Choose the best answer:
Nobody knows for certain what the origin of music was. Music is certainly older than poetry and painting but as early man had no way of (1) _______ it, we can only (2)_______ what it sounded like. Watching a child (3) ______ on a drum with its hands or a (4 ) ______ of wood, it is easy to see that this is the simplest of instruments. It does not (5) ______ much effort to produce a rhythm on it. Wall paintings show what some of the first instruments looked like. Early civilizations had already discovered the three basic ways of producing music: blowing into a tube, striking an object, and scraping a string. We know that western music comes from the (6) _______ Greeks. The musical scales we use now are (7) ______ on certain sequences of notes which the Greeks used to create a particular (8)_______.  Until the sixteenth century, most players of instruments were single performers, but as music became more (9)_______, orchestras and musical groups began to appear. This (10 ) _______ about the writing of music to be played byseveral musicians at one time. This can certainlybe called the birth of modern music

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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

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Televisions 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. TV, although not essential , has become a(n) (1)____part of most people‘s lives. It has become a baby-sitter , an initiator of (2)____of program does not elevate people into greater (3)____, but rather maintains and encourages the status quo. The (4)____reason for the lack of quality in American TV is related to both the history of TV development and the economics of TV. TV in American began with the radio. Radio companies and their sponsors first experimented with TV. Therefore , the close relationship , (5)____the advertisers had with radio programs , but many actually produced the programs .Thus , (6)____from the capitalistic , profit – oriented sector of American society, TV 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 TV 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.

Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer.

In the past, both men and women were expected to be married at quite young ages. Marriages were generally arranged by parents and family, with their children having little chance to say no in the matter. In the past it was not surprising to find that a bride and groom had only just met on the day of their engagement or marriage.

In modern Vietnam, this has changed completely as people choose their own marriage-partners based on love, and in consideration primarily to their own needs and wants. Moreover early marriage is quite illegal.

The traditional Vietnamese wedding is one of the most important of traditional Vietnamese occasions. Regardless of westernization, many of the age-old customs practiced in a traditional Vietnamese wedding continue to be celebrated by both Vietnamese in Vietnam and overseas, often combining both western and eastern elements. Besides the wedding ceremony, there is also an engagement ceremony which takes place usually half a year or so before the wedding. Due to the spiritual nature of the occasion, the date and time of the marriage ceremony are decided in advance by a fortune teller. The traditional Vietnamese wedding consists of an extensive array of ceremonies: the first is the ceremony to ask permission to receive the bride, the second is the procession to receive the bride (along with the ancestor ceremony at her house), the third is to bring the bride to the groom's house for another ancestor ceremony and to welcome her into the family, then the last is a wedding banquet. The number of guests in attendance at these banquets is huge, usually in the hundreds. Several special dishes are served. Guests are expected to bring gifts, often money, which the groom and bride at one point in the banquet will go from table to table collecting.

In the past, _________.

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A coincidence is a surprising thing that happens to us. For example, you and a friend both go shopping on the same day. You don‘t go together and don‘t discuss your shopping plans in (21) ______, but when you meet up afterwards, you are amazed to discover that you‘ve bought an identical T-shirt. By (22) , you each decided to buy the same one. Many people (23) coincidences as significant. Did you and your friend communicate with each other in some subconscious way? What does it tell you about your friendship? Well, the simple (24) ________ could be that, being (25) friends, you have similar taste in clothes. In reality, life is (26) ________ of coincidences, but normally we don‘t notice them. For example, in almost fifty percent of all football matches, two players share the same birthday. This seems surprising, (27) ________ that there are 365 possible birthdays in the year. But most of these matches will be played without anybody being (28) _______ that coincidence exists. (29)________your birthday is today, you don‘t generally tell people about it. In addition, without realising it, you probably (30) ______ into contact with lots of people who were born on the same day as you. But when a coincidence brought to your attention, it still seems amazing

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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

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Tattooing is an old art. In ancient Greece, people who had tattoos were regarded as members of the (16) __________ classes. On the other hand, tattooing was (17) __________ in Europe by the early Christians, who thought that it was a sinful thing to (18) __________. It was not until the late 18th century, when Captain Cook saw South Sea Islander decorating their bodies with tattoos that attitudes began to change. Sailors came back from these islands with pictures of Christ on their backs and from then on, tattooing (19)__________ in popularity. A survey by the French army in 1881 (20) __________ that among the 387 men (21) __________there were 1,333 designs. Nowadays, not everybody finds tattoos acceptable. Some people thing that getting one is silly because tattoos are more or less permanent. There is also some (22) __________ about (23) __________ a blood disease from unsterilized needles. Even for those who do want a tattoo, the (24) __________ of getting one is not painless, but the final result, in their eyes, is (25) __________ the pain

