Read the following passage and mark A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each  of the blanks.

Modern industry pollutes, and it also seem to cause significant changes to the climate. What is needed is an industry that (41)_________ the benefits without the costs. And the glimmerings of such an industry can now be (42)_________ .
That industry is based on biotechnology. At the moment, biotech‟s main uses are in medicine and agriculture.  However,  its  biggest  long  term impact maybe industrial.  Biotechnology will  (43)_________ demand for oil by taking the cheapest raw materials imaginable, carbon dioxide and water, and using them to make fuel and plastics.
Plastics and fuels made in this way would have several advantages. They can be called “renewable”, (44)_________ nothing is depleted to make them. They would be part of the natural carbon cycle, borrowing    that element from the atmosphere for a few months, and returning it when they were burned or (45)_________ . That means they could not possibly contribute to global warming. They would also be environmentally friendly in other ways.
All in all, the future could be green in ways that traditional environmentalists had not expected.
(42)........................

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
WORKING PARENTS
Reliable studies have shown that children of parents who both go out to work have no more problems than children with one parent staying at home. My personal (36)________ is that both parents should go out  to work if they wish.
Some parents invest so much in a career that they cannot bear to give it up. Others have to work because of
(37)________ necessity. There are several options when it comes to choosing childcare from child minders to the kind neighbour across the street.
No (38)________ how good the childcare maybe, some children protest if their parents aren't around.       Babies become dependent on parents and close family members, (39)________ parents should make sure they allow plenty of time to help their child settle in with their new career.
Remember: if parents want to (40)________ the best for their children, it‟s not the quantity of time they spend with them, it‟s the quality that matters.
(37).........................

In “Cerealizing America”, Scott Bruce and Bill Crawford remark that the cereal  industry uses 816 million pounds of sugar per year. Americans buy 2.7 billion  packages of breakfast cereal each year. If (1) _______ end to end, the empty  cereal boxes from one year's consumption would (2) _______ to the moon and back. One point three (1.3) million advertisements for cereal are broadcast on  American television every year at a(n) (3) _______ of $762 million for airtime.  Only automobile manufacturers spend more money on television advertising  than the makers of breakfast cereal. (4) _______ of the boxed cereals found in  supermarkets contain large amounts of sugar and some contain more than 50%  sugar. Cereal manufacturers are very clever in their marketing, making many  cereals appear much healthier than they really are by “fortifying” them with vitamins and minerals. Oh, (5) ______ – you now have vitamin-fortified sugar! Before you eat any cereal, read the ingredient list and see how (6) _______  sugar appears on the ingredient list. Then check the “Nutrition facts” panel. 
There are actually only a small handful of national commercially-branded cereals  that are made (7) _______ whole grains and are sugar-free. If you shop at a health  food store instead of your local supermarket, you (8) _______ to find a healthy,  whole grain, sugar-free (or very low sugar) cereal. But (9) _______! Some of the  health food store boxed cereals are sweetened with fruit juice or fructose.  Although this may be an improvement (10) _______ refined white sugar, this can  really skyrocket the calories. 

10..................

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.

Machines already perform a lot of tasks that were usually done by humans, such as building cars, doing complex calculations, and even marking exam papers. But now it seems that ever more intelligent machines are straying into areas where we never envisaged they would go. We have always taken pride in having a unique kind of intelligence that machines could never match, one which allows us to think of new ideas and produce creative and artistic works. But it seems that even here, computers are lining up to compete with us.

Machines can easily be trained to do the physical work of producing art. About ten years ago, a painting robot known as e-David was created at a university in Germany. And recently in New York, the painting ‘Portrait of Edmond de Belamy' has been auctioned for nearly half a million dollars. What made it a bit unusual was that the idea, and the image itself, was produced entirely by a computer. A group of young French artists gave instructions to the computer, aiming simply to show that computers can be creative.

Some artists are now working with computers to produce a new kind of art. Computer-generated works of art are certainly interesting, and make us think about the limits of what machines can and cannot do. But not everyone would accept that they qualify as art. Some enthusiasts would argue they do, and the collectors willing to pay high prices for these works would suggest there is definitely a market for computer art. Others, however, would disagree.

Many 'real' artists would claim that art is an expression of human intelligence and human emotions. More importantly, it is about a desire to communicate with other people. These things, they argue, are part of being human and can never be produced by a machine.

