reading sample test (2004)ˆ’1 *note: the statistics included for all 40 items are representative...
TRANSCRIPT
−4
MINNESOTA BASIC SKILLS TEST
Sample Test (2004)
READING
STUDENT NAME:
� Minnesota Department of EducationRoseville, MN 55113−4266
−3
E F G H
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
EXAMPLE:
MINNESOTABASIC SKILLS TEST
SAMPLE TESTMATHEMATICS SECTION
A B C D
1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.
10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
20.21.22.23.24.25.26.27.28.29.30.31.32.33.34.35.36.37.38.
A B C D
E F G H
E F G H
A B C D
39.40.41.42.43.44.45.46.47.48.49.50.51.52.53.54.55.56.57.
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
58.59.60.61.62.63.64.65.66.67.68.69.70.71.72.73.74.75.
E F G H
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
READING SECTION
1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.
10.
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18.19.20.
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
21.22.23.24.25.26.27.28.29.30.
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
31.32.33.34.35.36.37.38.39.40.
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
E F G H
A B C D
State of Minnesota� Copyright Minnesota Department of
EducationRoseville, MN 55113−4288
EXAMPLE: A B C
A B C D A B C D
A B C D
D
−2
Directory of Test Specifications*
MN BST Reading Sample Test
ItemSequence Skill Level
Representati-veP−Value
Representative Pt.−Biserial Corr. Answer Key
001 L 82 .45 4002 I 91 .49 1003 L 93 .35 3004 I 81 .42 3005 I 77 .35 4006 I 80 .46 4007 L 91 .41 2008 L 86 .42 4009 L 93 .40 1010 I 80 .52 4011 I 79 .48 3012 I 78 .49 2013 I 87 .23 2014 L 90 .50 3015 L 95 .43 1016 I 88 .54 4017 L 73 .53 3018 I 76 .51 4019 I 83 .44 1020 L 89 .50 1021 L 78 .42 3022 I 84 .53 1023 L 90 .37 1024 L 87 .40 1025 L 88 .42 1026 L 95 .36 1027 I 91 .43 1028 I 84 .39 4029 L 91 .32 1030 L 75 .45 4031 L 67 .41 1032 L 91 .48 3033 L 95 .43 1034 L 93 .39 4035 L 94 .38 2036 I 93 .42 1037 I 63 .41 2038 L 90 .45 1039 I 72 .41 3040 L 65 .35 3
−1
*Note: The statistics included for all 40 items are representative of an actual BST form. A student’s score can be thought tobe representative of their expected performance on this test, but is not necessarily a reliable predictor of their actualperformance under standardized conditions. Some items on this form have been edited to reflect current style and standards.Skill Level:L=Literal Comprehension.Literal items require a student to choose an answer that is explicitly stated in the text or is expressed in words slightlydifferent from the text.I=Inferential Comprehension.Inference items require the student to understand an idea that is not explicitly stated in the text. The reader must infer theanswerer.Representative P−Value:The p−value is the percent of students who respond correctly to the test item when it was administered as part of anembedded field test. A p−value of 0.67 would mean that 67% of all students answered this question correctly. Higherp−values signify easier items; lower p−values would indicate more difficult items.Representative Point−biserial Correlation:The point−biserial correlation is an index of the item’s effectiveness at distinguishing between high− and lowscoring students. The expec-tation is high scorers will get an answer right and low scorers will get an answer wrong. If an item perfectly discriminates between thetwo groups, all the high−scorers would answer the item correctly, all the lowscorers would answer incorrectly, and the point−biserialwould be 1.00. If all the low scorers answered correctly and thehigh scorers answered incorrectly, the point−biserial would be −1.00.
0
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
�Children Feeling the Pain from Heavy Computer Use" reprinted with the
permission of Newhouse News Service.
�Capturing a Town’s History" reprinted with the permission of Duluth
News Tribune.
�Giant Pandas to Live in Refurbished Habitat" from National Zoological Park �
2004 Smithsonian Institution. Reprinted with permission.
�Loon Finds New Home" reprinted with the permission of Duluth News Tribune.
�Blue Skies Ahead" from Newsweek Nov. 23, 1998 � 1998 Newsweek, Inc. All rights
reserved. Used by permission and protected by the copyright laws of the United
States. The laws prohibit any copying, redistribution or retransmission of this
material without express written permission from Newsweek.
