Pembahasan Quiz TPS B Ing.

11

Read the text below to answer question number 1!

The seemingly simple question of “what defines a sport?” has been the fodder for
argument and conversation for years, among professional and armchair athletes alike. There
seems to be no doubt that vigorous and highly competitive activities such as baseball, football,
and soccer are truly “sports,” but when the subject of other activities such as darts, chess, and
shuffleboard is broached we find ourselves at the heart of a controversy.
If say, billiards, is not a sport, then what exactly is it? Those who would dispute it to be
a sport would respond that it is a simple leisure activity. They would go on to claim a true sport
first and foremost requires form some of physical exertion. More to the point, if a player does
not break a sweat, whathe or she plays is not a sport. Beyond that, more important criteria
would be the need for decent hand-eye coordination, and the ever-present possibility of
sustaining injury. Billiards only fits one of those specifications (hand-eye coordination), so
according to the doubters, it is not a real sport.
To help resolve this dispute, the first text to consult would have to be the dictionary.
According to one dictionary, a sport is defined as “a diversion” or a “recreation.” Assuming
one strictly adheres to the simple guidelines laid out in that definition, it would seem that almost
any activity that provides enjoyment could be classified as a sport. And if, according to the
dictionary, watching a sport on television is a sport itself, I guess that would make a couch
potato an athlete. Play ball!

1. According to the criteria given in paragraph 2, all of the following would be considered
“true” sport, except...
A. Cheerleading
B. Skiing
C. Race car reading
D. Horse shoes
E. Gymnastics
Jawaban: D
Pembahasan:
Menurut paragraf 2, olahraga yang “sejati” merupakan olahraga yang menimbulkan keringat
dan dapat menyebabkan cidera. Cheerleading (opsi a), skiing (opsi b), race car driving (opsi
c) dan gymnastics (opsi e) semuanya merupakan olahraga yang berat dan beresiko cidera,
sedangkan horse shoes (opsi d) hanya melibatkan koordinasi antara tangan dan penglihatan.
Jawabannya adalah D.

Read the text below to answer question number 2!

Planting a garden is a lot like having a family. A plant becomes dependent on the gardener and
begs for water on a hot summer day. Gardeners also have to clean up the space around their
plants as they shed spent petals, as they require pruning, and as they become choked with
weeds. Gardeners also provide for the health of their plants through insecticide and fertilizer
applications. A gardener’s responsibility for his or her plants lessens as theydie at the end of
the season or they go into winter dormancy. Like gardeners, parents find their children
dependent upon them for food and nourishment. Like gardeners, parents are constantly picking
up after their children, as toys and clothes are scattered throughout the house. Like gardeners,
parents provide for the nourishment and well-being of their Accuplacer Reading Review
children with vitamin supplements, food, and medicines. However, unlike gardeners, parents
will find that their responsibility lessens as the child grows, but it does not come to an end.

2. According to the passage, the main difference between gardeners and parents is...
A. Gardeners have to clean up spent petals, prune, and week unlike parents.
B. Plants become dependent on gardeners for water on hot summer days.
C. Gardeners have to apply insecticide and fertilizer unlike parents.
D. Unlike gardeners, parents have to provide children with vitamin supplements, food, and
medicines.
E. Gardeners’ responsibilities never lessens year after year unlike parents who will enjoy
decreasing responsibility with advancing years.
Jawaban: E
Pembahasan:
Kalimat terakhir pada teks menyebutkan “However, unlike gardeners, parents will find that
their responsibility lessens as the child grows, but it does not come to an end.” Kalimat tersebut
menjelaskan bahwa berbeda dengan tukang kebun, tanggung jawab orang tua atas anaknya
akan berkurang seiring bertumbuhnya anak mereka. Artinya, berkebalikan dengan orang tua,
tanggung jawab tukang kebun tidak akan berkurang. Maka jawabannya adalah E.

Read the text below to answer question number 3!

