READING
Text I
A THIRST
FOR KNOWLEDGE
You are going to read an
extract from a book on human endeavours. For questions (1-7) choose the answer
(A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text. Humans have
always risen to any challenge, and unlike most species on this planet we have
an insatiable desire to see what is around the next corner … and the next … and
the next. Primitive man may well have migrated at first for reasons of
survival, as did other species, but at some point this must have developed into
a thirst for adventure and a hunger to discover more about his surroundings.
This itch
of curiosity has led to great feats of exploration. Our achievements are
enormous – think of Everest, the North and South Pole, the Amazon, the Sahara
and even the Moon. Next on the list could be Mars, and that’s a corner we’re
already peeping round. How many other corners are waiting for us, how many more
places will humans manage to explore? Are the possibilities endless or will our
physical limitations prevent us one day from going any further?
Exploration
of our own planet seeming to have been more or less exhausted, our focus over the
last decades has turned to space travel. However, a problem is posed here as
any extended period of time in space is physically debilitating. Astronauts who
remain in weightless conditions for months on end suffer serious loss of bone
mass, a factor which limits the length of time an individual can remain in good
shape in a non-gravitational environment. Now to travel to any planets beyond
our inner solar system would require years, ergo this major obstacle – who
could manage such a trip?
Why not,
then, find a way of getting there faster? If prolonged space flight has adverse
effects on human health, can the journey be shortened? Well, travelling at the
speed of light would do it, but unfortunately this is physically impossible for
us at the moment. MiG pilots can tolerate accelerations of 9G for around
fifteen seconds, but beyond this is anatomically out of the question.
Travelling at the speed of light is only possible if you happen to be a photon
or other such massless object.
The thirst,
though, won’t be quenched, hence research into other equally elusive fields.
Once you mention travelling at the speed of light, you inevitably venture into
another realm – for anything beyond the speed of light means ‘time travel’.
Since the speed of light is out of reach, some may say why bother with time
travel? Well, here is the attraction for the human – if something is beyond our
grasp today it becomes an even greater challenge for tomorrow. Two hundred
years ago people scoffed at the idea of flight, and now it’s available to all,
so why not strive towards yet greater achievements. According to Einstein’s
general theory of relativity, there is nothing in the laws of physics to
prevent time travel. It may be extremely hard to put into practice, but it’s
not impossible, so there is no reason to stop persevering.
Consequently,
there are modern day humans involved in any number of challenges, each on a
quest to reach a seemingly unattainable but so desirable goal. Whether they be
scientists or psychologists or engineers or any number of different
professions, they all have the same appetite for knowledge. This surely is the
key to our efforts to meet any challenge; we simply want to know more about
absolutely everything.
A baby
steadily develops its abilities to perform increasingly more complicated tasks,
and not once does it seem uninterested in its surroundings. An eagerness to
learn grows with the baby and as it gains knowledge, it simply yearns for more.
This continues into adulthood, which surely explains the achievements of
explorers like Columbus, mathematicians like Einstein or physicists like Marie
Curie.
1. According to
the writer, how do humans differ from other species?Choose...A They have never needed to move from place to place to survive.B Their movements have not been only for reasons of survival.C They are better at finding food and water.D They are forever on the move. 2. The writer
wonders if human exploration might one day be hindered becauseChoose...A there will be no more places to discover.B there will be no more need for great achievements.C knowledge about the future is too limited.D it will be impossible to go beyond anatomical restraints.
3. The writer
explains that travelling to a distant planetChoose...A will never be possible.B could only be done by very fit astronauts.C would severely damage a person’s health.D would take longer than a human lifespan.
4. According to
the writer, what do travelling at the speed of light and time travel have in
common?Choose...A Many people consider them to be dangerous ideas.B It will never be possible to do either of them.C They both present a challenge to researchers.D Einstein supported travel in both these ways.
5. What does the
writer say about modern day humans?Choose...A We all share the same desire to discover new things.B We enjoy anything physically challenging.C No challenge is too difficult for us to meet.D Each of us has discovered many things.
6. What
‘explains the achievements’ mentioned in the last paragraph?Choose...A a baby’s ability to learnB the human desire for more knowledgeC the maturity of adulthoodD an increase in useful knowledge 7. The writer
uses the examples of Columbus, Einstein and Marie CurieChoose...A to prove that both men and women are great achievers.B because they are from different periods in our history.C to demonstrate that only a few humans rise to a challenge.D to show that humans seek knowledge in different fields.