SOFTSKILL TOEFL

      Glass fibers are extremely strong; for their weight, they are stronger than steel. They are made by forcing molten g lass through tiny holes called spinnerets. As many as four hundred spinnerets are placed together, and threads of glass much thinner than human hairs are drawn off at great speed-miles of thread per minute. As they speed along, the threads are coated thinly with a type of glue and twisted into a yarn. The glass fibers are used with plastics to make boats and car bodies. They are also woven into heavy cloth for window draperies and into strong belts for making tires stronger.

     A special kind of glass fiber is causing a revolution in communications. A signal of light can be made to travel along the fiber for very long distances. By changing the quality of the light, many messages can be sent at once along one strand of glass. New office build ings are being “wired” with glass fibers as they are built.  The glass fibers will be used to connect telephones and computers in ways that not long ago were either impossible or too  expensive.

         Glass wool traps air in a thick, light blanket of fibers. This blanket is then put into  walls and ceilings to keep warm air in during the winter and cool air in during the summer.

          To make glass wool, molten glass is fed into a spinning drum with many holes in it. As the glass threads stream out of the ho les, they are forced downward by a blast of hot air and through a spray of glues. The threads are then further blown about to mic them up as they fall in a thick mat on a moving belt.

The glass we see through and drink out of has many, many other uses besides the ones described here.

1. What was the author’s main purpose in writing the article?
a. To info rm you how special kinds of glass are made and used
b. To persuade you to investigate the many uses of glass beyond those mentioned in the article
c. To inform you about the strength of glass fibers
d. To inform you that glue is used to hold strands of glass together

Jawab :  A

2. The word special in the second paragraph is closets in meaning to:
a. Distinct among others of a kind
b. Additional
c. Common
d. Species

Jawab :A

3. Glass fibers are made by forcing molten glass through:
a. Spinners
b. Spiderets
c. Spinnerets
d. Spinets

Jawab:C

4. The word changing in the second paragraph could best be replaced by the word:
a. Altering
b. Boring
c. Bringing
d. Doing

Jawab:D

5. What are glass fibers woven into cloth for?
a. Draperies
b. Cars and boats
c. Glasses
d. Glue

Jawab:D

6. The word fed in the fourth paragraph means:

a. To give food to
b. To minister to
c. To support
d. To supply

Jawab:C

7. The word they in the second sentence of the first paragraph refers to:
a. Human hair
b. Weight
c. Glass fibers
d. Yarn

Jawab:A

8. The word it in the fourth paragraph refers to:
a. Molten glass
b. Glass wool
c. Spinning drum
d. Holes

Jawab:B

9. The following sentence would best complete which paragraph? “This improvement in technology is expected to continue.”
a. Paragraph 1
b. Paragraph 2
c. Paragraph 3
d. Paragraph 4

Jawab:D

10. A signal of what can be made to travel along fiber for very long distances?
a. Heat
b. Wave
c. Wool
d. Light

Jawab:D