(1) Many of the problems we face today are not so new as we think they are. (2) And some of our "modern" solutions are not so new, either. (3) The problem of energy shortages and the solution of using solar energy go back at least to early Greek and Roman cultures. (4) The climate in the coastal areas of Greece 2500 years ago was characterized by cool winters, much as it is today. (5) At that time, the Greeks heated their homes with small, charcoal-burning heaters. (6) In other words, wood (which is used to make charcoal) was their primary source of energy. (7) However, by the fifth century B.C. fuel shortages had become common because, in many parts of Greece, the firewood in the forests had been depleted. (8) Once the supply of firewood from the local forests ran out, people began to use the wood from olive groves as fuel. (9) But this solution had its own problem—it reduced the olive crop, a valuable resource to the Greeks. (10) By the fourth century B.C., the city of Athens banned the use of olive wood for fuel. (11) Wood had to be imported from farther and farther away, making it more difficult to obtain and more expensive to use. (12) About this time the Greeks began to build their houses facing south, so that the low sun in winter could penetrate and help heat the interiors. (13) Excavations of ancient Greek cities suggest that large areas were planned so that individual homes could take maximum advantage of passive solar energy.

(14) Two thousand years ago, the Romans faced a similar problem. (15) Wealthy Roman citizens had central heating in their villas. (16) A single heating system burned as much as 275 pounds of wood each hour to heat a large home. (17) Not surprisingly, local wood supplies were exhausted quickly. (18) Before long, the Romans were importing wood from as much as a thousand miles away. (19) They, too, turned to solar heating to ease the problem. (20) Not only did they position their houses to make use of passive solar energy, but they also used glass windows to increase the effectiveness of this source of heat. (21) They also made use of this energy in public buildings. (22) Large public bathhouses were oriented to take advantage of the sun's energy. (23) This saved greatly on fuel costs and made more wood available for heating the bath waters and steam rooms. (24) The Romans even established laws to protect a person's right to solar energy. (25) In some areas, for instance, it was illegal for one person to construct a building that would shade another person's building.

1. The relationship of the second paragraph to the first paragraph is one of

cause and effect.

contrast.

comparison.

time.

2. In paragraph 2, the author implies that

the Romans had to make the same mistake the Greeks had made before they recognized the need for the conservation of resources.

there were more forests around Rome than around Athens, so the Romans did not have to focus as much on energy efficiency.

the Romans had more public buildings that required heating than the Greeks did.

passive solar energy became the sole means for heating individual homes in Rome

3. According to the passage,

the concept of using passive solar energy has been around since at least the fourth century B.C.

the ancient Greeks planted new forests to replace the ones they cut down for firewood.

using passive solar energy was more expensive than using wood in ancient Rome.

using wood from the olive groves in ancient Greece was a sensible solution to the fuel problem.

4. In sentence 7, the author implies that before the fifth century B.C.,

olives were not an important resource to the Greeks.

the Greeks were not concerned about conserving their energy sources.

the Greeks were very careful to replant their forests after they cut them.

the climate was much milder in the coastal areas of Greece.

5. The relationship between sentences 24 and 25 is one of

cause and effect.

illustration.

contrast.

comparison.

6. The author's main purpose is to

inform readers about the use of passive solar energy in ancient Greece and Rome.

persuade readers to conserve fuel sources by using passive solar energy.

entertain readers with the humorous details of the difficulties the ancient Greeks and Romans faced in trying to heat their houses.

7. Which sentence best expresses the central point (main idea) of the passage?

Sentence 4

Sentence 3

Sentence 2

Sentence 1

8. Sentence 18 is a statement of

opinion.

fact.

pur-new-sol

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