Reading Practice Set 1

Examining the Problem of Bycatch

1. A topic of increasing relevance to the conservation of marine life is bycatch—fish and other animals that are unintentionally caught in the process of fishing for a targeted population of fish. Bycatch is a common occurrence in longline fishing, which utilizes a long heavy fishing line with baited hooks placed at intervals, and in trawling, which utilizes a fishing net (trawl) that is dragged along the ocean floor or through the mid-ocean waters. Few fisheries employ gear that can catch one species to the exclusion of all others. Dolphins, whales, and turtles are frequently captured in nets set for tunas and billfishes, and seabirds and turtles are caught in longline sets. Because bycatch often goes unreported, it is difficult to accurately estimate its extent. Available data indicate that discarded biomass (organic matter from living things) amounts to 25–30 percent of official catch, or about 30 million metric tons.

2. The bycatch problem is particularly acute when trawl nets with small mesh sizes (smallerthan-average holes in the net material) are dragged along the bottom of the ocean in pursuit of groundfish or shrimp. Because of the small mesh size of the shrimp trawl nets, most of the fishes captured are either juveniles (young), smaller than legal size limits, or undesirable small species. Even larger mesh sizes do not prevent bycatch because once the net begins to fill with fish or shrimp, small individuals caught subsequently are trapped without ever encountering the mesh. In any case, these incidental captures are unmarketable and are usually shoveled back over the side of the vessel dead or dying.

3. The bycatch problem is complicated economically and ecologically. Bycatch is a liability to shrimp fishers, clogging the nets and increasing fuel costs because of increased drag (resistance) on the vessel. Sorting the catch requires time, leading to spoilage of harvested shrimp and reduced time for fishing. Ecologically, high mortality rates among juvenile fishes could contribute to population declines of recreational and commercial species. Evidence to this effect exists for Gulf of Mexico red snapper and Atlantic Coast weakfish. Because the near-shore areas where shrimp concentrate are also important nursery grounds for many fish species, shrimp trawling could have a profound impact on stock size.

4. Once the dead or dying bycatch is returned to the ecosystem, it is consumed by predators, detritivores (organisms that eat dead plant and animal matter), and decomposers (organisms that break down dead or decaying organic matter), which could have a positive effect on sport fish, seabird, crab, and even shrimp populations. Available evidence indicates that 40– 60 percent of the 30 metric tons of catch discarded annually by commercial fishing vessels, and even more of the noncatch waste (organisms killed but never brought to the surface), does not lie unused on the bottom of the sea. It becomes available to midwater and oceanbottom scavengers, transferring material into their food web and making energy available to foragers (organisms that search for food) that is normally tied up in ocean-bottom, deepocean, midwater, and open-ocean species. 

5. Overfishing and overdiscarding may thus contribute to a syndrome known as “fishing down of food webs,” whereby we eliminate apex (top) predators and large species while transforming the ocean into a simplified system increasingly dominated by microbes, jellyfish, ocean-bottom invertebrates, plankton, and planktivores. The strongest evidence for the fishing down phenomenon exists in global catch statistics that show alarming shifts in species composition from high-value, near-bottom species to lower-value, open-ocean species. In the last three decades of the twentieth century, the global fishing fleet doubled in size and technology advanced immeasurably. Despite increased effort and technology, total catch stabilized, but landing rates (rates at which species are caught) of the most valuable species fell by 25 percent.

6. Conservation organizations have condemned the obvious and extreme waste associated with bycatch. Public concern over high mortality rates of endangered marine turtles captured in shrimp trawls led to the development of turtle exclusion devices (TEDs) in the 1980s. TEDs were incorporated into the shrimp net design with the purpose of directing turtles out of nets without unacceptably reducing shrimp catches. Marine engineers and fishers also developed shrimp net designs that incorporate bycatch reduction devices (BRDs), taking advantage of behavioral differences between shrimp and fish, or between different fishes, in order to separate fishes.

Answer the questions below.

1. Why does the author provide the information that “Available data indicate that discarded biomass (organic matter from living things) amounts to 25–30 percent of official catch, or about 30 million metric tons”?




2. According to paragraph 1, which of the following is true about the impact of various methods of fishing on the problem of bycatch?




3. The word “acute” in the passage is closest in meaning to




4. According to paragraph 2, why have larger mesh sizes not provided a practical solution to bycatch in shrimp fishing?




5. According to paragraph 3, which of the following is NOT a problem associated with bycatch in shrimp fishing?




6. According to paragraph 4, how does bycatch sometimes benefit sport fish, seabird, crab, and even shrimp populations?




7. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in paragraph 5? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.




8. What does paragraph 5 suggest is the reason why landing rates of the most valuable species fell 25 percent in the last three decades of the twentieth century?