(Adapted from Formula-Exam Trainer)

Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

Humans have struggled against weeds since the beginnings of agriculture. Marring our gardens is one of the milder effects of weeds - any plants that thrive where they are unwanted. They clog waterways, destroy wildlife habitats, and impede farming. Their spread eliminates grazing areas and accounts for one-third of all crop loss. They compete for sunlight, nutrients, and water with useful plants.
The global need for weed control had been answered mainly by the chemical industry. Its herbicides are effective and sometimes necessary, but some pose serious problems, particularly if misused. Toxic compounds threaten animal and public health when they accumulate in food plants, groundwater, and drinking water. They also harm workers who apply them.
In recent years, the chemical industry has introduced several herbicides that are more ecologically sound. Yet new chemicals alone cannot solve the world’s weed problems. Hence, scientists are exploring the innate weed-killing powers of living organisms, primarily insects and microorganisms.
The biological agents now in use are environmentally benign and are harmless to humans. They can be chosen for their ability to attack selected targets and leave crops and other plants untouched. In contrast, some of the most effective chemicals kill virtually all the plants they come in contact with, sparing only those that are naturally resistant or have been genetically modified for resistance. Furthermore, a number of biological agents can be administered only once, after which no added applications are needed. Chemicals typically must be used several times per growing season.

The word “marring” in bold is closest in meaning to ________.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrases that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 46 to 50.
ABROAD WITH US
The company study abroad was originally founded in 1991 for students who wished to study French in France. Its success led to the establishment of other schools around the world.
Learning the language in the country in which it is spoken is, of course,a (46)_________ more effective and faster process than studying in your own country. It is also an opportunities to mix with local habitants and (47) _________ a greater and deeper (48) _________ of the people whose language you are studying. This makes the whole experience much more enjoyable.
You may wish to attend an Italian language and a cooking course in Italy or combine a Portuguese course with a sport. You should look at all the possibilities and (49) _________ the best choice.
In order to choose  the (50)_________ course and location for you, we suggest you contact us to discuss your particular requirements. From the information you give us, we can make some recommendation.
(49).......................

 Choose the item among A, B, C or D that best answers the question about the passage:

"Books which give instructions on how to do things are very popular in the United States today. Thousands of these How-to books are useful: in fact, there are about four thousand books with titles that begin with the words “How to”. One book, may tell you how to earn more money, another may tell you how to save or spend it, and another may explain how to give your money away.
 Many How-to books give advice on careers. They tell you how to choose a career and how to succeed in it. If you fail, however, you can buy the book “How to Turn Failure into Success”. If you would like to become very rich, you can buy the book “How to Make a Millionaire”. If you never make any money at all, you may need a book called “How to Live on Nothing”.
 One of the most popular types of books is one that helps you with personal problems. If you want to have a better love of life, you can read “How to Succeed in Love every Minute of Your Life”. If you tired of books on happiness, you may prefer books which give step-by-step instructions on how to redecorate or enlarge a house.
 Why have How-to books become so popular? Probably because life has become so complex. Today people have far more free time to use, more choices to make, and more problems to solve. How-to books help people deal with modern life."

2. The passage tells us that How-to books sell well on how ………

Read the passage below and choose one correct answer for each question.

Books which give instructions on how to do things are very popular in the United States today. Thousands of these How-to books are useful: in fact, there are about four thousand books with titles that begin with the words 'How-to". One book may tell you how to earn more money, another may tell you how to save or spend it and another may explain how to give your money away. Many How-to books give advice on careers. They tell you how to choose a career and how to succeed in it. If you fail, however, you can buy the book “How to Turn Failure into Success”. If you would like to become very rich, you can buy the book “How to Make a Millionaire”. If you never make any money at all. you may need abook called “How to Live on Nothing”. One of the most popular types of books is one that helps you with personal problems. If you want to have a better love of life, you can read “How to Succeed in Love Every Minute of Your Life”. If you are tired of books on happiness,  you may prefer books which give step-by-step instructions on how to redecorate or enlarge a house. Why have How-to books become so popular? Probably because life has become so complex. Today people have far more time to use, more choices to make, and more problems to solve. How-to books help people deal with modern life.

If you often read “How-to books”, you________. 

