Section 3

Reading Comprehension

Questions 1-10 refer to the following passage.

All mammals feed their young. Beluga whale mothers, for example, nurse their
calves for some twenty months, until they are about to give birth again and their young
Line
are able to find their own food. The behavior of feeding of the young is built into the
(5) reproductive system. It is a nonelective part of parental care and the defining feature of
a mammal, the most important thing that mammals -- whether marsupials, platypuses,
spiny anteaters, or placental mammals -- have in common.
But not all animal parents, even those that tend their offspring to the point of
hatching or birth, feed their young. Most egg-guarding fish do not, for the simple reason
(10) that their young are so much smaller than the parents and eat food that is also much
smaller than the food eaten by adults. In reptiles, the crocodile mother protects her
young after they have hatched and takes them down to the water, where they will find
food, but she does not actually feed them. Few insects feed their young after hatching,
but some make other arrangement, provisioning their cells and nests with caterpillars
(15) and spiders that they have paralyzed with their venom and stored in a state of suspended
animation so that their larvae might have a supply of fresh food when they hatch.
For animals other than mammals, then, feeding is not intrinsic to parental care.
Animals add it to their reproductive strategies to give them an edge in their lifelong
quest for descendants. The most vulnerable moment in any animal’s life is when it
(20) first finds itself completely on its own, when it must forage and fend for itself. Feeding
postpones that moment until a young animal has grown to such a size that it is better
able to cope. Young that are fed by their parents become nutritionally independent at
a much greater fraction of their full adult size. And in the meantime those young are
shielded against the vagaries of fluctuating of difficult-to-find supplies. Once a species
(25) does take the step of feeding its young, the young become totally dependent on the
extra effort. If both parents are removed, the young generally do no survive.

1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

Jawaban : (A) The care that various animals give to their offspring
Key Word : But not all animal parents, even those that tend their offspring to the point of hatching or birth,
feed their young.
Pembahasan: Dari awal sampai akhir bacaan dijelaskan berbagai macam bentuk perhatian yang diberikan
hewan kepada keturunannya.
2. The author lists various animals in line 5 – 6 to ….
Jawaban : (C) emphasize the point that every type of mammal feeds its own young
Key Word : All mammals feed their young. Beluga whale mothers, for example, nurse their calves for some
twenty months, until they are about to give birth again and their young are able to find their own
food. The behavior of feeding of the young is built into the reproductive system. It is a nonselective
part of parental care and the defining feature of a mammal, the most important thing that
mammals -- whether marsupials, platypuses, spiny anteaters, or placental mammals -- have in
common.
Pembahasan: Di paragraf pertama dijabarkan bahwa setiap mamalia itu memberi makan pada anak-anak
mereka yang masih kecil. Marsupial, platypus, trenggiling, atau mamalia yang berplasenta
merupakan contoh mamalia yang memberi makan anak-anak mereka.
3. The word “tend” in line 7 is closest in meaning to ….
Jawaban : (D) care for
Key Word : But not all animal parents, even those that tend their offspring to the point of hatching or birth,
feed their young.
Pembahasan: Tend disini memiliki arti merawat.
 Sit on : mendudukkan (mengerami)
 Move : memindah
 Notice : memperhatikan
 Care for : memelihara
Jadi jawaban yang sesuai adalah care for.
4. What can be inferred from the passage about the practice of animal parents feeding their young?
Jawaban : (D) it is most common among mammals.
Key Word : The behavior of feeding of the young is built into the reproductive system. It is a nonselective part
of parental care and the defining feature of a mammal, the most important thing that mammals
-- whether marsupials, platypuses, spiny anteaters, or placental mammals -- have in common.
Pembahasan: Dijelaskan bahwa kegiatan memberi makan pada anak-anak mamalia merupakan hal yang sudah
umum dilakukan oleh mamalia.
5. The word “provisioning” in line 13 is closest in meaning to ….
Jawaban : (A) supplying
Key Word : Few insects feed their young after hatching, but some make other arrangement, provisioning their
cells and nests with caterpillars and spiders that they have paralyzed with their venom and stored
in a state of suspended animation so that their larvae might have a supply of fresh food when they
hatch.
Pembahasan: provisioning disini memiliki arti persediaan.
 supplying : persediaan
 preparing : persiapan
 building : bangunan
 expanding : perluasan
Jadi jawaban yang sesuai adalah supplying.
6. According to the passage, how do some insects make sure their young have food?
Jawaban : (A) by storing food near their young.
Key Word : Few insects feed their young after hatching, but some make other arrangement, provisioning their
cells and nests with caterpillars and spiders that they have paralyzed with their venom and stored
in a state of suspended animation so that their larvae might have a supply of fresh food when they
hatch.
Pembahasan: Dijelaskan bahwa beberapa jenis serangga memberi makan anak-anak mereka setelah melahirkan,
tetapi ada yang mempunyai aturan tersendiri, yaitu menyiapkan pesediaan makanan di sarang
mereka dengan ulat dan laba-laba yang telah dilumpuhkan, berharap anak-anak mereka sudah
mempunyai persediaan makanan begitu mereka dilahirkan. Lihat baris 12-16.
7. The word “edge” in line 18 is closest in meaning to ….
Jawaban : (B) advantage
Key Word : For animals other than mammals, then, feeding is not intrinsic to parental care. Animals add it to
their reproductive strategies to give them an edge in their lifelong quest for descendants.
Pembahasan: Edge di sini memiliki arti keberuntungan.
 Opportunity : kesempatan
 advantage : keberuntungan
 purpose : tujuan
 rest : istirahat
Jadi jawaban yang sesuai adalah advantage.
8. The word “it” in line 20 refers to ….
Jawaban : (C) young animal
Key Word : Feeding postpones that moment until a young animal has grown to such a size that it is better able
to cope.
Pembahasan: Dari teks jelas bahwa it mewakili a young animal.
9. According to the passage, animal young are most defenseless when ….
Jawaban : (D) they first become independent
Key Word : Young that are fed by their parents become nutritionally independent at a much greater fraction
of their full adult size. And in the meantime those young are shielded against the vagaries of
fluctuating of difficult-to-find supplies. Once a species does take the step of feeding its young,
the young become totally dependent on the extra effort. If both parents are removed, the young
generally do no survive.
Pembahasan:Dari teks dapt disimpulkan bahwa binatang muda menjadi paling tidak berdaya ketika mereka
merasa memiliki ketergantungan terhadap induknya, jadi ketika induknya hilang maka mereka tidak
akan bisa bertahan.

