LÍNGUA ESTRANGEIRA
ESLE- Exame de Suficiência
de Língua Estrangeira
Material desenvolvido
pela equipe de língua
inglesa da UEADETEC
para as disciplinas de
Língua Estrangeira dos
cursos de engenharias
da UACSA.
ESLE - LÍNGUA ESTRANGEIRA 01
READ THE TEXT AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS:
WHAT DOES AN ENGINEER DO
Do you like to figure out how things work? Are you excited about solving problems? If so, you might
think about becoming an engineer. Engineers work to find solutions to problems. They also design new
products that help people. Some engineers work to make cars safer. Other engineers figure out how to
build strong bridges. Some engineers develop new medicines or find better ways to keep foods fresh
and safe. Engineers start by identifying a problem to solve or a new product to design. They search for
ways to fix the problem or make the product. They look at different ideas and choose the best one.
Often, engineers make a model and test it. They look for ways to improve what they have made. Sandra
Cruz-Pol is an engineer. She also teaches engineering students at a college. Sandra designs products that
let people know when storms and floods are coming. She says it feels good to find ways to improve
people's lives.
1
What do engineers work to find ?
A. solutions to problems
B. the best colleges in the United States
C. storms and floods
D. to create machines
2
Solving a problem is a process. What is the first step in that process?
A. Identifying the problem
B. Choosing the best idea to solve the problem
C. Searching for ways to fix the problem
D. to improve machines
3
Read this paragraph from the article.
Do you like to figure out how things work? Are you excited about solving problems? If so, you might
think about becoming an engineer.”
What can be concluded about engineers from this information?
A. Engineers like figuring out how things work, but they do not like solving problems.
B. Engineers like figuring out how things work and solving problems.
C. Engineers like solving problems, but they do not like figuring out how things work.
D. Engineers like solving problems, but they are not excited about it all the time.
4 Read this paragraph from the article.
"Engineers start by identifying a problem to solve or a new product to design. They search for ways to fix
the problem or make the product. They look at different ideas and choose the best one."
What can be concluded from this information about the number of solutions there are to a problem?
A. There is only one solution to every problem.
B. Some problems do not have any solutions.
C. There may be more than one solution to a problem
D. They need solutions to every problem.
5 What is the main idea of this article?
A. Engineers help other people by solving problems and designing new products.
B. Sandra Cruz-Pol is an engineer who designs products that let people know when storms and floods
are coming.
C. Some engineers help people by finding better ways to keep foods fresh and safe.
D. Engineers have solutions to every problem.
6 Read this paragraph from the article.
"Engineers work to find solutions to problems. They also design new products that help people."
Which word in the first sentence does "they" refer to?
A. problems
B. engineers
C. Solution
D. work
MARK THE CORRECT ALTERNATIVE:
7– Sally: _______ you go to Martha´s party last night?
Jessica: We sure _______ ! It was amazing!
a) DID
DID
b) DID
DO
c) DOES
d) IS
DID
WERE
8- Last semester my English classes ________ ________ Mondays.
a) ARE
IN
c) WAS
b) WERE
ON
d) WERE
AT
IN
9- Ted: When _______ Mike do his homework?
Cindy: He always ________ his homework after lunch.
a) DID
AM
b) ARE
DOES
DOES
ARE
c) DOES
d) DID
10- Jean: Where __________ you yesterday?
Daniel: I ____________ sick. I ___________ in bad all day.
A- WAS
WERE
WAS
C- WERE
B-WERE
WAS
WAS
D-WAS
WERE
WAS
WERE
WERE
ESLE - LÍNGUA ESTRANGEIRA 02
READ THE TEXT AND ANSWERS THE QUESTIONS:
WHEN WILL WE HAVE FLYING CARS?
People have been trying to build a flying car for a long time. So far, no one has been able to get a car off
the ground safely. But engineers keep trying! One problem is that flying cars need wings. The wings
must be designed so they will not stick out into other lanes of the road. Engineers are looking for
solutions to that problem. Two kinds of flying cars are being developed that may solve the problem. One
type is called the Transition. It has rotating blades that spin and lift the car. Those blades fold flat against
the sides when the car is on the ground. Another kind is named the Skycar. It has large propellers.
