Reading 02 - TOEFL

ReadingComprehension02

Lichens.probablythehardiestofallplants,livewherevirtuallynothingelsecannotjustonruggedmountainpeaksbutalsoonsunbakeddesertrocks.Theyareusuallythefirstlifetoappearonamountainsidethathasbeenscrapedbarebyanavalanche.

Unlikeothermembersoftheplantkingdom,lichensareactuallyapartnershipbetween5twoplants.Theframeworkofalichenisusuallyanetworkofminutehairlikefungusthat

anchorstheplant,Theothercomponentisanalga(similartothegreenfilmofplantlifethatgrowsonstagnantpools)thatisdistributedthroughoutthefungus.Beinggreenplants,algaearecapableofphotosynthesisthatis,usingenergyfromtheSuntomanufacturetheirownfood.Thefungiarcbelievedtosupplywater,minerals,and

10physicalsupporttothepartnership.

Lichensarefamousfortheirabilitytosurvive~watershortage.Whenwaterisscarce(asisoftenthecaseonamountain),lichensmaybecomedormantandremaininthatconditionforprolongedperiodsoftime.Somelichenscanevengrowwherethereisnorainatall,survivingononlyoccasionaldewthemoisturethatcondensesonthesurface

15oftheplantsatnight,Andunlikemostotherplants,lichensarelittleaffectedbythestrongultravioletraysinthemountains.

Lichensuselittleenergy,fortheygrowslowly.Somegrowsoslowlyandaresooldthattheyarecalled"timestains."Youmayfindlichensthatarecenturiesoldcertainoftheselichencolonieshavebeenestablishedforanestimated2,000years.

20Fordecades,scientistswonderedhowtheoffspringofanalgaandafungusgottogethertoformanewlichen,itseemedunlikelythattheywouldjusthappenloencounteroneanother.Itwasfinallydiscoveredthatinmanycasesthetwopartnershaveneverbeenseparated.Stalklike"buds"thatformoncertainlichensarebrokenoffbythewindorbyanimalsthesetollorareblowntoanewlocation.

1.Whichofthefollowingquestionsdoesthepassageanswer?

(A)Wherecantheoldestlichensbefound?(B)Howlongdoesittakeforlichenstoestablishthemselves?(C)Howlargecanlichenshe?(D)Wheredolichensusuallyoccur?

7.Theword"prolonged"inline13isclosestinmeaningto:

(A)precise(B)extended(C)approximate(D)regular

2.Theword"hardiest"inlineIisclosestinmeaningto:

(A)mostunusual(B)mostbasic(C)mostabundant(D)mostvigorous

8.AllofthefollowingarementionedinthediscussionoflichensEXCEPT:

(A)Theyarecapableofproducingtheirownfood.(B)Theyrequirelargeamountsofmineralstoprosper.(C)Theyareaunionoftwoseparateplants.(D)Theycanlivethousandsofyears.

3.Theword"framework"inline5isclosestinmeaningto:

(A)structure(B)fragment(C)condition(D)environment

9.Whatdoesthephrase"lichencolonies(line19)suggest?

(A)Nothingbutlichensliveinsomelocations(B)Manylichenslivetogetherinonearea.(C)Lichensdisplacetheplantsthatsurroundthem.(D)Certaingroupsoflichenshaveneverbeenseparated.

4.Theauthormentions"thegreenfilmofplantlifethatgrowsonstagnantpools"(lines67)inordertoexplain:

(A)howthesunaffectslichens(B)whyplantsdependonwater(C)wherefungibecomealgae(D)whatalgaearc

10.Theword"encounter"inline21isclosestinmeaningto:

(A)lose(B)support(C)meet(D)create

5.Itcanbeinferredfromthepassagethatlichensuselessenergyandgrowmoreslowlywhen:

(A)theenvironmentispolluted(B)theyareexposedtoultravioletrays(C)theyareveryold(D)thesupplyofwaterisinadequate

11.Theword"these"inline24refersto:

(A)partners(B)buds(C)lichens(D)animals

6.Whichoffilefollowingtermsisdefinedinthepassage?

(A)"anchors"(line6)(B)"stagnant"(line7)(C)"dew"(line14.)(D)"ultraviolet"(line16)

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