10. The word “shielded” in line 24 is closest in meaning to ….

Jawaban : (B) protected
Key Word : And in the meantime those young are shielded against the vagaries of fluctuating of difficult-to-
find supplies.
Pembahasan: shielded disini memiliki arti terlindungi.
 Raised : ditinggikan
 Protected : terlindungi
 hatched : dilahirkan
 valued : dihargai
Jadi jawaban yang sesuai adalah protected.
Questions 11-21 refer to the following passage.
Printmaking is the generic term for a number of processes, of which woodcut and
engraving are two prime examples. Prints are made by pressing a sheet of paper (or other
Line material) against an image-bearing surface to which ink has been applied. When the
paper is removed, the image adheres to it, but in reverse.
(5) The woodcut had been used in China from the fifth century A.D. for applying patterns
to textiles. The process was not introduced into Europe until the fourteenth century, first
for textile decoration and then for printing on paper. Woodcuts are created by a relief
process; first, the artist takes a block of wood, which has been sawed parallel to the grain,
covers it with a white ground, and then draws the image in ink. The background is carved
(10) away, leaving the design area slightly raised. The woodblock is inked, and the ink adheres
to the raised image. It is then transferred to damp paper either by hand or with a printing
press.
Engraving, which grew out of the goldsmith’s art, originated in Germany and northern
Italy in the middle of the fifteenth century. It is an intaglio process (from Italian intagliare,
(15) “to carve”). The image is incised into a highly polished metal plate, usually copper, with a
cutting instrument, or burin. The artist inks the plate and wipes it clean so that some ink
remains in the incised grooves. An impression is made on damp paper in a printing press,
with sufficient pressure being applied so that the paper picks up the ink.
Both woodcut and engraving have distinctive characteristics. Engraving lends itself
(20) to subtle modeling and shading through the use of fine lines. Hatching and cross-hatching
determine the degree of light and shade in a print. Woodcuts tend to be more linear, with
sharper contrasts between light and dark. Printmaking is well suited to the production
of multiple images. A set of multiples is called an edition. Both methods can yield several
hundred good-quality prints before the original block or plate begins to show signs of
(25) wear. Mass production of prints in the sixteenth century made images available, at a
lower cost, to a much broader public than before.