1
GENERAL DIRECTIONS
1. Follow along as the directions are read to you.
2. The questions in this book are followed by four suggested answers. For each
question, you should choose the one answer that you think is the best and then fill
in the circle for that answer ON YOUR ANSWER DOCUMENT.
Example:
Which of these words means the same as begin?
A. End
B. Start
C. Read
D. Work
Since the word start means the same as the word begin, B is the answer. You will
notice that the �B" circle has been darkened in the box labeled �Example" on your
answer document.
3. When you are marking your answers, fill in only one circle on your answer
document for each question. Make heavy marks that fill the entire circle. If you
change an answer, be sure to erase the first answer completely.
4. You will be reading passages and answering questions about each passage.
5. This is not a timed test. You will be given all the time you need.
2
By Robin Gaby Fisher
Chris Quackenbush is
15 years old, but some
days his back feels 40.
He recently began
noticing a pain in his
right shoulder, and he
keeps squeeze toys in his
bedroom to ease his achy
hands.
A high-school
sophomore who spends
three hours a day surfing
the Internet and
e-mailing friends from his
New Jersey home,
Quackenbush suspects
the computer is the
culprit.
Smart kid.
Repetitive stress
injuries are epidemic
among American
adults�from 13 million to
20 million are affected,
according to the National
Academy of Sciences.
Carpal tunnel syndrome
and related injuries
caused by repetitive hand
motions are the leading
workplace occupational
hazard.
Now, emerging
research suggests
students are susceptible
to the same debilitating
computer-related injuries
plaguing their parents.
The difference is, no
one is paying attention
to them.
Physicians, physical
therapists and
chiropractors report the
patients complaining of
back, neck and wrist pain
are getting younger by
the day.
�I am seeing a
significant number of
people in their 20s with
these disorders," said Dr.
Patrick Foye, an assistant
professor of medicine and
rehabilitation at the New
Jersey Medical School in
Newark.
�This is a cumulative
disorder, so these injuries
began when these people
were adolescents�10 or
12 years old."
Studies show that
children are using
computers at younger and
younger ages, and for
longer and longer periods
of time.
Yet they are not being
taught proper computer
posture, nor are they
furnished with
ergonomically healthy
work stations, experts say.
Judi Sheppard
Missett, a national fitness
expert from Carlsbad,
Calif., says if attitudes
don’t change, and fast, �I
fear that we’ll end up in a
few years with a bunch of
young people that are
very crippled because of
this."
The scenes play out in
homes and classrooms
everywhere: students
slumping in chairs in
front of home computers
designed for their
parents, or hunched over
poorly arranged computer
monitors at school.
Nearly 70 percent of
the country’s 30 million
elementary school
students use computers in
school, and former
President Clinton pushed
for a computer in every
classroom by 2000.
Children Feeling the Pain fromHeavy Computer Use
3
�Yet no one is giving a
second thought to
ergonomics in schools,"
said Alan Hedge, a
Cornell University
ergonomics expert who
supervised a pair of
pioneering studies on the
subject last spring.
The neglect is not
intentional.
Lisa Quackenbush,
Chris’s mother, is an
elementary school teacher
and president of the
Westfield High School
Parent Teacher
Organization.
�It never occurred to
me that Chris’s back pain
could be from sitting at
the computer�I thought
he was too young," she
said.
The Cornell studies
suggest that many
educators are in the dark.
Said Hedge, a
professor in Cornell’s
Department of Design
and Environmental
Analysis in Ithaca, N.Y.:
�The immediate reaction
to our study was, ‘What is
the purpose of this?
There’s no evidence that
children are suffering
from carpal tunnel
syndrome.’ That’s a silly
statement. We know it
takes five to 10 years
before these injuries
develop. That’s why we’re
seeing more and more
university and college-age
students developing
these problems."
The Cornell
researchers observed
third- through
eighth-grade students at
11 urban, suburban and
rural schools in New York
and Michigan.
They discovered a
�striking misfit between
the work station facilities
and ergonomic
requirements for
children," the study says.
�We found the
students tended to work
in high injury-risk
postures, and that the
furniture at the schools
was not appropriate for
children," Hedge said.
None of the students
scored within acceptable
levels for satisfactory
posture. All of the
keyboards were higher
than proper levels.
