Based on measurements of the expansion of the universe, of the position of galaxies, as well as of the cosmic microwave background radiation, the birth of the universe is said to (i) _______  13.7 billion years ago, when the early cosmos was a dense gaseous fireball of plasma, with temperatures 100,000 times higher than (ii) _______  of the sun’s core. 10 microseconds after the initial explosion, the universe experienced a period of huge exponential (iii) _______  called cosmic inflation, allowing basic particles such as quarks and gluons to stop moving around willy-nilly without purpose and form strong bonds of protons and neutrons. 100 seconds later, as temperatures dropped even further, these protons and neutrons would form helium and other hydrogen composites in a period cissalled nucleosynthesis. Matter would (iv) _______  to a halt and stop moving, (v) _______  gravitational forces come into play, and after 380,000 years the first atoms would make their appearance.

(iii)______-

Once upon a time, people left school or university, joined a company and stayed with it until they retired. The concept of a job for life is now long (i) _______ , and nowadays many employees find it hard to stay loyal to their companies for even a relatively short period of time. According to a recent survey, this is particularly (ii) _______ in London, where more than half of those asked said that they constantly keep one eye on other job opportunities (iii) _______ they are fairly happy in their existing jobs. A high number of London workers say that they are always on the (iv) _______ although they are content andmotivated in their current position. Job seekers find that the internet (v) _______ them with a quick and easy way to find out what’s available, and 53 per cent said that they had applied for a job or registered with an employment agency in the past 12 months.

(ii)______

An American pharmaceutical company has focused on designing a vaccine (i) _______ of a viral strain or variety that infects primarily humans. This vaccine has the advantage of protecting against most types of rotavirus infection, but because it is derived (ii) _______ a human strain, it can have serious side effects and even cause the disease itself. Another Europe company developed a different vaccine type by combining human strains with ones taken from cows. In this case, the vaccine is too weak to cause disease in people, however, it only offers protection against major types of rotavirus infection. Regardless of their initial structure, (iii) _______ vaccines work in similar ways by attaching themselves to the VP4 spikes and triggering an immune response before viral cells have a chance to spread (iv) _______ contaminate healthy cells. The two rotavirus vaccines are now undergoing clinical trials and are awaiting (v) _______ to be released on the market. So far, they have proven to have a 90% rale of success

without registering any major side effects.

(ii)_____

I don’t usually play tricks on people, but when our boss, Mr Budd, bought himself a new hat, my friend had an idea that was impossible to resist. Every day Mr Budd (i) _______ hang up his hat in the hallway and disappear into his office. So one lunch time we went into town and bought two hats identical to Mr Budd’s, except that one was much larger, and the other much smaller, than his. When we (ii) _______ to the office, we took Mr Budd’s hat off the hook and replaced it with the large one. That evening he put the hat on and went home, saying nothing to anyone in spite of the fact that his hat was resting on his cars. The next day we (iii) _______ the small hat for the large one, and Mr Budd went home with it sitting high on top of his head. He looked a bit worried, but he still didn’t say a word to anyone. This continued for a few weeks. Sometimes we would put Mr Budd’s (iv) _______ hat on the hook, sometimes one of the others. Everyone in the office knew about the joke, except Mr BudD. Eventually, he got so worried that he went to the doctor, (v) _______ that his head was growing and shrinking day by day.

(ii)_____

Cotton fiber, like other vegetable fibers, are composed mostly of cellulose.

Instead of throwing in the towel, Shakira kept her focus on music and participated (i)  ______  a televised singing competition for children, (ii) ______  she started being invited to various events in Barranquilla and became a local celebrity. When she turned 13, she caught the eye of theatre producer Monica Ariza, who took her under her wing and made her name (iii) ______  outside Barranquilla. On a flight from her hometown to the Colombian capital of Bogota, Ariza happened to sit next to Sony executive C’iro Vargas, who agreed to hold an audition for Shakira a few weeks later inside a hotel lobby. Vargas was (iv) ______  impressed with the budding new artist and praised her in lavish terms to the Sony artist directors. They, (v) ______  , were less excited and thought Shakira was a “lost cause’’ until Vargas tricked them into a surprise audition with the singer at a bar in Bogota, which resulted in Shakira’s signing a deal with Sony for three recorded albums.

(iv)_____

Lan used to go to school _________.