11. What does the passage mainly discuss?

Jawaban : (C) Two types of printmaking
Key Word : Printmaking is the generic term for a number of processes, of which woodcut and engraving are
two prime examples.
Pembahasan: Dari awal sampai akhir bacaan dijabarkan tentang dua macam tipe cetakan, yaitu woodcut
(ukiran) dan engraving (pahatan).
12. The word “prime” in line 2 is closest in meaning to ….
Jawaban : (A) principal
Key Word : And in the meantime those young are shielded against the vagaries of fluctuating of difficult-to-
find supplies.
Pembahasan: prime disini memiliki arti utama.
 principal : yang utama
 complex : rumit
 general : umum
 recent : baru saja
Jadi jawaban yang sesuai adalah principal.
13. The author’s purposes in paragraph 2 is to describe ….
Jawaban : (C) The process involved in creating a woodcut
Key Word : Woodcuts are created by a relief process; first, the artist takes a block of wood, which has been
sawed parallel to the grain, covers it with a white ground, and then draws the image in ink. The
background is carved away, leaving the design area slightly raised. The woodblock is inked, and
the ink adheres to the raised image. It is then transferred to damp paper either by hand or with a
printing press.
Pembahasan: Ukiran dihasilkan oleh sebuah proses relief (gambar timbul). Jadi jelas bahwa paragraf 2
mendeskripsikan tentang proses tersebut.
14. The word “incised” in line 15 is closest in meaning to ….
Jawaban : (B) cut
Key Word : The image is incised incised into a highly polished metal plate, usually copper, with a cutting
instrument, or burin.
Pembahasan : incised disini memiliki arti diiris.
 burned : dibakar
 cut : dipotong
 framed : dibingkai
 baked : dibakar
Jadi jawaban yang sesuai adalah cut.
15. Which of the following terms is defined in the passage?
Jawaban : (C) burin (line 16)
Key Word : The woodcut had been used in China from the fifth century A.D. for applying patterns to textiles
(line 6); ...first, the artist takes a block of wood, which has been sawed parallel to the grain, covers
it with a white ground, and then draws the image in ink (line 8-10); The image is incised into a
highly polished metal plate, usually copper, with a cutting instrument, or burin (line 15-16); The
artist inks the plate and wipes it clean so that some ink remains in the incised grooves (line16-17).
Pembahasan: Dapat dilihat bahwa hanya istilah burin didefinisikan dalam teks, yaitu alat pemotong.
16. The word “distinctive” in line 19 is closest in meaning to ….
Jawaban : (A) unique
Key Word : Both woodcut and engraving have distinctive characteristics.
Pembahasan: distinctive memiliki arti khas.
 unique : khas
 accurate : tepat
 irregular : tak beraturan
 similar : sama
Jadi jawaban yang sesuai adalah unique.
17. According to the passage, all of the following are true about engraving EXCEPT that it ….
Jawaban : (B) requires that the paper be cut with a burin
Key Word : Engraving, which grew out of the goldsmith’s art, originated in Germany and northern Italy in the
middle of the fifteenth century. It is an intaglio process (from Italian intagliare, “to carve”). The
image is incised into a highly polished metal plate, usually copper, with a cutting instrument, or
burin. The artist inks the plate and wipes it clean so that some ink remains in the incised grooves.
An impression is made on damp paper in a printing press, with sufficient pressure being applied so
that the paper picks up the ink.
Pembahasan: Berdasarkan paragraf 2, yang dipotong dengan burin itu bukan kertas melainkan lempengan
logam.
18. The word “yield” in line 23 is closest in meaning to ….
Jawaban : (B) produce
Key Word : Both methods can yield several hundred good-quality prints before the original block or plate
begins to show signs of wear.
Pembahasan: Yield disini memiliki arti menghasilkan.
 imitate : meniru
 produce : menghasilkan
 revise : memperbaiki
 contrast : perbedaan