Hedge isn’t sure what
troubles him more: �That
we are breeding a whole
generation of students
who will suffer these
lifelong, very debilitating
injuries at a younger age
than ever before."
Or that schools�his
own university included
�don’t seem to get it.
�We must try to raise
awareness that this is an
issue that needs to be
looked at in the way
companies wished they
had looked at it years
ago," the professor said.
4
1. � ‘This is a cumulative disorder,
so these injuries began when
these people were adolescents�
10 or 12 years old.’ "
In this sentence, the word
cumulative means
A. becomes less severe.
B. is uncomfortable only at first.
C. is hard to identify.
D. increases over time.
2. Why aren’t more parents and
teachers helping children avoid
the injuries described in
the article?
E. They are not aware of
the problem.
F. The problem would be
expensive to fix.
G. The problem is rare.
H. No one knows how to fix
the problem.
3. According to the article, how
long does it take for carpal
tunnel syndrome to develop?
A. Less than 1 year
B. 2 to 4 years
C. 5 to 10 years
D. Approximately 15 years
4. Which is a statement of
OPINION from the article?
E. �[Chris Quackenbush] recently
began noticing a pain in his
right shoulder. ... "
F. � ... From 13 million to
20 million [adults] are affected
[by repetitive stress
injuries]. ... "
G. � ‘ ... We’ll end up in a few years
with ... young people that are
very crippled. ... ’ "
H. Students use home computers
and work stations designed
for adults.
5
5. After reading the article, you
can conclude that
A. children will soon stop using
computers in school.
B. use of computers will
soon decrease.
C. all schools will quickly install
work stations designed
for children.
D. computer-related injuries will
continue to occur at earlier and
earlier ages.
6. The author of the article MOST
LIKELY believes that
E. Chris Quackenbush should
spend less time at
the computer.
F. computers should not be used
in schools.
G. Lisa Quackenbush is
responsible for Chris’s injury.
H. computer work stations should
be specially designed for
children.
7. The MAIN idea of the article is
that computer-related stress
injuries
A. are common in adults.
B. can begin in childhood.
C. are painful.
D. can be treated easily.
6
By Steve Kuchera
As Lori Trifilette drove
around Oliver, her friend
Karen Rep pointed out
historical spots and
talked of their town’s
past.
�We love the town,"
Trifilette commented
during a pause in Rep’s
narration.
They love it so much
that the women are
producing a video
capturing the history and
feel of their adopted
hometown.
It’s an ambitious goal
for two people with little
video experience.
�I own a camera, and
I’m not afraid to try
things," Rep explained.
Trifilette and Rep grew
up together in Superior’s
East End. Trifilette has
lived in Oliver eight
years; Rep for one. Last
year, they decided to
make the video after
attending a town meeting
where people talked about
their visions for the
community.
One idea was
recording the village’s
history.
�I bit on the history
idea," Trifilette said.
The two women are
busy gathering
material�old photos and
maps, the history of the
Native Americans who
were here and the settlers
who replaced them.
They’re screening old
home movies for scenes to
include in the video.
They’re trying to discover
footage rumored to exist
of the 1910 opening of the
Oliver Bridge.
Perhaps the most
exciting finds are the
tales of early settlers and
their descendants.
�There were a lot of
interesting settlers whose
families are still here,"
Rep said. �Everyone has
their own story on how
they came here."
Like the woman who
came here as a price
bride�her hand-in-
marriage sold for $10 by
her father.
Another tale is about
Vincent Carr, who in the
early years of this century
plowed all the garden
plots around town with
his horse.
�It just shows how
everyone helped
everyone," Rep said.
The two plan an
exhibit in the village hall
of the historical photos
they’re collecting. Later
this year they’ll examine
everything they’ve
gathered and begin
editing it into an
hour-long video with help
from PACT Duluth-
Superior, public access
cable television.
�I hope we can
complete it this year, but
we’re not sure we will,"
Trifilette said.
After finishing their
video, Trifilette and Rep
plan to show it at the
village hall, on public
access television and to
school groups.
�We want to let
children know the values
that were here," Rep said.
The women hope the
video will help give
newcomers a greater
appreciation for the
village, and perhaps
inspire people to help
preserve relics of the
community’s history such
as the old village hall.
Capturing a Town’s History
7
8. The article is MOSTLY about
E. the history of the Native
Americans who lived in Oliver.
F. the opening of the Oliver
Bridge.
