

52. The word seismologists in the second paragraph most likely means “experts on _____”.

  (A) earthquake studies (B) weather conditions (C) government policies (D) water resources

第 50 至 53 題為題組

Dr. Thompson was pleased. Just three months after moving to the small Midwestern town, he had been invited to address an evening meeting of the Chamber of Commerce. Here was the perfect opportunity to show his knowledge of modern medicine and to get his practice off to a flourishing start. With this in mind, the doctor prepared carefully.

On the night of his speech, Dr. Thompson was delighted to see that the meeting hall was full. After being introduced, he strode confidently to the lectern and announced his topic: “Recent Advances in Medicine.” He began with a detailed discussion of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a rare brain disorder that had recently been covered in the New England Journal of Medicine. Next he outlined the progress that had been made in studying immune system disorders. 

Just about this time, halfway through his speech, Dr. Thompson began to notice a certain restlessness in his audience. People were murmuring and shuffling their feet. Someone in the fourth row seemed to be glancing at a newspaper. Nevertheless, Dr. Thompson plowed on. He had saved the best for last. He quoted extensively from an article in the Lancet about genetic research, feeling sure his audience would be impressed by his familiarity with this prestigious British medical journal. 

Then the speech was over. Dr. Thompson had expected to be surrounded by enthusiastic people, congratulating him and asking questions. Instead he found himself standing alone. Finally the president of the Chamber of Commerce came up to him. “Something tells me,” said Dr. Thompson, “that my speech was not very successful. I can’t understand it. I worked so hard to make it interesting.” “Oh, it was a fine speech,” replied the president. “But maybe it would have gone over better with a different audience. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is not exactly a factor in these people’s everyday experience. You know, here we are in January. If you’d talked about ways to avoid getting the flu, you’d have had them on the edge of their seats!” 

50. What is the main message of the passage?

(A) A good speaker has to be fully prepared regardless of the audience.

(B) A good speaker should display his learning to the audience in an enthusiastic way.

(C) The more a speaker wants to please the audience, the more likely he will succeed.

(D) The key to a successful speech is to make it meaningful and relevant to the audience.

51. What was the reaction of the audience to Dr. Thompson’s speech?

(A) They were bored because the medical topics were not their daily concern.

(B) They did not understand him so they could only discuss among themselves.

(C) They were impressed by his familiarity with advanced research in medicine.

(D) They congratulated him on the success of the speech and asked him questions.

52. Which topic was NOT mentioned in the doctor’s speech?

(A) Genetic research. (B) Flu.

(C) Immune system disorder. (D) Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

53. What does “had them on the edge of their seats” mean in the last sentence of the passage?

(A) Had them stand up. (B) Took them by surprise.

(C) Caught their full attention.     (D) Aroused their suspicion.

第 49 至 52 題為題組

Native Americans could not understand the white man’s war on the wolf. The Lakota, Blackfeet, and Shoshone, among other tribes, considered the wolf their spiritual brother. They respected the animals’ endurance and hunting ability, and warriors prayed to hunt like them. They draped themselves in wolf skins and paws, hoping they could acquire the wolf’s hunting skills of stealth, courage, and stamina.  Plains Indians wore wolf-skin disguises on raiding parties. Elite Comanche warriors were called wolves.

The white settlers’ war on the wolf raged on. Western ranchers continued to claim that thousands of cattle were killed every year by wolves. In 1884, Montana created its first wolf bounty—one dollar for every dead wolf, which increased to eight dollars in 1893. Over a period of thirty-five years, more than eighty thousand wolf carcasses were submitted for bounty payments in Montana. Moreover, the government even provided free poison. Finally, in 1914, ranchers persuaded the United States Congress to provide funds to exterminate wolves on public lands.

The last wolves in the American West died hard. No place was safe, not even the nation’s first national park, Yellowstone. The park was created in 1872, and from its very beginning, poisoned carcasses were set out to kill wolves. Nearly 140 wolves were killed by park rangers in Yellowstone from 1914 to 1926. In October 1926, two wolf cubs were trapped near a bison carcass. They were the last animals killed in the park’s wolf control programs.

Ranchers had won the war against the wolf. Only in the northern woods of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan could the howl of native gray wolves be heard. The vast lands of the American West fell silent. The country had lost its greatest predator.

49. The white man tried to kill the gray wolf because ________.

(A) it attacked people (B) it damaged the crops 

(C) it was adored by the Indians (D) it threatened the life of his livestock

50. This passage was most likely written by someone who ________.

(A) liked hunting wild animals

(B) made laws against the gray wolf

(C) advocated the protection of the gray wolf

(D) appreciated the gray wolf’s hunting skills 

51. What was an important reason for the fast disappearance of the wolf?

(A) The wolf could not have the cattle as food.

(B) The Indians killed the wolves for their skins.

(C) National park rangers killed most of the wolves.

(D) The government encouraged the killing of wolves.

52. The Indians respected the wolf because it _______.

(A) was good at hunting (B) was good at disguising

(C) had beautiful skins and paws (D) was an enemy to the white man

第 50 至 52 題為題組

Most parents dread a note or call from school saying that their child’s behavior is “not normal.” If your child’s academic performance and social life is suffering because they don’t pay attention, can’t sit still and act without thinking, it is most likely that they have AD/HD (Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder).

AD/HD is a neurological disorder which stems not from the home environment, but from biological and genetic causes. Its symptoms typically show up in early childhood. The main characteristics are inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Inattentive children have difficulty focusing on completing a task or learning something new. Hyperactive children always seem to be restless. Often they report that they need to stay busy and may try to do several tasks at once. Impulsive children often do not think before they act. They often blurt out inappropriate comments or have difficulty taking turns in conversation.