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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 mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word for each of the blanks.
Alligators have always been the most dangerous predators of the Florida Everglades, (1) ..................their long-held position is now being challenged by a growing population of Burmese pythons.
The Burmese python, a giant snake measuring up to 20 feet long and weighing up to 200 pounds, is very popular among exotic pet owners. However, as the (2)..............snakes grow, they become more difficult to cafe and handle. To avoid dealing with the snakes, the owners irresponsibly release them into the wild. (3).............the Everglades is quite similar to the python’s native environment of Southeast Asia, they survive and prosper without difficulty.
The issue with the Burmese pythons is their choice of meals. They eat alligators and endangered birds, which creates a strain on an  already (4)...........ecosystem. Recently a 13-foot long Burmese  python was found with a 5-foot alligator bursting from its stomach. They python died trying to eat the alligator but a larger one would have easily won the struggle. With over 30,000 Burmese pythons now living in the Everglades,  a  solution  to  stop  this  invasive  species  is  necessary.  If  the  pythons  are  (5)..................unchecked, there is a strong possibility they will wipe out a variety of species necessary for the functioning of the Everglades ecosystem.

(3)......................................

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:
Clara Barton became known as “ The Angel of the Battlefield” during the American Civil War. Born in Oxford, Massachusetts in 1821, Clara Barton’s interest in helping soldiers on the battlefield began when she was told army stories from her father. Another event that influenced her decision to help soldiers was an accident her brother had. His injuries were cared for by Barton for 2 year. At the time, she was only 11 years old. Barton began teaching school at the age of 15. She taught for 18 years before she moved to Washington, D.C in 1854.
The civil war broke out 6 years later. Immediately, Barton started war service by helping the soldiers with their needs. At the battle of Bull run, Clara Barton received permission from the government to take care of the sick and hurt. Barton did this with great empathy and kindness. She acknowledged each soldier as a person . her endurance and courage on the battlefield were admired by many. When the war ended in 1865 , she used 4 years of her life to assist the government in searching for soldiers who were missing during the war.
The search for missing soldiers and years of hard work made her feeble physically. In 1869, her doctors recommended a trip to Europe for a rest. While she was on vacation , she became involved with the International Red Cross, an organization set up by the Geneva Convention in 1864. Clara Barton realized that the Red Cross would be a best help to the United States. After she returned to the United States, she worked very hard to create an American Red Cross. She talked to government leaders and let American people know about the Red Cross. In 1881, the National Society of the Red Cross was finally established with its headquarters in Washington ,D.C. Clara Barton managed its activities for 23 years.
Barton never let her age stop her from helping people. At the age of 79, she helped food victims in Galveston, Texas. Barton finally resigned from the Red Cross in 1904. She was 92 years old and had truly earned her title “ The Angel of the Battle”.

The phrase broke out in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning ti

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Always arrive early. If you do not know (35) ______ the organization is located, call for exact directions (36) ______ advance. Leave some extra time for any traffic, parking, or (37) ______ events. If you are running late, call right away and let someone know. The best time to arrive is approximately 5 - 10 minutes early. Give (38) ______ the time to read your resume one more time, to catch your breath, and to be ready for the interview. Once you are at the office, treat everyone you encounter with respect. Be (39) ______ to everyone as soon as you walk in the door. Wear a professional business suit. This point should be emphasized enough. First (40) ______ are extremely important in the interview process. Women should (41) ______ wearing too much jewelry or make up. Men should avoid flashy suits or wearing too much perfume. It is (42) ______ important that you feel comfortable. While a suit is the standard interview attire in a business environment, if you think it is (43) ______ informal environment, call before and ask. Regardless, you can never be overdressed (44) ______ you are wearing a tailored suit

