- Instrucciones: Imprimir la siguiente lectura de comprensión, contestar las preguntas y entregar el día del examen.
Reading
Comprehension
I. Directions: Read the passage. Then answer
the questions below.
The piranha is a much-maligned
fish. Most people think that this is a deadly creature that swarms
through rivers and creeks of the
Amazon rainforest looking for victims to tear apart. And woe betide anyone
unlucky enough to be in the same
water as a shoal of piranhas. It takes only a few minutes for the vicious
piranhas to reduce someone to a
mere skeleton.
The truth is that the piranha is
really a much more nuanced animal than the mindless killer depicted in
the media. In fact, piranhas are
a group made up of approximately twelve different species. Each piranha
species occupies its own
ecological niche. One type of piranha takes chunks out of the fins of other
fish.
Another type eats fruit falling
from trees into the river. Each piranha species plays a unique role in the
ecology
of the rainforest floodplains.
So what should you do next time you hear someone talking about the “deadly
piranha”? You can remind them
that the piranha is not always the notorious killer fish that the tough,
muscular
heroes of popular nature
television shows would have us believe.
Questions
1) The primary
purpose of the author is to
A. correct misconceptions about
the piranha
B. illustrate the importance of
piranhas in rainforest ecology
C. describe two different
species of piranhas
D. instruct the reader on what
to say if someone describes the piranha as “deadly”
2) In paragraph
1, the author most likely uses the old-fashioned expression “woe betide” to
A. highlight the danger posed by
piranhas
B. suggest that the reputation
of the piranha is well-deserved
C. emphasize the sarcastic tone
D. indicate that the passage was
written in the 19th century
3) In paragraph
1, the author uses hyperbole—characterized by the use of exaggeration for
effect—to
describe the
piranha. The author most likely uses hyperbole to
A. frame an argument that is
supported in a later paragraph
B. create ambiguity so the
reader cannot be sure which position the writer supports
C. juxtapose the myth of the
piranha with the truth about the fish
D. evoke vivid images of nature
television shows in the reader’s mind
4) As used in
paragraph 2, which is the best definition for unique?
A. irreplaceable
B. important
C. individual
D. unusual
5) As used in
paragraph 2, which is the best synonym for notorious?
A. celebrated
B. disreputable
C. notable
D. renowned
