Question

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 43 to 50.

The technology of the North American colonies did not differ strikingly from that of Europe, but in one respect, the colonists enjoyed a great advantage. Especially by comparison with Britain, Americans had a wonderfully plentiful supply of wood.

The first colonists did not, as many people imagine, find an entire continent covered by a climax forest. Even along the Atlantic seaboard, the forest was broken at many points. Nevertheless, all sorts of fine trees abounded, and through the early colonial period, those who pushed westward encountered new forests. By the end of the colonial era, the price of wood had risen slightly in eastern cities, but wood was still extremely abundant.

The availability of wood brought advantages that have seldom been appreciated. Wood was a foundation of the economy. Houses and all manner of buildings were made of wood to a degree unknown in Britain. Secondly, wood was used as fuel for heating and cooking. Thirdly, it was used as the source of important industrial compounds, such as potash, an industrial alkali; charcoal, a component of gunpowder; and tannic acid, used for tanning leather.

The supply of wood conferred advantages but had some negative aspects as well. Iron at that time was produced by heating iron ore with charcoal. Because Britain was so stripped of trees, she was unable to exploit her rich iron mines. But the American colonies had both iron ore and wood; iron production was encouraged and became successful. However, when Britain developed coke smelting, the Colonies did not follow suit because they had plenty of wood and besides, charcoal iron was stronger than coke iron. Coke smelting led to technologic innovations and was linked to the emergence of the Industrial Revolution. In the early nineteenth century, the former colonies lagged behind Britain in industrial development because their supply of wood led them to cling to charcoal iron.

Question 43: What does the passage mainly discuss?

A. The advantages of using wood in the colonies.

B. The effects of an abundance of wood on the colonies.

C. The roots of the Industrial Revolution.

D. The difference between charcoal iron and coke iron.

Answer 1

Đáp án B

Dịch nghĩa: Bài văn chủ yếu bàn luận về vấn đề gì?

A. Lợi ích của việc sử dụng gỗ ở các vùng thuộc địa.

B. Ảnh hưỏng của việc thừa thãi gỗ đến các vùng thuộc địa.

C. Gốc rễ của cuộc cách mạng công nghiệp.

D. Sự khác biệt giữa sắt luyện từ than củi và luyện từ than cốc.

Giải thích: Hai đoạn đầu giới thiệu về nguồn tài nguyên gỗ ở các nước thuộc địa, đoạn ba nói về lợi ích, đoạn 4 nói về ảnh hưởng tiêu cực của việc có quá nhiều gỗ. Phương án A chỉ nói về đoạn ba, phương án C chỉ được nói trong đoạn 4, phương án D là một chi tiết rất nhỏ trong đoạn 4. Nếu nói “ảnh hưởng” thì có thể hiểu đó vừa là mặt lợi, vừa là mặt hại, sẽ bao hàm được nội dung cả bài hơn.