You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-13> which are based on
Reading Passage 1 below.
The Vikings’ Wayfaring Ways
Perhaps best known as fierce warriors, the Vikings were also the most far-rangingof peoples. In fact, the term Viking, in Old Norse, means “to go on an expedition.”
From the late 700s until the eleventh century, Viking explorers
journeyed from their native Norway, Denmark, and Sweden to many distant
lands. They traveled1 as far west as Newfoundland in present-day Canada, and
as far east as Baghdad.
Those from Norway sailed west to the British Isles, and eventually across the
Atlantic Ocean. During their first expedition, in 793, a force of Viking warriors
sacked the famed abbey at Lindisfarne, on England’s northeast coast. In the 800s,
groups of raiders went on to occupy the Shetland Islands, north of the British
Isles and west of Norway, and the Orkney Islands off northern Scotland.
By 870, the Vikings were settling Iceland. In 980, an Icelandic assembly found
a man named Eric “the Red” Ericson guilty of murder and sent him into exile. Eric
the Red responded by sailing to a large island to the west, which he called
“Greenland.” An Icelandic saga mentions that people would be attracted to go to
Greenland if it had a favorable2 name. Around 998, Eric the Red’s son, Leif “the
Lucky” Ericson, and a small Viking fleet sailed west to North America. There they
established the first European settlement in the New World, called “Vinland.”
Vikings from Denmark, meanwhile, ravaged large swaths of England and
France. In 866, a Viking “Great Army” landed in England, occupying much of
the country’s north and east. They forced the English king to acknowledge their
control of much of England under the so-called Danelaw. To the west, they conquered
coastal portions of Ireland, and in 841 founded Dublin, today a major
Irish city, but originally a Viking fort. The Vikings remained a major power in
Ireland until the early eleventh century.
To the south, the Vikings conquered France, moving swiftly up rivers in long
boats, powered by oar and sail. From 845 to 886, they surged up the Seine to
attack Paris three times. To stop the raids, French King Charles III the Simple
in 911 offered the Viking chief Rollo territories in northwest France, called
Normandy, after the Normans or “Northmen.” There they set up a powerful
kingdom and, in 1066, under William, Duke of Normandy, defeated King
Harold at the battle of Hastings in England.
Farther south, in 844, the Vikings had raided Portugal and Spain, then largely
controlled by Arab Moors. A fleet of 100 Viking ships seized Lisbon and boldly
sailed up the Guadalquivir River to occupy Seville. However, the Moors dealt
them a rare defeat. The Moors catapulted flaming projectiles onto the Viking
vessels, forcing a retreat.
Still other Vikings sailed much farther, to raid Morocco, then to the eastern
Mediterranean and beyond. Many of these Vikings enlisted with the military
forces of the Byzantine Empire, the Greek-speaking successors to the Roman
Empire. Vikings made up the Byzantine Emperor’s elite Varangian Guard. In
902, hundreds of Varangians served as marines during a Byzantine naval assault
on the island of Crete. Varangians battled Arab forces in Syria in 955, and even
fought in Jerusalem. So many men left Scandinavia for the Byzantine Empire
that, to stem the outflow, Sweden passed a law denying inherited property to
anyone serving under the Byzantines.
The Vikings of Sweden, meanwhile, were moving out of Scandinavia to the
east and south. They journeyed through the Baltic Sea, then built inland trading
posts in Germany and Poland. In time, they struck out across Central and
Eastern Europe, down the Vistula River in Poland, and the Dnieper, Volga, and
Don Rivers in Russia. Their vessel of choice was the “knar,” a cargo ship with a
deep draft and wide hull. Viking merchants on horseback penetrated far into the
Asian heartland, trading with towns on the Caspian and Black seas.
The most significant settlements were in Russia and Ukraine. In 862, Vikings
settled in the town of Novgorod, in northwestern Russia. It became the capital
of a country called Rus, after the Finnish name for the Swedes. Rus came from
the word Rutosi, meaning “rowers.” Rus formed the foundation of Russia, as the
Russian and Viking leaders of Rus intermarried, converted to Christianity, and
steadily expanded their territory. And after lucrative trade relations were established
with the Byzantines and with Muslim lands, the Rus moved their capital
southward to Kiev, later the capital of Ukraine.
Another important Viking market town was Bulgar, on the Volga River.
