Unit Two Reading Test - يوسف العمري

1. Part One: Reading Comprehension

   Read the following extracts, and choose the correct answer

   Extract A

   Finally, let’s head back to dry land where the insects and invertebrates live. Firstly, despite the rumours, earthworms do not actually become two separate slimy worms if you split them in half. Only a limited number of earthworm species can survive such serious injury – only the front half of the worm (where the mouth is located) is able to feed and so survive. Moving from zero to eight legs, you’ll no doubt be relieved and thankful that it’s not true that over a lifetime people swallow a large number of spiders during their sleep. While sleeping, we make all kinds of noises and movements that warn spiders of danger and prevent them from becoming unwanted furry snacks.

   1- What does the underlined word slimy mean?

   • Covered in liquid
   • Covered in hair
   • Without a backbone
   • Usually alone

2. 2- The main idea of the above text is that it ______.

   • dispels common myths about earthworms and spiders
   • explains how earthworms can survive a serious injury
   • mentions spiders as a snack people believe they eat
   • gives examples on invertebrates and insects that live on land

3.                                                    Extract B

   The idiom ‘to bury your head in the sand’ means to ignore a problem in the hope that it will go away. The saying is based on the behaviour of ostriches, known for using their beaks to dig holes in which to hide their head from enemies. The only problem is that this is not actually normal ostrich behaviour. The myth that the world’s largest birds do this is probably based on the writings of Pliny the Elder. He was a famous Roman naturalist who suggested around two thousand years ago that ostriches ‘imagine, when they have thrust their head and neck into a bush, that the whole of their body is concealed.’ Considering ostriches are the fastest creatures on two legs and have a kick powerful enough to kill a lion, they are much more likely to run or fight than try to hide.

   3- What does the idiom 'to bury your head in the sand' mean?

   • To run away from a problem
   • To ignore a problem
   • To confront a problem
   • To solve a problem

4. 4- Select True or False based on your understanding to the text.

   Ostriches are the fastest creatures on two legs and are more likely to hide than to fight.

   • صحيح
   • خاطئ

5.      Extract C

   And what about those creatures that many people would find positively ugly? With its tiny eyes, big mouth and slimy pink body, the blobfish is far from attractive. This marine creature lives deep in the ocean, where the pressure is very high. As a result, it has tiny fins and no skeleton, which keeps it from being crushed by the water pressure. Unfortunately, when fishing boats sweep the ocean floor, looking for other fish, these fish can get swept into the nets accidentally.

   5- What is a notable physical characteristic of the blobfish?

   • Large fins
   • Bright colors
   • Tiny eyes
   • Hard skeleton

6. 6- Why does the blobfish have tiny fins and no skeleton?

   • To help it swim faster
   • To allow it to hunt more effectively
   • To avoid being crushed by high water pressure
   • To blend in with its environment

7. 7- What happens to blobfish when fishing boats sweep the ocean floor?

   • They hide in the rocks
   • They get caught in the nets accidentally
   • They swim away quickly
   • They float to the surface

8.            Extract D

   Other creatures become endangered precisely because people find them ugly. Take the aye aye for example. Found only on the island of Madagascar, the aye is the world’s largest nocturnal primate. During the day they sleep in nests in the trees, coming out to hunt at night. They are solitary creatures, furry, and harmless but unfortunately, they are often killed.

   8- What would be a suitable title for the passage?

   • The Hunting Habits of the Aye Aye
   • The Nocturnal Life of Madagascar
   • Ugly and Endangered
   • The Unique Ecosystem of Madagascar

9. 9- What does the pronoun "they" refer to?

   • People
   • Nests
   • Trees
   • Aye ayes

10. 10- Why might the aye aye become endangered?

    • Because they have no natural predators
    • Because they are only found in Madagascar
    • Because their nocturnal habits make them easy to catch
    • Because people find them unattractive and often kill them