Pathways Reading, Writing, and Critical Thinking 2e: Level 3 Unit 10 Test

Name: ________________________________ Class: ____________ Date: _________

1. VOCABULARY 1:

Complete the paragraph with the words in the box. Not all words will be used.

descend expedition fate gear recall

sensation slopes summit task terrifying

Mountain climbing is a dangerous activity, and there are many stories of climbers who experience disaster
or last-minute rescue. The story of Joe Simpson is one of the most incredible. In 1985, Simpson and
another climber, Simon Yates, went on a(n) (1) __________________ to South America. They reached
the (2) __________________ of a mountain called Siula Grande, but had to (3) __________________
during a major storm. On the way down, Simpson fell and broke his leg badly. He was hanging from a
rope and it was impossible for Yates to help him. Somehow Simpson had to save himself. Even though
his (4) __________________ seemed impossible and (5) __________________ , he did not give up. He
was eventually able to climb down the rope, but he could not walk because of his broken leg. So he
slowly crawled down the mountain (6) __________________ , over ice and rocks, to the base camp.
Yates believed his friend’s (7) __________________ was obvious: surely he must be dead; so he
reluctantly decided to go home. Yates was packing his (8) __________________ and getting ready to
leave the camp when suddenly he saw something - or someone - crawling towards him. It was Joe
Simpson, and he was still alive.

VOCABULARY 2:

Complete each sentence with a word from the box. Not all words will be used.

alter assume consciously crisis demonstrate

determination instantly separate take over version

2. I really enjoyed the book Touching the Void about the experiences of Joe Simpson. There's also a great
documentary which tells a slightly different ________________________ of the same story.

3. My careers counselor suggested some ways that I could ________________________ the design of my
resume to make it easier for employers to read.

4. When they see the name, many people ________________________ the author George Eliot was a man,
but actually her real name was Mary Ann Evans.

5. Our climbing instructor was keen to ________________________ the correct way to use an ice axe.

6. Some people are saying that the situation is a ________________________ , but other people are saying
that actually, it is not especially serious.
 7. Our usual professor was too sick to continue teaching our class, so a different professor was chosen to
________________________ as the instructor.

8. To climb a really high mountain like Everest or K2, one needs strength, fitness, energy, and, above all, a
huge amount of ________________________.

READING REVIEW 1:

Review an excerpt from one of the passages in Unit 10 and find the TWO WORDS that best
complete each statement.

Breath of Life

When we encounter a stressful or frightening situation, our heart rate increases, our breath
quickens, and our muscles become tense - these all happen naturally. In fact, for most of
history, we have assumed that there is a line separating our natural, basic instinct and our
learned behavior. But recent brain research has proved that our brain can change in structure
and function throughout our life, depending on our experiences. So would it be possible to
train our brain to control our "natural responses," such as to fear?

One of the most surprising ways to control our fear response is breathing. Combat trainers,
for example, use "tactical breathing" techniques to prepare FBI agents for crisis situations.
These are basically the same concepts taught in yoga classes. One version that police officers
learn works like this: Breathe in for four counts; hold for four counts; breathe out for four
counts; hold for four; start again. How could something so simple be so powerful?

The breath is one of the few actions that reside in both our somatic nervous system (which
we can consciously control) and our autonomic system (which includes our heartbeat and
other actions we cannot easily access). So the breath is a bridge between the two. By
consciously slowing down the breath, we can slow down the primal fear response that
otherwise takes over.

One scientific study demonstrated how rhythmic breathing can actually alter the brain. Sara
Lazar, an instructor at Harvard Medical School, scanned the brains of 20 people who
meditate for 40 minutes a day. When she compared their brain images with those of
nonmeditating people of similar ages and backgrounds, she found a significant difference.
The meditators had 5 percent thicker brain tissue in the parts of the brain that are used during
meditation - that is, the parts that handle emotion regulation, attention, and working memory,
all of which help control stress.