These propeller wings fold up and can be packed in the car’s trunk. Flying cars will not just fly up from
the road. They will have to take off from an airport runway. Still, some people are eager to have one of
their own. Nobody is sure when flying cars will be available, but one company already has a hundred
customers waiting for one.
1. Which people are trying to build flying cars?
A. engineers
B. airplane pilots
C. racecar drivers
2. What is a main problem engineers are trying to solve to make flying cars?
A. Flying cars need wings that will not stick out into other lanes of the road.
B. Flying cars need to have a special kind of gas to be able to fly.
C. Flying cars need to be able to fly up into the air straight from the road.
3. It is difficult to make a flying car that can be used safely. What evidence from the text supports this
conclusion?
A. Two kinds of flying cars are being developed that may solve the problem.
B. One company already has a hundred customers waiting for a flying car.
C. So far, no one has been able to get a car off the ground safely.
4. What is the main idea of this article?
A. Flying cars will need to take off from an airport runway, instead of just flying up from the road.
B. Engineers are trying to make flying cars, but first they have to solve the problems of flying cars by
finding different solutions.
C. Engineers are developing a flying car called the Skycar, which has wings that can fold up and fit in the
car's trunk.
5. Read these sentences from the text.
"One problem is that flying cars need wings. The wings must be designed so they will not stick out into
other lanes of the road. Engineers are looking for solutions to that problem.”
What does the word "designed" mean here?
A. thrown away
B. planned and built
C. Forgotten
READ THE TEXT AND ANWER THE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT:
RECYCLİNG & CONSERVATİON: WHY RECYCLE?
Recycling is a process where something is reused rather than thrown away. Common items that are
recycled include aluminum and steel cans, glass, and newspapers. Recycling can be time-consuming and
dirty work. For example, recyclable objects have to be sorted from trash. Then the objects have to be
cleaned. Afterwards, the objects are turned into materials that can be used by people and companies.
Why should people bother to recycle even though it takes a lot of work? Recycling helps protect the
earth. Recycling means less garbage in landfills. These are places where garbage is taken and buried.
Recycling also helps conserve the earth's resources. For example, factories use less energy by recycling
steel cans than by making new ones. Recycling paper saves trees from being cut down. Trees are used to
make paper. Every time you are about to drop a plastic bottle in the garbage, stop and think. Is it worth
harming the earth? Your actions now can help preserve the environment for generations to come. All
you have to do is throw that bottle into a recycling bin. Get in the habit. Be proud of recycling.
Encourage others to recycle. You can make a difference!
6. What is recycling?
A. a process where something is reused
B. a process where something is thrown away
C. a process where something is taken and buried
D. a process where something harms the earth
7. How does the author organize the information in this passage?
A. The author explains the problems with recycling and suggests different solutions.
B. The author describes similarities and differences between recycling and throwing things away.
C. The author lists information about recycling in order of importance, from most to least important.
D. The author describes recycling and shares an argument about why it's important.
8.Read these sentences.
". . . recyclable objects have to be sorted from trash. Then the objects have to be cleaned."
These sentences can be used to support which conclusion below?
A. ". . . the objects are turned into materials that can be used by people and companies."
B. "Recycling can be time-consuming and dirty work."
C. "Recycling helps protect the earth."
D. "Be proud of recycling."
9.What can be concluded from this text?
A. The author works for a recycling plant.
B. The author does not believe in recycling.
C. The author believes that all you have to do to save the environment is throw a bottle in a bin.
D. The author believes that everyday people can help the earth.
10. What is the main idea of this text?
A. Recycling helps protect the earth and conserve its resources.
B. Many people avoid recycling because it is too difficult.
C. People must make decisions what to recycle.
D. Only certain things can be recycled.
ESLE - LÍNGUA ESTRANGEIRA 03
READ THE TEXTS AND MARK THE CORRECT ANSWERS:
CLEAN ENERGY - POWER FROM THE SUN AND WIND
What do people need to light their homes and drive cars? Energy! It gives power to many things we
need and use. Most of the energy people use comes from coal, oil, and gas. They are called fossil fuels.