9. In the paragraph below, there is a missing sentence. Look at the paragraph and indicate (A, B, C and D) where the following sentence could be added to the passage.

Turtles were not the only marine species to benefit from new catch techniques.

Where would the sentence best fit?

Conservation organizations have condemned the obvious and extreme waste associated with bycatch. (A) Public concern over high mortality rates of endangered marine turtles captured in shrimp trawls led to the development of turtle exclusion devices (TEDs) in the 1980s. (B) TEDs were incorporated into the shrimp net design with the purpose of directing turtles out of nets without unacceptably reducing shrimp catches. (C) Marine engineers and fishers also developed shrimp net designs that incorporate bycatch reduction devices (BRDs), taking advantage of behavioral differences between shrimp and fish, or between different fishes, in order to separate fishes. (D)




10. An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the 3 answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. Write the letter of your answer choice.

Many fish and other animals are unintentionally caught during commercial fishing, a problem known as bycatch.    

Answer choices:

(A) Bycatch occurs in both longline fishing and trawling and affects a range of species, although marine engineers have developed net devices that have lessened the problem for some species.

(B) Female fish are especially likely to become bycatch when they are near the ocean bottom spawning their eggs, which decreases the populations of commercially desirable fish such as salmon and tuna.

(C) Trawling with small mesh nets for shrimp results in large amounts of bycatch, especially of small, young, or unwanted species of fish, causing a range of problems for shrimp fishers and the ecosystem.

(D) Efforts are being made to come up with productive uses for bycatch, such as providing food for fish farms or being used in agricultural products such as animal feed and fertilizers.

(E) When bycatch is disposed of in the ocean, the extra food is eaten by predators, detrivores, and decomposers but may ultimately cause the most valuable species to decline.

(F) Much of the equipment designed to prevent bycatch has so far proven to be largely ineffective, with TEDs failing to significantly reduce the number of sea turtles captured in fishing nets.

 

Total Questions: 0

Incorrect Answers: 0

 

Reading Practice Set 2

Ancient Rome and Greece

1. There is a quality of cohesiveness about the Roman world that applied neither to Greece nor perhaps to any other civilization, ancient or modern. Like the stones of a Roman wall, which were held together both by the regularity of the design and by that peculiarly powerful Roman cement, so the various parts of the Roman realm were bonded into a massive, monolithic entity by physical, organizational, and psychological controls. The physical bonds included the network of military garrisons, which were stationed in every province, and the network of stone-built roads that linked the provinces with Rome. The organizational bonds were based on the common principles of law and administration and on the universal army of officials who enforced common standards of conduct. The psychological controls were built on fear and punishment—on the absolute certainty that anyone or anything that threatened the authority of Rome would be utterly destroyed.

2. The source of the Roman obsession with unity and cohesion may well have lain in the pattern of Rome’s early development. Whereas Greece had grown from scores of scattered cities, Rome grew from one single organism. While the Greek world had expanded along the Mediterranean Sea lanes, the Roman world was assembled by territorial conquest. Of course, the contrast is not quite so stark: in Alexander the Great the Greeks had found the greatest territorial conqueror of all time; and the Romans, once they moved outside Italy, did not fail to learn the lessons of sea power. Yet the essential difference is undeniable. The key to the Greek world lay in its high-powered ships; the key to Roman power lay in its marching legions. The Greeks were wedded to the sea; the Romans, to the land. The Greek was a sailor at heart; the Roman, a landsman.

3. Certainly, in trying to explain the Roman phenomenon, one would have to place great emphasis on this almost animal instinct for the territorial imperative. Roman priorities lay in the organization, exploitation, and defense of their territory. In all probability it was the fertile plain of Latium, where the Latins who founded Rome originated, that created the habits and skills of landed settlement, landed property, landed economy, landed administration, and a land-based society. From this arose the Roman genius for military organization and orderly government. In turn, a deep attachment to the land, and to the stability which rural life engenders, fostered the Roman virtues: gravitas, a sense of responsibility, peitas, a sense of devotion to family and country, and iustitia, a sense of the natural order. 

4. Modern attitudes to Roman civilization range from the infinitely impressed to the thoroughly disgusted. As always, there are the power worshippers, especially among historians, who are predisposed to admire whatever is strong, who feel more attracted to the might of Rome than to the subtlety of Greece. At the same time, there is a solid body of opinion that dislikes Rome. For many, Rome is at best the imitator and the continuator of Greece on a larger scale. Greek civilization had quality; Rome, mere quantity. Greece was original; Rome, derivative. Greece had style; Rome had money. Greece was the inventor; Rome, the research and development division. Such indeed was the opinion of some of the more intellectual Romans. “Had the Greeks held novelty in such disdain as we,” asked Horace in his Epistles, “what work of ancient date would now exist?”

