In 776 B.C., the first Olympic Games were held at the foot of Mount Olympus to honor the Greeks’ chief god, Zeus. The warm climate for outdoor activities, the need for preparedness in war, and their lifestyle caused the Greeks to create competitive sports. Only the elite and military could participate at first, but later the games were open to all free Greek males who had no criminal record. The Greeks emphasized physical fitness and strength in their education of youth. Therefore, contest in running, jumping, discuss and javelin throwing, boxing, and horse and chariot racing were held in individual cities, and the winners competed every four years at Mount Olympus. Winners were greatly honored by having olive wreaths placed on their heads and having poems sung about their deeds. Originally these contests were held as games of friendship, and any wars in progress were halted to allow the games to take place. They also helped to strengthen bonds among competitors and the different cities represented.
The Greeks attached so much importance to the games that they calculated time in four-year cycles called “Olympiads,” dating from 776 B.C. The contest coincided with religious festivities and constituted an all-out effort on the part of the participants to please the gods. Any who disobeyed the rules were dismissed and seriously punished. These athletes brought shame not only to themselves, but also to the cities they represented.
1. Which of the following is NOT true?
a. Winners placed olive wreaths on their own heads.
b. The games were held in Greece every four years.
c. Battles were interrupted to participate in the games.
d. Poem glorified the winners in song.
Jawab : C. Battles were interrupted to participate in the games.
Alasan : Karena dalam paragraf kedua di kalimat kedua dijelaskan “The contest coincided with religious festivities and constituted an all-out effort on the part of the participants to please the gods.”
2. The word “elite” in line 5 is closest in meaning to…
a. Aristocracy c. intellectuals
b. Brave d. muscular Jawab: A. Aristocracy.
Alasan: Arti dari “elite” adalah golongan atas atau golongan masyarakat elit dan Aristocracy berarti bangsawan.
3. Why were the Olympic Games held?
a. To stop wars c. To crown the best athletes b. To honor Zeus d. To sing songs about the athletes
Jawab: B. To honor Zeus.
Alasan: Pada kalimat pertama dijelaskan bahwa “In 776 B.C., the first Olympic Games were held at the foot of Mount Olympus to honor the Greeks’ chief god, Zeus.”
4. Approximately how many years ago did these games originate?
a. 800 years b. 1.200 years c. 2.300 years d. 2.800 years
Jawab: D. 2800 years.
Alasan: Dalam paragraph dua, kalimat pertama dijelaskan bahwa “Olympiads dating from 776 B.C” (Olympic Games pertama kali ada ada tahun 776 SM (776 sebelum masehi)), sekarang tahun 2012 maka Olympic games terjadi sejak 2012 + 776 = 2788 ~ 2800 tahun yang lalu.
5. What conclusion can we draw about the ancient Greeks?
a. They were pacifists.
b. They believed athletic events were important
c. They were very simple
d. They couldn’t count, so they used “Olympiads” for dates
Jawab: B. They believed athletic events were important.
Alasan: Pada paragraf kedua, kalimat pertama dijelaskan bahwa “The Greeks attached so much importance to the games that they calculated time in four-year cycles called “Olympiads,” dating from 776 B.C.”
6. What is the main idea of this passage?
a. Physical fitness was an integral part of the lives of the ancient Greeks
b. The Greeks severely punished those who did not participate in physical fitness programs
c. The Greeks had always encouraged everyone to participate in the games
d. The Greeks had the games coincide with religious festivities so that they could go back to war when the games were over.
Jawab: D. The Greeks had the games coincide with religious festivities so that they could go back to war when the games were over.
Alasan: Terdapat pada paragraph kedua di kalimat kedua.
7. In line 14, the word “deeds” is closest in meaning to ?
a. Accomplishments
b. Ancestors
c. Documents
d. Property
Jawab: A. Accomplishments.
Alasan: Arti dari “deeds” adalah tindakan atau perbuatan. Dalam kalimat tersebut dapat juga diartikan dengan “Accomplishments” yang mempunyai arti penyelesaian, prestasi, atau kemahiran.
8. Which of the following was ultimately required of all athletes competing in the Olympics?
a. They must have completed military service
b. They had to attend special training sessions
c. They had to be Greek males with no criminal record
d. They had to be very religious
Jawab: C. They had to be Greek males with no criminal record.
Alasan: Dijelaskan pada kalimat ketiga di paragraph pertama yaitu “but later the games were open to all free Greek males who had no criminal record.”