Those fuels come from fossils under the ground. Fossils are the remains of plants and animals that lived
long ago. Burning fossil fuels pollutes the air. The air becomes dirty. That can be harmful to people,
animals, and plants. Now more people are using clean energy. Such energy does not pollute the air. Two
kinds of clean energy are wind power and solar power. Solar means "from the sun".
SOLAR POWER
The Sun gives Earth heat and light. Some homes have solar panels on the roof. The panels collect
sunlight and turn it into electricity. That is a kind of energy. It lets people do many things. For example,
we use electricity to light our homes and watch television. Solar power can also be used to warm up the
water in our homes.
WIND POWER
People can turn wind energy into electricity. Wind turbines are machines that spin when the wind
blows. They make electricity. Wind turbines are grouped together in wind farms. Some wind farms have
hundreds of wind turbines. The Rosco e Wind Farm in Texas has 627 turbines. They can power 230,000
homes.
1. According to the text, where does most of the energy that people use come from?
A. the wind
B. plants
C. the sun
D. fossil fuels
2. Based on the text's description, what are two examples of clean energy?
A. solar power and electricity
B. fossil fuels and wind power
C. wind power and solar Power
D. electricity and fossil fuels
3. Burning fossil fuels pollutes the air, which can be harmful to people, animals, and plants. Clean
energy does not pollute the air.
Based on this evidence, what can you conclude about clean energy?
A. Clean energy is probably more dangerous to people, animals, and plants, than burning fossil fuels.
B. Clean energy is probably better for the health of people, animals, and plants than fossil fuels.
C. Clean energy is probably worse for the air, but better for the health of people, animals, and plants
than fossil fuels.
D. Clean energy is probably better for the air, but worse for people, animals, and plants than fossil fuels.
4. What is most likely a main goal of using clean energy?
A. sources to create electricity without creating pollution
B. to remove pollution from the air as quickly as possible
C. to stop destroying fossils from long ago
D. to replace the sun and wind with man-made energy
5. What is the main idea of the text?
A. More people are using clean energy like solar power and wind power, which does not pollute the air.
B. Clean energy is mainly used to create electricity, which people can use to power their homes.
C. Fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas, come from the remains of plants and animals that lived long ago.
D. Most of the energy people use comes from burning fossil fuels, which pollutes the air.
6. Read these sentences from the text.
"Burning fossil fuels pollutes the air. The air becomes dirty. That can be harmful to people, animals,
and plants." Based on these sentences, what does the word "pollute" mean?
A. to make something clean
C. to make something dirty
B. to make something cheaper
D. to make something dangerous
7. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence.
Most of the energy people use comes from coal, oil, and gas. ________ , now more people are using
clean energy.
A. However
B. As a result
C. At first
D. For example
MARK THE CORRECT ANSWERS:
8 - My mother ___________ well, but my father __________.
A- DRIVE
DOESN’T
B- DRIVES
DON´T
C- DRIVES
D- DRIVES
9 - Ricky: When _________ you __________ English classes?
You: My English classes _______ on Wednesdays.
A- DO
HAVE
IS
B- DO
HAVE
ARE
C- DOES
D- DO
10- Cindy: How often ________your brother _______ his car?
Jeff: He _________ his car every Saturday.
A- DO
WASH WASHES
B- DOES WASHES WASHES
C- DOES WASH
D- DOES WASH
DOESN´T
DRIVE
HAS
HAVE
WASH
WASHES
IS
IS
ESLE - LÍNGUA ESTRANGEIRA 04
READ THE FOLLOWING TEXT AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT:
SPACE JUNK
Many people know that trash is a big problem on planet Earth. What many people don't know is
that trash has become a problem in outer space too. Years of space exploration have left tons of "space
junk" in orbit around the planet.
According to BBC News, there are more than 22,000 pieces of junk in space around the earth.
And these are just the items that we can see from the surface of the earth by telescopes or radars.
There are also millions of smaller pieces of junk that we can't see.
Objects, like bits of old space rockets or satellites, move around the planet at very high speeds, so
fast that even a very small piece can break important satellites or become dangerous to people,
particularly astronauts. If the tiniest piece of junk crashed into a spacecraft, it could damage the vehicle.
