Reading Smart (High-Intermediate) Test 8

 EliteABC Reading Smart (High-Intermediate) Test 8 Section 2: Units 7-8 得分：_____

班級：__________ 座號：_____ 姓名：____________________

Part I. Grammar & Vocabulary (40％)

(   ) 1. In the past, explosives were used to _____ tunnels through mountains.

(A) blast             (B) flush                   (C) trigger                 (D) kidnap

(   ) 2. Julie and I can relate to those _____ because we both experienced them as kids.

(A) tumors          (B) canvases              (C) issues                  (D) layers

(   ) 3. The nonprofit organization has campaigned against _____ modified foods for ages.

(A) ethically       (B) genetically           (C) statistically          (D) psychologically

(   ) 4. It was a miracle that nobody was hurt in the _____ between the truck and school bus.

(A) hijack           (B) eruption              (C) drought               (D) collision

(   ) 5. Nicole could tolerate her husband's verbal violence, but the last _____ was his cheating on her.

(A) straw            (B) petal                    (C) yeast                  (D) grass

(   ) 6. There was too much _____ in the road after the storm to allow cars to pass.

(A) credit            (B) justice                 (C) yeast                   (D) debris

(   ) 7. Pretty soon, private _____ will take ordinary people for a trip into outer space.

(A) spacecraft     (B) limousines           (C) audience              (D) locomotives

(   ) 8. This restaurant has quite a few vegetarian _____ on its menu.

(A) operations    (B) options                (C) cautions              (D) reputations

(   ) 9. Amanda has become so materialistic that she has _____ what is really important in life.

(A) gotten wind of (B) taken heed of   (C) lost sight of         (D) kept abreast of

(   ) 10. People who want to build _____ their muscles need to get plenty of protein in their diet.

(A) up                (B) down                  (C) in                        (D) out

 

Part II. Fill-in-the-Blank (40％)

(A) lasers                  (B) evacuate       (C) rubbish         (D) reengineered       (E) vanilla

(F) search                  (G) flavorings     (H) colliding       (I) massive          (J) exploration

(   ) 11. Charlotte prefers strawberry to _____ ice cream.

(   ) 12. The curry sauce is all-natural, and no unusual _____ have been used to make it.

(   ) 13. A gas leak forced all of the workers to _____ the factory in panic.

(   ) 14. The kid couldn't control the shopping cart well and ended up _____ into a supermarket display.

(   ) 15. The system has been entirely _____ to increase the output to ten times its original numbers.

(   ) 16. The team's _____ of the Amazon rainforest was funded by a huge corporation.

(   ) 17. Cold and scared, the abandoned dog wandered the streets in _____ of its owner.

(   ) 18. _____ walls were built around the kingdom to keep enemies out.

(   ) 19. _____ have many uses in medicine, such as in eye surgery and skin treatments. (   ) 20. A group of volunteers picked up all of the _____ that was left on the beach.

 

Part III. Reading Comprehension (20%)

Spices have been highly valued for centuries, so much so that people have sailed around the world to get access to them. Thanks to globalization, accessing spices is much easier today, but they still take a long time to produce from natural sources.

In an attempt to speed up spice production, scientists have found ways to recreate similar smells and tastes from yeast. Vanilla, for example, can be made in only a few weeks in a lab, as opposed to the three years it takes to grow a vanilla bean. Manufacturers say that lab-made vanillin will lower prices, increase the quantity of vanilla on the market, and stop the overharvesting of the rare spice. But what is the cost? Eco-groups argue that not enough is known about the effect genetically modified products may have on human health. From an economic standpoint, engineered spices will certainly harm poor farmers who depend on growing spices for their livelihood.

In the rush to create greater convenience, it's important to keep in mind that there's a real human cost to modern technologies like genetically engineered spices. Though lab-created spices might become popular, perhaps you should think twice before buying a product containing ingredients like vanillin.

(   ) 21. What's the benefit for manufacturers of producing vanillin instead of vanilla from a vanilla bean?

(A) Vanillin is a natural alternative with a lower humanitarian cost.

(B) Vanillin allows manufacturers to avoid transport costs.

(C) Vanillin will increase the demand for vanilla flavoring.

(D) Vanillin can be produced far more rapidly than vanilla.

(   ) 22. What is the economic argument against genetically engineered spices?

(A) The market will be oversaturated with vanilla flavoring.

(B) Vanilla-producing farmers will be deprived of their livelihood.

(C) Producing vanillin is more costly due to the scarcity of yeast.

(D) Medical costs will increase due to the harmful health effect of genetically engineered foods

(   ) 23. What does the last paragraph imply consumers should do?

(A) Consider the ethical effect before buying products containing genetically engineered spices.

(B) Donate money to vanilla bean farmers if they intend to buy products containing vanillin.

(C) Only support companies that make vanillin in labs.

(D) Never buy products with vanilla flavoring until scientists can determine the health effects.

(   ) 24. Which statement most closely matches the author's opinion on genetically engineered spices?

(A) Concerns are premature because vanillin is not yet commonplace.

(B) Vanillin is necessary because natural sources of vanilla are nearing depletion.

(C) Vanillin produced from yeast is inferior to natural vanilla.

(D) The unintended consequences of genetically engineered spices are too great.