9. The word “halted” in line 16 means most nearly the same as ..
a. Encourages
b. Started
c. Curtailed
d. Fixed
Jawab: C. Curtailed.
Alasan: Arti dari “halted” adalah berhenti sebentar / dihentikan yang dalam wancana diatas dapat juga berarti Curtailed yang memiliki arti membatasi atau mengurangi.
10. What is an “Olympiad”?
a. The time it took to finish the games
b. The time between games
c. The it took to finish a war
d. The time it took the athletes to train
Jawab: B. The time between games.
Alasan: Dijelaskan dalam kalimat “The Greeks attached so much importance to the games that they calculated time in four-year cycles called “Olympiads,” dating from 776 B.C.”
STYLISTIC PROBLEMS
1. The defendant refused to answer the prosecutor’s questions ____________
a. Because he was afraid it would incriminate him.
b. For fear that they will incriminate him
c. Because he was afraid that his answers would incriminate him
d. Fearing that he will be incriminated by it
Jawab: C. Because he was afraid that his answers would incriminate him.
Alasan: Di soal diketahui kata “questions” adalah bentuk jamak. Maka jawaban C yang tepat karena “that his answers” juga berbentuk jamak.
2. Mrs. Walker has returned_______________
a. A wallet back to its original owner
b. To its original owner the wallet
c. The wallet to its originally owner
d. The wallet to its original owner
Jawab: D. The wallet to its original owner.
Alasan: Kata “return” diikuti dengan kata “to” dan owner seharusnya diikuti dengan adverb.
3. The hospital owes____________ for the construction of the new wing.
a. The government twenty million dollars
b. For the government twenty million dollars
c. To the government twenty million dollars
d. Twenty million of dollars to the government
Jawab: A. The government twenty million dollars.
Alasan: Pada dasarnya struktur kalimat yang sederhana adalah S+V+O. Dalam soal ini, setelah verb lalu yang tepat dilanjutkan dengan objek. Maka jawaban A yang paling tepat.
4. Sarah ____________ that she could not attend classes next week.
a. Told to her professors
b. Said her professors
c. Told her professors
d. Is telling her professors
Jawab: C. Told her professors.
Alasan: Struktur kalimat langsung pada soal ini yang Tepat adalah jawaban C.
5. The artist was asked to show some paintings at the contest because___________
a. He painted very good
b. They believed he painted well
c. Of their belief that he was an good artist
d. The judges had been told of his talents
Jawab: B. They believed he painted well.
Alasan: Dari keempat jawaban yang disediakan, yang paling tepat Struktur kalimatnya adalah jawaban B karena setelah verb (painted) dibutuhkan adverb (well) bukan adjective.
6. If motorists do not observe the traffic regulations, they will be stopped, ticketed, and
A B C
have to pay a fine.
D
Jawab: If motorists do not observe the traffic regulations, they will be stopped, ticketed, and have to be paid a fine.
Alasan: karena dalam soal ini, kata “stopped” dan “ticketed” bentuk pasif maka have to pay juga harus dalam bentuk pasif. Maka diganti menjadi have to be paid.
7. Fred, who usually conducts the choir rehearsals, did not show up last night
A B
because he had an accident on his way to the practice.
C D
Jawab: Fred, who usually conducts the choir rehearsal, did not show up last night
because he had an accident on his way to the practice.
Alasan: kata rehearsals tidak memerlukan huruf ‘s’ karena bukan merupakan verb dari “the choir”
8. A short time before her operation last month, Mrs. Carlyle dreams of her daughter
A B C
who lives overseas.
D
Jawab: A short time before her operation last month, Mrs. Carlyle dreamed of her daughter who lives overseas.
Alasan: pada kalimat di atas bentuknya lampau (past tense). Kata kerja (dreams) bukan bentuk lampau, maka harus diubah menjadi “dreamed”.
9. The atmosphere in AndalucÃa is open, warm, and gives a welcome feeling to all
A B
who have the good fortune to visit there.
C D
Jawab: The atmosphere in AndalucÃa is open, warm, and gives a welcome feeling to all
that have the good fortune to visit there.
that have the good fortune to visit there.
Alasan: pada kalimat di atas kata “that” digunakan untuk menjelaskan "the atmosphere"
10. Some of the people were standing in the street watched the parade,
A B C
while others were singing songs.
D
Jawab: Some of the people were standing in the street watching the parade, while others were singing songs.
Alasan: Kalimat di atas merupakan bentuk participle maka “watched” diubah menjadi “watching”
