mammoth is any species of the extinct genus Mammuthus, proboscideans commonly equipped with long, curved tusks and, in northern species, a covering of long hair. They lived from the Pliocene epoch (from around 5 million years ago) into the Holocene at about 4,500 years ago, and were members of the family Elephantidae, which contains, along with mammoths, the two genera of modern elephants and their ancestors.
Like their modern relatives, mammoths were quite large. The largest known species reached heights in the region of 4 m at the shoulder and weights of up to 8 tonnes, while exceptionally large males may have exceeded 12 tonnes. However, most species of mammoth were only about as large as a modern Asian elephant. Both sexes bore tusks. A first, small set appeared at about the age of six months, and these were replaced at about 18 months by the permanent set. Growth of the permanent set was at a rate of about 2.5 to 15.2 cm per year. Based on studies of their close relatives, the modern elephants, mammoths probably had a gestation period of 22 months, resulting in a single calf being born. Their social structure was probably the same as that of African and Asian elephants, with females living in herds headed by a matriarch, whilst bulls lived solitary lives or formed loose groups after sexual maturity.
MEXICO CITY – Although it’s hard to imagine in this age of urban sprawl and automobiles, North America once belonged to mammoths, camels, ground sloths as large as cows, bear-size beavers and other formidable beasts. Some 11,000 years ago, however, these large-bodied…
Questions 1–7
Complete the following summary of the paragraphs of Reading Passage, using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the Reading Passage for each answer.
1.The reason why had big size mammals become extinct 11,000 years ago is under hot debate. First explanation is that of human made it happen.
2.This so called began from 1960s suggested by an expert, who however received criticism of lack of further information.
How busy is too busy? For some it means having to miss the occasional long lunch; for others it means missing lunch altogether. For a few, it is not being able to take a “sickie” once a month. Then there is a group of people for whom working every evening and weekend is normal, and frantic is the tempo of their lives. For most senior executives, workloads swing between extremely busy and frenzied. The vice-president of the management consultancy AT Kearney and its head of telecommunications for the Asia-Pacific region, Neil Plumridge, says his work weeks vary from a “manageable” 45 hours to 80 hours, but average 60 hours.
Three warning signs alert Plumridge about his workload: sleep, scheduling and family. He knows he has too much on when he gets less than six hours of sleep for three consecutive nights; when he is constantly having to reschedule appointments; “and the third one is on the family side”, says Plumridge, the father of a three-year-old daughter, and expecting a second child in October. “If I happen to miss a birthday or anniversary, I know things are out of control.” Being “too busy” is highly subjective. But for any individual, the perception of being too busy over a prolonged period can start showing up as stress: disturbed sleep, and declining mental and physical health. National workers’ compensation figures show stress causes the most lost time of any workplace injury. Employees suffering stress are off work an average of 16.6 weeks. The effects of stress are also expensive. Comcare, the Federal Government insurer, reports that in 2003-04, claims for…
Questions 14–18
Use the information in the passage to match the people (listed A-D) with opinions or deeds below.
14.Work stress usually happens in the high level of a business.
James Paul Gee, professor of education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, played his first video game years ago when his six-year-old son Sam was playing Pajama Sam: No Need to Hide When It’s Dark Outside. He wanted to play the game so he could support Sam’s problem solving. Though Pajama Sam is not an “educational game”, it is replete with the types of problems psychologists study when they study thinking and learning. When he saw how well the game held Sam’s attention, he wondered what sort of beast a more mature video game might be.
Video and computer games, like many other popular, entertaining and addicting kid’s activities, are looked down upon by many parents as time-wasters, and worse, parents think that these games rot the brain. Violent video games are readily blamed by the media and some experts as the reason why some youth become violent or commit extreme anti-social behavior. Recent content analyses of video games show that as many as 89% of games contain some violent content, but there is no form of aggressive content for 70% of popular games. Many scientists and psychologists, like James Paul Gee, find that video games actually have many benefits – the main one being making kids smart. Video games may actually teach kids high-level thinking skills that they will need in the future.
“Video games change your brain,” according to University of Wisconsin psychologist Shawn Green. Video games change the brain’s physical structure the same way as do learning to read, playing the piano, or navigating using a map. Much like exercise can build muscle, the…
Questions 28–31
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
28.What is the main purpose of paragraph one
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Answers & explanations
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40 answers3 explanations open
1
hunting
From the question, we can assume that the answer may be a Noun. Just take a look at the sentence: "Some 11,000 years ago, however, these large-bodied mammals and others – about 70 species in all – disappeared.", this sentence contains the keywords relating to the question => The answer must be somewhere near this sentence. Understanding the idea in the question, the answer is placed in "support to one of these controversial hypotheses: that human hunting drove this megafaunal menagerie to extinction". We choose "hunting" as the correct answer for this question.
2
overkill model
From the question, we can assume that the answer may be a Noun. Just take a look at the sentence: "The overkill model emerged in the 1960s", this sentence contains all two key words in the question => the answer must be somewhere in this sentence. We choose "overkill model" as the correct answer for this question.
3
(hyperlethal) disease
From the question, we can assume that the answer may be a Noun. Just take a look at the sentence: "Rather he suggests that people may have introduced hyperlethal disease , perhaps through their dogs or hitchhiking vermin, which then spread wildly among the immunologically naive species of the New World", this sentence confirms that "people introduced hyperlethal disease… and then spreadly wildly among species". We choose "hyperlethal disease" as the correct answer for this question.
4
empirical evidence
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5
(considerable) climatic instability
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6
geographical ranges
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7
Younger Dryas event
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8
A
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9
B
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10
A
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11
B
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12
B
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13
C
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14
A
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15
D
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16
B
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D
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C
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B
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D
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21
A
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22
workplace injury
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16.6 weeks
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24
7%
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25
golf
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massage
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27
workloads
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28
D
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C
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30
B
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31
D
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32
NOT GIVEN
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FALSE
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NOT GIVEN
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TRUE
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C
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D
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B
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E
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40
A
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Understand why, not only what.
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