From savoring a piece of cake to hugging a friend, many of life’s pleasures trigger a
similar reaction in the brain–a surge of dopamine, the “feel-good” chemical. Recent research
suggests this reward circuit may do much more than make us smile.
Researchers implanted skin and lung cancer cells in mice, then stimulated the
dopamine-releasing neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of their brains. The rush of
dopamine disabled a group of cells that promote tumor growth. That allowed the immune
system to respond more effectively to the tumors, which were 40 to 52 percent smaller and
lower in weight in mice that received VTA stimulation than in those that didn’t. “By artificially
activating the VTA,” says the study’s co-author, Asya Rolls of Technion-Israel Institute of
Technology, “we can affect the nervous system and, in turn, the immune system.”
Moreover, the researchers explain, once the immune system is activated in this way, it
appears to create a “memory” of the foreign agents to which it has been exposed, allowing it
to respond more efficiently to them in the future.
Rolls doesn’t believe that positive thinking alone can cure cancer, but the study’s author
hope that cancer patients might someday receive brain stimulation as an add-on therapy that
could, in turn, reduce the need for traditional treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation

3. In which paragraph does the author discuss immune reaction to the tumors?
A. 4
B. 3
C. 2
D. 1
E. None of the paragraphs above
Jawaban: C
Pembahasan:
Pada paragraf kedua terdapat kalimat yang membicarakan respon atau reaksi sistem imun
terhadap tumor, yaitu pada kalimat “That allowed the immune system to respond more
effectively to the tumors, which were 40 to 52 percent smaller and lower in weight in mice that
received VTA stimulation than in those that didn’t.”

Read the text below to answer question number 4!

In fall 1994, Ford introduced the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique in the United
States–the same basic mid-size car it introduced in Europe in 1993 under the name of Mondeo.
Intended to be Ford’s world car, it took six years todevelop at a cost of $6 billion–twice what
Ford spent to develop its vastly successful Taurus and four times more than Chrysler spent on
its Dodge/Plymouth Neon. Ford insisted that by developing and producing a single basic car
for Europe and the United States, it saved about 25 percent of developing and producing a
separate car for each side of the Atlantic, as it had done in the past. Consumer tastes had
converged sufficiently, according to Ford, so that a single car would find lots of buyers
everywhere, just as one menu is working around the world for McDonald’s. Building a world
car is a most ambitious undertaking; in the past, only Volkswagen’s classic Beetle and Toyota’s
Corolla have come close to succeeding.
For the exterior design, Ford commissioned clay models from its design studios in
California, Michigan, England, and Italy–from which it developed a consensus model. After
showing the model to consumer clinics in the United States, Ford chose to change the front and
rear styling and put a larger trunk and more chrome on the U.S. version of the car. Still, the
European and American versions have 75 percent of their parts in common. This was a far cry
from Ford’s previous unsuccessful attempt in 1981 to build a common car for Europe and the
United States (the Escort), which resulted in one of the grandest corporate foul-ups ever and
led to European and American models that shared only two insignificant parts. Indeed, many
experts still feel that a common car for the world market violated the basic marketing wisdom
of the 1990s to get closer to customers. Ford, however, was confident that consumer tastes had
converged sufficiently during the previous decade as to ensure the success of its world car.

4. Which of the following statements is true based on the passage?

A. Chrysler spent four times longer than Ford’s Contour and Mercury to develop the price of
its car.
B. Ford chose to change the front and rear styling and put a larger trunk and less Chrome on
the U.S. version of the car.
C. The European and American versions of the car diverse by 25 percent.
D. Ford succeeded in building a common car for Europe and the United States in 1981.
E. Ford was not sure about consumer tastes.
Jawaban: C
Pembahasan:
Pada paragraf kedua, terdapat kalimat “Still, the European and American versions have 75
percent of their parts in common”. Secara implisit, kalimat ini menyatakan bahwa versi Eropa
dan Amerika memiliki perbedaan sebanyak 25 persen. Pernyataan-pernyataan yang lain salah.
Jawabannya adalah C

Read the text below to answer question number 5-6!

 In recent years, snails have gone from garden dweller and French appetizer to
practically a worldwide skin-care ingredient: Their mucin (the slime they trail in their wake)
forms the foundation for a recent wave of hyperpopular creams, masks, and serums.
Most of the snail mucin used for skin care involves the Cryptomphalus aspersa species,
a.k.a. the common garden snail. If you’ve ever tried snail-slime products and noticed your skin
looking extra supple and glowy, you are not imagining it.
Dermatologists state that snail mucin seals in moisture and allows active ingredients to
penetrate the skin very well. The mucous is rich in hyaluronic acid, and has been shown to
exhibit antioxidant activities, stimulate collagen production, and enhance wound healing.
If the only thing holding you back from trying snail-slime beauty products (besides the
ick factor) is concern for snail welfare, don’t worry. Harvesting the slime involves having the
nocturnal snails crawl around a mesh net in a darkened room for 30 minutes at a time, then
transferred back to their natural habitat to rest. The snails are never harmed, and their
moisturizing slime is then collected and pasteurized for the bottle.

5. Why are snails widely used as skin-care ingredient over the last few years?
A. Their mucin creates a great foundation.
B. They can be easily found in the gardens.
C. Their mucin has the ability to inhibit the production of collagen.
D. Their mucin enables our skin to absorb active ingredients.
E. Harvesting their slime is not harmful for the snails.
Jawaban: D
Pembahasan:
Siput dalam beberapa tahun terakhir banyak digunakan sebagai bahan perawatan kulit
karena lendirnya yang memiliki efek yang baik untuk kulit. Salah satu manfaat yang diberikan
oleh musin/lendir siput untuk kulit manusia yaitu membuat bahan-bahan aktif dapat terserap
dengan baik oleh kulit, seperti yang disebutkan pada paragraf ketiga: “Dermatologists state
that snail mucin seals in moisture and allows active ingredients to penetrate the skin very well.”
Pilihan A dan C merupakan pernyataan yang salah. Pilihan B dan E merupakan
pernyataan yang benar, namun bukan merupakan alasan siput banyak digunakan sebagai bahan
perawatan kulit. Oleh karena itu, jawaban yang paling tepat adalah D.

6. The slime harvesting process does not include...

A. putting the snails into a darkened room
B. letting the snails crawl around for a couple hours
C. pasteurizing the slime
D. sending the snails back to their natural habitat
E. collecting the slime
Jawaban: B
Pembahasan:
Pada paragraf ke-4 disebutkan bahwa dalam proses panen, siput dibiarkan merayap di dalam
ruangan gelap hanya selama 30 menit saja. Sedangkan a couple hours berarti beberapa jam.
“Harvesting the slime involves having the nocturnal snails crawl around a mesh net in a
darkened room for 30 minutes at a time, then transferred back to Their natural habitat to rest.”
Maka jawabannya adalah B.

Read the text below to answer question number 7!

 Music can bring us to tears or to our feet, drive us into battle or lull us to sleep. Music
is indeed remarkable in its power over all humankind, and perhaps for that very reason, no
human culture on earth has ever lived without it. From discoveries made in France and Slovenia
even Neanderthal man, as long as 53,000 years ago, had developed surprisingly sophisticated,
sweet-sounding flutes carved from animal bones. It is perhaps then, no accident that music
should strike such a chord with the limbic system – an ancient part of our brain, evolutionarily
speaking, and one that we share with much of the animal kingdom. Some researchers even
propose that music came into this world long before the human race ever did. For example, the
fact that whale and human music have so much in common, even though our evolutionary paths
have not intersected for nearly 60 million years suggests that music may predate humans. They
assert that rather than being the inventors of music, we are latecomers to the musical scene.
Humpback whale composers employ many of the same tricks that human songwriters
do. In addition to using similar rhythms, humpbacks keep musical phrases to a few seconds,
creating themes out of several phrases before singing the next one. Whale songs in general are
no longer than symphony movements, perhaps because they have a similar attention span. Even
though they can sing over a range of seven octaves, the whales typically sing in key, spreading
adjacent notes no farther apart than a scale. They mix percussive and pure tones in pretty much
the same ratios as human composers–and follow their ABA form, in which a theme is
presented, elaborated on and then revisited in a slightly modified form. Perhaps most amazing,
humpback whale songs include repeating refrains that rhyme. It has been suggested that whales
might use rhymes for exactly the same reasons that we do: as devices to help them remember.
Whale songs can also be rather catchy. When a few humpbacks from the Indian Ocean strayed
into the pacific, some of the whales they met there quickly changed their tunes – singing the
new whales’ songs within three short years. Some scientists are even tempted to speculate that
a universal music awaits discovery.

7. According to the passage, which of the following is true about humpback whales?
A. They can sing over a range of seven octaves.
B. Their tunes are distinctively different from human tunes.
C. Whale songs are longer than symphony movements.
D. They do not use rhyme, unlike humans.
E. Whale songs of a particular group cannot be learned by other whales.
Jawaban: A
Pembahasan:
Disebutkan jelas pada paragraf kedua: “Even though they can sing over a range of
seven octaves, the whales typically sing in key, spreading adjacent notes no farther apart than
a scale.”
Pilihan B salah karena paragraf kedua menjelaskan secara detail kemiripan nada paus
dengan manusia. Pilihan C salah karena tertulis pada paragraf kedua, “Whale songs in general
are no longer than symphony movements”. Pilihan D salah karena paragraf kedua
menyebutkan “It has been suggested that whales might use rhymes for exactly the same
reasons that we do: as devices to help them remember.” Pilihan E salah karena pada paragraf
kedua, terdapat kalimat “When a few humpbacks from the Indian Ocean strayed into the
Pacific, some of the whales they met there quickly changed their tunes – singing the new
whales’ songs within three short years.” Yang menunjukkan bahwa paus bungkuk dapat
mempelajari lagu dari kawanan paus lainnya.

Read the text below to answer question number 8-9!

 The Moon has been worshipped by primitive people and has inspired humans to create
everything from lunar calendars to love sonnets, but what do we really know about it? The
most accepted theory about the origin of the Moon is that it was formed of the debris from a
massive collision with the young Earth about 4.6 billion years ago. A huge body, perhaps the
size of Mars, struck the Earth, throwing out an immense amount of debris that coalesced and
cooled in orbit around the Earth.
The development of Earth is inextricably linked to the moon; the Moon’s gravitational
influence upon the Earth is the primary cause of ocean tides. In fact, the Moon has more than
twice the effect upon the tides than does the sun. The Moon makes one rotation and completes
a revolution around the Earth every 27 days, 7 hours, and 43 minutes. This synchronous
rotation is caused by an uneven distribution of mass in the Moon (essentially, it is heavier on
one side than the other) and has allowed the Earth’s gravity to keep one side of the Moon
permanently facing Earth. It is an average distance from Earth of 384,403 km.
The Moon has no atmosphere; without an atmosphere, the Moon has nothing to protect
it from meteorite impacts, and thus the surface of the Moon is covered with impact craters,
both large and small. The Moon also has no active tectonic or volcanic activity, so the erosive
effects of atmospheric weathering, tectonic shifts, and volcanic upheavals that tend to erase
and reform the Earth’s surface features are not at work on the Moon. In fact, even tiny surface
features such as the footprint left by an astronaut in the lunar soil are likely to last for millions
of years, unless obliterated by a chance meteorite strike. The surface gravity of the Moon is
about one-sixth that of the Earth’s. Therefore, a man weighing 82 kilograms on Earth would
only weigh 14 kilograms on the Moon.
The geographical features of the Earth most like that of the Moon are, in fact, places
such as the Hawaiian volcanic craters and the huge meteor crater in arizona. The climate of the
Moon is very unlike either Hawaii or Arizona, however; in fact the temperature on the Moon
ranges between 123 degrees C. to –233 degrees C.

8. According to the passage, the moon is...

A. older than the Earth
B. protected by a dense atmosphere
C. composed of a few active volcanoes
D. the primary cause of Earth’s ocean tides
E. smooth by surface
Jawaban: D
Pembahasan:
“The Moon’s gravitational influence upon the Earth is the primary cause of ocean tides”
(paragraf 2). Pilihan A salah, karena disebutkan pada paragraf pertama bahwa Bulan terbentuk
setelah adanya Bumi. Pilihan B salah, karena disebutkan pada paragraf ketiga bahwa bulan
tidak memiliki atmosfer. Pilihan C salah, karena pada paragraf ketiga disebutkan bahwa Bulan
tidak memiliki aktivitas vulkanik maupun tektonik. Pilihan E salah, karena pada paragraf ketiga
disebutkan bahwa permukaan Bulan penuh dengan kawah-kawah. Jawabannya adalah D.

9. A person on the Moon would weigh less than on the Earth because...
A. the Moon weighs less than the Earth
B. of the composition of lunar soil
C. the Moon has no active tectonic or volcanic activity
D. the Moon has no atmosphere
E. the surface gravity of the Moon is less
Jawaban: E
Pembahasan:
“The surface gravity of the Moon is about one-sixth that of the Earth’s. Therefore, a man
weighing 82 kilograms on Earth would only weigh 14 kilograms on the Moon” (Paragraph 3).
Kata therefore pada kalimat ini menunjukkan sebab akibat. Jadi, agar mengetahui alasan
seseorang lebih ringan di Bulan, cukup melihat kalimat sebelumnya. One-sixth artinya
seperenam (pelajari lagi cara penulisan angka pecahan), sehingga gravitasi Bulan lebih kecil
dari Bumi. Maka
jawabannya adalah E.

Read the text below to answer question number 10-11!

Polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS (aka Stein-Leventhal disease), is a condition

that affects between 6% and 20% of women in the United States. It is a little understood
syndrome that often goes undetected and is frequently misdiagnosed. PCOS produces tiny cysts
on the surface of a woman’s ovaries. These cysts are undeveloped follicles (eggs) that
inexplicably fail to release from the ovary because of the presence of male hormones in the
blood. However, new research is indicating that PCOS is related to insulin resistance.
Unfortunately, the cysts themselves are only a small part of this syndrome.
PCOS can present a variety of symptoms, including hair growth on the face and chest,
stubborn acne, hair loss, obesity, irregular menses, infertility, and an increased risk of diabetes.
Many of these symptoms impact a woman’s physical appearance and her self-esteem. If left
untreated, women suffering from PCOS may experience greater levels of stress and depression.
A woman exhibiting any of these symptoms should contact her physician to determine
if she has PCOS. Although there is no cure for PCOS, a number of different treatments can
stop or reverse many of the symptoms.

10. According to the passage, many women who have PCOS...

A. overreact to the symptoms
B. do not even know they have the disease
C. are unable to have children
D. have an excess of male hormones in their blood
E. cannot afford proper treatment
Jawaban: B
Pembahasan:
Pada paragraf pertama kalimat kedua, disebutkan bahwa PCOS seringkali tidak
terdeteksi dan salah didiagnosis. “It is a little understood syndrome that often goes undetected
and is frequently misdiagnosed”. Oleh karena itu, banyak perempuan yang tidak sadar memiliki
penyakit PCOS.
Teks tidak menyebutkan tentang reaksi yang berlebihan (opsi A) maupun
ketidakmampuan membayar perawatan (opsi E). Salah satu gejala dari PCOS memang
infertilitas, tapi tidak semua pengidap PCOS tidak dapat memiliki anak, sehingga opsi C kurang
tepat. Pada teks, kita ketahui bahwa terdapat sebuah penelitian baru yang menyangkal teori
bahwa hormon pria lah yang menyebabkan penyakit PCOS (However, new research is
indicating that PCOS is related to insulin resistance) sehingga opsi D kurang tepat.

11. The passage suggests that the most damaging aspect of misdiagnosed or untreated PCOS
is often...
A. psychological ailments, including anxiety and depression
B. infertility caused by the cysts
C. health problems caused by weight gain
D. skin rashes and acne
E. he sudden onset of diabetes
Jawaban: A
Pembahasan:
Paragraf kedua membahas gejala dan komplikasi penyakit PCOS. Perhatikan bahwa penulis
menyebutkan tujuh gejala hanya dalam satu kalimat, namun ia menulis dua kalimat penuh
untuk masalah yang berkaitan dengan psikologis yaitu dampak gejala-gejala tersebut pada
kepercayaan diri dan tingkat stress para wanita, serta timbulnya depresi. Penulis ingin
menunjukkan bahwa aspek psikologis lah yang dianggap paling melukai penderita.
Jawabannya adalah A.

