Choose the best answer:
According to a magazine article I read recently, we (1) _____live in an age of increasing leisure. Not only are more and more people reaching (2) _____ age with their taste for enjoyment and even adventure relatively (3) _____ but the working week is becoming shorter and the opportunities for (4) _____ are becoming greater and greater all the time. Not to mention the fact that people tend to spend less time traveling to work or may even be working from home. What I can‘t understand, however, is who these people are. As far as I can (5) _____ the whole thing is another one of those journalistic fictions. I admit that there are a lot of retired people (6) _____but I am not sure that all of them are dashing about learning hang-gliding or sailing single-handed (7) _____ the world. My own parents seem to spend most of their time gazing at the television. And as for the shorter working week, I wish someone would remind my company about it. I seem to be working longer hours (8) _____the time. The little leisure time I have is eaten into by sitting in traffic jams or waiting for trains to (9) _____ up at rain-swept platforms. I haven‘t noticed any dramatic improvements in my (10) _____either, but perhaps I just have to wait until I get my pension

Choose the best answer:
Everyone wants to reduce pollution. But the pollution problem is (33)______ complicated as it is serious. It is complicated (34)______ much pollution is caused by things that benefit people. (35)______, exhaust from automobiles causes a large percentage of air pollution. But the automobile (36)______ transportation for millions of people. Factories discharge much (37)______ the material that pollutes the air and water, but factories give employment to a large number of people Thus, to end (38)_______ greatly reduce pollution immediately, people would have to (39)______ using many things that benefit them. Most of the people do not want to do that, of course. But pollution can be (40)______ reduced in several ways. Scientists and engineers can work to find ways to lessen the (41)______ of pollution that such things as automobiles and factories cause. Governments can pass and enforce laws that (42)______ businesses and traffic to stop, or to cut down on certain polluting activities

A recent survey of crime statistics shows that we are all more likely to be burgled now than 20 years ago and the police advise everyone to take a few simple precautions to protect their homes.

The first fact is that burglars and other intruders prefer easy opportunities, like a house which is very obviously empty. This is much less of a challenge than an occupied house, and one which is well-protected. A burglar will wonder if it is worth the bother.

There are some generalt ips on how to avoid your home becoming another crime statistic. Avoid leaving signs that your house is empty. When you have to go out, leave at least one light on as well as a radio or television, and do not leave any curtains wide open. The sight of your latest music centre or computer is enough to tempt any burglar.

Never leave a spare key in convenient hiding place. The first place a burglar will look is under the doormat or in a flower pot and even somewhere more ‘imaginative’ could soon be uncovered by the intruder. It is much safer to leave a key with a neighbour you can trust. But if your house is in a quiet, desolate area be aware that this will be a burglar’s dream, so deter any potential criminal from approaching your house by fitting security lights to the outside of your house.

But what could happen if, in spite of the aforementioned precautions, a burglar or intruder has decided to target your home. Windows are usually the first point of entry for many intruders. Downstairs windows provide easy access while upstairs windows can be reached with a ladder or by climbing up the drainpipe. Before going to bed you should double-check that all windows and shutters are locked. No matter how small your windows may be, it is surprising what a narrow gap a determined burglar can manage to get through. For extra security, fit window locks to the inside of the window.

What about entry via doors? Your back door and patio doors, which are easily forced open, should have top quality security locks fitted. Even though this is expensive it will be money well spent. Install a burglar alarm if you can afford it as another line of defence against intruders.

A sobering fact is that not all intruders have to break and enter into a property. Why go to the trouble of breaking in if you can just knock and be invited in? Beware of bogus officials or workmen and, particularly if you are elderly, fit a chain and an eye hole so that you scrutinise callers at your leisure. When you do have callers never let anybody into your home unless you are absolutely sure they are genuine. Ask to see an identity card, for example.

If you are in the frightening position of waking in the middle of the night and think you can hear an intruder, then on no account should you approach the intruder. It is far better to telephone the police and wait for help.