Jadi jawaban yang sesuai adalah produce.
19. According to the passage, what do woodcut and engraving have in common?
Jawaban : (D) they allow multiple copies to be produced from one original.
Key Word : Printmaking is well suited to the production of multiple images. A set of multiples is called an
edition. Both methods can yield several hundred good-quality prints before the original block or
plate begins to show signs of wear.
Pembahasan: Berdasarkan teks, sangat memungkinkan dengan satu cetakan saja, baik yang woodcut maupun
engraving, dapat dihasilkan gambar/karya yang berlipat ganda yang sama persis dengan
cetakannya. Lihat baris 21-26.
20. According to the author, what made it possible for members of the general public to own prints in the sixteenth
century?
Jawaban : (A) Prints could be made at low cost.
Key Word : Mass production of prints in the sixteenth century made images available, at a lower cost, to a
much broader public than before.
Pembahasan: Berdasarkan teks, produk-produk cetakan pada abad ke 16 mudah didapatkan karena biayanya
murah.
21. According to the passage, all of the following are true about prints EXCEPT that they ….
Jawaban : (D) require printing press.
Key Word : Prints are made by pressing a sheet of paper (or other material) against an image-bearing surface
to which ink has been applied. When the paper is removed, the image adheres to it, but in reverse.
Pembahasan: Tidak disebutkan bahwa untuk membuat cetakan dibutuhkan mesin pencetak. Lihat paragraf 2 dan 3.
Questions 22-31 refer to the following passage.
The first peoples to inhabit what today is the southeastern United States
sustained themselves as hunters and gathers. Sometimes early in the first
Line millennium A.D., however, they began to cultivate corn and other crops. Gradually,
as they became more skilled at gardening, they settled into permanent villages and
(5) developed a rich culture, characterized by the great earthen mounds they erected
as monuments to their gods and as tombs for their distinguished dead. Most of
these early mound builders were part of the Adena-Hopewell culture, which had its
beginnings near the Ohio River and takes its name from sites in Ohio. The culture
spread southward into the present-day states of Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, and
(10) Florida. Its peoples became great traders, bartering jewellery, pottery, animal pelts,
tools, and other goods along extensive trading networks that stretched up and
down eastern North America and as far west as the Rocky Mountains.
About A.D. 400, the Hopewell culture fell into decay. Over the next centuries,
it was supplanted by another culture, the Mississippian, named after the river along
(15) which many of its earliest villages were located. This complex civilization dominated
the Southeast from about A.D. 700 until shortly before the Europeans began arriving
in the sixteenth century. At the peak of its strength, about the year 1200, it was the
most advanced culture in North America. Like their Hopewell predecessors, the
Mississippians became highly skilled at growing food, although on a grander scale.
(20) They developed an improved strain of corn, which could survive in wet soil and a
relatively cool climate, and also learned to cultivate beans. Indeed, agriculture became
so important to the Mississippians that it became closely associated with the Sun ---
the guarantor of good crops. Many tribes called themselves "children of the sun" and
believed their omnipotent priest-chiefs were descendants of the great sun god.
(25) Although most Mississippians lived in small villages, many others inhabited
large towns. Most of these towns boasted at least one major flat-topped mound
on which stood a temple that contained a sacred flame. Only priests and those
charged with guarding the flame could enter the temples. The mounds also served
as ceremonial and trading sites, and at times they were used as burial grounds.

