In 776 B.C., the first Olympic Games were held at the foot of Mount Olympus to honor the Greeks’ chief god, Zeus. The warm climate for outdoor activities, the need for preparedness in war, and their lifestyle caused the Greeks to create competitive sports. Only the elite and military could participate at first, but later the games were open to all free Greek males who had no criminal record. The Greeks emphasized physical fitness and strength in their education of youth. Therefore, contest in running, jumping, discuss and javelin throwing, boxing, and horse and chariot racing were held in individual cities, and the winners competed every four years at Mount Olympus. Winners were greatly honored by having olive wreaths placed on their heads and having poems sung about their deeds. Originally these contests were held as games of friendship, and any wars in progress were halted to allow the games to take place. They also helped to strengthen bonds among competitors and the different cities represented.
The Greeks attached so much importance to the games that they calculated time in four-year cycles called “Olympiads,” dating from 776 B.C. The contest coincided with religious festivities and constituted an all-out effort on the part of the participants to please the gods. Any who disobeyed the rules were dismissed and seriously punished. These athletes brought shame not only to themselves, but also to the cities they represented.
1. Which of the following is NOT true?
a. Winners placed olive wreaths on their own heads.
b. The games were held in Greece every four years.
c. Battles were interrupted to participate in the games.
d. Poem glorified the winners in song.
Answer : C. Battles were interrupted to participate in the games
Reason : karena dalam dalam paragraph kedua dijelaskan bahwa..
a. Aristocracy c. intellectuals
b. Brave d. muscular
Answer : A. Aristocracy
Reason : kata “elite” dalam bahasa Indonesia berarti golongan atas atau kaum atasan. Dari pilihan jawaban yang tersedia, “Aristocracy”-lah yang memiliki makna serupa yaitu kaum ningrat atau kaum atasan.
3. Why were the Olympic Games held?
a. To stop wars c. To crown the best athletes
b. To honor Zeus d. To sing songs about the athletes
Answer : B. To honor Zeus
Reason : dalam paragraph pertama dijelaskan bahwa..
4. Approximately how many years ago did these games originate?
a. 800 years b. 1,200 years c. 2,300 years d. 2,800 years
Answer : D. 2,800 years
Reason :
Dalam kalimat tersebut dijelaskan bahwa olimpic games muai diselenggarakan pada 776 B.C. (sebelum masehi) dan sekarang tahun 2012, jadi olimpic games terjadi sejak 2,788 tahun (776 + 2012) yang lalu atau sekitar 2,800 tahun yang lalu.
5. What conclusion can we draw about the ancient Greeks?
a. They were pacifists.
b. They believed athletic events were important
c. They were very simple
d. They couldn’t count, so they used “Olympiads” for dates
Answer : B. They believed athletic events were important
Reason : karena dalam dalam paragraph kedua dijelaskan bahwa..
6. What is the main idea of this passage?
a. Physical fitness was an integral part of the lives of the ancient Greeks
b. The Greeks severely punished those who did not participate in physical fitness programs
c. The Greeks had always encouraged everyone to participate in the games
d. The Greeks had the games coincide with religious festivities so that they could go back to war when the games were over.
Answer : D. The Greeks had the games coincide with religious festivities so that they could go back to war when the games were over.
Reason : terdapat dalam paragraph ke-2, kalimat ke-2
7. In line 14, the word “deeds” is closest in meaning to
a. Accomplishments
b. Ancestors
c. Documents
d. Property
Answer : A. Accomplishments
Reason : Kata “deeds” dalam kalimat tersebut memiliki makna perbuatan atau tindakan. Dari pilihan jawaban diatas kata “Accomplishments” memiliki makna yang serupa yaitu penyelesaian.
