Choose the best answer:
In Britain, the average young person now spends more money on games each year than on going to the cinema or renting videos. But is this ……..26…… a bad thing? For years, newspaper reports have been ………27…..that children who spend too much time playing computer games become unsociable, bad- tempered, even violent as a ……..28…… But new research, ………29…… out in both Europe and the USA, suggests that the opposite may be true Indeed, playing some of the more complicated games may help people of all ages to improve certain skills. Researchers claim that this is because the games………30……the brain work harder in certain ways, like……..31……sounds and movements quickly and identifying what they are. The fact that people play the games repeatedly……..32……..that they get a lot of practice in these skills which are therefore likely to become highly developed. Social skills may benefit, too. Researchers in Chicago think that fans of first- person shooter games……33…… ―Counterstrike” are better than non-players when it comes to building trust and co-operation, and that this……..34……them to make good friendships and become strong members of their communities. So rather than……..35…….up computer games, perhaps young people need to spend more time on them?

Choose the best answer:
Interpreting the feelings of other people is not always easy, as we all know, and we (1) __ _ as much on what they seem to be telling us, as on the actual words they say. Facial (2) _ _ and tone of voice are obvious ways of showing our (3) _ _ to something, and it may well be that we unconsciously express views that we are trying to hide. The art of being (4) __ _ lies in picking up these signals, realizing what the other person is trying to say, and acting so that they are not embarrassed in any way. For example, we may understand that they are in fact (5) __ __ to answer our question, and so we stop pressing them. Body movements in general may also indicate feelings, and interviewers often pay particular attention to the way a candidate for a job walks into the room and sits down. However it is not difficult to present the right kind of appearance while what many employers want to know relates to the candidate‘s character traits, and (6) __ __ stability. This raises the awkward question of whether job candidates should be asked to complete psychological tests, and the further problem of whether such tests actually produce (7) __ __ results. For many people, being asked to take part in such a test would be an objectionable (8) __ _ into their private lives. After all, a prospective employer would hardly ask a candidate to run a hundred meters, or expect his or her family doctor to provide (9) _ _ medical information. Quite apart from this problem, can such tests predict whether a person is likely to be a (10) __ __ employee or a valued colleague?

Choose the best answer:
Nearly 200 of the 1500 native plant species in Hawaii are at risk of going extinct in the near future because they have been (1) ____ to such low numbers. Approximately 90 percent of Hawaii's plants are found nowhere else in the world but they are (2) ____ by alien invasive species such as feral goats, pigs, rodents and (3) ____ plants. The Hawaii Rare Plant Restoration Group is striving to (4) ____ the extinction of the 182 rare Hawaiian plants with fewer than 50 individuals remaining in the (5) ____ . Since 1990, (6) ____ a result of their "Plant Extinction Prevention Program", sixteen species have been brought into (7) ____ and three species have been reintroduced. Invasive weeds have been removed in key areas and fencing put up in order to (8) ____ plants in the wild. In the future the Hawaii Rare Plant Restoration Program aims (9) ____ collecting genetic material from the remaining plants in the wild for storage as a safety net for the future. They also aim to manage wild populations and where possible reintroduce species into (10) _____

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.
                       NOISE POLLUTION
Noise is more than a mere nuisance. At certain levels and durations of exposure, it can cause physical damage to the eardrum, and (1)..... in temporary or permanent hearing loss. In addition to causing hearing loss, (2)....... noise exposure can also (3)....... blood pressure and pulse rate, cause irritability, anxiety, and mental fatigue, and interfere with sleep, recreation, and personal communication. Noise pollution control is, (4)....... , of importance in the workplace and in the community.
Noise effects can be (5)..... by a number of techniques, for example, increasing the distance or blocking the path between the noise source and the recipient, reducing noise level at the source, and protecting recipients with earplugs or earmuffs.

