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.
Jawab: Kalimat di atas yang tidak benar adalah C. Battles were interrupted to participate in the games. Karena dalam paragraf bacaan di atas dijelaskan bahwa “The contest coincided with religious festivities and constituted an all-out effort on the part of the participants to please the gods.”
2. The word “elite” in line 5 is closest in meaning to…
a. Aristocracy c. intellectuals
b. Brave d. muscular
Jawab: Jawaban yang tepat adalah A. Aristocracy. Karena pengertian dari “elite” adalah golongan atas atau orang terkemuka dan pengertian “Aristocracy” adalah kaum bangsawan.
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
Jawab: Jawaban yang tepat adalah B. To honor Zeus. Karena dalam kalimat pertama (paragraf pertama) dijelaskan bahwa “In 776 B.C., the first Olympic Games were held at the foot of Mount Olympus to honor the Greeks’ chief god, Zeus.”
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
Jawab: Jawaban yang tepat adalah D. 2800 years. Karena dalam paragraf di atas disebutkan bahwa Olympic Games diadakan pertama kali tahun 776 Sebelum Masehi (776 B.C). Perhitungannya : sekarang tahun 2012 jadi Olympic Games terjadi sejak 2012 + 776 = 2788 atau kurang lebih sekitar 2800 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
Jawab: Jawaban yang tepat adalah B. They believed athletic events were important. Karena dalam kalimat pertama (paragraf kedua) dijelaskan bahwa “The Greeks attached so much importance to the games that they calculated time in four-year cycles called “Olympiads,” dating from 776 B.C.”
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.
Jawab: Jawaban yang tepat adalah D. The Greeks had the games coincide with religious festivities so that they could go back to war when the games were over. Karena dalam kalimat kedua (paragraf kedua) dijelaskan bahwa “The contest coincided with religious festivities and constituted an all-out effort on the part of the participants to please the gods.”
7. In line 14, the word “deeds” is closest in meaning to
a. Accomplishments
b. Ancestors
c. Documents
d. Property
Jawab: Jawaban yang tepat adalah A. Accomplishments. Karena pengertian dari “deeds” adalah perbuatan atau tindakan dan pengertian “Accomplishments” adalah prestasi. Yang dimaksud dalam paragraf di atas adalah perbuatan atau prestasi yang telah diperbuat.
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
Jawab: Jawaban yang tepat adalah C. They had to be Greek males with no criminal record. Karena dalam kalimat ketiga (paragraf pertama) dijelaskan bahwa “but later the games were open to all free Greek males who had no criminal record.”
9. The word “halted” in line 16 means most nearly the same as ..
a. Encourages
b. Started
c. Curtailed
d. Fixed
Jawab: Jawaban yang tepat adalah C. Curtailed. Karena pengertian dari “halted” adalah dihentikan dan pengertian “Curtailed” adalah dibatasi.
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
Jawab: Jawaban yang tepat adalah B. The time between games. Karena dalam kalimat pertama (paragraf kedua) dijelaskan bahwa “the games that they calculated time in four-year cycles called “Olympiads,” dating from 776 B.C.”
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
Jawab: C. Because he was afraid that his answers would incriminate him. Karena “questions” adalah bentuk jamak, maka jawaban yang tepat adalah C dimana “that his answers” juga berbentuk jamak.
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
Jawab: D. The wallet to its original owner. Karena kata “return” diikuti dengan kata “to” dan owner diikuti dengan adverb. Jadi jawaban yang tepat adalah D.
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
Jawab: A. The government twenty million dollars. Karena struktur dari kalimat tersebut yaitu setelah verb dilanjutkan dengan objek. Jadi jawaban yang tepat adalah A.
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
Jawab: C. Told her professors. Karena susunan yang benar adalah tidak menggunakan “to”. Jadi jawaban yang tepat adalah C.
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
Jawab: B. They believed he painted well. Karena susunan yang paling tepat adalah setelah verb dibutuhkan adverb, bukan adjective. Jadi 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
Jawab:If motorists do not observe the traffic regulations, they will be stopped, ticketed, and have to be paid a fine.
Analisis: Karena “stopped” dan “ticketed” dalam bentuk pasif, maka “have to pay a fine” juga harus dalam bentuk pasif.
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
Jawab:
Fred, who usually conducts the choir rehearsal, did not show up last night because he had an accident on his way to the practice.
Analisis: Karena bukan merupakan verb dari kata “the choir”, maka kata “rehearsals” tidak memerlukan huruf “s”.
8. A short time before her operation last month, Mrs. Carlyle dreams of her daughter
A B C
who lives overseas.
D
Jawab:
A short time before her operation last month, Mrs. Carlyle dreamed of her daughter
who lives overseas.
Analisis: Karena kalimat di atas bentuknya lampau terlihat pada kata “last month”, maka kata “dreams” seharusnya juga dalam bentuk lampau dan diubah menjadi “dreamed”.
9. The atmosphere in Andalucía is open, warm, and gives a welcome feeling to all
A B
who have the good fortune to visit there.
C D
Jawab:
The atmosphere in Andalucía is open, warm, and gives a welcome feeling to all that have the good fortune to visit there.
Analisis: Karena kata “that” digunakan untuk menjelaskan "the atmosphere".
10. Some of the people were standing in the street watched the parade,
A B C
while others were singing songs.
D
Jawab:
