Comprehension , Upper Intermediate & Advanced [ 15 ]

Comprehension 

15 - ] Upper Intermediate & Advanced

 Read the following passage , then answer the questions below . Do not look back at the passage . Compare your answers to the Answer Key . Check any incorrect answers by reading the passage .

                      Hawaiian culture was once rich in colorful  traditions . Though some of them have been forgotten , two important traditions are very much alive today . One of these is the “lei” ( a necklace made of flowers ) and the other is the “hula” ( a Hawaiian dance )  . According to local history , leis were first given to Hawaiians by the goddess of mercy and protection . She traveled to all the islands and destroyed the evil spirits . Leis were worn by Hawaiian chiefs at peace conferences . They are still important to the Hawaiian people , and are still symbolic of peace and friendship . Hawaiian host will almost always give a lei to non-Hawaiian visitors . When the guest arrives , the lei is placed around his or her neck , with the traditional greeting , “Aloha” .

                   Handmade by older women ,leis are created from the many kinds of fresh flowers found on the islands . The flowers are sewn together to form a large circle . It takes many flowers to make a lei and the effect is richly colorful . Since the flowers must be fresh , the leis cannot be made in advance . In Hawaii , you can find women selling leis in every shopping center and at the airports . Each island has its typical lei , with a different kind of flower . May I is “Lei Day” on all the islands .

Leis are often worn by Hawaiians when they dance the hula . According to Hawaiian tradition , the goddess Laka taught the people how to dance the hula . They say that she set up a temple for teaching the hula on the Napali coast in Kauai . A t first it was part of a religious ceremony and was danced only by the men . But later , women began to dance the hula , too . Now it is danced mostly by women .

                        Music played on Hawaiian instruments accompanies the dancing . These instruments are made of bamboo , wood , and gourds ( large vegetable that have been dried and hollowed out ) . The musicians also perform a kind of soft singing with the music . The music , singing , and dancing together form a Hawaiian-style opera . In this sense , hula dancing is typical of the extensive use of nonverbal expression in Hawaiian culture .

                         When Europeans came to Hawaii in the early 1800s , they did not like the hula . They thought such dancing went against proper religious beliefs . Therefore , they discouraged the hula and it almost disappeared from Hawaii . However , in the late 1800s King Kalakaua formed a special dance group and saved this important tradition.

Circle the best answers to the questions . Do not look back at the passage .

1 . This passage is about

( A ) a special kind of dance .

( B ) two special Hawaiian traditions .

( C ) peace and nonverbal expression .

( D ) the use of flowers in Hawaiian tradition .

2. Leis and hula dancing are

( A ) expressions of the Hawaiian way of life .

( B ) ways to make money for Hawaiians .

( C ) only seen at religious ceremonies .

( D ) no longer part of the Hawaiian way of life .

3 .  You can infer that , according to Hawaiian tradition , a guest is

( A ) considered an important person .

( B ) not given any special treatment .

( C ) discouraged from arriving .

( D ) treated like one of the family .

4 . Leis are

( A ) made of plastic flowers .

( B ) always made by hand .

( C ) made by machine on some islands .

( D ) always made by graceful girls .

5 . Hula dancing is        

( A ) part of a religious ceremony .

( B ) done only by young women .

( C ) found only on the island of Kauai .

( D ) a way of telling a story .

6 . Hula dancers are usually accompanied by

( A ) men dancers .

( B ) music and soft singing .

( C ) loud music .

( D ) lots of singers .

7 . According to Hawaiian tradition , leis and hula dancing were

( A ) both started by goddesses .

( B ) both discouraged by the Europeans .

( C ) started mainly for the tourists .

( D ) both started by Hawaiian chiefs .

8 . You can infer from this passage that many Hawaiians

( A ) still care about their traditions .

( B ) are not interested in their traditions .

( C ) only are interested in making money .

( D ) do not know very much about their traditions .

Answer Key

1 . B 2 . A 3 . A 4 . B 5 . D 6. B 7 . A 8 . A