The technology of the North American Colonies did not differ strikingly from that 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 a fuel for heatting 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 conffered 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 technological 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.
1.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 Revlution.
d.The difference between charcoal iron and coke iron.
The passage discusses the plentiful supply of wood in the colonies and the advantages and disadvantages this involved.
2.The word"strikingly"in line 1 is closest in meaning to
a.realistically
b.dramatically
c.completely
d.immediately
Strikingly means dramatically.
3.Which of the following is a common assumption about the forests of North America during the Colonial period?
a.They contained only a few types of trees
b.They existed only along the Atlantic seaboard.
c.They had little or no economic value.
d.They convered the entire continent.
Lines 4-5 state."The first colonists did not,as many people imagine,find an entire continent convered by a climax forest.
4.The word"abounded"in line 6 is closest in meaning to
a.were present in large numbers
b.were restricted to certain areas
c.were cut down
d.were cultivated
Abounded means present in large numbers.
5.According to the passage,by the end of the Colonial period,the price of wood in eastern cities.
a.rose quickly because wood was becoming so scarce
b.was much higher than it was in Britain
c.was slightly higher than in previous years
d.decreased rapidly because of lower demand for wood
Lines 7-it state that"by the end of the colonial era,the price of wood had risen slightly in eastern cities."
6.What can be inffered about houses in Britain during the oeriod written about in the passage?
a.They were more expensive than American houses.
b.They were generally built with imported materials.
c.They were typically smaller than homes in North America.
d.They were usually built from materials other than wood.
Lines 10-11 indicate that,in the colonies"buildings were made of wood to a degree unknown in Britain."Therefore,many Britain houses must have been made of materials other than wood.
7.Why does the author mention gunpowder in line 13?
a.To illustrate the negative aspects of some industrial processes.
b.To give an example of a product made with wood compounds.
c.To remind readers that the Colonial era ended in warfare.
d.To suggest that wood was not the only important product of the Colonies.
According to lines 11-12 ,wood was the source of industrial compounds and charcoal is given as an example,Charcoal,according to lines 12-13,is a component of gunpowder.
8.The word"conffered"in line 14 is closest in meaning to
a.consulted
b.gathered
c.provided
d.restricted
In th context of the passage,the word"conffered"means"provided."(However,in order contexts"conffered"may mean"consulted.")
9.The phrase"follow suit"in line 18 means
a.do the same thing
b.make an attempt
c.have the opportunity
d.take a risk
The phrase follow suit means do the same.
10.According to the passage,why was the use of coke smelting advantageous?
a.It led to advances in technology
b.It was less expensive than wood smelting
c.It producted a stronger type of iron than wood smelting
d.It stimulated the demand for wood.
Lines 20-21 state that"the former colonies lagged behind Britain......because their supply of wood led them to cling to charcoal iron."
11.The phrase"cling to"in line 21 is closest in meaning to
a.try to develop
b.avoid
c.continue to use
d.reconsider
In the context of the passage,cling to means continue to use.
12.Where in the passage does the author begin to discuss in detail the disadvantages that an abundant supply of wood brought to the Colonies?
a.Lines 1-2
b.Lines 4-5
c.Lines 9-11
d.Line 14
The author begins to discuss the disadvantages brought on by an abundance of wood in the colonies in line 14.
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.png "TRIK JITU MENGERJAKAN SOAL TOEFL 2 DAN PEMBAHASANNYA")
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soal soal toefl dan pembahasannya 2