5. Rome’s debt to Greece was enormous. The Romans adopted Greek religion and moral philosophy. In literature, Greek writers were consciously used as models by their Latin successors. It was absolutely accepted that an educated Roman should be fluent in Greek. In speculative philosophy and the sciences, the Romans made virtually no advance on early achievements.

6. Yet it would be wrong to suggest that Rome was somehow a junior partner in Greco-Roman civilization. The Roman genius was projected into new spheres— especially into those of law, military organization, administration, and engineering. Moreover, the tensions that arose within the Roman state produced literary and artistic sensibilities of the highest order. It was no accident that many leading Roman soldiers and statesmen were writers of high caliber.

Answer the questions below.

1. According to paragraph 1, all of the following are controls that held together the Roman world EXCEPT




2. According to paragraph 2, which of the following was NOT characteristic of Rome’s early development?




3. Why does the author mention “Alexander the Great” in the passage?




4. The word “fostered” in the passage is closest in meaning to




5. Paragraph 3 suggests which of the following about the people of Latium?




6. Paragraph 4 indicates that some historians admire Roman civilization because of




7. According to paragraph 4, intellectual Romans such as Horace held which of the following opinions about their civilization?




8. Which of the following statements about leading Roman soldiers and statesmen is supported by paragraphs 5 and 6?




9. In the paragraph below, there is a missing sentence. Look at the paragraph and indicate (A, B, C and D) where the following sentence could be added to the passage.

They esteem symbols of Roman power, such as the massive Colosseum.

Where would the sentence best fit?

Modern attitudes to Roman civilization range from the infinitely impressed to the thoroughly disgusted. (A) As always, there are the power worshippers, especially among historians, who are predisposed to admire whatever is strong, who feel more attracted to the might of Rome than to the subtlety of Greece. (B) At the same time, there is a solid body of opinion that dislikes Rome. (C) For many, Rome is at best the imitator and the continuator of Greece on a larger scale. (D) Greek civilization had quality; Rome, mere quantity. Greece was original; Rome, derivative. Greece had style; Rome had money. Greece was the inventor; Rome, the research and development division. Such indeed was the opinion of some of the more intellectual Romans. “Had the Greeks held novelty in such disdain as we,” asked Horace in his Epistles, “what work of ancient date would now exist?”




10. An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the 3 answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. Write the letter of your answer choice.

The Roman world drew its strength from several important sources.   

Answer choices:

A. Numerous controls imposed by Roman rulers held its territory together.

B. The Roman military was organized differently from older military organizations.

C. Romans valued sea power as did the Latins, the original inhabitants of Rome.

D. Roman values were rooted in a strong attachment to the land and the stability of rural life.

E. Rome combined aspects of ancient Greek civilization with its own contributions in new areas.

F. Educated Romans modeled their own literature and philosophy on the ancient Greeks.

 

Total Questions: 0

Incorrect Answers: 0

 

Speaking Practice Task 1

Online or Classroom

State whether you agree or disagree with the following statement. Then explain your reasons, using specific details in your explanation.

Learning through online courses is more effective than learning in the traditional classroom setting.

If this were an actual test question, you would have 15 seconds to prepare and 45 seconds to speak.

Preparation Time: 15 seconds

Response Time: 45 seconds

In this practice test, you may use a timer to practice preparing and giving a response. Record your answer and send it to me for a check. Or Attach your records here.

 

Speaking Practice Task 2

Banning Bicycles

Read the article from a university newspaper. You will have 50 seconds to read the article.

Reading Time: 50 seconds

University to Prohibit Bicycles on Campus

Beginning next semester, the University will not allow the use of bicycles on campus. The campus sidewalks are intended for pedestrians and receive heavy pedestrian traffic. Several minor accidents have resulted from people on bicycles colliding with people walking, and although no one has been seriously hurt, University officials feel that bicycles pose a safety risk. Furthermore, the prohibition of bicycles will not be a problem for students, since the university currently operates a convenient alternative: the free campus bus system, which runs between all campus buildings.

Now listen to a conversation between two students.

 

The woman expresses her opinion of the proposed policy change. State her opinion, and explain the reasons she gives for holding that opinion.

If this were an actual test question, you would have 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak.

Preparation Time: 30 seconds

Response Time: 60 seconds

In this practice test, you may use a timer to practice preparing and giving a response. Record your answer and send it to me for a check. Or Attach your records here.

 

Speaking Practice Task 3

Behavior Modification

Now read the passage from a psychology textbook. You have 45 seconds to read the passage.

