Beads were probably the first durable ornaments humans possessed, and the

            intimate relationship they had with their owners is reflected in the fact that beads are

            among the most common items found in ancient archaeological sites. In the past, as

 Line     today, men, women, and children adorned themselves with beads. In some cultures

  (5)      still, certain beads are often worn from birth until death, and then are buried with their

            owners for the afterlife. Abrasion due to daily wear alters the surface features of beads,

            and if they are buried for long, the effects of corrosion can further changed their

            appearance. Thus, interest is imparted to the bead both by use and the effects of time.

                 Besides their wearability, either as jewelry or incorporated into articles of attire,

 (10)      beads possess the desirable characteristics of every collectible : they are durable,

            portable, available in infinite variety, and often valuable in their original cultural

            context as well as in today's market. Pleasing to look at and touch, beads come in

            shapes, colors, and materials that almost compel one to handle them and to sort them.

                Beads are miniature bundles of secrets waiting to be revealed : their history,

 (15)      manufacture, cultural context, economic role, and ornamental use are all points of

            information one hopes to unravel. Even the most mundane beads may have traveled

            great distances and been exposed to many human experiences. The bead researcher

            must gather information from many diverse fields. In addition to having to be a

            generalist while specializing in what may seem to be a narrow field, the researcher is

 (20)      faced with the problem of primary materials that have little or no documentation. Many

            ancient beads that are of ethnographic interest have often been separated from their

            original cultural context.

                 The special attractions of beads contribute to the uniqueness of bead research. While

            often regarded as the “small change of civilizations”, beads are a part of every culture,

 (25)      and they can often be used to date archaeological sites and to designate the degree of

            mercantile, technological, and cultural sophistication.

 

            9. What is the main subject of the passage?

              (A) Materials used in making beads

              (B) How beads are made

              (C) The reasons for studying beads

              (D) Different types of beads

 

            10. The word “adorned” in line 4 is closest in meaning to

              (A) protected

              (B) decorated

              (C) purchased

              (D) enjoyed

 

            11. The word “attire”in line 9 is closest in meaning to

              (A) ritual

              (B) importance

              (C) clothing

              (D) history

 

            12. All of the following are given as characteristic of collectible

             objects EXCEPT

              (A) durability

              (B) portability

              (C) value

              (D) scarcity

 

            13. According to the passage, all of the following are factors that

              make people want to touch beads EXCEPT the

              (A) shape

              (B) color

              (C) material

              (D) odor

 

            14. The word “unravel”in line 16 is closest in meaning to

              (A) communicate

              (B) transport

              (C) improve

              (D) discover

 

            15. The word “mundane ”in line 16 is closest in meaning to

              (A) carved

              (B) beautiful

              (C) ordinary

              (D) heavy

 

            16. It is difficult to trace the history of certain ancient beads because they

              (A) are small in size

              (B) have been buried underground

              (C) have been moved from their original locations

              (D) are frequently lost

 

            17. Knowledge of the history of some beads may be useful in the studies

              done by which of the following?

              (A) Anthropologists

              (B) Agricultural experts

              (C) Medical researchers

              (D) Economists

 

            18. Where in the passage does the author describe why the appearance

                of beads may change?

              (A) Lines 3-4

              (B) Lines 6-8

              (C) Lines 12-13

              (D) Lines 20-22