閱讀測驗

第35至38題為題組 When did people first experience the joy of the hula hoop? Although the term did not emerge until the 18th century， toy hoops twirled around the waist， limbs， or neck can be traced back to ancient times. As early as 1000 BC， Egyptian children played with hoop toys of dried grapevine. They threw， jumped， and slung them around their bodies as we do today. They also struck them with sticks to roll them down the road. Hoop rolling was also popular in ancient Greece. Their hoops， often made of metal， were not merely toys for Greek children but served as exercise devices as well. In the 14th century， hoops were popular as a form of recreation in Great Britain. The craze for hoops even resulted in dislocated backs and heart attacks， according to medical records. The term hula， however， did not enter the English language until the 1700s， when British sailors first witnessed hula dancing in the Hawaiian Islands. Though no hoops were used， the movements of the ritual dances looked very similar to those in hooping. Thus hula and hoop came together， resulting in the term hula hooping. Hoops spun their way through the cultures of pre-colonial America as well. Often considered as representing the circle of life， hoops featured prominently in the ritual dances of Native Americans. Dancers used small reed hoops as symbolic representations of animals such as eagles or snakes. With very rapid movements， they used the hoops to construct the symbolic forms around their bodies. The hula hoop gained international popularity in the late 1950s， when a plastic version was successfully marketed by California’s Wham-O toy company. Twenty-five million plastic hoops were sold in less than four months. The hula hoop fad is still going strong today. What question does the passage answer? (A) How was the word hula-hooping derived? (B) Why did Wham-O start making hula hoops? (C) Where did Hawaiian hula dancing come from? (D) What was the favorite toy of ancient Egyptian kids?

第35至38題為題組
Which of the following statements is true about use of the hoop in history?
(A) The British used it for medical purposes.
(B) Native Americans used it to train animals.
(C) Ancient Greeks used it as a tool for workout.
(D) Hawaiian dancers used it to represent the circle of life.

第35至38題為題組
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a way of enjoying hula hoop fun?
(A) Striking.
(B) Twirling.
(C) Spinning.
(D) Kicking.

第35至38題為題組
According to the passage， what materials have been used for making hoops?
(A) reed， grapevine， bamboo， plastic
(B) reed， grapevine， plastic， metal
(C) reed， bamboo， plastic， animal skin
(D) grapevine， plastic， metal， animal skin

第39至42題為題組
When you enjoy your morning cup of tea， you are probably not aware that those tea leaves can mean injury， or even death， for Asian elephants roaming Indian tea gardens.

In the Indian state of Assam， growing numbers of tea farms are destroying the Asian elephant’s habitats and endangering their population. Much of the forest land where tea is grown in Assam is flat and thus farmers must dig drainage trenches to prevent water from accumulating and hurting the shrubs. The trenches， however， can be death traps for the elephants. Since the elephants need to use tea plantations as landmarks when navigating forests， they almost inevitably have to move through the farms. Moreover， because there are fewer humans around， pregnant females often use tea-growing areas as safe shelters to give birth. But baby elephants， not used to negotiating rough ground， may easily fall into the trenches and get hurt; and once injured， they might not be able to climb out. When mothers try to dig their babies out， both may be trapped and smothered by thick mud. Furthermore， elephants are known to resist leaving their sick or dying behind， and a herd may linger at a trench with a trapped baby for hours， reluctant to move on until all hope is lost.

Is it possible for elephants to coexist with the prosperous tea business? Elephant Friendly Tea is an organization that takes the initiative to make it possible. The organization encourages consumers to choose brands that take precautions to protect elephants and has set up a certification program to reward tea growers who are doing it right. Until now， only smaller tea brands have been certified， but awareness is growing. The organization believes that people may be motivated to buy elephant-friendly brands when they know more about the risk tea can pose to these endangered animals.
Why do farmers in Assam dig trenches in tea gardens?
(A) To protect tea trees.
(B) To trap elephants.
(C) To expand tea farms.
(D) To mark boundaries of tea gardens.

第39至42題為題組
Why are baby elephants easily injured in the Assam tea gardens according to the passage?
(A) They cannot find a safe shelter when climbing out of the trenches.
(B) They cannot locate the landmarks while trying to navigate forests.
(C) They are trapped by the sharp branches of the tea trees.
(D) They have difficulties moving around the uneven fields.

第39至42題為題組
Which of the following statements about elephants and the tea gardens is true according to the passage?
(A) The elephants use the trenches to roam around the tea gardens.
(B) The fast growth of the tea gardens destroys the elephants’ food source.
(C) Elephants are unwilling to leave their injured members behind in the tea gardens.
(D) Pregnant elephants avoid delivering babies in the tea gardens for fear of being disturbed.

第39至42題為題組
What does “it” in the last paragraph refer to?
(A) To certify elephant-friendly trenches and organizations.
(B) To reward tea growers for protecting the environment.
(C) To encourage consumers to choose high-quality brands.
(D) To create a win-win situation for elephants and tea farms.

第43至46題為題組
Situated off the coast of Tanzania and washed by the warm， clean waters of the Indian Ocean， Zanzibar is a tropical archipelago comprised of several scattered islands. This popular beach destination is now famous for its white sand beaches， slender palms， and turquoise seas. But few people know that in the past， control of Zanzibar meant access to unimaginable wealth.

From ancient times， Zanzibar has been a trading hotspot， thanks to its location on the trade route between Arabia and Africa. Traders from Asia had already visited the islands 900 years before the arrival of its first permanent settlers from the African mainland (around 1000 AD). In the 8th century， Persian merchants built settlements here， which grew over the next four centuries into their trading posts. Between the 12th and 15th centuries， trade increased between Arabia， Persia， and Zanzibar， bringing the archipelago both wealth and power.

During the Age of Exploration， commerce in Zanzibar quickly boomed， largely due to the rise of the spice trade. At the close of the 15th century， Europeans’ craze for spices gave rise to the Spice Route， a network of sea lanes joining Europe with the Far East， where most spices came from. In 1498， Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama made the first sea voyage to India， via the southernmost tip of Africa. In 1499， he arrived at Zanzibar， an archipelago sitting at the crossroads of the Spice Route. The islands soon attracted traders from different lands. Hundreds of ships sailing the Spice Route docked here， bringing spices and goods for transaction， and Zanzibar became one of the biggest trading centers in the world.

Since the 16th century， Zanzibar has come under the rule of the Portuguese， the Arabians， and then the British， each leaving a mark on the place. The paths of various religions also crossed here: Muslims have lived peacefully with Christians and Buddhists on the islands for centuries. The unique cultural intersections， scented with the aroma of cloves， vanilla， and cinnamon floating in the air， give these jewels on the Indian Ocean an amazing charm that goes far beyond tropical beach fun.
Which of the following is true about the earliest traders in Zanzibar?
(A) The earliest traders arrived around 900 AD.
(B) Most of the earliest merchants came from Africa.
(C) Asian merchants arrived centuries before the African settlers.
(D) Traders from Persia settled down permanently around 1000 AD.