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word(s) for each of the blanks from 41 to 45.
The United States has many different types of families. While most American families are traditional,(41)_________ a father, mother and one or more children, 22 percent of all American families in 1998 were headed by one parent, usually a woman. In a few families in the United States, there are no children. These childish couples may believe that they would not make good parents; they may want freedom from the (42)_________ of childbrearing or, perhaps they (43)_________ physically able to have children. Other families in the United States have one adult (44)_________ a stepparent. A stepmother or stepfather is a       person who joins a family by marrying a father or mother Americans tolerate and accept these different types of families. In the United States, people have the right to privacy and Americans do not believe in telling other Americans what type of family group they must belong to. They respect each other’s (45) _________ regarding family groups. Families are very important to Americans.
(45)...................

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrases that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
Parents and teachers are always smaking (31)________ between the time when they were children and the present generation . They say everything was better than it is today, especially ineducation. (32)________ , they say they used to work much harder in school, and that nowadays, we aren't  very interested. I disagree, because we spend hours every day doing homework after our lessons or (33)________ for exammination. I wonder (34)________ our parents really had to study somuch after school every day. In my opinion, it is no exaggeration to say we have forgotten how to play. I think one reason whykids (35)________ in class is because they need to get rid ofstress.
(31).....................

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 31 to 35.
Back in the 1960s and 1970s, the world was becoming more aware of the destructive effects of industry (31)________ the environment and people were starting to think seriously about ways of protecting the environment. One man who was particularly affected by this subject was Gerard Morgan-Grenville. As Morgan-Grenville travelled round earning his living as a gardener, he noticed signs of the damage that was being done to the countryside around him. It wasn't long before Morgan-Grenville decided that he had to do something about this situation. He felt that if people could be shown a better way of living then maybe they would be interested enough to try to protect their (32)________ environment.
Mr. Morgan-Grenville decided to set up a   project (33)________ would prove what was happening  to our surroundings and what could be done about it. So, in 1975, Morgan-Grenville created the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) in a village in Wales.
The main aim of CAT is to search for an ecologically better way of living by using technology which (34)________ no harm to the environment. One of the most important things CAT did initially was to explore  and demonstrate a wide range of techniques and to point out which ones had the least destructive results on the world around us. (35)________ , CAT provides information and advice to people all over Britain and all over the world. If more and more individuals are informed about how much damage our modern lifestyle is causing to the planet, maybe more of them would be prepared to look for practical solutions to environmental problems.
(35).....................

Read the text below and decide which answer (A,B,C, or D) best fits each space.
Tattooing is an old art. In ancient Greece, people who had tattoos were regarded  asmembers 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. 

20........................

BASKETBALL
1. Although he created the game of basketball at the YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts, Dr. James A Naismith was a Canadian. Working as a physical education instructor at the International YMCA, now Springfield College, Dr. Naismith noticed a lack of interest in exercise among students during the wintertime. The new England winters were fierce, and the students balked at participating in outdoor activities. Naismith determined a fast-moving game that could be played indoors would fill a void after the baseball and football seasons had ended.
2. First, he attempted to adapt outdoor games such as soccer and rugby to indoor play, but he soon found them unsuitable for confined areas. Finally, he determined that he would have to invent a game.
3. In December of 1891, Dr. Naismith hung two old peach baskets at either end of the gymnasium at the school, and, using a soccer ball and nine players on each side, organized the first basketball game. The early rules allowed three points for each basket and made running with the ball violation. Every time a goal was made, someone had to climb a ladder to retrieve the ball.
4. Nevertheless, the game became popular. In less than a year, basketball was being played in both the United States and Canada. Five years later, a championship tournament was staged in New York City, which was won by the Brooklyn Central YMCA.
5. The teams had already been reduced to seven players, and five became standard in  1897 season. When basketball was introduced as a demonstration sport in the 1904 Olympic Games in St. Luis, it quickly spread throughout the world. In 1906, a metal hoop was used for the first time to replace the basket, but the name basketball has remained.

The word "staged" in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to ___________.