 What word best replaces “desolate” in paragraph 4?

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
Successful students often do the followings while studying. First they have an overview before reading. Next, they look for important information and pay greater attention to it (which often needs jumping forward or backward to process information). They also relate important points to one another. Also, they activate and use their prior knowledge. When they realize that their understanding is not good, they do not wait to change strategies. Last, they can monitor understanding and take action to correct or “ fix-up” mistakes in comprehension.
Conversely, students with low academic achievement often demonstrate ineffective study skills. They tend to assume a passive role in learning and rely on others(e.g, teachers, parents) to monitor their studying. For example, low-achieving students often do not monitor their understanding of content, they may not be aware of the purpose of studying, and their show little evidence of looking back, or employing “fix-up” strategies to fix understanding problems. Students who struggle with learning new information seem to be unaware that they must extent beyond simply reading the content to understand and remember it. Children with learning disabilities do not plan and judge the quality off their studying. Their studying may be disorganized. Students with learning problems face challenges with personal organization as well. They often have difficulty keeping track of materials and assignments, following directions, and completing work on time. Unlike good student who employ a variety of study skills in a flexible yet purposeful manner, low-achieving students use a restricted range of skills. They can not explain why good study strategies are important for learning, and they tend to use the same, often ineffective, study approach for all learning tasks, ignoring task content, structure of difficulty.

According to the passage, what can be learnt about passive students?

Choose the best answer:
Years ago there were many social rules and etiquette procedures (1)_______ introductions. Some formal introductions between two people were (2)_______ by letter by third party. A person had to be very careful to weigh the importance of social class or status, age, and gender when deciding (3)_______ person should be presented or introduced to the other person first. (4) ________, times have changed, and most of the social rules about introducing older people to younger ones, women to men, and those in higher positions to those in lower positions have changed, too. Many people now feel much more (5) _______ about making introductions. In most situations, handshaking is (6) ________, but these days it is more often done than not-especially in formal social or business settings. It's very common for one person (or both) to (7) ________a hand when meeting someone. If you are in this situation, and you are offered a hand to shake, you should grasp it firmly and shake it briefly. People often tend to make some (8)_____________about someone (9)_________ to their handshakes, so make sure yours is not too weak or limp, not too hard, and not too longlasting. It  should be firm and brief

Choose the best answer:
Earth is the only place we know of in the universe that can support human life. (1) _____ human activities are making the planet less fit to live on. As the western world (2) _____ on consuming two-thirds of the world's resources while half of the world's population do so just to stay alive we are rapidly destroying the (3) _____ resource we have by which all people can survive and prosper. Everywhere fertile soil is (4) _____ built on or washed into the sea. Renewable resources are exploited so much that they will never be able to recover (5) _____. We discharge pollutants into the atmosphere without any thought of the consequences. As a (6) _____ the planet's ability to support people is being reduced at the very time when rising human numbers and consumption are (7) _____ increasingly heavy demands on it. The Earth's (8) _____ resources are there for us to use. We need food, water, air, energy, medicines, warmth, shelter and minerals to (9) _____ us fed, comfortable, healthy and active. If we are sensible in how we use the resources, they will (10) _____ indefinitely. But if we use them wastefully and excessively, they will soon run out and everyone will suffer

Choose the best answer:
Parents whose children show a special interest in a particular sport have a difficult decision to (1) ______ about their children‘s career. Should they (2) ______ their children to train to become top sportsmen and women? For many children it (3) ______starting very young and school work, going out with friends and other (4) ______ have to take second place. It‘s very difficult to explain to a young child why he or she has to train for five hours a day, even at the weekend, when (5) _______ of his or her friends are playing. Another problem is of course money. In many countries money for training is (6) ______ from the government for the very best young sportsmen and women. If this help cannot be given, it means that it is the parents (7) ______ have to find the time and the money to support their child‘s development- and sports clothes, transport to competitions, special equipment etc. can all be very expensive. Many parents are understandably (8) _______ that it is dangerous to start serious training in a sport at an early age. Some doctors agree that young (9) _______ may be damaged by training before they are properly developed. Professional trainers, however, believe that it is only by starting young that you can reach the top as a successful sports person. What is clear is that very (10) _______ people reach the top and both parents and children should be prepared for failure even after many years of training