That's because the faster an object moves, the greater the impact if the object collides with something
else.
To make things worse, when two objects in space collide, the two objects break into many
smaller pieces. This happened in 2009 when a working United States satellite collided with a Russian
satellite that was no longer functioning. The collision caused the satellites to break into more than 2,000
pieces, increasing the items of space junk.
To help minimize additional space junk, countries around the world have agreed to limit the time
their space tools stay in orbit to 25 years. Each tool must be built to fall safely into the earth's
atmosphere, or the mass of gases that surround the earth, after that. In the upper parts of the
atmosphere, it will burn up.
Many scientists are also proposing different ways to clean up space junk. In England a metal
harpoon is being tested that can be fired into space trash, grip the trash, and then pull the space junk
into the earth's atmosphere where it would burn up.
The Germans have been planning a space mission with robots that would collect pieces of space
trash and bring them back to Earth so that they can be safely destroyed. In 2008 the Chinese tried to
blow up one of its older satellites with a missile. Unfortunately, the explosion only created thousands of
smaller pieces, adding junk in space!
"In our opinion the problem is very challenging, and it's quite urgent as well," said Marco
Castronuovo, an Italian Space Agency researcher who is working to solve the problem. One reason that
it's urgent is that countries are sending more and more objects into space. Many of these objects are
tools that help people use their cell phones or computers.
"The time to act is now; as we go farther in time we will need to remove more and more
fragments," he says.
1. What has left tons of "space junk" in orbit around the earth?
A. robots sent on space missions
B. years of space exploration
C. lack of recycling
D. missiles in outer space
2. Countries around the world have agreed to limit the time their space tools stay in orbit to 25
years. As explained in the text, what problem does this solution address?
A. the increasing amount of space junk in orbit around the earth
B. space agencies exploring space
C. Chinese efforts to blow up a satellite
D. objects moving around the planet at very high speeds
3. Trash has become a problem in outer space too. What evidence from the text best supports this
statement?
A. The Chinese tried to blow up one of its satellites with a missile in 2007.
B. In England, a metal harpoon is being tested that can be fired into space, gripping space trash and
pulling it back into the earth's atmosphere to burn up.
C. The Germans have been planning a space mission with robots to collect some space trash and
bring it back to Earth.
D. According to BBC News, there are more than 22,000 pieces of junk in space around the earth.
4. Why have countries agreed to build space tools that must fall safely into the earth's
atmosphere?
A. so that the tools can remove pollution from the atmosphere after returning from space
B. so that the tools burn up in the atmosphere and don't become space junk C. so that the tools
pollute the atmosphere instead of outer space
D. so that the tools can analyze the different gases that make up the atmosphere after returning
from space
5. What was the text mostly about?
A. different missions scientists are trying in space
B. the effects that tiny pieces of space junk could have on the earth
C. the problem of space junk and scientists' attempts to solve this problem D. the problem of trash
on planet Earth
6. Read the following sentences:
"'In our opinion the problem is very challenging and it's quite URGENT as well,' said Marco
Castronuovo, an Italian Space Agency researcher who is working to solve the problem. One reason
that it's urgent is that countries are sending more and more objects into space. Many of these
objects are tools that help people use their cell phones or computers."
What does the word URGENT most nearly mean?
A. easy to solve
B. unnecessary
C. needs immediate attention
D. minor
7. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below.
Years of space exploration have left tons of "space junk," ____________ many scientists are trying
to find a way to clean up outer space.
A. so
B. instead
C. because
D. similarly
MARK THE CORRECT ALTERNATIVE:
8. If I _________ late, I __________ meet you.
A- ARRIVES
WILL
B- ARRIVE
WILL
C- ARRIVED
D- ARRIVE
9. Sally: _______ you go to Martha´s party tonight?
Jessica: We sure _______ ! It ________ be amazing!
a) DID
DID
WAS
b) WILL DO
DOES
c) WILL
D) WILL
10. Ted: When ______ Mike _______ his homework?
Cindy: He always ________ his homework after lunch.
a) DOES DOES DO
c) WILL
b) DOES DO
DOES
d) WILL
WILL NOT
WOULD
DID WILL
WILL WILL
DO
DO
WILL
DID
ESLE - LÍNGUA ESTRANGEIRA 05
MARK THE CORRECT ALTERNATIVE:
1- _______________ tourist destination in the world is Paris.