Studies such as those conducted at Harvard suggest that meditators - like deep-breathing
police officers - may have found a way for us to evolve past the basic human fear response.
With training, it may be possible to become better prepared for a life-or-death situation.

9. In stressful, terrifying situations, humans experience several natural reactions, including faster breathing,
tenser muscles, and a rise in ________________________________.

10. Research into brain function has shown that our ________________________________ and our
instinctive reactions to things may not, in fact, be distinct from each other.
11. One way to control the ________________________________ that can take over our brains and bodies is
to make a conscious decision to breathe less quickly.

12. A study of people of roughly the same age and from ________________________________ found that
those who meditated regularly were probably better at controlling stress.

READING REVIEW 2:

Scan the excerpt from one of the passages in Unit 10 and choose

True if a statement matches information in the passage;

False if a statement contradicts information in the passage; or
Not Given if there is no information about this in the passage.

Breath of Life

When we encounter a stressful or frightening situation, our heart rate increases, our breath
quickens, and our muscles become tense - these all happen naturally. In fact, for most of
history, we have assumed that there is a line separating our natural, basic instinct and our
learned behavior. But recent brain research has proved that our brain can change in structure
and function throughout our life, depending on our experiences. So would it be possible to
train our brain to control our "natural responses," such as to fear?

One of the most surprising ways to control our fear response is breathing. Combat trainers,
for example, use "tactical breathing" techniques to prepare FBI agents for crisis situations.
These are basically the same concepts taught in yoga classes. One version that police officers
learn works like this: Breathe in for four counts; hold for four counts; breathe out for four
counts; hold for four; start again. How could something so simple be so powerful?

The breath is one of the few actions that reside in both our somatic nervous system (which
we can consciously control) and our autonomic system (which includes our heartbeat and
other actions we cannot easily access). So the breath is a bridge between the two. By
consciously slowing down the breath, we can slow down the primal fear response that
otherwise takes over.

One scientific study demonstrated how rhythmic breathing can actually alter the brain. Sara
Lazar, an instructor at Harvard Medical School, scanned the brains of 20 people who
meditate for 40 minutes a day. When she compared their brain images with those of
nonmeditating people of similar ages and backgrounds, she found a significant difference.
The meditators had 5 percent thicker brain tissue in the parts of the brain that are used during
meditation - that is, the parts that handle emotion regulation, attention, and working memory,
all of which help control stress.

Studies such as those conducted at Harvard suggest that meditators - like deep-breathing
police officers - may have found a way for us to evolve past the basic human fear response.
With training, it may be possible to become better prepared for a life-or-death situation.
____ 13. Some FBI agents and police officers are trained using techniques from yoga.
a. True
b. False
c. Not Given
____ 14. Our heartbeat is an action controlled by our somatic nervous system.
a. True
b. False
c. Not Given
____ 15. Sarah Lazar's study suggested that regular rhythmic breathing can lead to physical changes in the brain.
a. True
b. False
c. Not Given
____ 16. Some people have thicker tissue in parts of their brain although they do not meditate on a regular basis.
a. True
b. False
c. Not Given

READING PRACTICE:

Read the passage. Then answer the questions.

A The Greek writer Herodotus relates a wonderful story about a musician named Arion.
According to the tale, the young man found himself trapped aboard a pirate ship. To save himself from
certain death at the hands of the pirates, Arion jumped overboard into the sea. As he sank under the waves,
a dolphin came and lifted him to the surface. The dolphin let Arion ride on its back, carrying the musician
safely to shore where he told the amazing tale of his rescue to surprised, and disbelieving, local people.

B Herodotus offers no proof that this tale is true, and it is easy to conclude that it is just a fantastic
legend with no basis in reality. However, there have been other well-documented cases of animals
rescuing humans in danger, suggesting that there may be truth in Arion's tale. One such incident occurred
in the coastal waters of New Zealand in 2004. A lifeguard was swimming in the ocean with his daughter
and two of her friends. Some dolphins suddenly appeared and began diving and swimming excitedly
around the swimmers. When the lifeguard looked around to see what was causing the dolphins to act in so
agitated a way, he saw a large shark taking an interest in the humans. In response, the dolphins had acted
to protect the swimmers. They first herded them into a group and then circled them until the shark swam
off into deeper waters. A marine biologist later confirmed that this kind of protective behavior among
dolphins has been seen on previous occasions.

