1. The main point of the passage is that the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were a time when (A) the European textile industry increased its demand for American export products (B) mechanization of spinning and weaving dramatically changed the textile industry (C) cotton became a profitable crop but was still time-consuming to process (D) cotton became the most important American export product

2. The word "favored" in line 2 is closest in meaning to (A) preferred (B) recommended (C) imported (D) included

3. All of the following are mentioned in the passage as reasons for the increased demand for cotton EXCEPT (A) cotton’s softness (B) cotton’s ease of processing (C) a shortage of flax and wool (D) the growth that occurred in the textile industry.

4. The word "laborious" in line 8 is closest in meaning to (A) unfamiliar (B) primitive (C) skilled (D) difficult

5. According to the passage, one advantage of sea island cotton was its (A) abundance of seeds (B) long fibers (C) long growing season (D) adaptability to different climates

6.Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about cotton production in the United States after the introduction of Whitney’s cotton gin? (A) More cotton came from sea island cotton plants than before. (B) More cotton came from short-staple cotton plants than before. (C) Most cotton produced was sold domestically. (D) Most cotton produced was exported to England.

7. The word "surge" in line 18 is closest in meaning to (A) sharp increase (B) sudden stop (C) important change (D) excess amount

8. The author mentions "wheat and wheat flour" in line 22 in order to (A) show that Americans exported more agricultural products than they imported. (B) show the increase in the amount of wheat products exported. (C) demonstrate the importance of cotton among American export products. (D) demonstrate that wheat farming was becoming more profitable.

9. The word "unprecedented" in line 25 is closest in meaning to (A) slow (B) profitable (C) not seen before (D) never explained

10. According to the passage, the Mississippi River was (A) one of the boundaries of a region where new agricultural settlement took place (B) a major source of water for agricultural crops (C) the primary route by which agricultural crops were transported (D) a main source of power for most agricultural machinery

Questions 11-19 The origins of nest-building remain obscure, but current observation of nest-building activities provide evidence of their evolution. Clues to this evolutionary process can be found in the activities of play and in the behavior and movements of birds during mating, Line such as incessant pulling at strips of vegetation or scraping of the soil. During the early (5) days of the reproductive cycle, the birds seem only to play with the building materials. In preparation for mating, they engage in activities that resemble nest-building, and continue these activities throughout and even after the mating cycle. Effective attempts at construction occur only after mating. Although nest-building is an instinctive ability, there is considerable adaptability in (10) both site selection and use of materials, especially with those species which build quite elaborate constructions. Furthermore, some element of learning is often evident since younger birds do not build as well as their practiced elders. Young ravens, for example, first attempt to build with sticks of quite unsuitable size, while a jackdaw’s first nest includes virtually any movable object. The novelist John Steinbeck recorded the contents (15) of a young osprey nest built in his garden, which included three shirts, a bath towel, and one arrow. Birds also display remarkable behavior in collecting building materials. Crows have been seen to tear off stout green twigs, and sparrowhawks will dive purposefully onto a branch until it snaps and then hang upside down to break it off. Golden eagles, over (20) generations of work, construct enormous nests. One of these, examined after it had been dislodged by high winds, weighed almost two tons and included foundation branches almost two meters long. The carrying capacity of the eagles, however, is only relative to their size ant1 most birds are able to carry an extra load of just over twenty percent of their body weight.