A-THE MORE POPULAR
B-THE MOST POPULAR
C-THE POPULAR
D-THE BEST POPULAR
2- Juan and Patricia are not the same height. Juan is _____________ Patricia.
A- NOT AS TALL
B- NOT TALL
C- NOT AS TALL AS
D- TALLER
3- Brazil and Russia are both _________ countries, but Russia is __________ country of all.
A- LARGE
LARGER THAN
C- LARGER
THE LARGEST
B- LARGE
LARGER
D- LARGE
THE LARGEST
READ THE TEXT AND ANSWERS THE QUESTIONS:
ENGINEERING AND NATURAL GAS
Matt Nelsen is a Mechanical Engineer for PG&E, which stands for Pacific Gas & Electric. PG&E is a
company in Northern California that provides electricity and natural gas. Matt, as an engineer, designs
the pipes that carry natural gas. Natural gas is found underground, trapped in rocks. It can be captured
by drilling and pulling it out of the rocks. Once it is captured, it is refined so that people can use it. This
gas can then be burned to do lots of different things.
This natural gas is provided by PG&E to people in Northern California. It is used in houses and individual
buildings like schools. This gas is used for heating, water heating, and cooking. Also, PG&E provides gas
to factories and other big companies. This gas is used for power generation, equipment sanitation, and
product development. Everything from making electricity to recycling to making all the things in stores
can use natural gas.
This gas is moved in pipes. Underground there are a lot of pipes that carry many different things in and
out of buildings. There are pipes that carry water into a house and then there are pipes that carry the
dirty water out. There are also pipes that move natural gas. Matt designs these pipes for PG&E, figuring
out where the pipes need to be so that the gas gets where it needs to go. This is called designing "highpressure transmission pipeline systems." This means that Matt figures out how many gas pipes are
needed, how big they need to be, and how much gas needs to go through them. Matt needs to make
sure that on any day, everyone who needs gas has it.
To do so, Matt first figures out how much gas is used throughout the year. In Northern California, gas
usage peaks in the winter, "as customers use more gas when it's cold out," says Matt. People need more
gas in the winter to keep their houses warm and to heat their water for showers and baths. He designs
pipes to be able to provide the necessary amount of gas.
Matt likes being an engineer because of the problem solving he gets to do. He likes thinking about "how
to approach complex issues and develop intelligent...solutions." Matt has to be able to be flexible and
solve problems. If something goes wrong, he is one of the people whom PG&E asks to fix the problem.
Matt also likes getting to see the pipe systems that he designs built in the real world. He says it is a little
scary because his pipe designs affect "so many people: construction workers, maintenance crews,
customers." There are a lot of people depending on Matt getting the pipes right! But Matt says it's
worth it when his pipe systems are built. When Matt's designs are built and work like he expects them
to, he says he feels like he's "really adding something to help people. It's a good feeling."
Matt says the hardest thing is being worried that his solutions won't work. It's hard to know what will
actually happen. Will there be enough gas? Will the pipes work correctly? Matt says that he can't "have
every piece of information [he] need[s] to solve a problem." This means that Matt and other engineers
have to assume some things. Matt can guess how the pipes will work and how many people will need
gas, but he can't know for sure. Not knowing for sure is the hard part of being an engineer.
4. Where is natural gas found?
A. in the atmosphere
C. in the ocean
B. trapped in underground rocks
D. trapped in certain trees
5. What does the author describe in the text?
A. rock drilling methods
C. the use and transportation of natural gas
B. the education needed to be an engineer
D. how to get a job at PG&E Company
6. Read the following sentences: "Matt designs these pipes for PG&E, figuring out where the pipes need to
be so that the gas gets where it needs to go... This means that Matt figures out how many gas pipes are
needed, how big they need to be, and how much gas needs to go through them."