C In fact, many cultures have stories about dolphins rescuing humans in need, so perhaps the
report from New Zealand is not so surprising. Dolphins are known to be social and intelligent, and it does
not require much effort to imagine that they might respond to humans in danger. More surprising are the
well-documented cases of other kinds of animals assisting humans in need, such as the one that took place
in Ethiopia in 2005. Some men grabbed a young girl and tried to take her to another village, but they were
chased away by three lions. Rather than harming the girl, the lions lingered with her until the police
arrived. Why? It is impossible to know for sure, but one theory is that the usually dangerous predators did
not hurt the young girl because her cries sounded like those of a lion cub.
 D Another report from Canada involves an even more unexpected animal hero. A young boy lost
his parents while on a camping trip. He wandered, alone and scared, for many hours, but as night fell, the
exhausted boy lay down to sleep among the trees. He felt something furry beside him in the dark, but
thinking it was a dog, he fell back asleep. When he awoke in the morning, he discovered that three
beavers had snuggled up to him and kept him warm throughout the cold night. Once again, it is not known
why the beavers behaved in this way, but if they had not acted as they did, it is conceivable that the boy
would have died from the freezing temperatures.

E Why might animals do this? That is not an easy question to answer, but one possibility is
related to the fact that these species typically live in social groups and sometimes have to protect members
of their families from danger. It is possible that seeing young humans in danger somehow made the
animals feel the need to act in a protective way. Alternatively, more and more research suggests that
animals feel many of the emotions that humans feel. So it is possible that these animals felt compassion or
sympathy when they saw a human in danger and acted to help in the same way that a human might aid an
injured or sick animal.

____ 17. What is the best title for this passage?

a. How dolphins interact with people
b. Unusual ways that animals behave
c. Humans protected by wild animals
____ 18. What does the author imply about the story of Arion?
a. Some people are likely to doubt its truthfulness.
b. Herodotus told others that the story was not true.
c. Modern research has proved it really took place.
____ 19. What does the author NOT say in paragraph B?
a. Some big sharks attacked a group of young swimmers.
b. Some dolphins behaved in a seemingly protective way.
c. Some people went for a swim in the ocean off New Zealand.
____ 20. The word "one" in the third sentence of paragraph C refers to _____.
a. human
b. animal
c. case
____ 21. The word "lingered" in the fifth sentence of paragraph C is closest in meaning to _____.
a. allowed
b. placed
c. remained
____ 22. Why does the author use the word "surprising" to describe the event that took place in Ethiopia?
a. To imply that most people would have expected the lions to attack the girl, not help her
b. To make the point that it was unlikely lions would think a young girl sounded like a lion
c. To emphasize the differences in the behavior of the three lions, the young girl, and the
men
____ 23. The word "conceivable" in the last sentence of paragraph D could be replaced by the phrase _____.
a. important to speak
b. possible to believe
c. surprising to learn
____ 24. How is paragraph E organized?
a. The author outlines various answers to a question and states which ones are right.
b. The author summarizes the many similarities in how humans and animals behave.
c. The author discusses two theories that could explain why certain events happened.

READING SKILL REVIEW – IDENTIFYING ADVERBIAL PHRASES:

Read this excerpt from a reading passage. Then answer the questions.

The Greek writer Herodotus relates a wonderful story about a musician named Arion.
According to the tale, the young man found himself trapped aboard a pirate ship. To save
himself from certain death at the hands of the pirates, Arion jumped overboard into the sea.
As he sank under the waves, a dolphin came and lifted him to the surface. The dolphin let
Arion ride on its back, carrying the musician safely to shore where he told the amazing tale
of his rescue to surprised, and disbelieving, local people.