Choose the best answer:
Television has changed the lifestyle of people in every industrialized country in the world. In the United States, where sociologists have studied the effects, some interesting observations have been made. Television, although not essential, has become a(n) (1) _____ part of most people‘s lives. It has become a baby-sitter, an initiator of conversations, a major transmitter of culture, and a keeper of traditions. Yet when what can be seen on TV in one day is critically analyzed, it becomes evident that television is not a teacher but a sustainer. The poor (2) ______ of programs does not elevate people into greater (3) ______. The (4) _______ reason for the lack of quality in American television is related to both the history of TV development and the economics of TV. Television in America began with the radio. Radio companies and their sponsors first experimented with television. Therefore, the close relationship, (5) _______ the advertisers had with radio programs, became the system for American TV. Sponsors not only paid money for time within programs, but many actually produced the programs. Thus, (6) _______ from the capitalistic, profit-oriented sector of American society, television is primarily (7) _______ with reflecting and attracting society (8) _______ than innovating and experimenting with new ideas. Advertisers want to attract the largest viewing audience possible; to do so requires that the programs be entertaining rather than challenging. Television in America today remains, to a large (9) _______, with the same organization and standards as it had thirty years ago. The hope for some evolution and true achievement toward improving society will require a change in the (10) _______ system.

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
Facebook is a for-profit online social media and social networking service. The Facebook website was launched on February 4th, 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg, along with fellow Harvard College students and roommates. Since 2006, anyone age 13 and older has been allowed to become a registered user of Facebook though variations exist in minimum age requirement, depending on applicable local laws.
Over 25 million people in the Uk use Facebook. That’s 45% of population! And on average, each user spends over six hours a month on Facebook. Though not the highest this is a considerable number. Is Facebook is a dangerous obsession or just harmless fun? Seventeen-year-old Bethan has written on her blog about what it was like to stop using Facebook. I think I am a Facebook addict. I log on to Facebook everyday to chat to my friends real friends and loads of online friends. Sometimes I have ten conversations going at the same time. I upload photos and update my Facebook profile all the time. But recently I’ve started to feel worried if I am offline for more than a few hours. And then last week I forgot to meet a real friend because I was online! I’ve realised I could have a problem. So I’ve decided to give it up for a while. I found it really hard. Facebook and my friends demanded to know why I had left. I spent the first few evenings wondering what everyone was chatting on Facebook. I even phoned a couple of friends to find out. The fourth night I wasn’t quite so bad. I actually concentrated on my homework better and I had more time to watch my TV programmes. And I spoke to my friends during the day at school. At the end of the first week, I reactivated my account, I think Facebook is fun and it’s useful for posting messages to friends and sharing photos. But I’ll try not to spend so much time on it in the future.

When she decided to give up Facebook     .

Choose the best answer:
The first traffic signal was invented by a railway signaling engineer. It was installed (33) ___ the Houses of Parliament in 1868. It (34)_____ like any railway signal of the time, and was operated by gas. (35) ____, it exploded and killed a policeman, and the accident discouraged further development until cars became common. (36) ____ traffic lights are an American invention. Red – green systems were installed in Cleveland in 1914. Three - color signals, operated (37) _____ hanz d from a tower in the (38) _____ of the street, were installed in New York in 1918. The first lights of this type to (39) ____ in Britain were in London, on the junction between St. James‘s Street and Piccadilly, in 1925. Automatic signals were installed (40) ____ year later. In the past, traffic lights were special. In New York, some lights had a statue on top. In Los Angeles the lights did not just change silently, but would ring bells to (41) _____ the sleeping motorists of the 1930s. These are gone and have been (42) ____ by standard models which are universally adopted.