G. people’s visions for the
community of Oliver.
H. two women who are making a
video about Oliver’s history.
9. Why did Lori and Karen decide
to produce a video?
A. They want to preserve their
community’s history.
B. They want to produce TV
videos.
C. They want to exhibit in the
village hall.
D. They want more garden plots
in Oliver.
10. Which is a statement of FACT
from the article?
E. The tales of the early settlers in
Oliver are the most exciting.
F. Children should know the
values of the early community
of Oliver.
G. The video will give newcomers
a greater appreciation for
Oliver.
H. A woman came to Oliver as a
price bride.
11. Why are Lori and Karen
screening old home movies to
include in their video?
A. They want to show what people
were wearing in those days.
B. They want to show the opening
of the Oliver Town Hall.
C. They want to show the opening
of the Oliver Bridge.
D. They want to show the early
garden plots in Oliver.
8
12. The author would MOST LIKELY
agree that Karen and Lori are
E. highly skilled.
F. enthusiastic.
G. conceited.
H. incapable.
13. The author would PROBABLY
agree that the effort of Lori
Trifilette and Karen Rep is
A. not historically accurate.
B. helpful to the community.
C. worth copying in every town.
D. selfish.
14. From the information in the
article, you can conclude that a
price bride was a woman who
E. had an expensive wedding.
F. bargained for her wedding
gown.
G. was sold to a groom.
H. married a wealthy man.
9
Giant Pandas to Live inRefurbished Habitat
When giant pandas
Tian Tian and Mei Xiang
take up residence at the
Smithsonian’s National
Zoo, they will live in a
newly renovated Panda
House with exhibits
simulating their native
Chinese habitats. The
renovation to the Panda
House cost $1.8 million.
The two refurbished
outdoor exhibits feature
new rock and tree
structures for the giant
pandas to climb on, sand
wallows for them to roll
and �bathe" in and several
�micro-climates."
The renovations to the
17,500-square-foot
exterior areas include an
air-cooled grotto and a
water-cooled grotto.
Constructed of natural
and imitation rock, each
grotto resembles a
shallow open cave�8 feet
wide, 4 feet deep and
5 feet tall�within a
natural rock outcropping.
Since giant pandas do
not like to be outside in
hot, humid weather, the
grottoes�where
temperatures will not
exceed 80 degrees�
provide an outdoor retreat
from the heat. There will
be mist and fog areas
outdoors. A grove of trees,
including Sichuan species
of firs, hemlocks and
shrubs, along with
Chinese red cedars and
dawn redwoods, provide
shade.
Zoo officials hope these
improvements will allow
the pandas to venture
outside as many days of
the year as possible. The
improvements are also
part of the zoo’s extensive
research into the science
of keeping and breeding
giant pandas. A network
of video cameras and
motion detectors will
provide zoo biologists with
round-the-clock records of
where the animals choose
to spend their time.
The exhibits also
feature two shallow ponds
and two sand wallows.
Natural climbing
structures made from
dead trees and large rocks
will give the animals the
opportunity to climb and
exercise. The two outdoor
exhibits are connected.
The dividing structure
contains mesh windows,
which allow for social
interaction when the
pandas choose to be
physically separated.
The Panda House
interior consists of three
rectangular enclosures.
Each is glass-fronted
and measures about
25 feet by 30 feet. All of
these enclosures will have
simulated rockwork and
pools for resting,
climbing, feeding and
bathing. Each exhibit
enclosure has an attached
sleeping den that
measures 10 feet by
12 feet. The indoor area is
climate-controlled.
Cameras mounted in the
enclosures will allow
remote observation of
the animals.
10
The interior spaces
feature hand-painted
panoramic murals
portraying the
mountainous Sichuan
Province. The Panda
House also provides
educational interpretation
for visitors. Text panels
will address such topics
as giant pandas in China,
zoo pandas, panda
adaptations to eating
bamboo, panda
reproductive biology,
behavior, conservation,
and the history of the
National Zoo’s first pair of
giant pandas, Ling-Ling
and Hsing-Hsing.
A gently sloping
wooden walkway will lead
visitors from the Panda
House to the outdoor
giant panda habitats.
Public viewing is from a
curved exterior pathway
as well as from the roof of
the Panda House. There
will be a platform from
which a volunteer can
address the public.
