Reading Comprehension MCQ Set 3

Passage 13: Visual recognition involves storing and retrieving memories. Neural activity, triggered by the eye, forms an image in the brains memory system that constitutes an internal representation of the viewed object. When an object is encountered again, it is matched with its internal representation and thereby recognized. Controversy surrounds the question of whether recognition is a parallel, one-step process or a serial, step-by-step one. Psychologists of the Gestalt school maintain that object are recognized as wholes in a parallel procedure : , the internal representation is matched with the retinal image in a single operation. Other psychologists have proposed that internal representation features are matched serially with an object's features. Although some experiments show that, as an object become familiar, its internal representation becomes more familiar, its internal representation becomes more holistic and the recognition process correspondingly more parallel, the weight of evidence seems to support the serial hypothesis, at least for objects that are not notably simple and familiar.

Question 1: It can be inferred from the passage that the matching process in visual recognition is

1. Not a natural activity.
2. Not possible when an object is viewed for the very first time.
3. Not possible if a feature of a familiar object is changed in same way.
4. Only possible when a retinal image is received in the brain as a unitary whole.
5. Now fully understood as a combination of the serial and parallel process.

Question 2: In terms of its tone and form, the passage can best be characterized as

1. A biased exposition
2. A speculative study
3. A dispassionate presentation
4. An indignant denial
5. A dogmatic explanation.

Question 3: The author is primarily concerned with

1. Explaining how the brain receives images
2. Synthesizing hypotheses of visual recognition
3. Examining the evidence supporting the serial recognition hypothesis
4. Discussing visual recognition and some hypotheses proposed to explain it.
5. Reporting on recent experiments dealing with memory systems and their relationship to neural activity.

Question 4: According to the passage, Gestalt psychologists make which of the following suppositions about visual recognition? I A retinal image is in exactly the same form as its internal representation II An object is recognized as a whole without any need for analysis into component parts. III The matching of an object with its internal representation occurs in only one step

1. II only
2. III only
3. I and III only
4. II and III only
5. I, II and III

Passage 14: According to Albert Einstein the non mathematician, is seized by a mysterious shuddering when he hears of 'four-dimensional' things, he is seized by a feeling, which is very similar to the thoughts awakened by the occult. And at the same time the statement that the world in which we live is a four-dimensional space - time continuum is quite a common place statement. This might lead to an argument regarding the use of the term ''commonplace'' by Einstein. Yet the difficulty lies more in the wording than the ideas. Einstein's concept of the universe as a four-dimensional space-time continuum becomes plain and clear, when what he means by ''continuum'' becomes clear. A continuum is something that is continuous, A ruler, for example, is a one-dimensional space continuum. Most rulers are divided into inches and fractions, scaled down to one-sixteenth of an inch. Will it be possible to conceive a ruler, which is calibrated to a millionth or billionth of an inch. In theory there is no reason why the steps from point to point should not be even smaller. What distinguishes a continuum is the fact that the space between any two points can be sub-divided into an infinite number of smaller divisions. A railroad track is a one-dimensional space continuum and on it the engineer of a train can describe his position at any time by citing a single co-ordinate point - i.e., a station or a milestone. A sea captain, however, has to worry about two dimensions. The surface of the sea is a two-dimensional continuum and the co-ordinate points by which sailor fixes his positions in his two dimensional continuum are latitude and longitude. An airplane pilot guides his plane through a three - dimensional continuum, hence he has to consider not only latitude and longitude, but also his height above the ground. The continuum of an airplane pilot constitutes space as we perceive it. In other words, the space of our world is a three-dimensional continuum. Just indicating its position in space is not enough while describing any physical event, which involves motion. How position changes in time also needs to be mentioned. Thus to give an accurate picture of the operation of a New York - Chicago express, one must mention not only that it goes from New - York to Albany to Syracuse to Cleveland to Toledo to Chicago, but also the times at which it touches each of those points. This can be done either by means of a timetable or a visual chart. If the miles between New York and Chicago are plotted horizontally on a piece of ruled paper and the hours and minutes are plotted vertically, then a diagonal line properly drawn across the page illustrates the progress of the train in two - dimensional space - time continuum. This type of graphic representation is familiar to most newspaper readers; a stock market chart, for example, pictures financial events in a two - dimensional dollar - time continuum. Similarly for the best picturization of the flight of an airplane from New York to Los Angeles a four - dimensional space - time continuum is essential. The latitude, longitude and altitude will only make sense to the traffic manager of the airline if the time co - ordinate is also mentioned. Therefore time is the fourth dimension. If a flight has to be looked at, perceived as a whole, it wouldn't work if it is broken down into a series of disconnected take - offs, climbs, glides, and landing, it needs to be looked at and perceived as a continuous four - dimensional space - time continuum curve.