Choose the best answer:
(35) ….. educational specialists believe that early schooling should provide children (36) ….. an awareness of their own abilities (37) ….. the self – confidence (38) ….. their abilities. One approach recognized by many experts (39) ….. promoting these qualities is the Montessori method, first practiced by Maria Montessori of Italy (40) ….. the early 1900s. Nancy McCormick Rambusch is credited with (41) ….. the method in the United States, where today (42) ….. over 400 Montessori schools. The method helps children (43) ….. for themselves by providing them with instructional materials and tasks that facilitate acts of discovery and manipulation. Through such exploration, children develop their sense of touch and learn (44) ….. do everyday tasks without adult assistance. Other benefits include improvement in language skills, and acquaintance with elements of science, music, and art

Choose the best answer:
The reality of an interview is never as bad as your fears. For some (1) ______ people imagine the interviewer is going to jump on every tiny mistake they (2) ______. In fact, the interviewer is as keen for the meeting to go well as you are. It is what (3) ______ his or her job enjoyable. The secret of a good interview is preparing for it. What you wear is always important as it creates the first impression. So (4) ______ neatly, but comfortably. Make (5) ______ that you can deal with anything you are (6) ______. Prepare for questions that are certain to come up, for example: Why do you want to become a nurse? What is the most important quality a good nurse should have? Apart from nursing, what other careers have you considered? What are your interests and hobbies? Answer the questions fully and precisely. For example, if one of your interests is reading, be prepared to (7) ______ about the sort of books you like. (8) ______, do not learn all your answers off (9) ______ heart. The interviewer wants to meet a human being, not a robot. Remember, the interviewer is genuinely interested in you, so the more you relax and are yourself, the more (10) ______ you are to succeed

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
                   THANKS A MILLION
Percy Ross was bom in 1916 in Michigan. His parents has come to the USA from Latvia and Russia  and  the  family  were  poor.  But  Percy  soon  showed  a  talent  (1)...... business and made a (2)......... in the fur trade and auction business. Then disaster struck and he lost all his money. But he soon made a fortune again - this time by manufacturing plastic bags. In 1969, he sold his plastic bag company for millions of dollars.
 Ross started giving away in 1977: he gave $50,000 to 50 Vietnamese refugees so that they could make a new home in the USA. (3) ........ he held a Christmas party tor 1,050 poor children in the American town of Minneapolis. Ross bought a bike for every one of the 1,050 children at the party.
After these first experiences of giving money away, Ross decided to do it on a (4) ............ basis. He started  a  newspaper  column  called  “Thanks  a  Million”,  and  later  a  radio  show,  in  order  to (5)...... his money. It took years, but Ross finally succeeded in giving away his entire fortune.
(4)....................

Choose the best answer:
The role of translation enabling literature to pass beyond its natural frontiers is receiving growing recognition. In view of the general increase in this (30)_____, it is not surprising that many people with literary interests and a knowledge of languages should think of adopting translating as a full-or part-time (31)_____. Some advice may usefully be given to such would-be translators. The first difficulty the beginner will (32)_____is the unwillingness of publishers to entrust a translator to anyone who has not already (33)____a reputation for sound work. The least publishers will (34)____ before commissioning a translator is a fairly lengthy specimen of the applicant‘s work, even if unpublished. Perhaps the best way the wouldbe translator can begin is to select some books of the type (35)_____ he or she feels competent and eager to translate, translate a (36)_____section of the book and then submit the book and the translation to a suitable publisher. If he or she is extremely lucky, this may result in a commission to translate the book. More probably, however, publishers will(37) the book as such but if they are favorably (38) by the translation, they may very possibly commission some other books of a (39) nature which they already have in mind