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

Choose the best answer:
When naming a child, some parents seem to choose a name based simply on their personal preference. In other families, grandparents or professional name-makers come up with a child's name. In some cases, the time of a child's birth influences how the child's name is determined. In many European cultures, names are typically chosen by parents. Parents' choice for their child's name may be based on names of their relatives or ancestors. For example, in Italy, children are traditionally named after their grandparents. The parents generally use the father's parents' names first. If they have more children, then they will use the mother's parents' names. Similarly, some people in Eastern Europe name their children after relatives who have died. This tradition is seen as a means to protect the child from the Angel of Death. Traditionally in some Asian countries, a child's grandfather or a fortune-teller chooses the child's name. In contrast to the tradition of naming children after relatives, the child's name is chosen to influence the child's character. For example, names may be based on a connection to certain elements such as fire, water, earth, wood, or metal. Or the name might include a written character meaning beauty, strength, or kindness. In certain African cultures, when a child is born plays a large part in determining the child's name. In Ghana's Akan culture, the day a child is born determines the child's name. But each day has different names for boys and girls. For instance, a boy born on Friday is named Kofi, whereas a girl born on the same day is named Afua. Both Kofi and Afua mean "wanderer" or "explorer." Children with these names are seen as travelers. No matter where the name comes from, a child's name is the first gift in life. Whether the name is chosen according to preference or dictated by tradition, it reflects something about a child's culture. For that reason, all names should be treasured and respected.
1. is the main idea of the passage?

Read the following passage and choose the best answer for each blank.

Most Americans eat three meals (26) ______ the day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast begins between 7:00 and 8:00am, lunch between 11:00 am and noon, and dinner between 6:00 and 8:00 pm. On Sundays "brunch" is a (27) ______ of breakfast and lunch, typically beginning at 11:00 am. Students often enjoy a "study break" or evening snack around 10:00 or 11:00 pm. Breakfast and lunch tend to be light meals, with only one (28) ______. Dinner is the main meal. (29) ______ breakfast Americans will eat cereal with milk which are often mixed (30) ______ in a bowl, a glass of orange juice, and toasted bread or muffin with jam, butter, or margarine. Another common breakfast meal is scrambled eggs or (31) ______ omelet with potatoes and breakfast meat (bacon or sausage). People who are on (32) ______ eat just a cup of yogurt. Lunch and dinner are more (33) ______. When eating at a formal dinner, you may be overwhelmed by the number of utensils. How do you (34) ______ the difference between a salad fork, a butter fork, and a dessert fork? Most Americans do not know the answer (35) ______. But knowing which fork or spoon to use first is simple: use the outermost utensils first and the utensils closest to the plate last.

(27) ______

Choose the best answer:
Work should be a meaningful and (1)___ part of one‘s life. The (2)____ of a career is, therefore, one of the most serious decision anyone can (3)___. It is important to take in consideration your (4)___ and personal preferences. For instance, adventurous people who enjoy an outdoor life shouldn‘t choose a (5)___ in an office. If you like to work alone, you shouldn‘t look for employment which requires working with the public. If you enjoy working with people, you may like a career in a (6)___ such as human resources. You should (7)____ about finding out as much as possible about intended career before you finish your education. It may take time to (8)____ for the career you want. Don‘t accept a job if you haven‘t got a clue what your working conditions will be or how much you can expect to (9)____. Future disappointment can be avoided by talking to professionals with (10)____ in the career you are interested in as well as visiting different companies and institutions

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

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In Korea, in former days the marriage between a man and woman represented the joining of two families, rather (50) ______ the joining of two individuals. The event (51) ______ Taerye (Great Ritual), and people from all over the village or neighborhood participated. The ceremonies and events surrounding the actual marriage were long and (52) ______. Professional matchmakers paired up likely candidates for marriage, with the new couple often meeting for the first time at their wedding! The families considered many factors in the decision, consulting with fortune tellers for (53) ______ about the couple's future life together. During the Chosun period, people married (54) ______ their early teens, with the girl often being several years older than the boy. The groom usually traveled to the house of the bride for the ceremony, then stayed there for three days (55) ______ taking his new bride to his family's home. The actual ceremony involved many small rituals, with many bows and symbolic gestures. The (56) ______ were expected to control their emotions and remain somber. (57) ______ Koreans have kept several aspects of the traditional ceremony, most modern ceremonies resemble Western marriage ceremonies more than (58) ______ Korean ones. However, many folk villages and museums across the country regularly perform ceremonies to (59) ______ the traditions alive