Based on this piece of text, what can be concluded?
A. Matt has an important job.
B. Matt dislikes his job.
C. Matt has an easy job.
D. Matt will likely be promoted soon.
7. Based on the text, what does Matt need to do when designing the natural gas pipes for PG&E?
A. make sure the pipes can also be used to carry other resources, like clean water.
B. make sure the pipes are made from cheaper materials to reduce construction costs.
C. make sure the pipes are really big just in case they must carry a lot more gas than expected.
D. make sure the pipes can carry the maximum amount of gas used by customers throughout the year.
8. What isthe text mostly about?
A. the designing of pipes that deliver natural gas
B. the average gas usage in an American city
C. the difficulties of being an engineer
D. problems associated with drilling for natural gas
9. Read the following sentences: "Matt says that he can't 'have every piece of information [he] need[s] to
solve a problem.' This means that Matt and other engineers have to assume some things."
What does "assume" mean?
A. calculate
B. guess
C. research
D. understand
10. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below.
Natural gas is used for many domestic and commercial purposes, _________ heating, cooking, power
generation, and product development.
A. including
B. above all
C. besides
D. therefor
ESLE - LÍNGUA ESTRANGEIRA 06
READ THE AND MARK THE CORRECT ALTERNATIVE:
PREDICTING THE FUTURE
Garry Golden sits in a small cafe in Brooklyn, New York. In front of him, sheets of paper with diagrams
litter the table. He rapidly sketches trains, cars and highways as he explains his ideas. Garry Golden has
one passion: transportation. The science of how to move people from place to place fascinates him. He
spends his days studying the relationships between cars, subways, and trains. But he's most excited
about imagining the way these relationships will change in the next 20 years. Golden is a futurist.
Futurists are scientists who analyze the way the world is today and use that information to make
predictions about what the world will be like in the future. In this way, they are the opposite of
historians, who try to better understand the present through studying the past. Futurists hope that by
making scientific predictions about the future, we can make better decisions today. Some futurists study
the environment. Some study human society. Golden focuses on the study of transportation. He earned
his graduate degree in Future Studies from the University of Houston. Living in Houston for those two
years changed the way he viewed transportation in the United States. Many public transportation
advocates dislike Houston. They argue the city is too sprawling (it can take more than three hours to
drive from one side of the city to the other during rush hour) and that there aren't enough buses and
subways. However, Houston was a source of inspiration for Golden. "Houston is a really interesting
place, and their transportation is a fascinating story-it's worth watching. When you think about it, what
is the U.S. like? It's more like Houston. So you need to understand how Houston approaches things to
understand the country as a whole. New York City is the exception," said Golden in an interview with
The New York Times.
Golden points out that people in New York City own fewer cars and walk much more than anywhere
else in the United States. "It's a unique environment," says Golden. "Very different from the rest of the
country." However, Golden believes American cities will become more similar to New York City in
several ways over the next 20 years. He sees a trend toward fewer cars in the future. He explains, "Cities
have a cost of car ownership that is a challenge. All these vehicles cost the city: in services, in having to
repair roads and all of the other things." Cars also take up a lot of space. Houston, for example, has 30
parking spaces for every resident. That's 64.8 million parking spaces in only one city. Golden points out
that having so many parking spaces is inefficient. Much of the time the parking spaces sit empty. At
high-use times-for example, Saturday afternoon when everyone is running errands-every parking space
at a shopping center is full. But at 3 a.m. on a Monday, no one is at the shopping center. What is the
solution? "I think cities are going to start to legislate cars in very new ways," says Golden. He explains
that cities will make new laws to limit the number of cars people can have within city limits. Instead,
people will use taxis, subways and buses. New technology, like smartphones, can make these forms of
public transportation even better. Buses have the same problem of inefficiency as parking spaces,
explains Golden. Sometimes they are full, and sometimes they are empty. But imagine if everyone had a
smartphone and used them to signal when they wanted to ride the bus. Buses could change their route,
depending on who wanted to ride. How soon would these changes come? Golden admits that it will take
several years. Cities can be slow to change. Also, new systems of transportation can be expensive. "But
it's coming," he says. "The trend of the empowered city will be here soon." The other trend that excites
Golden is electric cars. "We need to reduce the amount of fuel we consume," says Golden. "Everyone
agrees on this. The question is how to do it." Golden especially believes in the future of electric cars that
have sensors to understand the world around them. "If we have cars that can communicate with one
another, they can adjust speeds to eliminate traffic jams," he says. Rush hour in Houston would
suddenly be much less painful. One challenge related to the production of electric cars is that it is hard
to cheaply produce batteries that are strong enough for these cars. This is partially because cars are so
heavy. But Golden argues you could also make cars out of strong plastic composites. The cars would
then be much lighter and much cheaper to make. "This could revolutionize the highways," he says.
