Constant _______ of attack makes everyday life dangerous here.

(308)_______

Read the reading below carefully, and then complete it with the best option A, B, C or D given below:
On the morning of April 12, 1912, the luxury liner the Titanic left England on a voyage to New York. Four days later she lay at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. On Wednesday July 18, 1956, the ocean liner the Andrea Doria left Italy. The Andrea Doria was also (1) _______ to New York. Eight days later this great ship also (2)_______ at the bottom of the Atlantic. Reports of these two disasters (3) _______ the newspapers for days. When the Andrea Doria went down, people compared her sinking with the sinking of the Titanic. There were similarities between the two accidents. First of all, both ships were passenger ocean liners. In addition, they were also both luxury liners. They carried many of (4) _______ world’s famous and rich people. Today millions of dollars worth of gold, silver, and cash may still remain locked inside these two sunken ships. Another similarity was that as each ship was sinking, there were acts of heroism and acts of villainy. Some people acted very bravely, even heroically. Some people even (5)_____ their lives so that others could live.

Read the passage below carefully, and then choose the best answer:
Don’t Handle with Care
People always go shopping for the latest and greatest gadgets. Speed, performance, and the latest functions are always key factors before making a purchase. Yet the most important factor of all, which often isn’t considered, is a product’s durability. After all, if a product breaks easily and can’t be repaired, the buyer will have wasted their investment. In other cases, weakly-designed product can cost someone their life. Thankfully, today’s inventors and engineers coming up with some incredible ways to ensure that many products can survive the most difficult situations. One area where durability is absolutely essential is in designing weaponry. In the industry, lapses in quality can lead to death. Designers of military vehicles have recently made great strides in creating some extra tough bulletproof vehicles. Researchers were inspired by the advances made with a similar technology, bulletproof vests. This equipment, which keeps police officers and soldiers protected from gunfire, has been continually upgraded as time has gone on. In order to get tougher, these vests have got lighter, so officers and soldiers can move more freely while working. Beautiful screens, a fast computer processor, and the latest software are probably the biggest concerns for most people shopping for new smartphones. Yet, since most mobiles will be subject to their fair share of bumps and bruises during their life cycle, durability should also be a major concern. A major breakthrough in recent years was the invention of Gorilla Glass. This technology not only prevents devices from breaking when dropped on hard surfaces, but it also makes them scratch-resistant as well. Gorilla Glass screens are given molten alkaline salt baths that produce a hard, compressed layer at the surface. Before a screen can crack, it will have to penetrate this rugged surface, which takes a large degree of force. Recently, another new technique called electrospinning was developed that could make future products even tougher to break. The process involves applying high voltage to a polymer to create a strand of nanofiber. Products designed with the material will be able to absorb more energy without breaking. Researchers are aiming to lighten up aircraft and potentially decrease the damage planes suffer in crashes. Hopefully, these advances are just the beginning. Although science has come a long way in helping manufacturers to create more durable products, the next century should surely bring some even more incredible improvements.
8. Which of the following can provide the better durability with the technique called electrospinning?