Vincent Van Gogh is a very famous painter from the 19th century. Van Gogh’s paintings are sold at very high prices because many collectors want his paintings. But unfortunately, when he was (i) _______ he did not have a happy life. Van Gogh was from a poor family in Holland and lived (ii) _______ his life at home. He lived a rather sad and (iii) _______ life. He drew things that he could sec cither around the quiet town of his parents’ home or outside his window. This was why he painted things like the sky, his room and even himself. Van Gogh once cut off his own car after drawing a picture of himself. He cut it off to show the person that said the ear in Van Gogh’s painting was not correct. It was very (iv) _______ him to do such a thing. Van Gogh was also (v) _______ a crazy man. He really did become crazy, and was sent to a mental hospital. Sadly, he killed himself when he was just 37.

(iv)____

Before we ______ upon a new project, I think we should completely finish the present one. 

Although the act of writing a book is by necessity a (i) _______ process, it’s often after publication that the sense of isolation is the strongest. Many writers long for critical feedback, but have little (ii) _______  to the average reader’s opinion. While it may be true that good reviews in newspapers and magazines can be gratifying, they’re of little help in establishing what ordinary people think of your work. So, well done to those websites where anyone with access to the Internet can post an opinion about any book. (iii) _______       this, these customer reviews are not without risk. Most writers can expect some glowing praise from family or friends but these reviews are easy to recognize since they tend to be sent in anonymously. On the other hand, visits to these websites can also result in great anxiety. It might well be the (iv) _______ that you receive an unkind review and there is no kind editor to shield you. You can expect most reviewers to be brief but there are those who write long, strangely formal essays, usually containing references to classical literature, presumably in (v) _______ to impress others with their literary knowledge. If you are a sensitive author, I suggest you think twice before you go off searehing for reviews on-line rather than in the safer, traditional places.

(i)_____

In 1866, the United States Congress passed legislation which permitted the use of the metric system in commercial dealings. The law, permissive rather than mandatory, (i)  _______  that any contract or dealing – as well as any court pleadings – would not be considered objectionable or invalid because of the use of the metric system in the dealing or reference to metric measurements and (ii) _______ in the legal documents or pleadings. American business people and scientists have continued to use the metric system and support it. Metrication is evident in America because goods that are produced (iii) _______ commercial purposes are labelled in metric units as well as non-mctric units. As the result of legislation in the 1980s, the federal government and (iv) _______ its agencies are now required to use metric measures. There are a few exceptions to this law and those exceptions (v) _______ around documents which are intended for consumers but the primary purpose of this law is to promote and strengthen the American manufacturing and trade posture and competitiveness throughout the metric world of nations

(ii)_____

In (i) _______ times Poland was part of the Russian Empire and began its struggle for independence. Russia managed to (ii) _______ an end to the rebellion for years after persecuted and harassed its Polish citizens, especially those of Jewish origin. Even though Maria was a Catholic born into a gentry’s family, she was a mere female and thus felt that oppression stronger than many others. She was denied entrance into any university and had to work as a governess (iii) _______ the fact that she had once of the highest IQ’s ever (iv) _______ among women. Maria also had an amazing memory and was a workhorse, who neglected food and sleep in order to study and get the job done. (v) _______ those pressures led to a mental breakdown, and Maria was hospitalized for a year after graduating from high school.

(iv)____

Maria Mutola is a great athlete off the field as well. She has started the Lurdcs Mutola Foundation. This charity program (i) ________ money for the development of sports and the education of young people in Africa. It also works to stop the spread of AIDS and HIV in poor countries, and to have (ii) _________  African children protected against such dangerous childhood diseases as measles and polio. Maria Mutola has also donated money to build new social houses in Maputo (iii) ________ a modern outdoor running track. She is also involved (iv) ________  promoting sports without drugs and doping. For her achievements, Maria Mutola has been made a youth ambassador for the United Nations in 1993. She also (v) ________ the official Olympic Flag at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.

(iii)______

An American pharmaceutical company has focused on designing a vaccine (i) _______ of a viral strain or variety that infects primarily humans. This vaccine has the advantage of protecting against most types of rotavirus infection, but because it is derived (ii) _______ a human strain, it can have serious side effects and even cause the disease itself. Another Europe company developed a different vaccine type by combining human strains with ones taken from cows. In this case, the vaccine is too weak to cause disease in people, however, it only offers protection against major types of rotavirus infection. Regardless of their initial structure, (iii) _______ vaccines work in similar ways by attaching themselves to the VP4 spikes and triggering an immune response before viral cells have a chance to spread (iv) _______ contaminate healthy cells. The two rotavirus vaccines are now undergoing clinical trials and are awaiting (v) _______ to be released on the market. So far, they have proven to have a 90% rale of success

without registering any major side effects.

