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Passage II

Read the passage and answer the following questions.

A Many of us go home every day after work or after school. We cook dinner, watch TV, or spend time with our families. Usually, we don’t think about what it means to have a home. But even in rich countries like the United States, homelessness is a huge problem. Many people live on the streets, and many more live in housing that is inadequate: without heat and running water, without indoor toilets, or just old and falling apart. One of the biggest causes of homelessness is the lack of affordable housing—there are not enough houses that are cheap enough for poor people to buy.
B Habitat for Humanity (HFH) is one organization that is trying to do something about the problem of affordable housing. HFH builds houses for low-income people (people who earn low salaries) and sells them at low prices. There are three reasons that HFH houses are affordable for low-income people. First, homeowners and Habitat for Humanity volunteers work together to build the houses. Second, HFH sells the houses at no profit—they don't make any money from the sale, and they don’t charge any interest on the mortgage (the mortgage is the loan that the bank gives you when you want to buy a house). Finally, individuals, companies, and other organizations donate all of the necessary money and materials to build the homes, so the cost of building is very low.
C Habitat for Humanity doesn't build homes only in the United States. It works worldwide in countries such as Guatemala, the Philippines, and Ghana. Some of Habitat for Humanity's programs have been around for a long time: HFH recently completed its 20,000th house in Africa. Other programs are newer. Habitat for Humanity just finished its first house in Antigua and Barbuda, in the village of Bolans. HFH chooses its homeowner families according to their need, their interest in working with the organization, and their ability to repay the no-interest mortgage. HFH works withall types of people, but the only requirement is that the homeowners invest their time and energy into the program, helping to build their own house and the houses of others.
31. What is the main idea of paragraph A?
a. Habitat for Humanity tries to solve the homelessness problem.
b. Homelessness is a big problem that exists even in rich countries.
c. There should be enough houses for poor people to buy.
d. How having a home is interesting.



32. According to the passage, in what way can housing be inadequate?
a. If it lacks heat, running water, and indoor toilets.
b. If it exists in distant areas.
c. If it is not big enough.
d. If it does not have a garden.

33. Where do homeless people live?
a. On the streets or in housing that is inadequate.
b. In furnished cottages.
c. In big apartments.
d. With their relatives.

34. According to the passage, low-income people are those who _____________.
a. earn low salaries
b. have many children
c. live on the streets
d. are jobless

35. What is Habitat for Humanity trying to do?
a. To provide homeless people with hotel rooms.
b. To lend people a sum of money so as to start a new project.
c. To build small huts in villages.
d. To provide inexpensive homes for the homeless.

36. Why do some people suffer from homelessness in different parts of the world?
Because of the lack of ______________________________.
a. food and water.
b. cheap houses that the poor can buy
c. banks that provide loans for the poor
d. vacancies in apartment buildings

37. What do individuals and companies donate in order to build homes for the poor?
a. Money and building materials.
b. Workforce.
c. Money and building materials.
d. Furniture.




38. What does the pronoun “they” in paragraph B refer to?
a. Habitat for Humanity (HFH).
b. New houses.
c. Loans.
d. Homeless people.





39. Whom does HFH use in order to build new houses?
a. Banks and monetary funds.
b. Homeless people.
c. Governments.
d. Volunteers, homeowners, and other donating people and organizations.

40. According to the passage, what is a mortgage?
a. A bank loan to have a house.
b. The house that is built by HFH.
c. The sum of money donated by volunteers.
d. The materials used to build houses for homeless people.

41. What is the main idea of paragraph B?
a. Habitat for Humanity works in Africa and Latin America building houses.
b. How HFH tries to help homeless people.
c. Habitat for Humanity uses volunteers and homeowners to build new houses.
d. Habitat for Humanity sells houses at low prices.

42. According to the passage, how many houses has HFH completed in Africa?
a. 30,000.
b. 40,000.
c. 20,000.
d. 10,000.

43. Guatemala, the Philippines, and Ghana are among the _______ where HFH works to
solve the homelessness problem.
a. countries
b. villages
c. continents
d. cities

44. The verb “donate” in paragraph B is closest in meaning to ________.
a. have
b. take
c. give
d. build


45. What do homeowners and volunteers invest while collaborating with HFH?
a. Property.
b. Money and materials.
c. Time and effort.
d. None of the above.