When could electric smart cars become the norm? Golden argues as soon as 2030. As a futurist, Golden
shares his predictions with other scholars at conferences across the country. He also provides advice to
companies that want to know what the future will be like so that they can make better strategies.
Golden remains optimistic about the future. "There are so many exciting developments," he says. "In
thirty years we will live a very different world."
1. What is Gary Golden's one passion?
A. Houston, Texas
B. the environment
C. human society
D. transportation
2. One problem with electric cars is that they require very strong batteries. Part of the reason the
batteries have to be so strong is that cars are so heavy. What solution does Golden propose for this
problem?
A. build cars out of strong plastic composites so that they are lighter
B. find an easier and faster way to produce strong batteries for cars
C. build cars out of lighter weight metals so they don't need as many batteries
D. create a way for cars to communicate with each other and adjust their speeds
3. Cars require a lot of space in cities. What evidence from the passage best supports this conclusion?
A. Cities have to build parking spaces and repair roads for cars.
B. Cities may limit the number of cars people can have within the city.
C. In Houston, there are 30 parking spaces for every resident.
D. Parking lots at shopping centers are not full all of the time.
4. Based on Garry Golden's predictions, how can transportation systems of the future best be
described?
A. expensive and complicated
C. high-tech yet impractical
B. high-tech and efficient
D. inexpensive yet outdated
5. What is this text mostly about?
A. how one futurist thinks transportation will change in the coming years
B. reasons why cars cost the city money and are an inefficient use of resources
C. how to improve electric cars so that they are more widely used and available
D. a comparison of public transportation systems across the United States
6. Read the following sentences:
"Houston, for example, has 30 parking spaces for every resident. That's 64.8 million parking spaces in
only one city. Golden points out that having so many parking spaces is inefficient. Much of the time the
parking spaces sit empty. At high-use times-for example, Saturday afternoon when everyone is running
errands-every parking space at a shopping center is full. But at 3 a.m. on a Monday, no one is at the
shopping center."
As used in this sentence, what does the word "inefficient" most nearly mean?
A. productive without wasting time and materials
B. successful and effective
C. imaginative and creative
D. wasteful of space and materials
7. Choose the answer that best completes the sentence below. Historians study the past in order to
better understand the present. ___________, futurists analyze the present in order to make scientific
predictions about the future.
A. In particular
B. Such as
C. In contrast
D. Ultimately
READ THE AND MARK THE CORRECT ALTERNATIVE:
SHOCK WAVES
A NEW THEORY EXPLAINS A SURPRISE SERIES OF EARTHQUAKES.
Beds shook suddenly across New York City the night of Dec. 16, 1811, rousing people from their sleep.
The cause of the rude awakening was an earthquake whose epicenter (point of origin) was halfway
across the country near New Madrid, MO. The earthquake was one of a series in 1811 and 1812 that
uprooted trees, triggered landslides, and toppled log cabins across the Midwest. Scientists have
evidence that huge quakes also hit the same region around the years 1450 and 900. The cause of the
New Madrid earthquakes has long mystified scientists. Have they now found an answer?
PUZZLE PIECES
Most earthquakes happen at the boundaries of tectonic plates. Tectonic plates are enormous pieces of
Earth's crust and upper mantle that fit together like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. Wherever two plates
meet, they either pull apart, press together, or slide past each other. Those movements cause large
faults (cracks) to appear in the crust near the plate boundary.The ground on either side of a fault moves
very gradually. But sometimes the two sides get hung up on each other, unable to move. Stress builds to
a point at which the two sides eventually snap apart, sending shock waves through the ground. Those
shock waves are better known as earthquakes.