22. What does the passage mainly discuss?

Jawaban : (C) the early people and cultures of the United States
Key word : The first peoples to inhabit what today is the southeastern United States sustained themselves as
hunters and gathers.
Pembahasan: Dari awal sampai akhir bacaan dijabarkan tentang masyarakat dan budaya yang pertama kali
berkembang di negara bagian selatan Amerika Serikat.
23. Which of the following resulted from the rise of agriculture in the southeastern United States?
Jawaban : (B) the establishment of permanent settlements
Key Word : Gradually, as they became more skilled at gardening, they settled into permanent villages and
developed a rich culture, characterized by the great earthen mounds they erected as monuments
to their gods and as tombs for their distinguished dead.
Pembahasan: Salah satu dampak dari perkembangan agrikultur di negara bagian selatan Amerika Serikat yaitu
dibentuknya perkampungan-perkampungan dan dikembangkannya budaya yang bernilai tinggi,
yang ditunjukkan dengan adanya mound (gundukan yang terbuat dari tanah) yang mereka dirikan
sebagai monumen pemujaan terhadap dewa mereka dan sebagai pusara bagi yang mati. Lihat
baris 3-6.
24. What does the term “Adena-Hopewell”(line 7) designate?
Jawaban : (B) the early locations of the Adena-Hopewell culture
Key Word : Most of these early mound builders were part of the Adena-Hopewell culture, which had its
beginnings near the Ohio River and takes its name from sites in Ohio.
Pembahasan: Dari teks dapat disimpulkan bahwa sebagian besar mound, bangunan yang berupa gundukan dari
tanah, yang ditemukan pertama kali merupakan bagian dari budaya Adena-Hopwell.
25. The word “bartering” in line 10 is closest in meaning to ….
Jawaban : (B) exchanging
Key Word : Its peoples became great traders, bartering jewellery, pottery, animal pelts, tools, and other goods
along extensive trading networks that stretched up and down eastern North America and as far
west as the Rocky Mountains.
Pembahasan: bartering memiliki arti saling bertukar.
 producing : hasil
 exchanging : pertukaran
 transporting : perpindahan
 loading : pemuatan
Jadi jawaban yang sesuai adalah exchanging.
26. The word “supplanted” in line 14 is closest in meaning to ….
Jawaban : (C) replaced
Key Word : Over the next centuries, it was supplanted by another culture, the Mississippian, named after the
river along which many of its earliest villages were located.
Pembahasan: supplanted disini memiliki arti digantikan.
 conquered : ditaklukkan
 preceded : diawali
 replaced : diganti
 imitated : ditiru
Jadi jawaban yang sesuai adalah replaced.
27. According to the passage, when did the Mississippian culture reach its highest point of development?
Jawaban : (C) about A.D. 1200
Key Word : At the peak of its strength, about the year 1200, it was the most advanced culture in North
America.
Pembahasan: Dari teks dapat disimpulkan bahwa tahun 1200 merupakan puncak dari perkembangan budaya
yang sudah maju di Amerika Utara, termasuk masyarakat Missisippi.
28. According to the passage, how did the agriculture of the Mississippians differ from that of their Hopewell
predecessors?
Jawaban : (A) The Mississippians produced more durable and larger crops of food
Key Word : Like their Hopewell predecessors, the Mississippians became highly skilled at growing food,
although on a grander scale. They developed an improved strain of corn, which could survive in
wet soil and a relatively cool climate, and also learned to cultivate beans. Indeed, agriculture
became so important to the Mississippians that it became closely associated with the Sun --- the
guarantor of good crops.
Pembahasan: Dari teks dapat disimpulkan bahwa masyarakat Mississippi mempunyai kemampuan yang lebih
tinggi daripada masyarakat Hopewell. Mereka mampu menghasilkan jagung yang kuat, yang
dapat tumbuh di tanah lembab dan cuaca yang dingin, dan belajar bagaimana menyimpan buncis.
29. Why does the author mention that many Mississippians tribes called themselves “children of the Sun”(line 23-
24)?
Jawaban : (C) to illustrate the great importance they placed on agriculture
Key Word : Many tribes called themselves "children of the Sun" and believed their omnipotent priest-chiefs
were descendants of the great sun god.
Pembahasan: Dari teks dapat disimpulkan bahwa suku Mississippi percaya terhadap ketua mereka yang begitu
besar kekuasaannya merupakan keturunan dewa matahari.

30. The phrase “charged with” in line 28 is closest in meaning to ….

Jawaban : (D) assigned to
Key Word : Only priests and those charged with guarding the flame could enter the temples.
Pembahasan: Charge with disini memiliki arti yang ditugaskan.
 Passed on : meninggal
 Experienced at : berpengalaman
 interested : berminat
 assigned to : ditugaskan
Jadi jawaban yang sesuai adalah assigned to.
31. According to the passage, the flat-topped mounds in Mississippian towns were used for all of the following
purposes EXCEPT ….
Jawaban : (B) meeting place for the entire community
Key Word : Most of these towns boasted at least one major flat-topped mound on which stood a temple that
contained a sacred flame. Only priests and those charged with guarding the flame could enter the
temples. The mounds also served as ceremonial and trading sites, and at times they were used as
burial grounds.
Pembahasan : Dari teks dapat disimpulkan bahwa yang bukan merupakan kegunaan dari flat-topped mound
adalah sebagai tempat pertemuan bagi segala komunitas.

Questions 32- 40 refer to the following passage.

