Reading Test 1

17 | 
P a g e
 
Forensic testing available in the 80’s suggested that either (24) __________ or lead 
poisoning led to the deaths of the crew in the Franklin expedition. 
The (25) ______________ made by doctors aboard the ships in the Franklin expedition 
still have not been recovered. 
Researchers have suggested that the leaders of Franklin’s crew might not have been ill, 
but could have died from (26) _______________ as a result of their behaviours. 

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18 | 
P a g e
 
SECTION 3 
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 27-40 which are based on 
Reading Passage 3
Owl Secrets 
A.
It always appeared to fly in the face of logic. But now, the biological secrets that allow 
owls to rotate their heads without cutting off their blood supply have finally been 
unravelled. Scientists have discovered four major adaptations in owls designed to 
prevent injury when the animals rotate their overly large heads by up to 270 degrees.
B.
The study found that the birds' unique bone structures and vascular systems let them 
move with increased flexibility. Scientists at John Hopkins University School of Medicine 
in the US studied snowy, barred and great horned owls after their deaths from natural 
causes. They found that the vertebral artery enters the neck higher than in other birds, 
creating more slack. Unlike humans, owls were found to have small vessel 
connections between the carotid and vertebral arteries, allowing the blood to be 
exchanged between the two blood vessels. This creates an uninterrupted blood flow to 
the brain, even if one route is blocked during extreme neck rotation.
C.
The adaptation gives the birds a huge range of vision without having to move their bodies 
and arouse detection by prey. The lack of similar adaptations in humans could explain 
why humans are more vulnerable to neck injury, the experts concluded. When humans 
attempt sudden and violent twists of their neck they risk damaging the lining of their 
blood vessels, which can result in a fatal blockage or stroke. Study senior 
investigator Doctor Philippe Gailloud, said: 'Until now, brain imaging specialists like me 
who deal with human injuries caused by trauma to arteries in the head and neck have 
always been puzzled as to why rapid, twisting neck movements did not leave 
thousands of owls lying dead on the forest floor from stroke. 'The carotid and vertebral 
arteries in the neck of most animals - including owls and humans - are very fragile and 
highly susceptible to even minor tears of the vessel lining.'
D. 
To solve the puzzle, the researchers studied the bone and blood vessel structures in the 
heads and necks of the birds. An injectable contrast dye was used to highlight the birds' 
blood vessels, which were then dissected, drawn and scanned to allow detailed 
analysis.

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