Question 1: In order to explain a difficult topic, the author use

1. Simply phrased definition's
2. An incessant metaphor
3. A plain writing style
4. Familiar images
5. A quotation from Einstein

Question 2: The significant feature of a continuum, according to the passage, revolves around

1. The divisibility of the interval between any two points.
2. An ordinary ruler's caliber for marking
3. Its unending curve
4. Its lucid from providing comprehensibility to the non - scientists as well
5. Its variety of co - ordinates.

Question 3: The purpose of this passage is to highlight the point that

1. Plots and sea captains have something in common
2. Stock market charts may be helpful to physicists
3. The fourth dimension is time.
4. Non - mathematician's are often afraid of the commonplace
5. There is a marked quality to distance

Question 4: According to the passage, an airlines traffic manager depends upon all of the following EXCEPT

1. latitude
2. altitude
3. the time co - ordinate
4. longitude
5. the continuous curve in co four

Question 5: The underlying tone of this selection is

1. persuasive
2. deferential
3. candid
4. instructive
5. gently condescending

Question 6: According to the author if on wishes portray a physical event in which motion plays a role - one has to

1. Make use of a time-table
2. Indicate how position changes in time
3. Be conversant with the scientist's theories
4. Describe it graphically
5. Be aware of altitude, latitude and longitude

Question 7: The sea-captain's example has been cited in order to

1. Help understand a two - dimensional continuum
2. Set up a logical progression
3. Simplify what ever is too elaborate
4. Mitigate the gap between the engineer and pilot
5. To sustain out interest in the reading of the passage.

Passage 15: From the 197 million square miles, which make up the surface of the globe, 71 per cent is covered by the interconnecting bodies of marine water; the Pacific Ocean alone covers half the Earth and averages near 14,000 feet in depth. The portions which rise above sea level are the continents-Eurasia, Africa; North America, South America, Australia, and Antarctica. The submerged borders of the continental masses are the continental shelves, beyond which lie the deep-sea basins. The ocean are deepest not in the center but in some elongated furrows, or long narrow troughs, called deeps. These profound troughs have a peripheral arrangement, notably around the borders of the pacific and Indian oceans. The position of the deeps, like the highest mountains, are of recent origin, since otherwise they would have been filled with waste from the lands. This is further strengthened by the observation that the deeps are quite often, where world-shaking earthquakes occur. To cite an example, the "tidal wave" that in April, 1946, caused widespread destruction along Pacific coasts resulted from a strong earthquake on the floor of the Aleutian Deep. The topography of the ocean floors is none too well known, since in great areas the available soundings are hundreds or even thousands of miles apart. However, the floor of the Atlantic is becoming fairly well known as a result of special surveys since 1920. A broad, well-defined ridge-the Mid-Atlantic ridge-runs north and south between Africa and the two Americas and numerous other major irregularities diversify the Atlantic floor. Closely spaced soundings show that many parts of the oceanic floors are as rugged as mountainous regions of the continents. Use of the recently perfected method of submarine topography. During world war II great strides were made in mapping submarine surfaces, particularly in many parts of the vast Pacific basin. Most of the continents stand on an average of 2870 feet above sea level. North America averages 2300 feet; Europe averages only 1150 feet; and Asia, the highest of the larger continental subdivisions, averages 3200 feet. Mount Everest, which is the highest point in the globe, is 29,000 feet above the sea; and as the greatest known depth in the sea is over 35,000 feet, the maximum relief (that is, the difference in altitude between the lowest and highest points) exceeds 64,000 feet, or exceeds 12 miles. The continental masses and the deep-sea basins are relief features of the first order; the deeps, ridges, and volcanic cones that diversify the sea floor, as well as the plains, plateaus, and mountains of the continents, are relief features of the second order. The lands are unendingly subject to a complex of activities summarized in the term erosion, which first sculptures them in great detail and then tends to reduce them ultimately to sea level. The modeling of the landscape by weather, running water, and other agents is apparent to the keenly observant eye and causes thinking people to speculate on what must be the final result of the ceaseless wearing down of the lands. Much before there was any recognizable science as geology, Shakespeare wrote "the revolution of the times makes mountains level."

