Intermediate passages 1 The best recruiting agents

49 Unfairness to the pig

Few animals have such economic significance to mankind yet suffer from such a deplorable image as does the pig. As a domestic animal, it is a source of a wide variety of meats, high-quality leather, durable bristles for many kinds of brushes, and hundreds of medical products. At the same time, the pig is frequently regarded as unclean and even untouchable by many people. In spite of their reputation, pigs are neither filthy nor stupid. Because their sweat glands are relatively ineffective in lowering body temperature, pigs seek relief from the heat by wallowing in mud or shallow waterholes. When provided with a clean environment sheltered from the sun, however, pigs are fastidious. Furthermore, in tests of intelligence, pigs have proved to be among the smartest of all domestic animals - even more intelligent than dogs.

1. The author of the passage points out that

1. 
   the consumption of pork products is not very safe for health concerns
   
2. 
   though dirty, the pig is not too filthy to be touched
   
3. 
   pigs supply humans with very many types of products
   
4. 
   although the meat is unsafe, pigs can be a source of leather and brushes
   

2. According to the facts in the passage, when pigs are provided with the right conditions, A) the quality of the pork meat is improved B) pigs are still extremely dirty

C) pigs like to keep themselves clean D) bristles obtained from them for brushes are of better quality

3. It is emphasized in the passage that the pig's reputation as a filthy and stupid animal

A) does not at all reflect the truth B) is wholly justified
C) is actually a result of the stupidity and ignorance of people D) is only right to a certain extent


50 Tea innovations

The Louisiana Purchase* Exposition took place in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1904. At the fair was the young Englishman Richard Blechynden, who represented the tea interests of India and Ceylon - now Sri Lanka. It was his job to popularize tea drinking in the United States. The weather that summer turned quite hot, and Blechynden watched as people passed by his booth to others that were serving cold drinks. In desperation, he filled tall glasses with ice and poured hot tea over it. Iced tea was an immediate success. The invention of tea bags happened almost simultaneously. Thomas Sullivan of New York City owned a tea and coffee business. In sending samples of tea to customers, he decided it would be cheaper to sew the tea inside small cloth bags instead of sealing it in tins. To his surprise, orders for the tea bags poured in. Tea bags are now made of a special filter paper, and the manufacturing and packing of them has become an industry in itself to meet the great demand. Instant, or powdered, tea has become common on grocery shelves along with bulk and bag teas. Instant teas offer greater convenience than ordinary leaf tea as they are easy to prepare and leave no leaf sediment.

*The treaty signed with France in 1803 by which the USA purchased a large portion of its present territory.

1. 
   According to the passage, Richard Blechynden's employment involved A) making tea drinking popular to those from India and Ceylon
   

B) informing people of the benefits of hot drinks

C) making the drinking of tea more common in America D) teaching Americans how to make tea

2. 
   It is clear from the passage that iced tea became an immediate success because A) Americans prefer drinking from tall glasses
   

B) the people were interested in tea from India and Ceylon C) it was very easy to prepare a glass of iced tea

D) it fit with people's needs during the hot summer weather

3. 
   We can conclude from the passage that it was through the efforts of innovative people that, today,
   

A) tea drinking has become so common and so easy B) a lot of expositions take place all over the world
C) the tea industry is enjoying a remarkable boom D) people are abandoning fizzy drinks in favour of tea

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