There, merchants peddled honey, wax, amber, and steel swords. The Viking’s
most common commodity may have been skins: they dealt in horse, beaver, rabbit,
mink, ermine, and sable skins. They also traded hazelnuts, fish, cattle, and
falcons. Another commodity was slaves, many of them Slavs from Eastern
Europe. The merchants eagerly exchanged their goods for Arab silver coins. In
Sweden, archeologists1 have excavated about 100,000 such coins, minted in such
distant cities as Cairo and Tashkent.
Like their Danish and Norwegian relatives, the Swedish Vikings traveled to
the most exotic realms. They took part in the Silk Road trade with India and
China. Archeological evidence shows that Viking traders even traveled by camel
caravan to Baghdad.
Given the wide-ranging travel of the Vikings, it is fitting the Anglo-Saxons
gave them the nickname “Faergenga”—“Far Going.”
Questions 1—5
Answer the questions below.
Choose ONE NUMBER ONLY from the text for each answer.
Write your answers on lines 1—5 on your answer sheet.
1 When did Viking warriors raid an abbey on the coast of England? __1__
2 When was Eric the Red convicted of a crime? __2__
3 When did Vikings establish a fort in Ireland? __3__
4 When was a Viking chief granted lands by a king of France? __4__
5 When did Viking warriors defeat an English king? __5__
Questions 6-13
Complete the summary using the list of words, A-O, below. Write the correct letter,
A-O, on lines 6—13 on your answer sheet.
The people known as Vikings were given this name because they were
6 • __6__ Groups of Vikings from Norway travelled west to Britain,
Iceland, and beyond. They were the first Europeans who 7 __7__
North America. Groups from Denmark 8 __8__ large areas of
England and France. Other groups of Vikings raided areas of Portugal and
Spain. The people of Seville, Spain, drove the Vikings away by throwing
9 __9__ at them. Large numbers of Vikings left Scandinavia for
the Byzantine Empire, and many of these joined the Byzantine military. At one
point, they took part in 10 __10__ on the Greek island of Crete.
Groups of Swedish Vikings crossed the Baltic Sea to explore the lands beyond.
They traveled down Russian rivers, then journeyed deep into Asia by
11 __11__ . After settling in northwest Russia, they expanded their
territories toward the south. Kiev, Ukraine, eventually became the Vikings’
territorial 12 __12__. The Vikings also had an important
13 __13__ in the town of Bulgar on the Volga River.
A warriors B an attack C capital D explorers
E trade with F conquered G burning objects H settled in
I ship J oars K market L a parade
M archeologists N silver coins O horse
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14—26, which are rnsea on
Reading Passage 2
Dyslexia
Dyslexia, also referred to as “specific reading disability,” predominantly
affects a person’s ability to read and write. Dyslexics have difficulty connecting
visual symbols (i.e., letters) with their corresponding sounds. Many people
who suffer from dyslexia also have trouble with enunciation, organization,1
and short-term memory. Dyslexia is the most common learning disability in
children. It is not related to intellectual ability, vision, or access to education.
Approximately 5-10 percent of school-age children in North America suffer
from the condition, with each case varying in severity. Children are generally
diagnosed with dyslexia during the elementary school years when they are
learning how to read and spell.
Determining the definite cause of dyslexia is a difficult task since studies of
the morphology of the brain are generally conducted in an autopsy. One
hypothesis suggests that dyslexic children suffer from “strabismus,” the tendency
of the eyes to focus on two different points. When reading, for example,
one eye focuses on the beginning of the word and the other focuses on the end.
This theory could explain why dyslexics have difficulty reading. Many dyslexic
children read letters and words backwards, often mistaking a b for a d or reading
was instead of saw. These reversals are normal for children under the age of
six, but indicate a problem if they persist beyond the early elementary grades.
Neurological research points to tiny flaws in the dyslexic brain called ectopias
and microgyria. These flaws alter the structure of the cortex, the area of the
brain that is responsible for connecting visual and audio processing. Genetic
research, often in the form of twins studies, shows that dyslexia may be passed
on in families.
Though most children are not diagnosed with dyslexia until they enter the
school system, there are some early signs of the disability. Toddlers who talk
much later than average, have difficulty learning new words, or do not understand
the concept of rhyming may develop other dyslexic symptoms. As children
begin school, teachers are trained to look for warning signs, such as an
inability to recognize2 letters or spaces between words on a page or difficulty
following instructions given with more than one command at a time.