Question 1: The peripheral furrows or deeps are found

1. only in the pacific and Indian oceans
2. near earthquakes
3. near the shore
4. in the center of the ocean
5. to be 14,000 feet in depth in the pacific.

Question 2: The largest ocean is the

1. Atlantic
2. pacific
3. Aleutian deep
4. arctic
5. Indian

Question 3: We may conclude from this passage that earth quakes

1. Occur more frequently in newly formed land or sea formations
2. Are caused by the weight of the water
3. Cause erosion
4. Occur in the deeps
5. Will ultimately "make mountains level"

Question 4: The highest mountains are

1. oldest
2. in excess of 12 miles
3. near the deeps
4. relief features of the first order
5. of recent origin

Question 5:The science of geology was started

1. By the Greeks
2. During world war II
3. April 1946
4. After 1600
5. In 1920

Question 6: The highest point on North America is

1. 2870 feet above sea level
2. not mentioned in the passage
3. higher than the highest point in Europe
4. 2300 feet above sea level
5. in Mexico.

Question 7: The deeps are subject to change caused by

1. erosion
2. soundings
3. earthquakes
4. waste
5. weathering

Question 8: The continental masses

1. Rise above sea level
2. Consist of six continents
3. Are relief features of the second order
4. Are partially submerged
5. Comprise 29 per cent of the earth's surface.

Passage 16: A clear answer to whether the languages of the ancient American peoples were made use of for expressing abstract universal concepts can be sought in the case of Nahuatl, which like Greek and German, is a language that allows the formation of extensive compounds. By combining radicals or semantic elements, single compound words can express complex conceptual relations, often of an abstract universal character. The tlamatinime ("those who know") were able to use this rich stock of abstract terms to express the nuances of their thought. They also availed themselves of other forms of expression with metaphorical meaning, some probably original, some derived from Toltec coinages. Of these forms the most characteristic in Nahuatl is the juxtaposition of two words that, because they are synonyms, associated terms, or even contraries, complement each other to evoke one single idea. The juxtaposed terms, used as metaphor, suggest specific or essential traits of the being they refer to, introducing a mode of poetry as an almost habitual form of expression.

Question 1: According to the passage, some abstract universal ideas can be expressed in Nahuatl by

1. Putting various meaningful elements together in one word
2. Taking away from a word any reference to particular instances
3. Turning each word of a phrase into a poetic metaphor
4. Giving a word a new and opposite meaning
5. Removing a word from its associations with other words.

Question 2: It can be inferred solely from the information in the passage that

1. Metaphors are always used in Nahuatl to express abstract conceptual relationships
2. There are many languages that, like Greek or German, allow extensive compounding
3. The abstract terms of the Nahuatl language are habitually used in poetry
4. Some record or evidence of the though of the tlamatinime exists
5. All abstract universal ideas are ideas of complex relations.

Question 3: A main purpose of the passage is to

1. Argue against a theory of poetic expression by citing evidence about the Nahuatl
2. Delineate the function of the tlamatinime in Nahuatl society
3. Explore the rich metaphorical heritage the Nahuatl received from the toltecs
4. Describe some conceptual and aesthetic resources of the Nahuatl language
5. Explain the abstract philosophy of the Nahuatl thinkers.