The Panda House
opened in 1972. It housed
Ling-Ling until her death
at 23 in 1992 and
Hsing-Hsing until his
death at 28 in 1999.
These giant pandas were
given to the United States
by the People’s Republic
of China in 1972.
11
15. By using cameras and motion
detectors, scientists hope to
find out
A. where pandas like to spend
their time.
B. what pandas like to eat.
C. how long pandas live.
D. why pandas do not like to
exercise.
16. Which of these features of the
renovated Panda House is
designed primarily for the
visitors rather than the pandas?
E. The grottoes
F. The ponds
G. The grove of trees
H. Text panels
17. The article is MOSTLY
about how
A. pandas live in their
natural habitat.
B. a pair of pandas from China
came to the National Zoo.
C. a zoo created a new setting for
its pandas.
D. visitors can view pandas
without disturbing them.
18. What is the author’s purpose in
writing the article?
E. To persuade people to visit the
new panda exhibit
F. To convince people to donate
money to the National Zoo
G. To explain recent scientific
discoveries about pandas
H. To describe the new panda
exhibit at the National Zoo
19. What was one problem facing
the designers of the new
enclosure?
A. Pandas do not like hot weather.
B. Pandas need to swim every day.
C. Pandas should blend in with
their background.
D. Pandas do not like to be
separated.
20. Scientists will be recording the
pandas’ preferences so that the
zoo can
E. learn more about keeping and
breeding pandas.
F. attract more visitors to see
the pandas.
G. get funding for its
research projects.
H. obtain additional pandas
from China.
12
21. The trees in the habitat are
designed to
A. produce food for the pandas.
B. give the pandas a place to hide
from visitors.
C. provide shade for the pandas.
D. give the pandas a place
to wallow.
22. Which of the following features
of the enclosures is NOT
designed MAINLY to help keep
the pandas cool?
E. Natural climbing structures
F. The mist area
G. The grottoes
H. The grove of trees
13
By Craig Lincoln
On the Fourth of July,
two wildlife
photographers found a
new life for an orphaned
loon chick they had been
trying to save for nearly
a week.
The successful
adoption came after
several false starts and
with a lot of help from
people in the Ely area�
who looked for loon
families that might take
the chick�and after
advice from two loon
researchers working in
the Ely area.
�The loon researchers,
after the fact, said they
just never expected (an
adoption)," said Jim
Brandenburg, one of the
photographers. �Nature
always surprises us.
Sometimes naive
intentions will fool even
the most studious and
cautious of scientists."
The tale came to a
happy ending, which
doesn’t always happen
when wildlife gets into
trouble. The
photographers made some
right choices�including
contacting wildlife
officials and getting help
from scientists�and were
aware of the potential
dangers of dealing with a
wild animal.
The chick came from a
loon family Brandenburg
and fellow photographer
Richard Simonsen had
been photographing for
years. Its father died June
28 after a motorboat ran
over it on Moose Lake.
A few days later, other
males started swimming
to its mother’s territory,
appearing to show
interest in her.
One of the males, who
was swimming circles
with the female, dived
and exploded [rose up]
into the chick. It was
thrown into the air. Later
in the day, after Simonsen
took it and revived it, the
same thing happened.
Ted Gostomski, Loon
Watch coordinator for
Northland College in
Ashland, said attacks on
chicks by males aren’t
uncommon. It usually
happens when birds
invade another loon’s
territory.
Whatever the cause,
the two photographers
captured the chick again
and then contacted the
Minnesota Department of
Natural Resources and
two loon researchers from
the University of
Minnesota as they started
to work on saving it.
Their first attempts
were unsuccessful
because loon pairs ignored
the chick. The
photographers broadcast
pleas on WELY AM 1450
and FM 92.5 asking if
anyone knew of a loon
family that had lost a nest
or one of its chicks.
They got a call late
last week about a nesting
pair with a similar sized
chick and went to a lake
with the chick on
Saturday.
The orphaned chick
chirped. The adult called
back. When the men
released the chick, it
swam to the adult loon.
Another loon came flying
in, warbling. It landed
and swam to the chick.
Then the adults started
feeding the chick.
Loon Finds New Home
14
�So there was a family
of four," Brandenburg
said. �We left with lumps
in our throats."
A sentimental end to a
wildlife rescue story isn’t
common. Wild animals die
when they get into
trouble, no matter what
the cause. And sometimes
people can cause more
problems than they solve.
