epdf.pub_cbest-cliffs-test-prep13a9b242c7cb4125e6cca92d00a73d5a41681

Section 1 Reading
Practice Test 4
C. the writer writes both fiction and
nonfiction.
D. the writer is weakest in scenes
requiring subtlety.
E. the writer’s works are too long.
Read the passage below and answer the
four questions that follow.
Ostrich eggshells are among the most commonly
found objects at archeological sites in
Africa. Primitive humans used the eggs as
food and the shells for water containers,
bowls, and beads. Now, archeologists may
find them even more valuable for understanding
the history of early humans. A team
of paleoanthropologists reported recently in
the journal Science that the slow decomposition
of proteins in the eggshells can be used
to date the archeological sites, particularly in
the range of 40,000 to 100,000 years ago —
a period for which there are few usable dating
techniques.
One particular advantage of the new technique
is that it is inexpensive, so that a large
number of objects at a site can be dated to
determine if artifacts from different time periods
have been jumbled together by
weather, flooding, or excavations — a problem
that occurs frequently. In the tropics, the
technique can be used to date objects as old
as 200,000 years. In cooler climates, such as
China, it can be used on objects one million
years old.
Although ostriches are most common in
Africa, ostrich eggs have also been found in
China and Mongolia and would be useful for
dating there. Moreover, the research team
has found that every other type of bird egg
they have studied gives similar results, so
those types of shells can be used as well.
They are now beginning to study owl eggs,
which are found at many archeological sites
in northern Europe.
43. From the information in the passage it
can be inferred that ostrich eggshells
A. last longer in cold than in warm
climates.
B. are different in composition from
other birds’ eggshells.
C. are rarely found in areas that
contain human remains.
D. are unable to survive floods.
E. are no longer used as water
containers by humans.
44. An ostrich egg in which the protein has
decomposed almost completely is
probably
A. recently discovered.
B. not useful in dating.
C. extremely old.
D. a costly means of dating.
E. Chinese in origin.
45. According to the passage, ostrich eggs
are useful in dating archeological sites
in all the following places except:
A. China
B. the tropics
C. Africa
D. northern Europe
E. Mongolia
46. The study of owl eggs referred to in the
final paragraph is probably intended to
A. throw light on the habits of the owl
in ancient times.
B. throw light on the habits of humans
in ancient times.
393