Read the text below to answer question number 12-14!

Pollution is an environmental concern for people throughout the world. One university
study suggests that pollutants in the water, air, and soil cause up to 40% of the premature deaths
in the world’s population. The majority of these deaths occur in developing countries.
Water in many developing countries is contaminated with toxic chemicals, also known
as toxins. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 1.1 billion people have little
or no access to clean water. In many of these regions the water that is used for drinking,
cooking, and washing is the same water that is used for dumping sewage and hazardous waste.
Most developing countries cannot afford water treatment facilities. Approximately 80% of
infectious diseases in the world are caused by contaminated water.
Air pollution is a growing problem throughout the world. Indoor air pollution is one of
the leading causes of lung cancer. Outdoor pollution also causes disease and illness, especially
inj
industrial cities such as Beijing, China, where cancer is the leading cause of death.
China relies heavily on coal, which is considered the dirtiest source of energy. According to
the European Union, only 1% of urban dwellers in China breathe clean air on an average day.
Neighbouring countries including Japan and Korea receive much of China’s pollution in the
form of acid rain. This pollution results mainly from the coal powered factories, which produce
inexpensive goods for North American and European consumers.
Soil pollution is also a major concern, both in industrial and developing countries.
Pollutants such as metals and pesticides seep into the earth’s soil and contaminate the food
supply. Soil pollution causes major health risks to entire ecosystems. This type of pollution
reduces the amount of land suitable for agricultural production and contributes to global food
shortages.
As more people move to urban centres, premature deaths caused by pollution are
expected to increase worldwide. Today, the developed nations who achieved their wealth at the
expense of the environment will be held accountable for protecting the earth’s resources for
future generations.

12. Based on the text above, how does water pollution affect the world’s population?
A. Approximately of 1.1 billion people have no access to clean water because the water is
contaminated with toxic chemicals that lead to infectious diseases.
B. The water contains contagious chemicals and it is spread to the people around the world.
C. Because 50% of infectious diseases are caused by contaminated water.
D. The unclean water causes more than 80% of deaths in the world.
E. The water is contaminated by chemicals that causing heart attack to more than 1.1 billion
people
Jawaban: A
Pembahasan:
Pada paragraf kedua dijelaskan tentang polusi air dan dampaknya terhadap populasi dunia,
yaitu: “Air di banyak negara berkembang terkontaminasi dengan bahan kimia beracun, juga
dikenal sebagai racun. Organisasi Kesehatan Dunia (WHO) memperkirakan bahwa 1,1 miliar
orang memiliki sedikit atau tidak ada akses ke air bersih.” Lalu diperjelas lagi di kalimat
terakhir: “Sekitar 80% penyakit menular di dunia disebabkan oleh air yang terkontaminasi.”
Pilihan B, C, D, dan E salah karena informasi tersebut tidak sesuai dengan isi teks dan tidak
dapat menjawab pertanyaan.

13. These statements are true about air pollution, except …

A. The air pollution is a growing concern amongst people around the world.
B. Outdoor pollution is likely to cause cancer.
C. Japan and Korea get the impact of air pollution in China.
D. According to the data, only 1% of china urban dwellers breathe unclean air.
E. The pollution results mainly from the coal powered factories, which produce inexpensive
goods for North American and European consumers.
Jawaban: D
Pembahasan:
Pilihan A benar karena informasi tersebut terdapat pada kalimat pertama paragraph kedua.
Pilihan B benar karena informasi tersebut terdapat pada kalimat ketiga paragraph kedua.
Pilihan C benar karena informasi tersebut terdapat pada kalimat kelima paragraph kedua.
Pilihan E benar karena informasi tersebut terdapat pada kalimat terakhir paragraph kedua.
Jawaban yang tepat adalah D karena informasi pada pilihan D berkebalikan dengan yang
terdapat pada teks bacaan yang menyatakan bahwa: “Menurut Uni Eropa, hanya 1% dari
penduduk kota di Cina menghirup udara bersih pada hari-hari biasa”.

