Reading Comprehension
Questions 1-10
Aspirin’s origins go back at least as early as 1758. In that year, Englishman Edward Stone noticed a distinctive bitter flavor in the bark of the willow tree. To Stone, this particular bark seemed to have much in common with “Peruvian Bark,” which had been used medicinally since the 1640s to bring down fevers and to treat malaria. Stone decided to test the effectiveness of the willow bark. He obtained some, pulverized it into tiny pieces, and conducted experiments on its properties. His tests demonstrated that this pulverized willow bark was effective both in reducing high temperatures and in relieving aches and pains. In 1763, Stone presented his findings to the British Royal Society.
Several decades later, further studies on the medicinal value of the willow bark were being conducted by two Italian scientists. These chemists, Brugnatelli and Fontana, determined that the active chemical that was responsible for the medicinal characteristics in the willow bark was the chemical salicin, which is the active ingredient of today’s aspirin.
The name “aspirin” is the trade name of the drug based on the chemical salicin, properly known as acetylsalicylic acid. The trade name “aspirin” was invented for the drug in the 1890s by the Bayer Drug Company in Germany. The first bottles of aspirin actually went on sale to the public just prior to the turn of the century, in 1899.
Several decades later, further studies on the medicinal value of the willow bark were being conducted by two Italian scientists. These chemists, Brugnatelli and Fontana, determined that the active chemical that was responsible for the medicinal characteristics in the willow bark was the chemical salicin, which is the active ingredient of today’s aspirin.
The name “aspirin” is the trade name of the drug based on the chemical salicin, properly known as acetylsalicylic acid. The trade name “aspirin” was invented for the drug in the 1890s by the Bayer Drug Company in Germany. The first bottles of aspirin actually went on sale to the public just prior to the turn of the century, in 1899.
1. According to the passage, aspirin originated
(A) no later than 1758
(B) sometime after 1758
(C) definitely sometime in 1758
(D) no earlier than 1758
2. It can be inferred from the passage that Peruvian Bark
(A) caused fevers
(B) was ineffective in treating malaria
(C) was described to the British Royal Society by Stone
(D) was in use prior to aspirin
3. The pronoun “it” in line 5 refers to
(A) malaria
(B) willow bark
(C) effectiveness
(D) the British Royal Society
4. The word “properties” in line 6 could best be replaced by
(A) ownership
(B) body
(C) characteristics
(D) materials
5. What did the willow bark look like after Stone prepared it for his experiments?
(A) It was in large chunks.
(B) It was a thick liquid.
(C) It was a rough powder.
(D) It was in strips of bark.
6. The Italian chemists mentioned in the passage most probably conducted their studies on willow bark
(A) in the 1750s
(B) in the 1760s
(C) in the 1770s
(D) in the 1780s
7. What is true about Brugnatelli and Fontana?
(A) They were from Italy.
(B) They added a chemical to the willow bark.
(C) They conducted studies on the willow bark.
(D) They were medical doctors.
8. The expression “prior to” in line 14 could best be replaced by
(A) at
(B) before
(C) during
(D) after
9. The word “turn” in line 15 could best be replaced by
(A) spin
(B) corner
(C) change
(D) reversal
10. Where in the passage does the author name the scientific compound that makes up aspirin?
(A) Lines 2-4
(B) Line 7
(C) Lines 8-9
(D) Lines 14-15