California is the country's most quake-prone state. It lies atop a boundary where the Pacific Plate meets
the North American Plate. Those plates are sliding past each other in opposite directions. That
movement has created a lot of faults. The New Madrid faults are different. They lie in the center of the
North American Plate, far from any plate boundary. Why would huge earthquakes occur there? Earth
scientists have been asking that question since 1812. Now a team of researchers that includes Andrew
Freed, a professor of earth sciences at Purdue University, has a theory. Losing Weight The New Madrid
faults lie atop the Reelfoot Rift. A rift is a region where Earth's crust is being pulled apart by the slow
movement of tectonic plates. Hundreds of millions of years ago, tectonic forces almost pulled the North
American Plate in two. For some reason, Freed says, that action stopped. The North American Plate is no
longer cracking apart. But the Reelfoot Rift remains as evidence of that ancient upheaval. It's a "dead
rift," says Freed, "a zone of weakness." The New Madrid faults lie along that weak zone in the crust. But
the presence of a weak zone doesn't fully explain the New Madrid quakes. In California, stress builds up
in the rocks because the two tectonic plates there are constantly in motion. How could so much stress
build up such a long way from any plate boundaries? To find out, Freed and his colleagues studied the
New Madrid faults for 10 years. They used Global Positioning System (GPS) sensors to track any tiny
movements of the Earth's crust. "It's just like the GPS in your car or in your cell phone, but it's a much
more precise measurement," Freed says.
They expected to see the ground slowly twisting and turning, causing stress to build up in the rocks.
That's not what they found. "After 10 years, we realized there's nothing happening," he says. "No force
is building up. So why do you get earthquakes?" The stress, Freed now believes, must have been left
from geological processes that happened long ago. It had probably been stored underground for
millions of years-until something let it out. Freed and his colleagues have an idea what that "something"
was. During the last Ice Age, the northern half of North America was covered by an enormous ice sheet.
Between 16,000 and 10,000 years ago that ice sheet melted, sending torrents of water down the
Mississippi River. The river has carried bits of rock with it ever since. In time, says Freed, "it removed a
lot of rock from the surface." That removal was significant, he says, because the Reelfoot Rift lies right
below the Mississippi River. The weight of the ground above the rift had been pressing down on the
New Madrid faults, holding back the stored-up stress for millions of years. As the river washed away the
ground, a huge weight was lifted from Earth's crust. As that pressure eased, the faults slipped several
times, triggering the New Madrid quakes.
HIGH-RISK ZONES
High-Risk Zones Finding solid proof for that theory is difficult, Freed says. Still, the theory goes a long
way toward explaining earthquakes that happen in the middle of North America. There's good reason to
understand such a system. For one thing, Freed says, the Mississippi is still changing Earth's crust. More
earthquakes could strike the New Madrid area as more age-old stresses are released. Similar changes
could be happening elsewhere. "We know there are other rifts under other river valleys around the
country," he says. Many of those places haven't experienced earthquakes in recent history. If Freed's
theory is correct, other faults may be lying quietly, getting ready to rock.
8. What are tectonic plates?
A. enormous earthquakes that uprooted trees and triggered landslides in the Midwest from 1811 to
1812
B. enormous pieces of Earth's crust and upper mantle that fit together like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle
C. enormous shock waves caused by large cracks on the Earth moving together and snapping apart
D. enormous sensors with which Freed and his colleagues would track any tiny movements of the
Earth's crust
9. The formation of faults in Earth's crust is an effect. What causes faults to form in the crust?
A. Global Positioning System sensors
B. beds shaking across New York City
C. the movement of tectonic plates
D. landslides across the Midwest
10. The New Madrid earthquakes did not happen in a place that is earthquake-prone, or likely to have
earthquakes. What evidence in the text supports this conclusion?
A. The New Madrid faults lie far from any plate boundary.
B. Faults are cracks in Earth's crust.
C. The ground on either side of a fault moves very gradually.
D. Tectonic plates fit together like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle