9/10/2017

Practice 1 CXC CSEC English A exam

Practice exam - CXC CSEC English A exam paper 1 | CaribExams.org

Paper 1
Section 2

Directions: Read the passages below carefully and select one of the responses following each of the
questions.

Questions 21-23 are based on the following passage.

The Arawak were an indigenous people living in the southern part of the Caribbean archipelago. The
Arawaks practiced an animistic form of religion, That is, they worshiped nature and the natural world
believing they possessed conscious life and a spirit. Consequently, they also believed that you should be
careful in the bush and move quietly to avoid making a disturbance as a courtesy to the spirits.

Christopher Columbus is said to have declared he regretted what happened to the Arawaks. Because the
Arawaks were not warriors and did not believe in war, they were killed off by the Spanish conquistadors
who sailed with Columbus.

21. Based on the tone of the passage, which of the 1 point

following words best describes the authors attitude toward

the Arawak people?
A. admiring

B. patronizing

C. contemptuous

D. pitying

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22. The closest meaning of the word 'animistic', as it is 1 point

used in the passage is,

A. the belief that animals are gods.

B. the primitive belief that people can be reincarnatedas animals.

C. the irrational belief in supernatural beings

D. the belief that animals and plants have souls.

23. What is the meaning of the word 'courtesy' as it is used 1 point

in the passage?
A. timidity

B. fear

C.respect

D. caution

Questions 24 and 25 are based on the following passage.

In prolonged space flight, besides the obvious hazards of meteors, rocky debris, and radiation, astronauts
will have to deal with muscle atrophy brought on by weightlessness. Therefore, when they return to
Earth, they face a protracted period of weight-training in order to rebuild their strength.

24. What is the most likely meaning of the word 'debris' as it 1 point

is used in this passage?

A. decay

B. fragments

C. alien life

D. bacteria

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25. The word 'atrophy', as used in the passage, most nearly 1 point

means
A. cramping

B. weakening

C. pain

D. wasting

26. Critical reading is a demanding process. To read 1 point

critically, you must slow down your reading and,with pencil

in hand, perform specific operations on the text. Mark up
the text with your reactions, conclusions, and questions.
When you read critically, you become an active participant.
A.This paragraph best supports the statement that critical reading is a slow, dull but
essential process.

B. The best critical reading happens at critical times in a persons life.

C. Readers should get in the habit of questioning the truth of what they read.

D. Critical reading requires thoughtful and careful attention.

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27. Human technology developed from the first stone tools 1 point

about two and a half million years ago. In the beginning, the
rate of development was slow. Hundreds of thousands of
years passed without much change. Today, new
technologies are reported daily on television and in
newspapers.
A. This paragraph best supports the statement that stone tools were not really
technology.

B. Stone tools were in use for two and a half million years.

C. There is no way to know when stone tools first came into use.

D. In todays world, new technologies are constantly being developed.

28. More and more office workers telecommute from offices 1 point

in their own homes. The upside of tele-commuting is both

greater productivity and greater flexibility. Telecommuters
produce, on average, 20% more than if they were to work in
an office, and their flexible schedule allows them to balance
both their family and work responsibilities. This paragraph
best supports the statement that telecommuters,
A. get more work done in a given time than workers who travel to the office.

B. produce a better quality work product than workers who travel to the office.

C. are more flexible in their ideas than workers who travel to the office.

D. would do 20% more work if they were to work in an office.

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29. Whether you can accomplish a specific goal or meet a 1 point

specific deadline depends first on how much time you need

to get the job done. What should you do when the demands
of the job exceed the time you have available? The best
approach is to divide the project into smaller pieces.
Different goals will have to be divided in different ways, but
one seemingly unrealistic goal can often be accomplished
by working on several smaller, more reasonable goals. The
main idea of the passage is that,
A. jobs often remain only partially completed because of lack of time.

B. the best way to complete projects is to make sure your goals are achievable.

C. the best way to tackle a large project is to separate it into smaller parts.

D. the best approach to a demanding job is to delegate responsibility.

30. If youre a fitness walker, there is no need for a 1 point

commute to a health club. Your neighborhood can be your

health club. You dont need a lot of fancy equipment to get
a good workout either. All you need is a well-designed pair
of athletic shoes. This paragraph best supports the
statement that
A. fitness walking is a better form of exercise than weight lifting.

B. a membership in a health club is a poor investment.

C. walking outdoors provides a better workout than walking indoors.

D. fitness walking is a convenient and valuable form of exercise.

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