Properly screening children for dyslexia is important since other factors can
limit reading abilities, including vision or hearing impairment, anxiety, or
other neurological problems.
Dyslexia is a type of learning disorder that can often be compensated for with
therapy and motivational techniques. Phonological training, which involves
identifying and separating sound patterns, is the most common form of therapy
used in the school system. Depending on the severity of the disorder, dyslexic
children are pulled from regular classroom activities in order to work one-on-one
with a language specialist. Studies have shown that activity in the right temporoparietal
cortex tends to increase after sufficient phonological training.
Improvements in visual focus can sometimes be achieved when students are given
an eye patch to wear while they learn to read. Encouraging children to use many
senses while reading also has proven benefits. Some teachers find that having students
listen to a book on tape before reading the text can help with information
processing as well.
Though it is properly classified as a learning disability, dyslexia is commonly
mistaken for a behavioral1 disorder. Dyslexic children often exhibit behavior
that seems abnormal but is caused by frustration at their own inability to perform
at the same level as their peers. Some studies show that attention deficit
disorder co-occurs with dyslexia in up to 50 percent of cases. In general, behavioral
problems decline as dyslexic students are diagnosed and begin to receive
treatment.
Other learning disabilities are neurologically linked to dyslexia, including
dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and dyspraxia. People who suffer from dyscalculia can
usually perform difficult mathematical tasks, but have trouble with formulas or
basic addition and subtraction. Dysgraphia prevents people from writing in an
organized manner. Dyspraxia impedes the performance of routine tasks that
involve balance and fine motor skills.
The earlier children are diagnosed with dyslexia, the more likely they are to
overcome their disabilities and progress to adult reading levels. Many studies
show that children who are diagnosed after grade three have a much lower
chance of eliminating the symptoms of dyslexia. Some dyslexics, especially
those who are not diagnosed as children, naturally develop their own coping
mechanisms such as an increased visual memory. In some instances, dyslexics
develop keen spatial and visual abilities that prepare them for very specialized
careers.
Questions 14—20
Do the following statements agree with the information in the reading passage? On
lines 14—20 on your answer sheet write:
YES if the statement agrees with the information
NO if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this in the pas*
14 Dyslexia is a disorder related to intelligence. __14__
15 Dyslexia is usually diagnosed during a child’s first years of school. __15__
16 People with dyslexia often read in reverse. __16__
17 There is a tendency for dyslexia between twins. __17__
18 Scientists are looking for a drug treatment for dyslexia. __18__
19 Dyslexia in children is often accompanied by behavioral problems. __19__
20 People with dysgraphia have difficulty with math. __20__
Questions 21-23
Which of the following are signs of dyslexia mentioned in the passage? Choose
THREE answers from the list below and write the correct letters, A—F, on lines
21—23 on your answer sheet.
A learning to talk at a later than normal age
B trouble with new vocabulary
C leaving big spaces between words
D problems following directions
E difficulty turning the pages of a book
F inability to give commands
21. __21__
22. __22__
23. __23__
Questions 24-26
Which of the following are treatments for dyslexia mentioned in the passage? Choose
THREE answers from the list below and write the correct letter, A-F, on lines
24—2 6 on your answer sheet.
A using special computers
B learning to identify sounds
C wearing eyeglasses
D attending a special school
E covering one eye while reading
F listening to tapes
24. __24__
25. __25__
26. __26__
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27—40> which are based on
Reading Passage 3 below.
Catastrophe Theory
A
In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, the popular theory among
Earth scientists was that a number of major catastrophes had taken place over a
relatively short period of time to give Earth its shape. French geologist Baron
Georges Cuvier introduced this idea, which was later coined the “catastrophe
theory.” Proponents of the catastrophe theory used fossilized1 creatures and the
faunal changes in rock strata to support their beliefs that major events such as
volcanoes had occurred on a worldwide scale. The catastrophe theory was used
to support the notion that Earth’s history was not a relatively long one.
B
In response to the catastrophe theory, a handful of Earth scientists searched for
explanations that would provide a better scientific basis for Earth’s geology.