Passage 17: Few areas of neuron behavioral research seemed more promising is the early sixties than that investigating the relationship between protein synthesis and learning. The conceptual framework for the research was derived directly from molecular biology, which had shown that genetic information is stored in nucleic acids and expressed in proteins why not acquired information as well. The first step towards establishing a connection between protein synthesis and learning seemed to be to block memory (cause adhesion) by interrupting the production of proteins. We were fortunate in finding a non lethal dosage of puromycin that could, it first appealed, thoroughly inhibit brain protein synthesis as well as reliability produce amnesia. Before the actual connection between protein synthesis and learning could be established however we began to have douche about whether inhibition of protein synthesis was in fact the method by which puromycin produced amnesia. First, ocher drugs, glutavimides themselves potent protein synthesis inhibitors either failed to cause amnesia in some situations where it could easily be induced by puromycin or produced an amnesia with a different time course from that of puromycin. Second, puromycin was found to inhabit protein synthesis by breaking certain amino acid chaim, and the resulting fragments were suspected of being the actual cause of amnesia is some eases. Third, puromycin was reported to cause abnormalities in the train, including seizures. Thus, not only were decreased protein synthesis and amnesia dissociated, but alternative mechanism for the amnestic action of puromycin were readily suggested. So, puromycin turned out to be a disappointment. It came to be regarded as a poor agent for amnesia studies, although, of course, it was poor only in the context of our original paradigm of protein synthesis inhibition. In our frustration, our initial response was simply to change dregs rather than our conceptual orientation. After many such disappointments, however, it now appears unlikely, that we will make a firm connection between protein synthesis and learning merely by pursuing the approaches of the past our experience with drugs has shown that all the amnestic agents, often interfere with memory in ways that seem unrelated to their inhibition of protein synthesis. More importantly, the notion that the interruption or intensification of protein production in the train can be related in cause and affect fashion to learning non seems simplistic and unproductive. Remove the battery from a car and the car will not go Drive the car a long distance at high speed and the battery will become more highly charged. Neither of these facts proves that the battery power the car, only knowledge of the overall automotive system will reveal it mechanism of locomotion and the role of the battery with in the system.

Question 1: The primary purpose a the passage is to show that extensive experimentation has

1. Mot supported the hypothesis that learning is directly dependent on protein synthesis
2. Cast doubt on the value of puromycin in the newer behavioral study of learning
3. Revealed the importance of amnesia in the neuron behavioral study of learning
4. Demonstrated the importance of amino acid fragmentation in the induction of amnesia.
5. Not yet demonstrated the applicability of molecular biology to behavioral research.

Question 2: According to the passage, neuron behaviorists initially based their belief that protein synthesis was related to learning on which of the following?

1. Specific research into learning on which of the following
2. Traditional theories about learning
3. Historic experiments on the effects puromycin
4. Previous discoveries in molecular biology
5. Now technique in protein synthesis.

Question 3: This passage was most likely excepted from

1. A book review in a leading journal devoted to genetic research
2. A diary kept by a practicing neuron behavioral research
3. An article summarizing a series of scientific investigations in neuron behavioral research.
4. A news paper article on recent advances in the biochemistry of learning
5. A technical article on experimental techniques in the field of molecular biology.

Question 4: It can be inferred from the passage that after puromycin was perceived to be a disappointment, researches did which of the following?

1. They continued to experiment with puromycin until a neuron anatomical framework was developed.
2. They continued to experiment with puromycin, but also tried other protein synthesis inhibitors
3. They ceased to experiment with puromycin and shifted to other promising protein synthesis inhibitors.
4. They ceased to experiment with puromycin and reexamined through experiments the relationship between genetic information and acquired information.
5. They continued to experiment with puromycin, but applied their results to other facts of memory research.

Question 5: In the example of the car (lines 62-70) the battery is meant to represent which of the following elements in the neuron behavioral research program?