Overland transport in the United States was still extremely primitive in
1790. Roads were few and short, usually extending from inland communities to the
nearest river town or seaport. Nearly all interstate commerce was carried out by
Line
sailing ships that served the bays and harbors of the seaboard. Yet, in 1790 the nation
(5) was on the threshold of a new era of road development. Unable to finance road
construction, states turned for help to private companies, organized by merchants
and land speculators who had a personal interest in improved communications
with the interior. The pioneer in this move was the state of Pennsylvania, which
chartered a company in 1792 to construct a turnpike, a road for the use of which
(10) a toll, or payment, is collected, from Philadelphia to Lancaster. The legislature
gave the company the authority to erect tollgates at points along the road where
payment would be collected, though it carefully regulated the rates. (The states
had unquestioned authority to regulate private business in this period.)
The company built a gravel road within two years, and the success of the
(15) Lancaster Pike encouraged imitation. Northern states generally relied on private
companies to build their toll roads, but Virginia constructed a network at public
expense. Such was the road building fever that by 1810 New York alone had some
1,500 miles of turnpikes extending from the Atlantic to Lake Erie.
Transportation on these early turnpikes consisted of freight carrier wagons
(20) and passenger stagecoaches. The most common road freight carrier was the
Conestoga wagon, a vehicle developed in the mid-eighteenth century by German
immigrants in the area around Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It featured large, broad
wheels able to negotiate all but the deepest ruts and holes, and its round bottom
prevented the freight from shifting on a hill. Covered with canvas and drawn by four
(25) to six horses, the Conestoga wagon rivaled the log cabin as the primary symbol of
the frontier. Passengers traveled in a variety of stagecoaches, the most common
of which had four benches, each holding three persons. It was only a platform on
wheels, with no springs; slender poles held up the top, and leather curtains kept
out dust and rain.
32. Paragraph 1 discusses early road building in the United States mainly in terms of the ….
Jawaban : (B) financing of new roads
Key Word : Yet, in 1790 the nation was on the threshold of a new era of road development. Unable to finance
road construction, states turned for help to private companies, organized by merchants and land
speculators who had a personal interest in improved communications with the interior.
Pembahasan: Dari teks dapat dipahami, karena merasa tidak mampu membiayai konstruksi jalan, negara
meminta bantuan perusahaan-perusahaan swasta. Lihat baris 4-8.
33. The word “primitive” in line 1 is closest in meaning to ….
Jawaban : (D) undevelopment
Key Word : Overland transport in the United States was still extremely primitive in 1790.
Pembahasan: primitive memiliki arti yang terbelakang.
 unsafe : tidak aman
 unknown : tidak dikenal
 inexpensive : tidak mahal
 undevelopment : tidak maju
Jadi jawaban yang sesuai adalah undevelopment.
34. In 1790 most roads connected towns in the interior of the country with ….
Jawaban : (C) river towns or seaports
Key Word : Overland transport in the United States was still extremely primitive in 1790. Roads were few and
short, usually extending from inland communities to the nearest river town or seaport.
Pembahasan: Dari teks dapat dipahami bahwa di tahun 1790, jalan-jalan antar kota sangat jarang dan pendek,
biasanya sepanjang menghubungkan daerah pedalaman dengan kota yang terdekat dengan
sungai atau laut.
35. The phrase “on the threshold of” in line 4 and 5 is closest in meaning to ….
Jawaban : (C) at the start of
Key Word : Yet, in 1790 the nation was on the threshold a new era of road development.
Pembahasan: on the threshold of memiliki arti awal dari.
 In need of : kebutuhan akan
 In place of : tempat untuk
 At the start of : permulaan dari
 With the purpose of : dengan tujuan
Jadi jawaban yang sesuai adalah at the start of.
36. According to the passage, why did states want private companies to help with road building?
Jawaban : (A) the states could not afford to build roads themselves
Key Word : Unable to finance road construction, states turned for help to private companies, organized by
merchants and land speculators who had a personal interest in improved communications with the
interior.
Pembahasan: Dari teks diketahui bahwa penyebab negara meminta bantuan dari perusahaan-perusahaan
swasta karena ketidakmampuan membangun jalan dengan biaya sendiri.
37. The word “it” in line 12 refers to ….
Jawaban : (A) legislature
Key Word : Once The legislature gave the company the authority to erect tollgates at points along the road
where payment would be collected, though it carefully regulated the rates. (The states had
unquestioned authority to regulate private business in this period.).
Pembahasan : Dari teks jelas bahwa it mewakili legislature (badan pembuat undang-undang).
38. The word “imitation” in line 15 is closest in meaning to ….
Jawaban : (D) copying
Key Word : The company built a gravel road within two years, and the success of the Lancaster Pike
encouraged imitation.
Pembahasan: imitation memiliki arti tiruan.
 investment : investasi
 suggestion : saran
 increasing : peningkatan
 copying : tiruan
Jadi jawaban yang sesuai adalah copying.
39. Virginia is mentioned as an example of a state that ….
Jawaban : (B) built roads with government money
Key Word : Northern states generally relied on private companies to build their toll roads, but Virginia
constructed a network at public expense. Such was the road building fever that by 1810 New York
alone had some 1,500 miles of turnpikes extending from the Atlantic to Lake Erie.
Pembahasan: Dari teks jelas bahwa negara-negara bagian utara bergantung pada perusahaan swasta dalam
membangun jalan-jalan utama, tetapi negara Virginia membangun jalanan dengan biaya yang
berasal dari masyarakat. Lihat paragraf 2.
40. The “large, broad wheels” of the Conestoga wagon are mentioned in line 22-23 as an example of a feature of
wagons that was ….
Jawaban : (C) effective on roads with uneven surfaces
Key Word : The most common road freight carrier was the Conestoga wagon, a vehicle developed in the mid-
eighteenth century by German immigrants in the area around Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It featured
large, broad wheels able to negotiate all but the deepest ruts and holes, and its round bottom
prevented the freight from shifting on a hill. Covered with canvas and drawn by four to six horses,
the Conestoga wagon rivaled the log cabin as the primary symbol of the frontie.
Pembahasan: Dari teks dijelaskan bahwa dengan roda-roda yang besar dan lebar, Conestoga Wagon mampu
mengatasi semua jenis jalan, meskipun meninggalkan bekas roda yang dalam dan berlubang, dan
bagian bawahnya yang bundar menahan pengangkutan muatan dari dataran tinggi.