James Hutton, the father of geology, is best known for his gradualist theory, a
paradigm that became known as “uniformitarianism.” Hutton published
Theory o f the Earth in 1795, after which many other geologists including
Charles Lyell, adopted the idea that small changes on Earth occurred over a
large expanse of time. Uniformitarians rejected the idea that cataclysmic events
could shape the Earth so quickly, and instead proposed the theory that the key
to the present is the past. The term deep time was used to describe the span in
which gradual geological processes occurred, especially the formation of sedimentary
rock. Charles Darwin later based his work on the idea, by developing
his theory of evolution.
C
The majority of paleontologists2 and geologists adopted the gradualist theory
of Earth’s history for more than 100 years. In 1980, a discovery in Italy gave
scientists a reason to reconsider the discarded theories of catastrophism.
Geologist Walter Alvarez discovered a clay layer in the K-T boundary that
intrigued him. The K-T boundary refers to the layer of Earth between the
Cretaceous and Tertiary periods. The geologist with the help of his father Luis
Alvarez, a prominent physicist, analyzed the clay for heavy metals. After careful
examination, the clay was found to contain high levels of iridium. Samples
taken from the K-T boundary in other parts of the world were examined, with
the same findings.
D
The Alvarez group wrote a historic paper that applied the catastrophe theory to
their discovery. According to their hypothesis, the iridium in the K-T boundary
was caused by an asteroid or a comet that hit Earth near the end of the
Cretaceous period, over 65 million years ago. They also proposed that the impact
would have raised enough dust to block the sun and cool Earth, which in turn
would have prevented photosynthesis. This chain reaction would have led to the
extinction of plants and animals. The main reason that the Alvarez theory took
hold so quickly in both the world of science and the public realm, was that it
could account for the extinction of the dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous
period. The acceptance of this theory was widespread, even before the discovery
in 1990 of a 180-kilometer1 crater in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, a potential
piece of evidence of the asteroid impact.
E
Events that have occurred on Earth in the last 100 years or more have proved to
geologists that not all processes are gradual. Major rivers have flooded areas in a
matter of days, and volcanoes have erupted, causing mass devastation. The eruption
of Mount St. Helens was proof of how a catastrophe could easily change the
Earth’s landscape. Modern research on fossils even supports the theory of a
marine catastrophe, not unlike the legends and stories among many peoples of
great floods. Some scientists believe that animal remains found within the layers
of sedimentary rock may have been casualties of such a flood. Sedimentary rock
is made up of layers such as sandstone and limestone and is created by water
movement. In addition, some scientists propose that the glacial ice sheet that
once spread out across North America melted catastrophically rather than having
a slow glacial retreat. Deep erosion up to 100 meters wide was discovered along
the bottom of some of the Great Lakes. Within the gullies, layers of periodic sediment
point to catastrophic melting.
F
Though there is little debate that catastrophic events caused the mass extinction
of several of Earth’s species, namely the dinosaurs, geologists still question
whether asteroids, volcanoes, or other natural disasters were the cause. The idea
that the moon was formed as a result of catastrophic events is a related field of
study and one that has been debated for decades.
Questions 27-32
Complete the notes using the list o f words, A—K, below.
Write the correct letter, A—K, on lines 27—32 on your answer sheet.
Catastrophe Theory
First introduced by 27 __27__
Proposes that major 28 __28__ have given Earth its shape.
Supports the idea that the Earth has a 29 __29__ history.
Gradualist Theory
First introduced by 30 __30__
Proposes that many 31 __31__ changes in the shape of the
Earth happened over a 32 __32__ period of time.
A short
B small
C Charles Darwin
D long
E definite
F disasters
G James Hutton
H mysterious
I Walter Alvarez
J evolution
K Georges Cuvier
Questions 33-39
The passage has six paragraphs, A-F. Which paragraph mentions the following
information?
Write the correct letter, A—F, on lines 33—39 on your answer sheet. You may use
any paragraph more than once.
33 proof that not all changes on Earth have occurred gradually __33__
34 a theory explaining the presence of iridium beneath Earth’s surface __34__
35 publication of a book about the gradualist theory __35__
36 discovery of a large crater that could have been caused by an asteroid __36__
37 evidence of the occurrence of a large flood in Earth’s past __37__
38 recurrence of interest in the catastrophe theory __38__
39 ideas about how quickly ice age glaciers disappeared __39__
Question 40
Choose the correct letter, A—C, and write it on line 40 on your answer sheet.
40 Most scientists now agree that
A the gradualist theory is correct.
B catastrophic events occur regularly on the moon.
C a major catastrophe caused the dinosaurs to disappear.
__40__
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