Choose the best answer:
In the United it is not customary to telephone someone very early in the morning. If you telephone him early in the day, while he is shaving or having breakfast, the time of the (1) _______ shows that the matter is very important and requires immediate attention. The same meaning is (2) _______ to telephone call (3) _______ after 11:00 p.m. If someone receives a call during (4) _______ hours, he assumes it is a matter of life and death. The time chosen for the call communicates (5) _______ importance. In social life, time plays a very important part. In the USA guests tend to feel they are not highly regarded if the invitation (6) _______ a dinner party is extended only three or four days before the party date. But it is not true in all countries. In other areas of the world, (7) _______ may be considered foolish to make an appointment too far in advance (8) _______ plans which are made for a date more than a week tend to be forgotten. The meaning of time differs in different parts of the world. (9)_______, misunderstandings arise between people from cultures that treat time (10) _______

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

Choose the best answer:
One of the most urgent environmental problems in the world today is the shortage of clean water. Having clean drinking water is a basic human right. But acid rain, (1) ____ pollution and garbage have made many sources of water undrinkable. Lakes, reservoirs and even entire seas have become vast pools (2) ____ poison. Lake Baikal in Russia is one of the largest lakes in the world. It (3) _____ a rich variety of animals and plants, including 1,300 rare species that do not exist (4)____ else in the world. But they are being destroyed by the massive volumes of toxic effluent which (5) ____ into the lake every day. Even where law existed, the government did not have the power to enforce them. Most industries simply ignore the regulations. The Mediterranean Sea (6)____ 1% of the world's water surface. But it is the dumping (7)____ for 50% of all marine pollution. Almost 16 countries regularly throw industrial wastes a few miles (8) ____ shore. Water is free to everyone. A few years ago, people thought that the supply of clean water in the world was limitless. Today, many water supplies have been (9) ____ by pollution and sewage. Clean water is now scarce, and we are at last beginning to respect this precious (10) _____.We should do something now

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:
Long ago prehistoric man began to domesticate a number of wild plants and animals for his own use. This not only provided a more abundant food source but also allowed more people to live on  a smaller plot of ground. We tend to forget that  all  of our present – day pets, livestock, and food plants were taken from the wild and developed into the forms we know today.
As centuries passed and human cultures evolved anf blossomed, humans began to organise their knowledge of nature into the broad field of natural history. One aspect of early natural history concerned the use of plants for drugs and medicine. The early herbalists sometimes overworked their imaginations in this respect. For example, it was widely believed that a plant or part of a plant that resembles an internal organ would cure ailments of that organ. Thus, an extract made from a heart-shaped leaf might be prescribled for a person suffering from heart problems.
Nevertheless, the overall contributions of these early observers provided the rudiments of our present knowledge of drugs and their uses.

Domestication  of  plants  and  animals  probably  occurred  because  of     .

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.

Facebook     .

The popular view of towns and cities in developing countries and of urbanization process is that despite the benefits and comforts it brings, the emergence of such cities connotes environmental degradation, generation of slums and squatters, urban poverty, unemployment, crimes, lawlessness, traffic chaos etc. But what is the reality? Given the unprecedented increase in urban population over the last 50 years from 300 million in 1950 to 2 billion in 2000 in developing countries, the wonder really is how well the world has coped, and not how badly.

