CSR Reading Comprehension Practice Test 2

The Sami are an indigenous people living in the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia’s Kola Peninsula. Originally, the Sami religion was animistic; that is, for them, nature and natural objects had a conscious life, a spirit. Therefore, one was expected to move quietly in the wilderness and avoid making a disturbance out of courtesy to these spirits. Genghis Khan is said to have declared that the Sami were one people he would never try to fight again. Because the Sami were not warriors and did not believe in war, they simply disappeared in times of conflict. They were known as “peaceful retreaters.”

Based on the tone of the passage, which of the following words best describes the author’s attitude toward the Sami people?

The closest meaning of the underlined word animistic, as it is used in the passage, is

What is the meaning of the underlined word courtesy as it is used in the passage?

Rhesus monkeys use facial expressions to communicate with each other and to enforce social order. For example, the “fear grimace,” although it looks ferocious, is actually given by a __________ monkey who is intimidated by a __________ member of the group.

What is the meaning of the underlined word grimace as it is used in the passage?

Which pair of words, if inserted into the blanks in sequence, makes the most sense in the context of the passage?

What is the most likely meaning of the underlined word debris as it is used in this passage?

The underlined word atrophy, as used in the paragraph, most nearly means

Most of the women in the orchestra wore conventional black skirts and white shirts during concerts and had their hair neatly pulled back. Robin, with her brightly color clothing and unusual hairstyles, was considered quite eccentric.

What is the meaning of the underlined word eccentric as it is used in the sentence?

The term spices is a pleasant one, whether it connotes fine French cuisine or a down-home, cinnamon-flavoured apple pie. ____________. In the past, individuals travelled the world seeking exotic spices for profit and, in searching, have changed the course of history. Indeed, to gain control of lands harbouring new spices, nations have actually gone to war.

It weighs less than three pounds and is hardly more interesting to look at than an overly ripe cauliflower. _____________. It has created poetry and music, planned and executed horrific wars, and devised intricate scientific theories. It thinks and dreams, plots and schemes, and easily holds more information than all the libraries on Earth.