(iii)_____

The town of Bunol in Spain is famous for La Tomatina, the world’s largest vegetable fight. The event takes place during a week-long celebration (i) _______ festivities and with even greater anticipation for the battle ahead. La Tomatina started during the 1940s, when (ii) _______ of friends started a tomato fight and passers-by got dragged into it. From that day forward, the fiesta has been celebrated annually and is expected to draw record numbers this time around. The reason for the fight has never been established and it hardly matters since the point is fun. La Tomatina has blossomed into a huge fiesta that coincides with the festival for the town’s patron saint. This is partly in an effort to draw more tourism into Bunol, and at the same time many more targets. The night before La Tomatina, the narrow’ streets are filled with tomatoes, and in a much (iii) _______ form than the next day. No one can do battle on an empty stomach so huge pans filled with delicious paella are on offer. Then, early Wednesday morning, shopkeepers set about covering windows and doors in preparation for the mess. Large trucks rumble up the streets to arrive in the square and be cheered by the 20,000 strong crows. Men on top of the tracks then begin the attack (iv) _______ soft tomatoes from the four comers of Spain. The victims retaliate against the trackers, each other, and anyone else that strays within their range. When all the tomatoes have been demolished, (v) _______ heads to the river to clean it all off.

(v)____

 Her words impressed themselves ____ my memory. 

Israel and Palestine have been at war with each other (i) _______ many years now. The reason behind the conflict is religion. Palestine is a very old country lying in the Middle East. It is an Arabic nation where most of its population is Muslim. Israel (ii) _______ at the border with Palestine. It is a much younger country formed by Jews (iii) _______ religion is radically and completely different from the Muslim religion. Israel grew stronger after the Second World War, when it became a friend and ally of the United States. It started to occupy land from surrounding countries (iv) _______ on the fact that Jews used to live on that land (v) _______  years ago.

(v)_____

The Christian Church split up at the (i) _______ of the 12th century because some technical differences. It got divided after important churchmen could not agree on which calendar to use when calculating religious holidays. The head of the Western Christian Church was the Pope in Rome. He is (ii) _______ the leader of this Church (iii) _______  is now called the Roman Church or the Catholic Church.

Catholics use the more modem Gregorian calendar to calculate religious holidays. Pope Gregory XIII devised the Gregorian calendar in order to simplify the ancient Julian calendar invented by the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar. According to the Gregorian calendar, Easter (iv) _______ anytime from Mareh 22nd to April 25lh. Therefore, in some years, Catholic and Orthodox Easter are a month apart while in (v) _______ years, they fall right on the same date.

(ii)______

An interesting form of (i) _______ throughout the British Empire in the 18th-19th centuries. At that time, England had established many colonies all around the globe. But these places were very far away. If people came to live there, they did not return to England ever again since traveling (ii) _______ ship was rather long and dangerous. Englishmen who settled in such far-off colonies often found (iii) _______ alone. The only women around were the natives. But (iv) _______ and Dutch saw no trouble in marrying native women, Englishmen were very conservative. They would write letters home and ask relatives or neighbors to send them a local wife. Many women had no dowry so they agreed to the transaction. The man would pay for their ship voyage to the colonies and the woman would work all her life to pay him back. It is believed that these marriages were (v) _______ of all.

(iii)______

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word or phrase that is CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined part in each of the following questions: 

Don’t you ever mention that matter again. I will not hear anything of it.

There are 10 teams involved, each team having 2 drivers. (i) ________  teams are Renault, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Honda and Toyota. These teams built (ii) ________ the car and its engine. Formula One also has a constructor’s championship for the team that builds the best car. The cars are much smaller and narrower because. Formula One is not run on speed tracks (iii) ________ on circuits and sometimes on closed city streets. The drivers must be more technical and skilled on these types of tracks. Some circuits, like the ones in Monaco, are very tight, and it is hard to overtake there. Circuits such as Monza, Italy, or Germany, are very fast and wide. Cars reach (iv) ________  200 mph, and the engines have (v) ________ 750 horsepower.

(iii)____