14. According to the text, what causes soil pollution?

A. The factory that dump their waste to the soil
B. Many countries rely on coal which is the dirtiest source of energy
C. Pollutants such as metals and pesticides seep into the earth’s soil
D. Buildings at the urban centers block the water line
E. The impact of the industry
Jawaban: C
Pada paragraph keempat dijelaskan bahwa: “Polutan seperti logam dan pestisida meresap ke
dalam tanah bumi dan mencemari persediaan makanan”. Pilihan A, B, D, dan E salah karena
informasi tersebut tidak sesuai dengan isi teks bacaan. Jawaban yang tepat adalah C.

Read the text below to answer question number 15-16!

Some Indonesians may miss something when their meal does not come up with chilies
or chili chunks. The hottest ones are the most sought after by chili lovers. Not just spicy, chilies
turn out to contain some important potassium, water, and capsaicin. Capsaicin is what makes
chili taste spicy and hot. Despite its spicy taste, chilies turn out to have many health benefits.
The first benefit of chilies is for stomach health. Capsaicin in chilies can nourish the
digestion by increasing the digestive juices in the stomach and fighting bacteria that cause
infection. In addition, chilies also help fight diarrhea caused by bacterial infections.
Chilies can also reduce pain. Applying an ointment or cream containing capsaicin is
thought to help reduce soreness, pain after surgery, migraines, psoriasis, thrush due to
chemotherapy or radiations, joint problems such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis,
nervous system problems such as diabetic neuropathy, sudden and sharp pain in one side of the
face, and nerve pain in the area of the body infected with chickenpox virus. In addition,
capsaicin is also thought to reduce back pain muscle and soft tissue pain in fibromyalgia, relieve
symptoms of prurigo nodularis skin disease, and relieve symptoms of runny noses that are not
associated with allergies or infections. Capsaicin works by first stimulating and then reducing
the intensity of pain in the body. That is why when applying a cream containing capsaicin, we
feel the pain, but the pain will usually subside after the first use.
The other benefit of chilies is that they are believed to be able to strengthen lung tissues
and help prevent or treat chronic lung diseases where the small air sacs in the lungs are damaged
by smoking. In addition, chilies can also thin the mucus in the lungs so that it can be easily
removed from the lungs.
According to research in China, a long term consumption of capsaicin is thought to
reduce blood pressure levels. In addition, other studies also reveal that capsaicin is thought to
reduce cholesterol and prevent blood clots causing heart disease.

15. In which paragraph does the writer emphasize the beneits of chilies for the respiratory tract?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
E. 5
Jawaban: D
Pembahasan:
Perhatikan kata kuncinya: benefit of chilies, respiratory tract. Kemudian, cari padanan katanya.
Kata respiratory tract (saluran pernafasan) berkaitan erat dengan lungs (paru-paru) - paragraf
ke-4. Jawaban yang tepat adalah D.

16. Based on the passage, one way to use chilies to reduce pain is by...
A. Taking it with other drugs
B. Consuming it when the body hurts
C. Applying it as a mixture of external drugs
D. Rubbing it directly on the affected place
E. Making it into a potion to take when falling sick
Jawaban: C
Pembahasan:
“Applying it as a mixture of external drugs” (mengoleskannya sebagai campuran obat luar)
sesuai dengan kalimat “applying an ointment or cream containing capcaisin is thought to help
reduce soreness, pain, surgery, ...” (mengoleskan salep atau krim yang mengandung capcaisin
bisa membantu mengurangi nyeri, sakit, ...)

Read the text below to answer question number 17-18!