Herodotus offers no proof that this tale is true, and it is easy to conclude that it is just a
fantastic legend with no basis in reality. However, there have been other well-documented
cases of animals rescuing humans in danger suggesting that there may be truth in Arion's
tale. One such incident occurred in the coastal waters of New Zealand in 2004. A lifeguard
was swimming in the ocean with his daughter and two of her friends. Some dolphins
suddenly appeared and began diving and swimming excitedly around the swimmers. When
the lifeguard looked around to see what was causing the dolphins to act in so agitated a way,
he saw a large shark taking an interest in the humans. In response, the dolphins had acted to
protect the swimmers. They first herded them into a group and then circled them until the
shark swam off into deeper waters. A marine biologist later confirmed that this kind of
protective behavior among dolphins has been seen on previous occasions.

____ 25. Which answer best describes the phrase "aboard a pirate ship" in the first paragraph?
a. It is an adverbial phrase that says when something happened.
b. It is an adverbial phrase that says where something happened.
c. It is an adverbial phrase that says why something happened.
d. It is not an adverbial phrase.
____ 26. Which answer best describes the phrase "to conclude it is just a fantastic legend" in the second paragraph?
a. It is an adverbial phrase that says when something happened.
b. It is an adverbial phrase that says where something happened.
c. It is an adverbial phrase that says why something happened.
d. It is not an adverbial phrase.
____ 27. Which answer best describes the phrase "to protect the swimmers" in the second paragraph?
a. It is an adverbial phrase that says when something happened.
b. It is an adverbial phrase that says where something happened.
c. It is an adverbial phrase that says why something happened.
d. It is not an adverbial phrase.
____ 28. Which answer best describes the phrase "on previous occasions" in the second paragraph?
a. It is an adverbial phrase that says when something happened.
b. It is an adverbial phrase that says where something happened.
c. It is an adverbial phrase that says why something happened.
d. It is not an adverbial phrase.
 29. LANGUAGE FOR WRITING REVIEW - USING PAST FORMS FOR NARRATIVES:

Complete this summary of Joe Simpson's story by writing the correct past tense form - simple past,
past progressive, past perfect, or past perfect progressive - of the verbs in parentheses.

Joe Simpson and Simon Yates (1) __________________ (reach) the summit of Siula Grande in 1985,
but a disaster happened on their descent when Simpson fell and broke his leg badly. Thinking that his
friend was dead, Yates sadly (2) __________________ (descend) the peak. But amazingly, Simpson
(3) __________________ (survive) the fall. It seemed like an impossible task, but Simpson knew that
in order to survive he had to get down the mountain. A few days after the accident, Yates
(4) __________________ (get ready) to leave when Simpson, who could not walk,
(5) __________________ (crawl) back into their camp.

30. WRITING SKILL REVIEW - WRITING A DESCRIPTIVE NARRATIVE ESSAY:

Complete this narrative by writing the correct pronoun in each space.

During my school vacation, (1) _____ read about three cases in which wild animals saved humans.
These stories suggest that animals may feel emotions like compassion or sympathy. In the first story, a
shark threatened some people who were swimming, but dolphins protected (2) _____ from the shark.
In the second story, some men tried to kidnap a girl. She was scared and cried, but then three lions chased
away the men and stayed with (3) _____ until the police came. In the final story, a boy lost his parents.
He fell asleep in a forest, but the night was very cold and he might have died. However, some beavers
slept close to (4) _____ for warmth.

WRITING PRACTICE 1:

Decide the best position in each sentence (A, B, or C) to add the adverbial phrase in parentheses.