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Library is a collection of books and other informational materials made available to people for reading, study, or reference. The word library comes (1)_________ liber, the Latin word for ― book‖ . (2) _____ , library collections have almost always contained a variety of materials. Contemporary libraries maintain collections that include not only printed materials such as manuscripts, books , newspapers, and magazines, (3)_______ audio-visual and online databases. In addition (4) _____ maintaining collections within library buildings, modern libraries often feature telecommunications links that provide users with access to information at remote sites. The central mission of a library (5) _______ to collect , organize, preserve, and provide access to knowledge and information. In fulfilling this mission, libraries preserve a valuable record of culture that can be passed down to (6)_______ generations. Libraries are an essential link in this communication between the past , present, and future. Whether the cultural record is contained in books or in electronic formats, libraries ensure (7) ____ the record is preserved and made available for later use. People use library resources to gain information about personal (8)__ or to obtain recreational materials such as films and novels. Students use libraries to supplement and enhance their classroom experiences, to learn (9)_____ in locating sources of information, and to develop good reading and study habits. Public officials use libraries to research legislation and public policy issues. One of the most valued of all cultural institutions, the library (10) ___ information and services that are essential to learning and progress. From ― Library ( institution)‖ by Richard S.Halsey et al

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A typical person needs about 1,800 calories per day to stay running.. They keep your organs operating (33)_______ and your brain running. They also keep your body warm. A person gains weight because he or she consumes more calories per day than (34)  ________. The only way to lose fat is to reduce the (35) ________ of calories that you consume per day. This is the basic principle (36) ________ going on a diet. Unfortunately, diets don‘t work for most people. They do lose weight but then go off the diet and put it back. Building a sensible diet and exercise plan is the key (37) ________ maintaining a consistent weight. You need to figure out how many calories you need in a day and how many you actually (38) ________. The next step is to add exercise (39) ________ you can raise the number of calories you can consume per day. Burning 250 or 500 calories per day can make a big (40) ________. You can ride an exercise bike while you are watching television (41) ________ you can take the stairs instead of the elevator. Find an exercise partner. Exercises can be a lot easier if there is someone to talk to. It‘s a good idea to wear firm-fitting clothes if you are (42) ________. Tight clothing acts as a reminder of what you are trying to accomplish

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The reality of an interview is never as bad as your fears. For some reasons, people imagine the interview is going to jump on every tiny mistake they (1) _____. In truth, the interviewer is as keen for the meeting to go well (2) _____ you are. It is what makes his or her job (3) ______. 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 asked. Prepare for questions that are certain to come up, for example: Why do you want to become anurse? What is the most important (6) ______ a good nurse should have? Apart from nursing, what other careers have you (7) ______? What are your interests and hobbies? Answer the questions fully and precise. For instance, if one of your interests is reading, be prepared to talk about the sort of books you like. (8)_____, do not learn all the answers off by heart. The interviewer wants to meet a human (9) ____, 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

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Feminism, collective term for systems of belief and theories that pay special (24) to women‘s rights and women‘s position in culture and society. The term tends to be used for the women‘s rights movement, which began in the late 18th century and continues to campaign for complete political, social, and economic equality between women and men. This article (25) specifically with the development of the ideas behind that movement and their (26) and impact. Feminists are united by the idea that women‘s position in society is unequal to (27) of men, and that society is structured in such a way as to benefit men to the political, social, economic (28) of women. However, feminists have used different theories to explain these (29) and have advocated different ways of redressing inequalities, and there are marked geographic and historical variations in the nature of feminism. Historically, feminist thought and activity can be divided into two waves. The first wave, which began in about 1800 and (30) until the 1930s, was largely concerned with gaining equal rights between women and men. The second wave, which began in the late 1960s, has continued to fight for (31) but has also developed a (32) _ of theories and approaches that stress the difference between women and men and that draw attention to the (33) needs of women

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Do you ever wish you were more optimistic, someone who always (45)____ to be successful? Having someone around who always fears the worst isn't really a lot of (46)____ - we all know someone who sees a single cloud on a sunny day and says, 'It looks like rain.' But if you catch yourself thinking such things, it's important to do something about it. You can change your view of life, according to psychologist. It only takes a little (47)___, and you'll find life more rewarding as a (48)____. Optimism, they say, is partly about self-respect and confidence but it's also a more positive way of looking at life and all it has to (49)____. Optimists are more (50)_____ to start new projects and are generally more prepared to take risks. Upbringing is obviously very important in forming your (51)___ to the world. Some people are brought up to depend too much on others and grow up forever blaming other people when anything (52)____ wrong. Most optimists, on the (53)____ hand, have been brought up not to (54)____ failure as the end of the world - they just get on with their lives