Questions 41-50 refer to the following passage.

In Death Valley, California, one of the hottest, most arid places in North
America, there is much salt, and salt can damage rocks impressively. Inhabitants of
Line areas elsewhere, where streets and highways are salted to control ice, are familiar
with the resulting rust and deterioration on cars. That attests to the chemically
(5) corrosive nature of salt, but it is not the way salt destroys rocks. Salt breaks rocks
apart principally by a process called crystal prying and wedging. This happens not
by soaking the rocks in salt water, but by moistening their bottoms with salt water.
Such conditions exist in many areas along the eastern edge of central Death Valley.
There, salty water rises from the groundwater table by capillary action through tiny
(10) spaces in sediment until it reaches the surface.
Most stones have capillary passages that suck salt water from the wet ground.
Death Valley provides an ultra-dry atmosphere and high daily temperatures, which
promote evaporation and the formation of salt crystals along the cracks or other
openings within stones. These crystals grow as long as salt water is available. Like
(15) tree roots breaking up a sidewalk, the growing crystals exert pressure on the rock
and eventually pry the rock apart along planes of weakness, such as banding in
metamorphic rocks, bedding in sedimentary rocks, or preexisting or incipient
fractions, and along boundaries between individual mineral crystals or grains.
Besides crystal growth, the expansion of crystals (the same as everyday table salt)
(20) by heating and of sulfates and similar salts by hydration can contribute additional
stresses. A rock durable enough to have withstood natural conditions for a very
long time in other areas could probably be shattered into small pieces by salt
weathering within a few generations.
The dominant salt in Death Valley is halite, or sodium chloride, but other
(25) salts, mostly carbonates and sulfates, also cause prying and wedging, as does
ordinary ice. Weathering by a variety of salts, though often subtle, is a worldwide
phenomenon. Not restricted to arid regions, intense salt weathering occurs mostly
in salt-rich places like the seashore, near the large saline lakes in the Dry Valleys of
Antarctica, and in desert sections of Australia, New Zealand, and central Asia.
41. What is the passage mainly about?
Jawaban : (A) the destructive effects of salt on rocks
Key Word : In Death Valley, California, one of the hottest, most arid places in North America, there is much
salt, and salt can damage rocks impressively.
Pembahasan: Bacaan ini membicarakan tentang kerusakan yang mengesankan yang diakibatkan adanya garam
di bebatuan.
42. The word “it” in line 10 refers to ….
Jawaban : (A) salty water
Key Word : Such conditions exist in many areas along the eastern edge of central Death Valley. There, salty
water rises from the groundwater table by capillary action through tiny spaces in sediment until it
reaches the surface.
Pembahasan: Dari teks jelas bahwa it mewakili salty water.
43. The word “exert” in line 15 is closest in meaning to ….
Jawaban : (A) put
Key Word : Like tree roots breaking up a sidewalk, the growing crystals exert pressure on the rock and
eventually pry the rock apart along planes of weakness, such as banding in metamorphic rocks,
bedding in sedimentary rocks, or preexisting or incipient fractions, and along boundaries between
individual mineral crystals or grains.
Pembahasan : Exert dalam konteks kalimat tersebut memiliki arti memberikan.
 Put : meletakkan
 reduce : mengurangi
 replace : mengganti
 control : mengontrol
Jadi jawaban yang paling sesuai adalah put.
44. In lines 14-18, why does the author compare tree roots with growing salt crystals?
Jawaban : (A) they both force hard surfaces to crack
Key Word : These crystals grow as long as salt water is available. Like tree roots breaking up a sidewalk, the