8. Which of the following was ultimately required of all athletes competing in the Olympics?
a. They must have completed military service
b. They had to attend special training sessions
c. They had to be Greek males with no criminal record
d. They had to be very religious
Answer : C. They had to be Greek males with no criminal record
Reason : kalimat tersebut dijelaskan pada paragraph pertama, kalimat ketiga
9. The word “halted” in line 16 means most nearly the same as ..
a. Encourages
b. Started
c. Curtailed
d. Fixed
Answer : C. Curtailed
Reason : kata “halted” memiliki makna berhenti sebentar. Dalam pilihan jawaban diatas kata “curtailed”-lah yang memiliki makna mendekati kata “halted” yaitu membatasi atau mengurangi
10. What is an “Olympiad”?
a. The time it took to finish the games
b. The time between games
c. The it took to finish a war
d. The time it took the athletes to train
Answer : B. The time between games
Reason : dijelaskan pada kalimat pertama, paragraph kedua
STYLISTIC PROBLEMS
1. The defendant refused to answer the prosecutor’s questions ____________
a. Because he was afraid it would incriminate him.
b. For fear that they will incriminate him
c. Because he was afraid that his answers would incriminate him
d. Fearing that he will be incriminated by it
Reason : karena dalam soal kata “question” bermakna jamak, oleh karena itu jawaban yang tepat adalah jawaban “C. Because he was afraid that his answers would incriminate him” yang memiliki makna jamak juga.
2. Mrs. Walker has returned_______________
a. A wallet back to its original owner
b. To its original owner the wallet
c. The wallet to its originally owner
d. The wallet to its original owner
Reason : Kata “return” diikuti dengan kata “to” dan owner seharusnya diikuti dengan adverb.
3. The hospital owes____________ for the construction of the new wing.
a. The government twenty million dollars
b. For the government twenty million dollars
c. To the government twenty million dollars
d. Twenty million of dollars to the government
Reason : pada dasarnya sebuah kalimat terdiri dari subjek+verb+objek. Kalimat tersebut harus dilengkapi dengan objek karena kata sebelumnya merupakan verb (kata kerja) maka jawaban A adalah yang tepat.
4. Sarah ____________ that she could not attend classes next week.
a. Told to her professors
b. Said her professors
c. Told her professors
d. Is telling her professors
Reason : stuktur kalimat dalam kalimat diatas adalah present continous, kalimat yang sigunakan untuk menunjukan sesuatu yang akan dilakukan di waktu yangakan datang dan telah direncanakan/ditentukan sebelumnya. Maka jawaban yang tepat adalah D
5. The artist was asked to show some paintings at the contest because___________
a. He painted very good
b. They believed he painted well
c. Of their belief that he was an good artist
d. The judges had been told of his talents
Reason : setelah verb (painted) dibutuhkan adverb (well) bukan adjective. Maka jawaban yang tepat adalah B
6. If motorists do not observe the traffic regulations, they will be stopped, ticketed, and
A B C
have to pay a fine.
D
The incorrect answer : d. have to pay a fin
The correct answer : have to be paid a fine
“If motorists do not observe the traffic regulations, they will be stopped, ticketed, and have to be paid a fine.”
The reason: karena "stopped" and "ticketed" adalah bentuk pasif, jadi "have to pay a fine” harus pasif juga.
7. Fred, who usually conducts the choir rehearsals, did not show up last night
A B
because he had an accident on his way to the practice.
C D
The incorrect answer : a. The choir rehearsals
The correct answer :the choir rehearsal
“Fred, who usually conducts the choir rehearsal, did not show up last night because he had an accident on his way to the practice.”
The reason: dalam kalimat tersebut tidak dibutuhkan huruf "s" pada kata rehearseal karena bukan verb dari kata "the choir
8. A short time before her operation last month, Mrs. Carlyle dreams of her daughter
A B C
who lives overseas.
D
The incorrect answer : c. dreams
the correct answer : dreamed.
“A short time before her operation last month, Mrs. Carlyle dreamed of her daughter who lives overseas.”
The reason: kalimat diatas adalah kalimat past tense, jadi kata “dreams” harusnya lampau juga “dreamed”
9. The atmosphere in AndalucÃa is open, warm, and gives a welcome feeling to all
A B
who have the good fortune to visit there.
C D
The incorrect answer : c. Who
the correct answer : that
“The atmosphere in AndalucÃa is open, warm, and gives a welcome feeling to all that have the good fortune to visit there.”
The reason: “who” digunakan untuk menunjukkan orang, sedangkan pada kalimat di atas menerangkan “the atmosphere”
10. Some of the people were standing in the street watched the parade,
A B C
while others were singing songs.
D
The incorrect answer : c. Watched
the correct answer : Watching
“Some of the people were standing in the street watching the parade, while others were singing songs.”
The reason: karena kalimat diatas merupakan kalimat past participle jadi kata kerjanya harus menggunakan verb+ing dan kalimat di atas juga merupakan penggabungan dua kalimat
