Measurement in space is quite different from measure-
ment on Earth. Some terrestrial distances can be expressed as
intervals of time, the time to fly from one continent to another
or the time it takes to drive to work, for example. By comparison
with these familiar yardsticks, the distances to the
galaxies are incomprehensibly large, but they too are made
more manageable by using a time calibration, in this case the
distance that light travels in one year. On such a scale the
nearest giant spiral galaxy, the Andromeda galaxy, is two
million light years away. The most distant luminous objects seen
by telescopes are probably ten thousand million light years
away. Their light was already halfway here before the Earth
even formed. The light from the nearby Virgo galaxy set out
when reptiles still dominated the animal world.
39.The word "major" in line 1 is closest in meaning to
(A) intense
(B) principal
(C) huge
(D) unique
40.What does the second paragraph mainly discuss?
(A) The Milky Way
(B) Major categories of galaxies
(C) How elliptical galaxies are formed
(D) Differences between irregular and spiral galaxies
41.The word "which" in line 10 refers to
(A) dust
(B) gas
(C) pattern
(D) galaxy
42.According to the passage, new stars are formed in spiral galaxies due to
(A) an explosion of gas
(B) the compression of gas and dust
(C) the combining of old stars
(D) strong radio emissions
43.The word "symmetrical" in line 14 is closest in meaning to
(A) proportionally balanced
(B) commonly seen
(C) typically large
(D) steadily growing
44.The word "obvious" in line 14 is closest in meaning to
(A) discovered
(B) apparent
(C) understood
(D) simplistic