It’s not unusual, for
example, for loons to leave
their chicks alone after
four weeks, Gostomski
said. They’re actually
weaning the chicks.
�A lot of times people
picking up the bird will do
more harm than good,"
he said.
And Brandenburg
pointed out that adult
loons have sharp beaks
and strong necks to
capture fish. They can
severely injure people.
Brandenburg and
Simonsen realize their
situation was unusual.
�Most of the time, it’s
not a good ending,"
Brandenburg said.
15
23. The reason the article was
written was to tell how
A. wildlife photographers saved
an orphaned loon.
B. boaters can avoid disturbing
native birds.
C. zoo workers move animals into
new exhibits.
D. nature photographers take
pictures.
24. �A sentimental end to a wildlife
rescue story isn’t common."
In this sentence, sentimental
means
E. touching, emotional.
F. amusing.
G. exciting, thrilling.
H. familiar.
25. Why was the chick in the
article attacked?
A. Another male had come into
its territory.
B. It had been moved to another
nesting area.
C. It was much smaller than other
loons in the area.
D. Another animal wanted its
food.
26. What should people do if they
encounter an injured bird in
the wild?
E. They should contact
wildlife officials.
F. They should take a photograph.
G. They should try to find the
bird’s nest.
H. They should cover the bird to
protect themselves.
16
27. How did the loon researchers
PROBABLY react to the
successful adoption of the
loon chick?
A. They were not expecting it.
B. They were not impressed.
C. They thought the
photographers were reckless.
D. They thought it was a waste
of time.
28. What happened to the loon
family that put the chick at risk?
E. The mother swam away with
another male.
F. The father swam away with
another female.
G. The mother was killed by
a hunter.
H. The father was killed by
a motorboat.
29. How many loons were in the
new family?
A. Four
B. Three
C. Five
D. Two
30. Which statement about male
loons is NOT true?
E. � ... Loons have sharp beaks
and strong necks to capture
fish."
F. If picked up, �they can severely
injure people."
G. They can severely injure
loon chicks.
H. They show interest in female
loons by flying around them.
17
31. What is the MAIN idea of
the article?
A. An attempted wildlife rescue
has an uncommonly happy
ending.
B. It’s not difficult to get loon
families to adopt a loon
baby chick.
C. There are potential dangers in
dealing with a wild animal.
D. Attacks on loon chicks by male
loons aren’t uncommon.
32. How did the photographers find
the loon family that adopted
the chick?
E. The loon researchers from the
University of Minnesota knew
where a loon family was
located.
F. The Minnesota Department of
Natural Resources directed
them to a family.
G. Someone responded to the
pleas they broadcast on the
local AM and FM stations
asking if anyone knew about a
loon family.
H. They hiked around the
wetlands of Ely looking for a
loon family that had lost a nest.
33. Loons are considered dangerous
because they have
A. sharp beaks.
B. large eyes.
C. great speed.
D. strong claws.
18
By Thomas Hayden
Salt Lake City is
stunning in the winter,
with beautiful mountain
scenery and plenty of
fresh, crisp air.
Summertime, however,
can be another story. The
hot desert sun beats down
onto the city, baking the
residents in 100-degree-
plus temperatures and
fueling the chemical
reactions that make toxic
smog. As air quality
deteriorates in Salt Lake
and other booming cities,
planners and citizens’
groups are looking for
ways to keep their blue
skies from turning brown.
The problem is
something called an
urban heat island�the
pocket of hot, rank air
that settles over a city
like a brooding hen on a
clutch of eggs. From
Shanghai to Salt Lake,
summertime in the city is
hotter, by as much as
5 degrees, than
summertime in the
suburbs. The same sun
shines on town and
country, but city streets
and buildings soak up
heat. In the country, trees
provide cooling shade, and
water evaporating from
leaves cools the air�you
never hear anyone saying
that it’s hot enough to fry
an egg on the mountain
ash1.
Urban heat causes
bigger problems than
sweat stains and short
tempers. Smog is the
result of chemical
reactions in the air, and
higher temperatures
mean faster chemistry.
Hashem Akbari, a
scientist at the Lawrence
Berkeley National
Laboratory who
specializes in �cool
communities" technology,
estimates that on summer
days, a 1-degree
temperature increase
boosts the smog risk in
Los Angeles�always a
handy case study when it
comes to air-quality
issues�by 5 percent.