Choose the best answer:
(35) ….. educational specialists believe that early schooling should provide children (36) ….. an awareness of their own abilities (37) ….. the self – confidence (38) ….. their abilities. One approach recognized by many experts (39) ….. promoting these qualities is the Montessori method, first practiced by Maria Montessori of Italy (40) ….. the early 1900s. Nancy McCormick Rambusch is credited with (41) ….. the method in the United States, where today (42) ….. over 400 Montessori schools. The method helps children (43) ….. for themselves by providing them with instructional materials and tasks that facilitate acts of discovery and manipulation. Through such exploration, children develop their sense of touch and learn (44) ….. do everyday tasks without adult assistance. Other benefits include improvement in language skills, and acquaintance with elements of science, music, and art

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
                  AS OLD AS YOU FEEL
It might after all be true that you are only as old as you feel. A British clinic is carrying out new high-tech  tests  to  calculate  the  “real”  biological  age  of patients (1)..........on the rate of physical deterioration. Information on every aspect of a patient’s health, fitness, lifestyle and family medical history is (2)........ into a computer to work out whether they are older or younger than their calendar age suggests.
The availability and increasing accuracy of the tests has prompted one leading British gerontologist to call for biological age to be used to determine when workers should retire. He (3)............ that if an employee’s biological or “real” age is shown, for example, to be 55 when he reaches his 65th birthday, he should be incited to work for another decade. Apparently most employers only take into (4)............... a person’s calendar years, and the two may differ considerably. Some of those prepared to pay a substantial sum of money for the examinations will be able to smugly walk away with medical evidence showing that they really are as young as they feel, giving them the confidence to act and dress as if they were younger. Dr Lynette Yong, resident doctor at the clinic where the tests are offered claims that the purpose of these tests will be to motivate people to (5).................. their health.
The concept of “real” age is set to become big business in the USA with books and websites helping people work out whether their body is older or younger than their years. Others firmly believe that looks will always be the best indicator of age.

(2)......................

Choose the best answer:
The Thames is the longest and best-known river in Britain. It is 210 miles/338 kilometres ___(1)___ and flows from the Cotswolds in central England to the North Sea after through London. Other famous towns on the river ___(2)___ Oxford, Windsor 1, Henley and Greenwich. ___(3)___ bridges across the Thames in London are London Bridge, Tower Bridge and Westminster Bridge. Large ships can sail ___(4)___ the Thames ___(5)___ London and smaller ones a further 86 miles/138 kilometres. A large area in the east of London was formerly a major port on the river, but in recent times this Docklands area has been___(6)___. The Thames Barrier is a large barrier ___(7)___ across the River Thames at Woolwich, east of London, to prevent London from being flooded. It was completed in 1982 and ___(8) ___ opened in 1984. It consists of ten gates, which ___(9)___ on the bottom of the river when the barrier is not required. If there is a danger of flooding, the gates rise to form a solid ___(10)___ 50 feet/15 metres high

Choose the best answer:
Skilling has become a way of life for many people. From the moment the first snowflake falls until the spring (1) ______ skiers put skis on their cars and (2) ______ for slopes. There are many reasons behind the (3) ______ of this winter sports. Skiing is a true family sport that can be enjoyable by all people, whether 3 or 93 years old. Being able to (4) ______ a hill, to turn at will and nature at its loveliest are (5) ______ for all age groups. Skiing is also interesting because it provides a variety of experiences. Snow conditions change hourly as the temperature and weather conditions change during the day. Moreover, every trail is different. Rarely does one pass over the same (6) ______ twice. Improvement in skis equipment, clothing, and ski areas have made the sport more pleasurable, comfortable and available. Warm and light clothing has replaced (7) ______ of heavy sweaters. Ski equipment made with modern materials has made skis and poles lighter, more flexible and suited to people of all ages. The (8) ______ of skiing had also improved by snow-making equipment. Even in areas of the countries that have (9) ______ snowfall, snow can be made (10)______ the temperature be below 30 degrees Celsius. For many people, skiing is an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the out-of-doors, to challenge their physical abilities and, finally, to simply have fun. It is a sport world-wide and appears to be gaining in popularities constantly