In general, the urban quality of life has improved in terms of availability of water and sanitation, power, health and education, communication and transport. By way of illustration, a large number of urban residents have been provided with improved water in urban areas in Asia’s largest countries such as China, India, Indonesia and the Philippines. Despite that, the access to improved water in terms of percentage of the total urban population seems to have declined during the last decade of 20th century, though in absolute numbers, millions of additional urbanites, have been provided improved services. These countries have made significant progress in the provision of sanitation services too, together, providing for an additional population of more than 293 million citizens within a decade (1990-2000). These improvements must be viewed against the backdrop of the rapidly increasing urban population, fiscal crunch and strained human resources and efficient and quality-oriented public management.

The average annual increase in the number of urbanites in developing countries, from 1950 to 2000 A.D. was close 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:
It is hard to think of a world without gas or electricity. Both are commonly used for lighting and heating today. We now can instantly flick a lighter or strike a match to make a flame. But it was not long ago that there were no such things as matches or lighters. To make
fire, it was necessary to strike a piece of iron on flint for sparks to ignite some tinder. If the tinder was damp, or the flint old, you had to borrow some fire from a neighbor.
We do not know exactly when or how people first used fire. Perhaps, many ages ago, they found that sticks would burn if they were dropped into some hole where melted lava from a volcano lay boiling. They brought the lighted sticks back to make their fire in a cave. Or, they may have seen trees catch fire through being struck by lightning, and used the trees to start their own fires.
Gradually people learned they could start a fire without traveling far to find flames. They rubbed two pieces of wood together. This method was used for thousands of years.
When people became used to making fires with which to cook food and stay warm at night, they found that certain resins or gums from trees burnt longer and brighter. They melted resins and dipped branches in the liquid to make torches that lit their homes at night. Iron stands in which torches used to be fixed can still be seen in old buildings of Europe.
There was no lighting in city streets until gas lamps, and then electric lamps were installed.
Boys ran about London at night carrying torches of burning material. They were called torch boys, or link boys, and earned a living by guiding visitors to friends’ houses at night.
For centuries homes were lit by candles until oil was found. Even then, oil lamps were no more effective than a cluster of candles. We read about the splendors and marvels of ancient palaces and castles, but we forget that they must have been gloomy and murky places at night.

What does “they” refer to?

Choose the best answer:
The University of Oxford, informally called "Oxford University", or simply "Oxford", (35) ______ in the city of Oxford, in England, is (36) ______ oldest university in the English-speaking world. It is also considered as one of the world's leading (37) ______ institutions. The university traces, its roots back to at least the end of the 11th century, (38) ______ the exact date of foundation remains unclear. Academically, Oxford is consistently ranked in the world's top ten universities. The University is also open (39)  ______ overseas students, primarily from American universities, who may (40) _____ in study abroad programs during the summer months for more than a century, it has served as the home of the Rhodes Scholarship, (41) ______ brings highly accomplished students from a number of countries to study at Oxford as (42) ______. The University of Oxford is also a place where many talented leaders from all over the world used to study. Twenty-five British Prime Ministers attended Oxford, including Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair. At (43) ______ 25 other international leaders have been educated at Oxford, and this number includes King Herald V of Norway and King Abdullah II of Jordan. Bill Clinton is the first American President to attend Oxford. Forty-seven Nobel (44) ______ winners have studied or taught at Oxford

Choose the best answer:
The University of Oxford, informally called "Oxford University", or simply "Oxford", (35) ______ in the city of Oxford, in England, is (36) ______ oldest university in the English-speaking world. It is also considered as one of the world's leading (37) ______ institutions. The university traces, its roots back to at least the end of the 11th century, (38) ______ the exact date of foundation remains unclear. Academically, Oxford is consistently ranked in the world's top ten universities. The University is also open (39)  ______ overseas students, primarily from American universities, who may (40) _____ in study abroad programs during the summer months for more than a century, it has served as the home of the Rhodes Scholarship, (41) ______ brings highly accomplished students from a number of countries to study at Oxford as (42) ______. The University of Oxford is also a place where many talented leaders from all over the world used to study. Twenty-five British Prime Ministers attended Oxford, including Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair. At (43) ______ 25 other international leaders have been educated at Oxford, and this number includes King Herald V of Norway and King Abdullah II of Jordan. Bill Clinton is the first American President to attend Oxford. Forty-seven Nobel (44) ______ winners have studied or taught at Oxford