1. glutarimides
2. acquired information
3. puromycin
4. amnesia
5. protein synthesis

Question 6: The passage all of the following as effects of puromycin except

1. Fragmentation of amino-acid chaim
2. Inhibition of protein synthesis
3. Brain seizures
4. Memory loss
5. Destruction of genetic information

Question 7: Which of the following statements would be most likely to come after the last sentences of the passage?

1. It is important in the future, therefore for behavioral bio- chemist to focus on the several components of the total learning system.
2. The ambivalent status of current research, however should not deter neuron behaviorists from exploring the deeper connection between protein production and learning.
3. The failures of the past, however must not impede further research into the amnestic of protein-synthesis inhibitors.
4. It is important in the future, therefore, for behavioral biochemist to emphasize more strongly place of their specific findings within the overall protein synthesis model of learning.
5. It is a legacy of this research, therefore, that molecular biology's genetic models have led to disagreement among neuron behaviorists.

Passage 18: In any country, the wages commanded by the laborers who have comparable skills but who work in various industries are determined by the productivity of the least productive unit of labour, i.e. the unit of labour which works in the industry which has greatest economic disadvantages. We will represent the various opportunities of employment in a country like united states by Symbols. A standing for a group of industries in which we have exceptional economic advantage over foreign countries; B for a group in which our advantages are less; E , one in which they are still less; D, the group of industries in which they are the least of all. When our population is so small that all our labour can be engaged in the group represented by A, productivity of labour and (therefore wages) will be at their maximum. when our population increases so that some of the labour will have to work in group B, the wages of all labour must decline to the level of productivity in that group. But no employer, without government aid, will yet be able to afford to hire labour to exploit the opportunities, represented by E and D, unless there is a further increase in population. But suppose that the political party in power holds the belief that we should produce everything that we consume, that the opportunities represented by E and D should also be exploited. The commodities, that the industries composing C and D will produce have been hitherto obtained from abroad in exchange for commodities produce by A and B. The government now renders this difficult by imposing high duties upon the former class of commodities. This means that workers in A and B must pay higher prices for what they buy, but do not receive higher prices for what they sell. After the duty has gone into effect and the prices of commodities that can be produced by C and D have risch sufficiently enterprises will be able to hire labour at the wages prevailing in A and B and establish industries in C and D. So far as the remaining labours in A and B buy the products of C and D ,the difference between the price which they pay for these product and the price they would pay it they were permitted to import those products duty-free is a tax paid not to the government, but to the producers in C and D, to enable the later to remain in business. It is on uncompensated deduction from the natural earnings of the labourers in A and B. nor are the workers in C and D paid as much, estimated in purchasing power as they would have received if they had been allowed to remain in A and B under the earlier conditions.

Question 1: The authors main point is that

1. The government ought to subsidize C and D
2. Wages ought to be independent of international trade
3. It is impossible to attain national self sufficiency
4. The varying productivity of the various industries leads tot he inequalities in wages of workers in these industries
5. A policy that draws labour from the fields of greater natural productiveness to fields of lower natural productiveness tends to redirect purchasing power.

Question 2: No employer, without government aid will yet be able to afford to hire labour to exploit the opportunities represented by C and D because

1. The population has increased
2. Productivity of labour is not at the maximum
3. Productivity would drop correspondingly with the wages of labour
4. We cannot produce everything we consume
5. Enterprises would have to pay wages equivalent to those obtained by workers in A and B while producing under greater disadvantages.

Question 3: When C and D are established, workers in these industries

1. Receives wages equal to those workers in A and B
2. Receives higher wages than do the workers in A and B
3. Are not affected so adversely by the levying of duties as are workers in A and B
4. Must be paid by government funds collected from the duties on imports.
5. Receive lower wages than do the workers in A and B.

Question 4: We cannot exploit C and D unless

1. The producers in E and D are compensated for the disadvantages under which they operate
2. We export large quantities of commodities produced by A and B
3. The prices of commodities produced by A and B are raised
4. The productivity of labour in all industries is increased
5. We allow duties to be paid to the producers in C and D rather than to the government.