Reading Time: 45 seconds

Behavior Modification

Individuals often modify their behavior based on what they have learned about the possible consequences of their actions. When an individual learns through experience that a certain behavior results in pleasant consequences, that behavior is likely to be repeated. An unpleasant consequence, on the other hand, discourages further repetition of the behavior. While behavior modification can be observed in experiments, it also occurs frequently in everyday settings, when individuals change their behavior based on what they have learned about the consequences of that behavior.

Now listen to part of a lecture on the topic in a psychology class.

 

Using the example from the lecture, explain what behavior modification is and how it works.

If this were an actual test question, you would have 30 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak.

Preparation Time: 30 seconds

Response Time: 60 seconds

In this practice test, you may use a timer to practice preparing and giving a response. Record your answer and send it to me for a check. Or Attach your records here.

 

Speaking Practice Task 4

Reliability vs Features

Listen to part of a lecture in a business class.

 

Using points and examples from the lecture, explain the two major factors of product quality and how their role in consumer decision making has changed.

If this were an actual test question, you would have 20 seconds to prepare and 60 seconds to speak.

Preparation Time: 20 seconds

Response Time: 60 seconds

In this practice test, you may use a timer to practice preparing and giving a response. Record your answer and send it to me for a check. Or Attach your records here.

 

Writing Based on Reading and Listening

First, you will read a passage about an academic topic. In the actual test, you will have 3 minutes to read it. Then you will listen to a lecture about the same topic.

When the lecture has ended, you can start writing your response. In the actual test, you will have 20 minutes to write. In your response, provide a detailed summary of the lecture and explain how the lecture relates to the reading passage. While you write, you will be able to see the reading passage again. You should try to make your response as complete as possible using information from the lecture and the reading passage.

Writing Practice Task 1

The Chevalier

Toward the end of his life, the Chevalier de Seingalt (1725−1798) wrote a long memoir recounting his life and adventures. The Chevalier was a somewhat controversial figure, but since he met many famous people, including kings and writers, his memoir has become a valuable historical source about European society in the eighteenth century. However, some critics have raised doubts about the accuracy of the memoir. They claim that the Chevalier distorted or invented many events in the memoir to make his life seem more exciting and glamorous than it really was. For example, in his memoir the Chevalier claims that while living in Switzerland, he was very wealthy, and it is known that he spent a great deal of money there on parties and gambling. However, evidence has recently surfaced that the Chevalier borrowed considerable sums of money from a Swiss merchant. Critics thus argue that if the Chevalier had really been very rich, he would not have needed to borrow money.

Critics are also skeptical about the accuracy of the conversations that the Chevalier records in the memoir between himself and the famous writer Voltaire. No one doubts that the Chevalier and Voltaire met and conversed. However, critics complain that the memoir cannot possibly capture these conversations accurately, because it was written many years after the conversations occurred. Critics point out that it is impossible to remember exact phrases from extended conversations held many years earlier.

Critics have also questioned the memoir’s account of the Chevalier’s escape from a notorious prison in Venice, Italy. He claims to have escaped the Venetian prison by using a piece of metal to make a hole in the ceiling and climbing through the roof. Critics claim that while such a daring escape makes for enjoyable reading, it is more likely that the Chevalier’s jailers were bribed to free him. They point out that the Chevalier had a number of politically well-connected friends in Venice who could have offered a bribe.

Now listen to part of a lecture on the topic you just read about.

 

Read the question below.

You have 20 minutes to plan, write and revise your essay. Typically, an effective response will contain a minimum of 150-225 words.

Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they respond to the specific points made in the reading passage.

Write and send your answer here. 

 

Writing for an Academic Discussion

For this task, you will read an online discussion. A professor has posted a question about a topic, and some classmates have responded with their ideas.

Write a response that contributes to the discussion. In the actual test, you will have 10 minutes to write your response. It is important to use your own words in the response. Including memorized reasons or examples will result in a lower score.

Writing Practice Task 2

Your professor is teaching a class on sociology. Write a post responding to the professor’s question.

In your response you should:

• express and support your opinion

• make a contribution to the discussion

An effective response will contain at least 100 words.

Write and send your answer here. 

Dr. Diaz:

Over the next few weeks, we are going to look at lots of different materials about the role of television programs and television watching in people’s lives. But first, I want to know what you think about this topic. So here’s a question for the class discussion board:

What do you think is the most significant effect that watching television has on people? Why do you think television has this effect?

Kelly:

I know that one way that television influences people’s behavior is that when you are watching television, you are not moving around or exercising. This is especially true for children. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that when children spend a lot of time watching television, they have a greater tendency to be overweight.

Paul:

I think the main effect that television has on people is to broaden their experience. There are so many programs devoted to nature and travel. Think of all the different places in the world you can experience through television! Last night I watched a program about life in Antarctica, and it was fascinating!