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TOEFL Directory > TOEFL writing > TOEFL Reading Class Unit 2_Passage 13_Question 133-143
TOEFL Reading Class Unit 2_Passage 13_Question 133-143
You have about 15 minutes to finish this passage.
First,use about 3-4 minutes to read the passage, try to understand the main idea of this passage.
Don't read it so slowly or try to remember all details.You need to do "fast reading",and "scan" the passage.
Second, read questions 1-11, and with questions you go back the passage again and look for correct answers.
Question 133-143
Passge 13
Shipping and shipbuilding were vital industries in the British colonies in North America throughout colonial days and into the nineteenth century. Wooden sailing ships were constructed in many towns in the Northeast and all along the Atlantic seaboard. One of the most symbolic and decorative components of the ship was the figurehead, located near the bowsprit, at the front of the ship where the sides come together. The earliest North American figureheads resembled English examples---usually images of animals or elegant, classical female figures. By the mid-eighteenth century, the variety of American figureheads increased markedly and a national style began to emerge.
The most common motif showed a female figure, larger than life-size, costumed in the style of the day. Carved of native woods, usually pine, by masters and apprentices, the figures were composed of several parts. The body was made of one piece of wood, with decorative bases, arms, legs, and other projectiles attached by dowels or pegs. Some parts were detachable and could be removed when the ship encountered stormy weather. Most figureheads were painted in bright colors with much attention paid to details in faces and dress. Occasionally, some figureheads were enameled in white paint with decorative elements embellished with gold leaf to reflect the brilliant sunlight. Often the figure's head looked upward and her dress was shown flowing backward as if blown by the wind, thus exaggerating the silhouette.
Although female figures were the most popular, a vast variety of subjects were depicted: sea serpents, dolphins and other aquatic creatures, patriotic personages and national heroes, literary characters, and eagles. Stern boards, broad boards attached to the backs of ships, were also decoratively carved. Many featured eagles and elaborate curvilinear scrolls and curlicues. Some carvings were bust-length; others varied in size depending on the type and dimensions of the ship. Another type of carved marine decoration showed a cat or lion's head in a visual play on words describing the "cathead,?a projection on the bow to which the anchor line was attached. While the makers of most ship carvings remain anonymous, the work of some craftspeople has been documented through primary sources such as bills of sale, advertisements, or customs house records.
133. The passage mainly discusses figureheads in terms of
a) the type of ship they were found on
b) the craftspeople who made them
c) their construction and decoration
d) the sources of the earliest examples
134. The word vital in the passage is closest in meaning to
a) practical
b) important
c) popular
d) creative
135. The word components in the passage is closest in meaning to
a) parts
b) developments
c) methods
d) signals
136. What change occurred in figurehead design by the mid-eighteenth century?
a) There was a greater emphasis on symbolic decoration.
b) The styles became more uniform.
c) There was an increase in the use of female figures.
d) The figureheads became more distinctly North American.
137. Why were some parts of figureheads removable?
a) To protect them from severe weather
b) To make them easier to carve
c) To reduce the weight of the figure
d) To make them easier to transport
138. The word Occasionally in the passage is closest in meaning to
a) hardly ever
b) sometimes
c) usually
d) almost always
139. The word aquatic in the passage is closest in meaning to
a) attractive
b) traditional
c) marine
d) imaginary
140. All of the following were subjects for North American figureheads EXCEPT
a) symbols of freedom
b) patriots
c) literary figures
d) eagles
141. Look at terms seaboard, projectiles, silhouette, and Stern boards in the passage. Which of these terms is defined in the passage?
a) seaboard
b) projectiles
c) silhouette
d) stern boards
142. The word others in the passage
refers to
a) curlicues
b) stern boards
c) ships
d) carvings
143.
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