Variant 1 You could have come first and won the race if you … faster

27. What point does the author make about geniuses?

A) They visit cities to get ideas and then return to their houses in more peaceful rural places.

B) They have no chance to improve themselves in intellectually uninspiring rural situations.

C) They are almost never found in the country as they are of little use in such an environment.

D) They can be born anywhere, but have more opportunity to develop their talents in cities.
In the Pacific Ocean, over 4000 kilometres from the coast of Chile, the closest mainland, is a tiny island named Easter Island that amazed the first seafarers to land there in the 18th century. What surprised them were the hundreds of colossal statues scattered all over the island. They were the remains of massive sculptures that had been cut from the volcanic mountains. No one has ever been able to explain why these statues were built. They are between ten and twenty metres high and weigh up to fifty tonnes. Even now, scientists are unable to explain how such huge monuments were constructed and moved about on such a remote island.

28. According to the passage the most extraordinary thing about Easter Island is ...

A) the existence of volcanic mountains there.

B) the many huge stone images found on the island.

C) its location nearly 4000 kilometres from Chile.

D) the 4000-year-old mountains that were discovered in the 18th century.