C) explain the importance of Railways for commerce D) explain the importance of Railways for travellers.
8. What is the main idea of the passage?
A) In modern society we must make more time for our neighbours.
B) The traditions of society are timeless.
C) An accepted way of measuring time .'is essential for the smooth functioning of society.
D) Society judges people by the times at which they conduct certain activities.
9. In the passage, how the tradition of punctuality in the society emphasized
A) by the practice of starting the business day at dawn B) by friendly relations between neighbours
C) by the Railway's reliance on time schedules
D) by people's agreement on the measurement of time
The way emperor penguins care for and protect their unhatched eggs is one of the wonders of
nature. The only land creatures able to survive the Antarctic winter, these birds must care for
their young while withstanding 24-hour darkness, gale-strength winds, and temperatures of 85
to 95 degrees below zero. Each year, at the start of the Antarctic autumn, female emperor
penguins each lay a single egg on bare ice. Then, after transferring care of the eggs to their
mates, they take off across the open ice for the nearest fishing site. The males spend the next 65
days with neither food nor light, living off their considerable body fat and balancing the eggs on
their feet under a protective flap of skin. During this time, they adapt to the brutal temperatures
by huddling together in flocks of hundreds. Although penguins are unable to fly, they are
superb swimmers. If all goes well, the females return from the sea with a meal of fish just as the
eggs are hatching.
10. Which of the following best summarizes the main points of the passage?
A) The brutal climatic conditions of the Antarctic prevent female emperor penguins from