Most children can be inattentive, hyperactive, or impulsive at times. It is when these behaviors are inappropriate for their age and affect different areas in their lives that the disorder is diagnosed. Depression, anxiety, and learning disabilities may co-exist with AD/HD. Therefore, if a child is suspected of AD/HD, it is very important that he or she be evaluated by a professional.

Once your child is diagnosed with AD/HD, it is important to let the school know so that they can provide appropriate academic and social support. Your child’s school should keep this information confidential and it can usually make accommodations in the classroom to fit your child’s learning needs. 

50. What is the cause of AD/HD?

(A) Gene problem. (B) Academic pressure.

(C) Illness in childhood. (D) Inappropriate home environment.

51. Which of the following are most likely AD/HD patients?

(A) Children who are very lazy. (B) Children who are very attentive.

(C) Children who act over-cautiously. (D) Children who have learning difficulties.

52. What is the first thing to do if your child is suspected of AD/HD?

(A) Report it to the school. (B) Consult a professional.

(C) Wait until the child grows up. (D) Send the child to a special school.

第 46 至 49 題為題組

The Lego Group had a very humble beginning in the workshop of Ole Kirk Christiansen, a carpenter from Denmark. Christiansen began creating wooden toys in 1932. Two years later, he stumbled on the Lego name by putting together the first two letters of the Danish words Leg and Godt, which mean “play well.” The name could be interpreted as “I put together” in Latin; it also corresponds to the Greek verb meaning “gather” or “pick up.”

In 1947, the company expanded to making plastic toys. At first, the use of plastic for toy manufacture was not highly regarded by retailers and consumers of the time. Many of the Lego Group’s shipments were returned, following poor sales. However, Christiansen’s son, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen, saw the immense potential in Lego bricks to become a system for creative play. As the junior managing director of the Lego Group, he spent years trying to improve the “locking” ability of the bricks and made the bricks more versatile. In 1958, the modern interlocking brick design was finally developed and patented.

Today Lego is sold in more than 130 countries. Every minute 33,824 Lego bricks are made, and kids around the world spend 5 billion hours a year playing with Lego. There will be more than 400 million people playing with Lego bricks this year. On average, every person in the world owns 62 Lego bricks, and about seven Lego sets are sold every second.

This year Lego fans all over the world are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the tiny building blocks. Though already 50 years old, Lego is still the same product it was in the 1950s. Bricks bought then are still compatible with current bricks and that is probably the reason the toy has never fallen out of favor.

46. Which of the following is true about the name Lego?

(A) It is a combination of Greek and Latin words.

(B) It was created by Ole Kirk Christiansen’s son.

(C) It was created in 1947 for naming the plastic toys.

(D) It came from Danish words meaning “play” and “well.”

47. When did the Lego brick become as a creative form of toy?

(A) 1958 (B) 1947 (C) 1934 (D) 1932

48. Which of the following is true in describing the popularity of Lego?

(A) More than 5 billion people in the world own Lego sets.

(B) Children spend an average of 62 dollars on Lego bricks each year.

(C) People in the world spend 400 million hours playing with Lego every year.

(D) The Lego Group now produces more than 30 thousand toy bricks every minute.

49. What is most likely the reason why Lego still remains popular?

(A) Old Lego bricks may still be connected to new ones.

(B) The company hasn’t changed its name since 1947.

(C) The material for the bricks has proved to be safe.

(D) The price of the toy is relatively reasonable.

第 40 至 43 題為題組

In all cultures and throughout history hair has had a special significance. In ancient Egypt, as long ago as 1500 BC, the outward appearance expressed the person’s status, role in society and political position. Wigs played an important role in this: they were crafted with great artistry and often sprinkled with powdered gold.

In the 8th century BC, the pre-Roman Celts in Northern Europe wore their hair long. In a man it was the expression of his strength, in a woman of her fertility. The idea of long hair as a symbol of male strength is even mentioned in the Bible, in the story of Samson and Delilah. Samson was a leader of the Israelites. His long hair, which he never cut, gave him superhuman powers. The only person who knew his secret was Delilah. However, she spied for the enemy and betrayed him. One night she cut off his hair and thus robbed him of his strength.

In the classical Greek period, curly hair was not only the fashion, but it also represented an attitude towards life. Curls or locks were the metaphor for change, freedom and the joy of living. The ancient Greek word for curls and locks is related to intriguing and tempting someone.

Hair is also used as a symbol of opposition. The punk protest movement today uses hair as a symbol of disapproval of the “middle-class, conventional lifestyle” by wearing provocative haircuts and shockingly colored hair. A different form of objection could be seen in the women’s hairstyles in the 1960s. Women’s liberation was expressed in a short-cut, straight and simple hairstyle which underlined equality with men without neglecting female attributes. To this day hair has kept its importance as a symbol of power, youth, vitality and health.

40. The topic of this passage could best be described as _____ .

(A) the scientific study of hairstyles

(B) the symbolic meanings of hairstyles

(C) the art of designing different hairstyles

(D) the contemporary development of hairstyles

41. Why did ancient Greeks like to wear curls and locks?

(A) To attract others.

(B) To show off their artistry.

(C) To hide their real identity.

(D) To represent power and status.

42. How did women in the 1960s use hair to show objection?

(A) They grew long hair.

(B) They dyed their hair.

(C) They cut their hair short.

(D) They shaved their heads.

43. What can be inferred from the passage?

(A) Long curly hair has always been popular since ancient times.

(B) Ancient Egyptians did not pay much attention to their hairstyles.

(C) The punk movement is one of the most successful movements in history.

(D) Samson might never have been defeated if he had kept the secret to himself.