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
Think for a moment about the last music album you bought. Most likely, you’ll think of the singer or band that made you want to buy the album. You might even know the name of the guitar player or the drummer. Those talented performers, however, are only some of the people in the music industry work behind the scenes, but the roles they play in the musical progress are very important. Songwriters: Songs begin with the songwriter. Some songwriters work alone, but many work in teams that combine the talents of a lyricist, who writes the words to songs, and an instrumentalist, often a piano player or guitarist, who writes the music. Many of today’s pop stars work with songwriters. For example, some of Lady Gaga’s biggest hits were written by Nadir Khayat, also known “RedOne”. Some songwriting teams have become very famous, such as Mike Stock, Matt Aitken, and Pete Waterman, who were responsible for many big 1980s pop hits.
Arrangers: After a song has been written, music arrangers make it more appealing by deciding which instruments will be used, what tempo, or speed, the song will have, and whether the song should have a lower or higher pitch. A good arrangement can bring a song to life and make it a classic.
Studio Musicians: Not every singer or instrumentalist can be a star, and many work in the background as studio musicians. These artists are not a part of any one musical group. Instead, they are hired for recording sessions that eventually become the albums you buy, as well as soundtracks for television shows, movies, and radio ads.
Recording Engineers: Recording engineers also play a major role in creating the final sound that you hear. First, these engineers set up the recording studio, the room where the performers play, placing musicians and microphones in exactly the right places to get the best sound. Next, they use electronic equipment, such multi-track recorders, to capture the music. Finally, long after the musicians have gone home, recording engineers use a mixing board to balance the melodies and rhythms of each musician, and sometimes to incorporate special sound effects or additional tracks. Many people make a living with music. You may not recognize all of their names, but all of them work together to create the songs you love to listen to.

The word “classic” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to _     .

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
Rachel Carson was born in 1907 in Springsdale, Pennsylvania. She studied biology at college and zoology at Johns Hopkins University, where she received her master’s degree in 1933. In 1936, she was hired by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, where she worked most of her life.
Carson’s first book, Under the Sea Wind, was published in 1941. It received excellent reviews, but sales were poor until it was reissued in 1952. In that year she published The Sea Around Us, which provided a fascinating look beneath the ocean’s surface, emphasizing human history as well as geology and marine biology. Her imagery and language had a poetic quality. Carson consulted no less than 1,000 printed sources. She had voluminous correspondence and frequent discussions with experts in the field. However, she always realized the limitations of her nontechnical readers.
In 1962, Carson published Silent Spring, a book that sparked considerable controversy.
It proved how much harm was done by the uncontrolled, reckless use of insecticides. She detailed how they poison the food supply of animals, kill birds and fish, and contaminate human food. At the time, spokesmen for the chemical industry mounted personal attacks against Carson and issued propaganda to indicate that her findings were flawed. However, her work was proved by a 1963 report of the President’s Science Advisory Committee.

Why does the author of the passage mention the report of the President’s Science Advisory Committee (lines 14-15) ?

Choose the best answer:
However objective we believe ourselves to be, most of us do not judge a product solely on its merits, considering quality, value and style before making a decision. (1)________, we are easily influenced by the people around us. There is nothing (2)___________ with this. It is probably a smarter way to make decisions than (3)________ on only our own opinions. But it does make life hard for companies. They have long understood that groups of friends and relatives tend to buy the same products, but understanding the reasons has been tricky. It is because they are so similar with (4)_______ to how much money they make and what television ads they watch that they independently (5)________ at the same decision? Or do they copy one another, perhaps (6)______ envy or perhaps because they have shared information about the products? Research in Finland recently found overwhelming evidence that neighbours have a big influence on buying decisions. When one of a person‘s ten nearest neighbours bought a car, the chances that that person would buy a car of the same brand during the next week and a half (7)__________ by 86 per cent. The researchers argued that it was not just a (8)_________ of envy. Used cars seemed to attract neighbours even more than new cars. This suggested that people were not trying to (9)_______ up with their neighbours, they were keen to learn from them. Since used cars are less reliable, a recommendation of one can (10)________influence a buying decision