That smog, especially its
toxic components like
ozone, can irritate eyes,
trigger asthma attacks
and cause permanent
lung damage. Higher
temps mean more air
conditioners, too. A
1-degree rise in
temperature can mean a
2 percent increase in the
demand for cooling power.
That might not sound like
much, but over a year,
says Akbari, it can
translate into $25 million
worth of electricity in
L.A. alone.
Salt Lake City is no
L.A.�yet�but with
extra−wide boulevards
and acres of pitch-black
roofs, the Utah capital
seems almost designed to
develop a world-class heat
island. Temperatures on
those roofs, like the
brand-new state court
building downtown, can
get up to 150 degrees in
July and August, enough
to heat whole
neighborhoods. Not so for
the new R.C. Willey
furniture warehouse, out
by the airport. The vast
865,000-square-foot
building’s roof is white, so
the heat bounces back up
into the air and the
building and the city
stay cooler.
Blue Skies Ahead:Hot Ways to Cool Down Our Cities
1 mountain ash�a type of tree
19
�I’ve been up on it plenty
of times," says R.C.
Willey’s vice president of
operations, Doug Bruner.
�It doesn’t come up and
just drill you with the
heat like the black ones
do." A cooler roof has
meant substantially lower
air-conditioning costs, too.
Can something so
simple actually make a
difference? Jeff Luvall
and Dale Quattrochi of
NASA’s Marshall Space
Flight Center think so.
They’re using a Learjet
and a heat-sensing
system to pinpoint
problem areas in four
cities that bake in the
summer�Atlanta; Baton
Rouge, La.; Sacramento,
Calif., and Salt Lake. In a
recent mapping run over
Salt Lake, the city’s
streets and black roofs
stood out as major
offenders. The R.C. Willey
building, by contrast, was
almost invisible to the
heat sensor. And one
short stretch of roadway
showed that there’s hope
for the streets, too. A
grassy, tree-lined median
was added to three blocks
of a major street recently.
Those blocks stood out as
an island of cool green
among a sea of red-hot
streets on the map. By
planting trees along hot
streets and replacing
black roofs with white,
Luvall and Quattrochi
hope that cooling can be
achieved without
whitewashing
whole neighborhoods.
A simulation done by
Akbari’s research group
indicated that a 4-degree
drop in summer
temperatures could be
achieved in L.A. by
planting trees over
5 percent of the city’s
area�about 10 million
trees�and replacing dark
roofs and blacktop with
lighter−colored materials.
That drop in temperature
would result in a
10 percent drop in ozone
levels, and conserve up to
$175 million in cooling
costs. A more aggressive
program could have an
even greater impact.
�Cooling Los Angeles by
4 degrees," says Akbari,
�would have the same
magnitude effect [on
smog] as turning all of the
on-road vehicles into
electric cars. This is so
huge, nothing else
compares."
20
34. One of the effects of smog
mentioned in the article is
E. headaches.
F. skin irritations.
G. heart attacks.
H. lung damage.
35. When the temperature in a city
rises one degree, the demand for
cooling power rises
A. 1 percent.
B. 2 percent.
C. 3 percent.
D. 4 percent.
36. Why is the R.C. Willey furniture
warehouse in Salt Lake City so
much cooler than other
buildings of its size?
E. It has a white roof.
F. It is surrounded by trees.
G. The windows have tinted glass.
H. The walls are made of stone.
37. The author’s attitude toward the
changes suggested in the article
can BEST be described as
A. suspicious.
B. approving.
C. annoyed.
D. amused.
38. NASA’s Marshall Space Flight
Center pinpointed problem
areas in four major cities by
E. flying overhead with a
heat sensor.
F. measuring the amount of
electricity used.
G. interviewing local residents.
H. counting the number of trees.
STOPThis is the end
of the test.
21
39. Which is a statement of
OPINION from the article?
A. �Higher temps mean more air
conditioners, too."
B. �The same sun shines on town
and country. ... "
C. � ... The Utah capital seems
almost designed to develop a
world-class heat island."
D. � ... Planners ... are looking for
ways to keep their blue skies
from turning brown."
40. The article is MAINLY about
E. the smog problem in Salt Lake
City and Los Angeles.
F. the need to use less air
conditioning in cities.
G. simple methods for reducing
summer heat in cities.
H. current plans to reduce the
number of buildings in cities.