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 ‌from‌ ‌26‌ ‌to‌ ‌30.‌ ‌
Christ‌ ‌the‌ ‌Redeemer‌ ‌is‌ ‌an‌ ‌Art‌ ‌Deco‌ ‌statue‌ ‌of‌ ‌Jesus‌ ‌Christ‌ ‌in‌ ‌Rio‌ ‌de‌ ‌Janeiro,‌ ‌Brazil,‌ ‌created‌ ‌by‌ ‌Polish-French‌ ‌sculptor‌ ‌Paul‌ ‌Landowski‌ ‌and‌ ‌built‌ ‌by‌ ‌the‌ ‌Brazilian‌ ‌engineer‌ ‌Heitor‌ ‌da‌ ‌Silva‌ ‌Costa,‌ ‌in‌ collaboration‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌ ‌French‌ ‌engineer‌ ‌Albert‌ ‌Caquot.‌ ‌The‌ ‌face‌ ‌was‌ ‌created‌ ‌by‌ ‌the‌ ‌Romanian‌ ‌(26)‌ ‌______‌ ‌Gheorghe‌ ‌Leonida.‌ ‌The‌ ‌statue‌ ‌is‌ ‌30‌ ‌metres‌ ‌tall,‌ ‌not‌ ‌including‌ ‌its‌ ‌8-metre‌ ‌pedestal,‌ ‌and‌ ‌its‌ ‌arms‌ ‌stretch‌ ‌28‌ ‌metres‌ ‌wide.‌ ‌By‌ ‌(27)‌ ‌______‌ ‌,‌ ‌it‌ ‌is‌ ‌approximately‌ ‌two-thirds‌ ‌the‌ ‌height‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Statue‌ ‌of‌ ‌Liberty’s‌ ‌height‌ ‌from‌ ‌base‌ ‌to‌ ‌torch.‌ ‌The‌ ‌statue‌ ‌weighs‌ ‌635‌ ‌metric‌ ‌tons‌ ‌(625‌ ‌long,‌ ‌700‌ ‌short‌ ‌tons),‌ ‌and‌ ‌is‌ ‌(28)‌ ‌______‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌peak‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌700-metre‌ ‌Corcovado‌ ‌mountain‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌Tijuca‌ ‌Forest‌ ‌National‌ ‌Park‌ ‌overlooking‌ ‌the‌ ‌city‌ ‌of‌ ‌Rio.‌ ‌A‌ ‌symbol‌ ‌of‌ ‌Christianity‌ ‌across‌ ‌the‌ ‌world,‌ ‌the‌ ‌statue‌ ‌has‌ ‌also‌ ‌become‌ ‌a‌ ‌cultural‌ ‌icon‌ ‌of‌ ‌both‌ ‌Rio‌ ‌de‌ ‌Janeiro‌ ‌and‌ ‌Brazil,‌ ‌and‌ ‌is‌ ‌listed‌ ‌as‌ ‌(29)‌ ‌______‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌New‌ ‌Seven‌ ‌Wonders‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌World.‌ ‌The‌ ‌statue,‌ ‌(30)‌ ‌______‌ ‌was‌ ‌constructed‌ ‌between‌ ‌1922‌ ‌and‌ ‌1931,‌ ‌is‌ ‌made‌ ‌of‌ ‌reinforced‌ concrete‌ ‌and‌ ‌soapstone.‌ ‌

Question‌ ‌27.....................

Choose the best answer:
Katherine_____ at Bob's house every night this week.

Choose the best answer:
You haven’t written to her_________, have you?

Read the passage below carefully, and then choose the best answer:
Is It Safe?
Fracking is a way of getting energy from the ground. First, a special liquid is put into the ground. This liquid cracks rocks under the ground. After the rocks are cracked, oil moves through the cracks. Then it is much easier to take the oil from the ground. Fracking was started in 1947. These days, we are doing more and more fracking. That is why everyone is suddenly talking about it. A lot of people say that fracking is a good way to get energy. There is some gas that is very difficult to take from the ground. If we didn’t use fracking, we would not be able to get this oil. They say that because the world need more energy, we have to use fracking. Also, it is said that fracking creates a lot of jobs. However, many people are against fracking. They say that fracking’s “special liquid” pollutes the ground, the water, and the air. People who live near fracking areas could have health problems. Moreover, fracking is very loud. In some countries, fracking is now illegal. The first country to make fracking illegal was France. They did that in 2011. In other countries like England, fracking is legal, but there are many rules that control it. Other countries are waiting to learn more about fracking before they decide whether or not to allow it. However, fracking is very big in the United States. The US is number one fracking country in the world. People who support fracking say that it can be very safe. They say that first, we need strong laws to make sure that fracking is always done safely. Second, they say that fracking needs safe methods and good technology. It is said by many that after we develop these things, fracking will be great for the whole world. However, other people want fracking to be illegal everywhere. They say that it will never be safe. We still don’t know enough about fracking. After we learn more about it, we can decide whether it is really a safe way to get energy or not.
6. The word “big” in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to __________

Choose the best answer:
"Stay in bed for a few days", the doctor said to me.

