Realist writers took an interest in all of the following EXCEPT
A.human relationships        
B.characteristics of different regions
C. the idealization of life          
D.social and historical theories

According to the passage, a highly significant factor in the development of realist and naturalist literature was
A.the Civil War
B. a recognition that romanticism was unpopular
C.an increased interest in the study of common speech
D.an economic depression

The word "they" in line 8 refers to
A. authors    
B.dialects            
C.stories 
D.relationships

The word "prevailed" in line 3 is closest in meaning to
A.dominated       
B.transformed  
C.entered  
D.generalized

Which aspect of late-nineteenth-century United States literature does the passage mainly discuss?
A.The influence of science on literature
B. The importance of dialects for realist writers
C.The emergence of realism and naturalism
D.The effects of industrialization on romanticism

In paragraph 3, the author makes which of the following statements about a species’ survival? 
A.It reflects the interrelationship of may species.
B. It may depend on chance events.
C.It does not vary greatly from species to species
D.It is associated with astronomical conditions.

Which of the following can be inferred from the theory of periodic extinction mentioned in paragraph 3?
A.many scientists could be expected to disagree with it
B. evidence to support the theory has recently been found.
C.The theory is no longer seriously considered.
D. Most scientists believe the theory to be accurate.

Mark Twain is considered an important literary figure because he
A.was the first realist writer in the United States
B.rejected romanticism as a literary approach
C.wrote humorous stories and novels
D.influenced American prose style through his use of common speech

The word "foremost" in line 24 is closest in meaning to
A.most difficult  
B.interesting   
C.most focused   
D.leading

Read the following passage, and mark the letter (A, B, C or D) on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer for each of the blanks.
FOOD FOR ASTRONAUTS
            It used to be thought that people could not swallow well in space, so the food (6)………for astronauts consisted of bite-sized pieces of food pushed out of tubes. But now it is known hthat you can eat in space in the same way as on Earth.
            The physical constraints lie in the body of the spaceship rather than the body of the astronaut. Limited storage and cooking facilities, with no space or power to (7)………for complex food preparation, mean that the (8)……… for space nutritionists has gone beyond providing astronauts with food that is palatable and good for them. The solution has emerged in the (9)………of dehydrated foods. Simply add water to the freeze-dried granules and ………bon appetit!
            With space flights often (10)…………..more than a week, astronauts cannot live on granules alone. They also take pre-cooked meals (11)…….. in bags, which they warm up in a small oven. These are tastier than granules but, according to Dr. Helen Lane, a research nutritionist, it is difficult to get astronauts to eat as much as they need. It’s partly that they are so busy but also because there is no (12)………to eat.” So tickling their taste buds is an (13)……….struggle, especially since one of the effects of zero gravity is to  reduce the sense of smell.
            Weightlessness is an important (14)……….in space food because of the danger that the food might fragment and float off in different (15)……….. We need foods that coalesce,” says Dr. Lane. Yoghurts, puddings, sauces all hold together in large droplets. Your spoon may float away, but the food will stay on it.”
(6)
A.diets    
B.routines          
C.programmes
D.agendas