39. The word "indeterminate" in line 22
35. The word "circumscribed" in line 9 is closest in meaning to
is closest in meaning to (A) undecided
(A) located (B) uncertain
(B) flooded (C) unacceptable
(C) restricted (D) increasing
(D) pushed
40. The passage is most likely followed
36. Which of the following is NOT by a discussion of
mentioned as, evidence used to
determine Iht origins of Pacific (A) how settlers adapted to newly
discovered Pacific Ocean
Islands people? Islands
(A) Oral histories (B) the design and construction of
(B) Plant dispersal canoes used in the Pacific
(C) Linguistics Islands
(D) Archaeology (C) the characteristics sties of reefs in
the Pacific Islands
37. According to the-passage where (D) how early explorers of the
did the original inhabitants of the Pacific Ocean found their
Pacific Islands come from? way from island to island
(A) South America
(B) Hawaii
(C) New Zealand
(D) Asia
Questions 41-50
The atmosphere that originally surrounded Earth was probably much different from
the air we breathe today. Earth’s first atmosphere (some 4.6 billion years ago) was most
likely hy~ogen and helium--.the two most abundant gasses found in the universe--as
Line well as hydrogen compounds, such as methane and ammonia, Most scientists feel that
5 this early atmosphere escaped into space from the Earth’s hot surface.
A second, more dense atmosphere, however, gradually enveloped Earth as gasses
from molten rocks within its hot interior escaped through volcanoes and steam vents.
We assume that volcanoes spewed out the same gasses then as they do today: mostly
water vapor (about g0 percent), carbon dioxide (about ten percent), and up to a few
10 percent nitrogen. These same gasses probably created Earth’s second atmosphere.
As millions of years passed, the constant outpouring of gasses from the hot
interior--known as outgassing--provided a rich supply of water vapor, which formed
into clouds. Rain fell upon Earth for many thousands or years, forming the rivers,
lakes, and oceans of the world. During this Lime, large amounts of carbon dioxide were
15 dissolved in the oceans. Through chemical and biological processes, much of the carbon
dioxide became locked up in carbon sedimentary rocks, such as limestone. With much
of the water vapor already condensed into water and the concentration of carbon dioxide
dwindling, the atmosphere gradually became rich nitrogen.
It appears that oxygen, the second most abundant gas in today’s atmosphere, probably
20 began an extremely slow increase in concentration as energetic rays from the sun split
water vapor into hydrogen and oxygen during a process called photodissociation. The
hydrogen, being lighter, probably rose and escaped into space, while the oxygen remained
in the atmosphere.
This slow increase in oxygen may have provided enough of this gas for primitive
25 plants to evolve, perhaps two to three billion years ago. Or the plants may have evolved
in an almost oxygen-free (anaerobic) environment. At any rate, plant growth greatly
enriched our atmosphere with oxygen. The reason for this enrichment is that plants, in
the presence of sunlight, process carbon dioxide and water to produce oxygen.
41. What is the main idea of the 42. The word "enveloped" in line 6
passage? is closest in meaning to
(A) The original atmosphere (A) surrounded
on Earth was unstable. (B) changed
(B) The atmosphere on Earth (C) escaped
has changed over time. (D) characterized
(C) Hot underground gasses
created clouds, which 43. The word "they’ in line 8 refers to
formed the Earth’s
atmosphere. (A) gasses
(D) Plant growth depended on (B) volcanoes
oxygen in the Earth’s (C) steam vents
atmosphere. (D) rocks
44. According to the passage. 48. The phase “At any rate ”in line 26
outgassing eventually led to all is closest in meaning to
of the following EXCEPT (A) regardless
(A) increases in the carbon dioxide (B) in addition
content of sedimentary rocks (C) although unlikely
(B) the formation of bodies of (D) fortunately
water
(C) decreases in the level of 49. The author organizes the discussion
nitrogen of the Earth’s atmosphere in terms
(D) the formation of clouds of the
45. The word "gradually" in line 18 (A) role of volcanoes in its
is closest in meaning to formation
(A) accidentally (B) occur in which changes
occurred
(B) quickly (C) time it took for the Earth’s
(C) in the end surface: to cool and nitrogen
(D) by degrees to appear
(D) chemical and physical features
46. The passage suggests that oxygen of gasses
remained in the atmosphere because
50. Which of the following does the
(A) it was caused by outgassing passage mention as necessary for
(B) it was heavier than hydrogen both the production of oxygen by
(C) hydrogen became trapped in photodissociation and the
limestone production of oxygen by plants?
(D) rays from the sun created
equal amounts of hydrogen (A) Water:
and oxygen (B) Hydrogen
(C) Carbon dioxide
47. The author uses the word "Or" in (D) Nitrogen
line 25 to
(A) criticize the previous
suggestion
(B) provide unrelated information
(C) propose a similar idea
(D)suggest an alternative
TWE Essay Question
Schools should ask students to evaluate their teachers. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.