Sometimes forest fires have caused serious damage to both private and public property. They destroy many houses and cause deaths, particularly when they have reached villages which are close to the forests. It is more dangerous if a destructive fire burns away plants and trees that prevent erosion. If heavy rains occur after such a fire, landslides, ash flows, and flash floods can occur. This can result in property damage in the immediate fire area, and can affect the water quality of streams, rivers and lakes. Wind sometimes makes contributions to forest fires. In southern California, under the influence of Santa Ana winds, fires could move at tremendous speeds, up to 40 miles (60 km) in a single day, consuming up to 1,000 acres (4 km2) per hour.

What is the main idea of the text? 

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate to each of the questions from 31 to 35
Social media marketing has increased due to the growing active user rates on social media sites. For example, Facebook currently has 2.2 billion users, Twitter has 330 million active users and Instagram has 800 million users. 
One of the main uses is to interact with audiences to create awareness of the brand or service, with the main idea of creating a two-way communication system where the audience and/or customers can interact back; providing feedback as just one example. Social media can be used to advertise; placing an advert on Facebook's Newsfeed, for example, can allow a vast number of people to see it or targeting specific audiences from their usage to encourage awareness of the product or brand. Users of social media are then able to like, share and comment on the advert, becoming message senders as they can keep passing the advert's message on to their friends and onwards. The use of new media put consumers on the position of spreading opinions, sharing experience, and has shift power from organization to consumers for it allows transparency and different opinions to be heard. 
Media marketing has to keep up with all the different platforms. They also have to keep up with the ongoing trends that are set by big influencers and draw many peoples attention. The type of audience a business is going for will determine the social media site they use. 

According to the second paragraph, users can do the followings with the adverts on social media EXCEPT___________ 

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions:
In zoos, aquariums, and many other situations, animals are used to entertain people. Most of us (1)____________ this for granted and see it as natural. However, some people argue that animals (2)____________ more respect. Those who believe it is OK to use animals for entertainment say that most animals have a safer and more enjoyable life in the entertainment (3)____________. Animals in the wild often have short and unpleasant lives and they are protected from (4)_____________ when they are used for entertainment. In addition, supporters argue that zoos, aquariums and other places which keep animals have an important educational function. It is the only way that most people will ever see a real wild animal. Interestingly, animals are adaptable and actually enjoy life in (5)____________. Opponents disagree because animals have no rights, especially the right to freedom.

Rewrite the sentence
It was very kind of you to send me the postcard.

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
For many American university students, the weeklong spring break holiday means an endless party on a sunny beach in Florida or Mexico. In Panama City Beach, Florida, a city with a permanent population of around 36,000, more than half a million university students arrive during the month of March to play and party, making it the number one spring break destination in the United States. A weeklong drinking binge is not for anyone, however, and a growing number of American university students have found a way to make spring break matter. For them, joining or leading a group of volunteers to travel locally or internationally and work to show problems such as poverty, homelessness, or environmental damage makes spring break a unique learning experience that university students can feel good about. Students who participate in alternative spring break projects find them very rewarding. While most university students have to get their degrees before they can start helping people, student volunteers are able to help people now. On the other hand, the accommodations are far from glamorous. Students often sleep on the floor of a school or spend the week camping in tents. But students only pay around $250 for meals and transportation, which is much less than some of their peers spend to travel to more traditional spring break hotspots. Alternative spring break trips appear to be growing in popularity at universities across the United States. Students cite a number of reason for participating. Some appreciate the opportunity to socialize and meet new friends. Others want to exercise their beliefs about people’s obligation to serve humanity and make the world a better place. Whatever their reason, these students have discovered something that gives them rich rewards along with a break from school work.
2. The article is mainly about______

Choose the best answer:
I couldn't cut the grass because the machine............. a few days previously.

Choose the best answer:
We/ promote/ strategies/ prevent/ violence/ discrimination/ against/ girls, boys and women.

Choose the best answer:
Harvard University _________ in 1636.