growing crystals exert pressure on the rock and eventually pry the rock apart along planes of
weakness, such as banding in metamorphic rocks, bedding in sedimentary rocks, or preexisting or
incipient fractions, and along boundaries between individual mineral crystals or grains.
Pembahasan: Dari teks dapat dipahami bahwa dua-duanya memberi tekanan yang kuat terhadap batu dan juga
membongkar batu menjadi bagian-bagian yang rapuh.
45. In lines 19, the author mentions the “expansion of halite crystals...by heating and of sulfates and similar salts by
hydration” in order to ….
Jawaban : (D) introduce additional means by which crystals destroy rocks
Key Word : Besides crystal growth, the expansion of halite crystals (the same as everyday table salt) by heating
and of sulfates and similar salts by hydration can contribute additional stresses.
Pembahasan: Dari teks dapat dipahami bahwa ekspansi kristal halite melalui proses pemanasan belerang dan
garam yang sama melalui proses hidrasi berperan memberikan tambahan tekanan. Dalam hal ini
penulis bermaksud menunjukkan cara lain dari kristal-kristal tersebut menghancurkan bebatuan.
46. The word “durable” in line 21 is closest in meaning to ….
Jawaban : (B) strong
Key Word : A rock durable enough to have withstood natural conditions for a very long time in other areas
could probably be shattered into small pieces by salt weathering within a few generations.
Pembahasan: durable dalam konteks kalimat tersebut memiliki arti dapat tahan lama.
 large : besar
 strong : kuat
 flexible : fleksibel
 pressured : menekan
Jadi jawaban yang paling sesuai adalah strong.
47. The word “shattered” in line 22 is closest in meaning to ….
Jawaban : (C) broken apart
Key Word : A rock durable enough to have withstood natural conditions for a very long time in other areas
could probably be shattered into small pieces by salt weathering within a few generations.
Pembahasan: shattered dalam konteks kalimat tersebut memiliki arti hancur.
 arranged : tersusun
 dissolved : larut
 broken apart : hancur
 gathered together : berkumpul bersama
Jadi jawaban yang paling sesuai adalah broken apart.
48. The word “dominant” in line 24 is closest in meaning to ….
Jawaban : (B) most common
Key Word : The dominant salt in Death Valley is halite, or sodium chloride, but other salts, mostly carbonates
and sulfates, also cause prying and wedging, as does ordinary ice.
Pembahasan: dominant dalam konteks kalimat tersebut memiliki arti yang umum.
 most recent : mutakhir
 most common : paling umum
 least available : kurang tersedia
 least damaging : kurang bersifat merusak
Jadi jawaban yang paling sesuai adalah most common.
49. According to the passage, which of the following is true about the effects of salts on rocks?
Jawaban : (C) a variety of salts in all kinds of environments can cause weathering.
Key Word : Besides crystal growth, the expansion of halite crystals (the same as everyday table salt) by heating
and of sulfates and similar salts by hydration can contribute additional stresses. A rock durable
enough to have withstood natural conditions for a very long time in other areas could probably be
shattered into small pieces by salt weathering within a few generations
Pembahasan: Dari teks dapat disimpulkan bahwa berbagai jenis garam dalam cuaca apapun dapat menyebabkan
kerusakan batu yang ditempatinya. Lihat baris 19-23.
50. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage about rocks that are found in areas where ice is
common?
Jawaban : (C) they show similar kinds of damage as rocks in Death Valley.
Key Word : The dominant salt in Death Valley is halite, or sodium chloride, but other salts, most ly carbonates
and sulfates, also cause prying and wedging, as does ordinary ice.
Pembahasan: Dari teks dapat dijelaskan bahwa bukan hanya garam di Death Valley yang menyebabkan
kehancuran dan keretakan pada bebatuan, garam dimana biasa es berada juga demikian halnya.