As heart disease continues to be the number-one killer in the United States, researchers
have become increasingly interested in identifying the potential risk factors that trigger heart
attacks. High-fat diets and "life in the fast lane" have long been known to contribute to the high
incidence of heart failure. But according to new studies, the list of risk factors may be
significantly longer and quite surprising.
 Heart failure, for example, appears to have seasonal and temporal patterns. A higher
percentage of heart attacks occur in cold weather, and more people experience heart failure on
Monday than on any other day of the week. In addition, people are more susceptible to heart
attacks in the first few hours after waking. Cardiologists first observed this morning
phenomenon in the mid-1980, and have since discovered a number of possible causes. An
early-morning rise in blood pressure, heart rate, and concentration of heart stimulating
hormones, plus a reduction of blood flow to the heart, may all contribute to the higher incidence
of heart attacks between the hours of 8:00 A.M. and 10:00 A.M.
In other studies, both birthdays and bachelorhood have been implicated as risk factors.
Statistics reveal that heart attack rates increase significantly for both females and males in the
few days immediately preceding and following their birthdays. And unmarried men are more
at risk for heart attacks than their married counterparts. Though stress is thought to be linked
in some way to all of the aforementioned risk factors, intense research continues in the hope of
further comprehending why and how heart failure is triggered.

17. According to the passage, which of the following is not a possible cause of many heart
attacks?
A. Decreased blood flow to the heart
B. Increased blood pressure
C. Lower heart rate
D. Increase in hormones
E. Rise concentration of heart stimulating hormones
Jawaban: C
Pembahasan:
Pernyataan yang bukan penyebab serangan jantung adalah lebih lambatnya detak jantung
(lower heart rate). Lihat paragraf 2 bahwa hal yang dapat menyebabkan serangan jantung
antara lain: “rise in blood pressure, heart rate, and concentration of heart stimulating
hormones”

18. Which of the following is not cited as a possible risk factor?

A. Having a birthday
B. Getting married
C. Eating fatty foods
D. Being under stress
E. Unmarried men
Jawaban: B
Pembahasan:
Lihat paragraf terakhir. Pernyataan yang tidak disebutkan tentang faktor-faktor resiko terkena
serangan jantung adalah menikah (getting married).

Read the text below to answer question number 19-20!

According to the latest New York Times poll, most Americans are troubled by
performance-enhancing drugs, which they believe are widely used by the nation’s athletes. The
public believes that professional athletes in major American sports leagues use steroids to a
greater degree than American Olympic athletes do. But the prospect of achievement through
illicit mean in the Winter and Summer Olympics is more troubling. Also, younger Americans
are much less troubled by drug use in sports and believe it to be more widespread than do
Americans age 30 and above.
 After recent revelations about the use of performance-enhancing drugs in football,
baseball and track and field. 43 percent of those polled said they believed that at least half of
American Olympic athletes use banned performance-enhancing substances.
While 61 percent of Americans said they were bothered by the use of steroids among
professional athletes, 75 percent said they were concerned about the use of performance
enhancing drugs among Olympic athletes. This response seemed to be based partly on the ideal
that American Olympic sports are purer than professional sports, and on the widely held belief
that Olympic athletes are still amateurs. “The Olympics are pure and clean.” Jason Marnnino,
32, a tax assessor, said. “We want these kids to be all on the same playing field. A lot of these
kids are trying to make a name for themselves purely on their athletic ability, and they are not
getting high-dollar contracts to perform. They are performing out of pride for the country and
out of pride for getting a gold medal.” In fact the Olympics have been open to professionals
since the late 1980’s and most of the drug scandals in recent years have involved sports related
to the Olympics.

19. In which paragraph does the author mention about the statistic of people concerns on the
atheletes using drugs to enhance their performance?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 1 and 2
E. 2 and 2
Jawaban: E
Pembahasan:
Penulis menyebutkan statistik kecemasan orang-orang mengenai atlet yang menggunakan
obat-obatan untuk meningkatkan performa mereka di paragraf ke 2 dan 3.

20. Which of the following statement is not true based on the passage?
A. Younger Americans are much more troubled by drug use in sports
B. 61 percent of Americans stated they were disturbed by the use of steroids among
professional athletes
C. The Olympics have been open to professionals since the late 1980's.
D. Society believe that professional athletes in major American sports leagues use steroids
more than American Olympic athletes do.
E. The chance of achievement through illicit mean in the Winter and Summer Olympics is
more troubling
Jawaban: A
Pembahasan:
Pernyataan tersebut bertentangan dengan teks dimana teks menyebutkan bahwa orang muda
Amerika lebih sedikit yang terlibat dalam penggunaan obat-obatan dalam olahraga.