Congratulations on your remarkable ---135--- in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Your region has improved its on-time delivery performance for each of the past seven quarters. ---136---. I am pleased to offer you a promotion to Director of European Operations. The position ---137--- in Hamburg, Germany. I realize that relocating may be difficult for you. ---138---, I certainly hope that you will take time to consider this opportunity. Please call me at your earliest convenience so that we can discuss any concerns you may have.

137...................

Beginning on March 15, we will be using a new payroll service that will affect a number of our current payroll processes. First, weekly payroll checks will be mailed on Thursday instead of Friday. Direct-deposit payroll payments will also be processed a day---139---. Second, pay stubs for direct-deposit payments will no longer be e-mailed. Instead,  employees will be able to  ---140--- this information by accessing their payroll accounts online.

Other processes will remain the same. All-time cards will continue to be due to the payroll department by Monday at 6:00 P.M.---141---. A complete, updated list of instructions for payroll procedures ---142--- to all employees on or before March 1. If you have any questions before then, please contact Leonti Belousov at ext. 5810.

142......................

Choose the best answer:
Do you have to buy this hat? – No, I _____. It isn't necessary.

Read the passage below carefully, and then choose the best answer:
The life of a Professional Gamer
Gordon Hayward has a pretty cool job – he plays basketball for the team Utah Jazz in the American National Basketball Association (NBA). But in his free time, he also works as a professional gamer, competing in StarCraft 2 tournaments. Even as a top – level athletes, Gordon is impressed with the amount of commitment needed for these competitions. “These guys are professionals”, he says. “They play this game for their job, so they take this as seriously as I take playing basketball for a living.” Competitive gaming has been around for almost as long as video games themselves, but it’s only recently that people have started earning money from it. This is because companies sponsor gamers, and tournaments. The gaming industry is now worth about $6 billion, and it is growing every year. Michel Masquelier, President of IMG Media (one of the world’s largest entertainment companies), called gaming the number one activity in the world for men aged 18 to 24. Just as young people aspire to play in the NBA, many also dream of becoming professional gamer. There are now big global tournaments like World Cyber Games and Major League Gaming Championships, where hundreds of gamers come to compete in popular game like StarCraft, WarCraft, Counterstrike, and the football game FIFA in front of an audience. The prize money in a tournament can reach a few million dollars. One thing gamer, and athletes have in common is that they often play in teams. These “clans”, as gamers call them, usually play tournaments together and practise against one another. Professional gamers and their clans earn money through sponsorships, winning tournament, and teaching and training people to play video games better. Like athletes, gamers must train long and hard to become the best at the game that they play. Most gamers only compete in one game, the same way that most professional athletes only play one sport. Adrian Kwong, a professional gamer, says that he usually practises StarCraft 2 for more than three hours a day. Some days he even plays for more than five hours. “To become a pro player, it takes determination, skill, and extensive practice,” says Katie Goldberg, who is vice – president of communications at Major’s League Gaming. Gordon Hayward isn’t going to give up his basketball career anytime soon, but he says that athletes and gamers are not that different: “You have to train hard if you want to be the best, and that goes for everything, not just basketball. That also goes for video games like StarCraft”.
8. The purpose of the final paragraph is to show________

Read the reading below carefully, and then complete it with the best option A, B, C or D given below:
On the morning of April 12, 1912, the luxury liner the Titanic left England on a voyage to New York. Four days later she lay at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. On Wednesday July 18, 1956, the ocean liner the Andrea Doria left Italy. The Andrea Doria was also (1) _______ to New York. Eight days later this great ship also (2)_______ at the bottom of the Atlantic. Reports of these two disasters (3) _______ the newspapers for days. When the Andrea Doria went down, people compared her sinking with the sinking of the Titanic. There were similarities between the two accidents. First of all, both ships were passenger ocean liners. In addition, they were also both luxury liners. They carried many of (4) _______ world’s famous and rich people. Today millions of dollars worth of gold, silver, and cash may still remain locked inside these two sunken ships. Another similarity was that as each ship was sinking, there were acts of heroism and acts of villainy. Some people acted very bravely, even heroically. Some people even (5)_____ their lives so that others could live.