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Speech is one of the most important (35) ...... of communicating .It consists of far more than just making noises . To talk and also (36) ........ to by other people, we have to speak a language ,that is, we have to use combinations of (37).......  that everyone agrees to stand for a particular object or idea. Communication would be impossible if everyone made up their own language.  Learning a language properly is very (38)........ . The basic (39)......... of English is not very large, and not only about 2,000 words are needed to speak it quite (40)............ .But the more idea you can (41)........ the more precise you can be about their exact meaning. Words are the (42)........ thing we use in communicating what we want to say. The way we(43)........... the words is also very important. Our tone of voice can express many emotions and (44).......... whether we are pleased or angry, for instance

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Women are expert at gossiping, and they always talk about trivial things, or at least that‘s what men have always thought. However, some new research (1) _____ that when women talk to women, their (2) ______ are far from frivolous, and cover many more (3) _____ (up to 6 subjects) than men talk to other men. Women‘s conversations (4)_____ from health to their houses, from politics to fashion, from movies to family, from education to relationship problems. Sports are notably (5)_____. Men tend to have a more limited range of subjects, the most popular being work, sports, jokes, cars, and women. According to Professor Petra Boynton, a psychologist who interviewed over 1000 women, women also tend to move quickly from one subject to another in (6)_____, while men usually stick to one subject for longer periods of time. At work, this (7) _____ can be an advantage for men, as they can put other matters aside and concentrate matter aside and concentrate (8) ______ on the topic being discussed. On the other hand, it also means that they sometimes find it hard to concentrate when several things have to be discussed at the same (9) _____ in a meeting. Professor Boynton also says that men and women talk for different reasons. In social (10) _____ women use conversation to solve problems and reduce stress while men talk with each other to laugh or to compare opinions

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.
 Many parents believe that they should begin to teach their children to read when they are slightly more than toddlers. This is fine if the child chows a real interest but forcing a child could be counter- productive if she isn't ready. Wise parents will have a hopeful attitude and take the lead from their child.(1).........they should provide is a selection of stimulating toys, books and other activities. Nowadays there is plenty of good material available for young children, and of course, seeing plenty of books in use them to read.
Of course, books are no longer the only source of stories and information. There is also a huge range of videos, which can reinforce and extend the pleasure a child finds in a book and are (2)........helping to increase vocabulary and concentration. Television gets a bad review as far as children are concerned, mainly because too many spend too much time watching programmes not intended for their age (3).......... Too many television programmes induce an incurious, uncritical attitude that is going to make learning much more difficult. (4)............... , discriminating viewing of programmes designed for young children can be useful. Just as adults enjoy reading a book after seeing it serialised  on television,  so children  will pounce on books which (5)............. their favourite television characters and videos can add a new dimension to a story known from a book.

(5)..................................

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It is now extremely popular to take a gap year between school and university or university and work, and tospend it travelling. There are plenty of reasons to recommend it - travel (1) ______ the mind, you‟re only youngonce,lifeisn't a rehearsal and so on.And if you don't do it, you may always regret that you didn't take the (2) ______. In the end, there's only one response: well, why not? The idea may have its (3) _____ from the 18thcentury. Grand Tour once undertaken by the young, rich and noble, but it the middle classes who have (4) ____ it into something that 200.000 British youngsters do every year. (5) ______ has never been so easy and cheap, with more places open to tourists than ever. Also, the gap year is now (6) ______ by many employers and universities. The States, the Far East and Australia were among the original (7) _______ and although these remain in the (8) ________ five, young explorers are now going (9) _______ farther. The most far-flung comers of the world are (10) _______ in popularity year by year.

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:
Anthropologists have pieced together the little they know about the history of left - handedness and right - handedness from indirect evidence. Though early men and women did not leave written records, they did leave tools, bones, and pictures. Stone Age hand axes and hatchets were made from stones that were carefully chipped away to form sharp cutting edges. In some, the pattern of chipping shows that these tools and weapons were made by right handed people, designed to fit comfortably into a right hand. Other Stone Age implements were made by or for left-handers Prehistoric pictures, painted on the walls of caves, provide further clues to the handedness of ancient people. A right - hander finds it easier to draw faces of people and animals facing toward the left, whereas a left - hander finds it easier to draw faces facing toward the right. Both kinds of faces have been found in ancient painting. On the whole, the evidence seems to indicate that prehistoric people were either ambidextrous or about equally likely to be left - or right - handed.
But, in the Bronze Age, the picture changed. The tools and weapons found from that period are mostly made for right - handed use. The predominance of right - handedness among humans today had apparently already been established.

In line 11, the words “the picture” refer to which of the following?