Choose the best answer:
Minor illnesses have a nasty habit of striking (1)______ the wrong time, don‘t they ? (2) ______ you have a pile of things to do at work and even more on your plate at home, the last thing you want is a (3) _______ throat or a tension headache to drag you down. (4) _______ this summer, when you‘re feeling (5)_______ the weather, remember that a visit to your (6) ______ pharmacy (7)_______ be a real bonus in helping you get the right remedy to ease your symptoms. But it‘s not (8) ______ the medication that assists the cure – only at a pharmacy will you find expert (9)________ from a highly trained health professional. Just try asking a supermarket shelf what it (10) _______ for family heath problems !

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
The Forbidden City is the former imperial palace in the center of Beijing, China. Construction began in 1406, and the emperor’s court officially moved in by 1420. The Forbidden City got its name because most people were barred from entering the 72-hectare site, surrounded by walls. Even government officials and the imperial family were permitted only limited access. Only the emperor could enter any section at will. The architecture of the Forbidden City conforms rigidly to traditional Chinese principles. All buildings within the walls follow a north-south line and the most important ones face south to honor the sun. The designers arranged the other buildings, and the ceremonial spaces between them, to impress all visitors with the great power of the Emperor, while reinforcing the insignificance of the individual. This architectural concept was carried out to the smallest detail. For example, the importance of a building was determined not only by its height or width but also by the style of its roof and the quantity of statuettes placed on the roof’s ridges. In recognition of the importance of its unparalleled architecture, UNESCO added the palace to its World Heritage List in 1987. Today, visitors from all over the world do not wait for an imperial invitation to walk about this palace, now a museum of imperial art. One of the most impressive landmarks of the Forbidden City is the Meridian Gate, the formal entrance to the southern side of the Forbidden City. The gate, with its auxiliary wings on either side of the entryway, is 38 meters high at its roof ridge. When you stand in front of this majestic structure, you understand how awed people felt when they stood there listening to imperial proclamations. As you walk through the gate, you come into a large courtyard, 140 meters long and 210 meters wide. Running through the courtyard is the Golden River, which is crossed by five parallel white marble bridges. These bridges lead to the Gate of Supreme Harmony, which, in turn, leads to the heart of the Forbidden City. At the northernmost end of the Forbidden City is the Imperial Garden, which is totally different from the rest of the compound. Instead of rigid formality, you see a seemingly spontaneous arrangement of trees, fishponds, flowerbeds, and sculpture. Here is the place of relaxation for the emperor.
7. Which phrase is closest in meaning to the word “proclamations”?

Choose the best answer:
Bodies are made to move! They are not (19) _________for sitting around in front of the television or reading magazines. Keeping fit doesn‘t (20) _________you have to be a super-athlete, and even (21) ______exercise can give you a lot of fun. When you are fit and healthy, you will find you look better and feel better. You will develop more energy and self-confidence. Every time you move, you are exercising. The human body is designed to bend, stretch, run, jump and climb. (22) _________ it does, the stronger and fitter it will become. Best of all, exercise is fun. It‘s what your body likes doing most-keeping on the (23) _________. Physical exercise is not only good for your body. People who take regular exercise are usually happier, more relaxed and more alert (24) _________people who sit around all day. Try an experiment-next time you are (25) _________a bad mood, go for a walk or play a ball game in the park. See how much better you feel after an hour. A good (26) _________of achievement is yet another benefit of exercise. People feel good about themselves when they know they have (27) _________their fitness. People who exercise regularly will tell you that they find they have more energy to enjoy life. So have (28) _________-you‘ll soon see and feel the benefits