Variant 1 You could have come first and won the race if you … faster

25. The author of the passage states that the main advantage of container ships is that they are ...
A) able to compete with fast ocean liners B) loaded and unloaded extremely fast
C) as comfortable as fast ocean liners D) bigger than other ships
26. According to the passage container ships ...
A) are described as "monsters" because they are ugly
B) are the fastest ships in the world
C) have recently begun sailing the oceans
D) can travel so fast because they are loaded with standard size containers
27. It is said in the passage that ...
A) because containers are of a standard size, they can be used as building blocks
B) passenger liners still have a number of important advantages over container
C) container vessels have been around for as long as passenger liners
D) container vessels can only be loaded and unloaded at specially equipped ports


In 1857, when scholars in the new reading room of the British Museum looked up from their books, they could gaze upon the inspiring vastness of the blue and copper dome above them. By the time it closed, 140 years later, they were cursing the many hours they had to look at the dome while they waited for their books to arrive. A book would seldom arrive within two hours of being ordered, and sometimes readers would have to wait up to two days. This was because, in addition to the museum, the books were stored all over London, and some as far away as a depot in Yorkshire.
28. According to the passage, it is evident that ...
A) the staff of the reading room of the British Museum were helpful and efficient
B) after 140 years, the once beautiful dome had become ugly
C) the reading room of the British Museum closed in 1997
D) readers protested against the closure of the reading room
29. It can be inferred from the text that readers in the reading room of the British Museum ...
A) were actually there to admire the architecture of the building
B) requested the authorities to keep the books on the premises
C) often complained about the inefficiency of the staff there
D) often had to wait a long time for their books to arrive