____ 31. Joe Simpson had to crawl [A] down [B] a mountain with a badly broken leg during a storm [C]. (to save
his own life)
a. Position A
b. Position B
c. Position C
____ 32. Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner became the very first [A] woman to climb [B] all the world's highest mountains
[C]. (in August 2011)
a. Position A
b. Position B
c. Position C
____ 33. Alison Wright's terrible [A] accident happened while [B] she was traveling [C] in Laos in 2000. (on a bus)
a. Position A
b. Position B
c. Position C
____ 34. Cory Richards and [A] Renan Ozturk made the tough decision to turn around [B] although [C] they were
close to the summit. (when climbing in Myanmar)
a. Position A
b. Position B
c. Position C
____ 35. Two Italians made the first successful climb of K2 [A] in 1954, followed [B] by a second successful
attempt in [C] 1977. (23 years later)
a. Position A
b. Position B
c. Position C

WRITING PRACTICE 2:

Books and movies about people who survive a dangerous situation or overcome a difficult challenge
are always popular. What are some reasons for this, in your opinion?

36. Write an essay in response to the topic. Make sure you include an introductory paragraph, at least two
body paragraphs with reasons, details and examples to support your ideas, and a concluding paragraph.
UNIT 10: SURVIVAL INSTINCT
Answer Section
1. ANS:
(1) expedition, (2) summit, (3) descend, (4) task, (5) terrifying, (6) slopes, (7) fate, (8) gear
expedition, summit, descend, task, terrifying, slopes, fate, gear

PTS: 8 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10 TOP: Vocabulary 1

2. ANS: version

PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10 TOP: Vocabulary 2

3. ANS: alter

PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10 TOP: Vocabulary 2

4. ANS: assume

PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10 TOP: Vocabulary 2

5. ANS: demonstrate

PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10 TOP: Vocabulary 2

6. ANS: crisis

PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10 TOP: Vocabulary 2

7. ANS: take over

PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10 TOP: Vocabulary 2

8. ANS: determination

PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10 TOP: Vocabulary 2

9. ANS: heart rate

PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10 TOP: Reading Review 1

MSC: IELTS
10. ANS: learned behavior

PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10 TOP: Reading Review 1

MSC: IELTS
11. ANS: fear response

PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10 TOP: Reading Review 1

MSC: IELTS
12. ANS: similar backgrounds

PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10 TOP: Reading Review 1

MSC: IELTS
13. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10
TOP: Reading Review 2 MSC: IELTS
14. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10
TOP: Reading Review 2 MSC: IELTS
15. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10
TOP: Reading Review 2 MSC: IELTS
16. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10
TOP: Reading Review 2 MSC: IELTS
17. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10
TOP: Reading Practice MSC: TOEFL
18. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10
TOP: Reading Practice MSC: TOEFL
19. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10
TOP: Reading Practice MSC: TOEFL
20. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10
TOP: Reading Practice MSC: TOEFL
21. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10
TOP: Reading Practice MSC: TOEFL
22. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10
TOP: Reading Practice MSC: TOEFL
23. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10
TOP: Reading Practice MSC: TOEFL
24. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10
TOP: Reading Practice MSC: TOEFL
25. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10
TOP: Reading Skill Review - Identifying Adverbial Phrases
26. ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10
TOP: Reading Skill Review - Identifying Adverbial Phrases
27. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10
TOP: Reading Skill Review - Identifying Adverbial Phrases
28. ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10
TOP: Reading Skill Review - Identifying Adverbial Phrases
29. ANS:
(1) reached, (2) descended, (3) had survived, (4) was getting ready, (5) crawled

PTS: 5 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10

TOP: Language for Writing Review - Using Past Forms for Narratives
30. ANS:
(1) I, (2) them, (3) her, (4) him
I, them, her, him

PTS: 4 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10

TOP: Writing Skill Review - Writing a Descriptive Narrative Essay
31. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10
TOP: Writing Practice 1
32. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10
TOP: Writing Practice 1
33. ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10
TOP: Writing Practice 1
34. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10
TOP: Writing Practice 1
35. ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10
TOP: Writing Practice 1
36. ANS:
Answers will vary.

PTS: 5 REF: PWRW3, Unit 10 TOP: Writing Practice 2