Journalist's Questions.

Th FORM OLYMPIAD 2014

Round II ~ Reading Comprehension

Directions:

In this test you will read three texts. Each text is followed by different tasks. You should do the tasks that follow the text on the basis of what is stated or implied in the text. For each task you will choose the best possible answer, as specified prior to each text. Choose the best answer and circle the letter of your choice on the answer sheet

Text 1

You are going to read an article about the dangers of cold weather. For questions

1-8, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.

On 18 February 1995, Andrew Wilson failed to return to his car after a skiing weekend in the Scottish Highlands. Following a fruitless search, the mountain rescue teams felt that the game was up.It was nothing short of miraculous when at 10.30 a.m. on 21 February, Wilson stumbled down the mountainside. He was hypothermic and dehydrated - but otherwise he was more or less unharmed.

Rescue coordinator Graham Gibb said, " I have never found anyone alive on the fourth day of a rescue in these conditions." Wilson overcame a simple problem: how to get himself to safety while conserving heat - heat that was being used up by the activity necessary to save his life. Wilson achieved this through common sense and a high level of fitness. Trapped by high winds and deep snow, he dug a snowhole. The following day he walked further before digging anoth­er snowhole for the night. It wasn't until the following morning, after 70 hours on the mountain­side, that he was able to reach civilisation.

When things get dangerously chilly, intelligence and experience can make the difference between life and death. Death from hypothermia can occur only two hours after its onset. A major cause of hypothermia is dehydration. The blood thickens as it loses water, limiting the body's ability to keep warm - especially at the extremities like the hands and feet, where frostbite becomes a risk.

Sufficient food is also important. Our bodies carry reserves of fat, but making use of this resource takes time, and the body's internal temperature can fall to dangerous levels in the meantime. Mountaineers snack regularly on high-energy foods. Wilson probably survived because of the sandwiches and chocolate that he had brought with him to maintain his energy levels.

Human beings must also maintain a constant body temperature. Even slight variations make the body less efficient. At temperatures below 28" C, an unclothed body loses more heat than it can produce. Another factor is evaporation. Even in cold climates we sweat, and cold air drawn into the lungs has to be warmed and moistened to 100 per cent humidity, a process that speeds up greatly at higher altitudes and can lead to dehydration.

However, the greatest threat in cold weather is convection. Air surrounding the skin is warmed by the body. The colder the air, the more the body has to heat it and more energy is used. If it is ²⁷ moving, the process must be continual. This is the principle of wind chill. Temperatures that in still air pose little threat can kill if increased by only a 20 mph wind. Rescuers calculated that the wind-chill factor, where Wilson was lost that weekend, made the temperatures equivalent to -32°C.

Hypothermia also increases the risk of frostbite. Victims are sometimes unaware of the danger until their fingers or toes have become totally numb. Skin turns blue and becomes very painful, and blisters appear on fingers, toes, the nose or ears. Long-term exposure will cause gangrene and the affected area may need to be amputated. Careful use of heat and antibiotics must be applied when treating frostbite to help re-establish the victim's circulation and respiration.

The fact that he survived was the result of remarkable stamina and a lot of courage. Incredibly, he will be out on the mountains again this weekend.

1. The fact that Wilson survived his ordeal was

A. an usual occurrence.

B. due to his being found.

C. due to his treating it as a game.

D. an unusual occurrence.

2. During his ordeal, Wilson managed to

A. save all his body heat.

B. create heat by building shelters.

C. keep as much of his body heat as possible.

D. stay warm by exercising.

3. One cause of hypothermia is

A. not drinking sufficient liquid.

B. being cold for two hours.

C. getting frostbite.

D. trying too hard to keep warm.

4. According to the writer, mountaineers should

A. have a lot of body fat.

B. frequently eat sugar-rich foods.

C. take the time to check their body temperature.

D. have high blood pressure.

5. At low temperatures, breathing may become inefficient due to

A. too much internal heat.

B. lack of perspiration,

C. lack of moisture in the body

D. too much moisture in the air.

6. What does " it" in line 27 refer to?

A. the human body

B. the air

C. heat

D. cold

7. If it hadn't been windy when Wilson was lost,

A. he would definitely have died.

B. he would have perspired more

C. he would have been more likely to survive.

D. he would have been less likely to survive

8. People suffering from frostbite

A. can be easily treated.

B. should be made warmer quickly

C. may develop gangrene

D. usually feel nothing.

Text 2

Questions 9 through 12 are based on the following reading

As a result of the recent oil crisis, 9.9 million of California's 15 million motorists were subjected to an odd-even plan of gas rationing. The governor signed a bill forcing motorists with license plates ending in odd numbers to buy gas only on odd-numbered days, and those ending in even numbers on even-numbered days. Those whose plates were all letters or specially printed had to follow the odd-numbered plan.

Exceptions were made only for emergencies and out-of-state drivers. Those who could not get gas were forced to walk, bike, or skate to work.

This plan was expected to eliminate the long lines at many service stations. Those who tried to purchase more than twenty gallons of gas or tried to fill a more than half filled tank would be fined and possibly imprisoned.

9. All of the following are true except

A. officials hoped that this plan would alleviate long gas lines

B. a gas limit was imposed

C. California has 9.9 million drivers

D. the governor signed the bill concerning gas rationing

10. Those who violated the rationing program

A. were forced to walk, bike, or skate to work

B. were fined and possibly imprisoned

C. had to wait in long lines

D. were forced to use odd-numbered days

11. The gas rationing plan was not binding on

A. even-numbered license plates

B. odd-numbered license plates

C. all-lettered plates

D. out-of-state plates

12. California was forced to adopt this plan because

A. a recent oil crisis necessitated it

B. too many drivers were filling their tanks with more than twenty gallons and spilling it

C. people were not getting enough exercise and needed to walk, bike, or skate

D. too many motorists had odd-numbered plates

Text3

You are going to read the text about space tourism. The journalist's questions are missing from the text. Choose the most appropriate questions from the list (A—I) for the an­swers (13 — 20). There is one extra question which you do not need to use.

Space Tourism

Journalist's Questions.

A. Ricky, thank you... and best of luck with the flight. And what advice do you have for other people who fancy a trip into space?

B. My guest today will soon be joining a very small and very special group of people. Ever since the idea of space tourism was first seriously considered in the late 1990s, some people have had their name on the waiting list, as they saved up the fee. One of those people is Ricky Butler, who is just about to leave on the trip of a lifetime. He'll be spending ten days on a space station as it orbits the Earth. Ricky, welcome! What are you most looking forward to about the flight?

C. What sort of things will you be doing?

D. And was the training difficult^?

E. Don't you feel scared at all?

F. Is everybody able to take up space tourism?

G. Some people are completely against the idea of tourists going into space. Do you see this trip as a holi­day^?

H. Are you fond of 'space tourism'?

I. Will you have specific responsibili­ties on the fight?