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. 
     The generation gap that was so in evidence during the 60s has resurfaced, but it is not the disruptive force that it was during the Vietnam era, a 2009 study suggests. The Pew Research Center study found that 79% of Americans see major differences between younger and older adults in the way they look at the world. In 1969, a Gallup Poll found that a smaller percentage, 74%, perceived major differences.
     Today, however, although more Americans see generational differences, most do not see them as divisive. That is partly because of the areas of difference. The top areas of disagreement between young and old, according to the Pew Research Study, are the use of technology and taste in music. Grandparents are likely to have observed these differences in their grandchildren who are tweens, teens, and young adults.
     If large differences between the generations exist, why don't they spawn conflict? The answer is twofold.
     First, the two largest areas of difference—technology and music—are less emotionally charged than political issues. The older generation is likely to be proud of the younger generation's prowess in technology rather than to view it as a problem. As for the musical differences, each generation wants its own style of music, and the older generation generally can relate to that desire.
     Second, in the other areas of difference, the younger generation tends to regard the older generation as superior to their own generation—clearly a difference from the 1960s with its rallying cry of "Don't trust anyone over thirty." According to the Pew study, all generations regard older Americans as superior in moral values, work ethic and respect for others.

The word “divisive” in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to _________.

Read the following the passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrasethat best fits each of the numbered blanks from 31 to 35.
From the next year, every student in their final rear at our school will study for a compulsory Diploma of Practical Achievement. This will be in addition to the normal examinations. Up to now, the course has been optional, but from now on every student must (31)        it.
The aim is to (32)   students with "life skills", which the Diploma divides into eight categories. These cover a range of things relevant to life beyond school, from sending an e-mail to giving presentation  to  an  audience.  Under  the  heading     "survival",  (33)      ,  students   can learn  car mainternance, first aid and cooking. We have discovered that many students cannot do simple things such as mend a puncture or boil an egg. At the other extreme, the Diploma includes such things as how to design a webpage and how to cope if someone has a heart attack. It has been called a " Diploma in Common Sense".
On the course, students will not be taught in the traditional (34)  
  , but rather will be guided and encouraged to do things for themselves. This is above all a practical "hand-on" course. To a greater or lesser extent, good schools have always tried to (35)        these skills. Unfortunately, students have not always shown much interest because such skills are not directly related to passing exams for higher education. We hope this will change now that we have a proper course that will lead to a recognised diploma.
(34)..................

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. 
     The next time you are watching a film and you see one of the characters jumping out of a plane, falling off a horse, or being blown through a window - spare a (23) ______ for the stunt artist. Lots of people think that stunt artists are just "extras" who play small, unimportant parts in films and television. Nothing could be further from the truth. 
     A stunt artist must combine the skills of an actor with the physical abilities of a first- (24) _____________ athlete. He or she must be extremely fit, and highly trained in a number of activities like scuba-diving, horse riding, martial arts or parachuting. 
It is not easy to get started in a career as a stunt performer. Film and television producers look for experience and proven ability, as it is unlikely that they will take on a complete newcomer. However, because of the (25) ____________ of their profession, stunt artists tend to retire early. This means that new performers must be employed, or there will be no one to take (26) ______________ when the present generation quits. 
      Even when a stunt artist becomes well-known, the work is not regular. It may sometimes be necessary to travel to the other side of the world for a job which involves long hours and great physical danger. It is not a glamorous occupation either. Unlike the famous actors for (27) ____________ they sometimes risk their lives, few stunt artists are recognized in the street by adoring fans.

Unlike the famous actors for (27) ____________ they sometimes risk their lives, few stunt artists are recognized in the street by adoring fans. 

Read the passage below and choose one correct answer for each question.

Books which give instructions on how to do things are very popular in the United States today. Thousands of these How-to books are useful: in fact, there are about four thousand books with titles that begin with the words 'How-to". One book may tell you how to earn more money, another may tell you how to save or spend it and another may explain how to give your money away. Many How-to books give advice on careers. They tell you how to choose a career and how to succeed in it. If you fail, however, you can buy the book “How to Turn Failure into Success”. If you would like to become very rich, you can buy the book “How to Make a Millionaire”. If you never make any money at all. you may need abook called “How to Live on Nothing”. One of the most popular types of books is one that helps you with personal problems. If you want to have a better love of life, you can read “How to Succeed in Love Every Minute of Your Life”. If you are tired of books on happiness,  you may prefer books which give step-by-step instructions on how to redecorate or enlarge a house. Why have How-to books become so popular? Probably because life has become so complex. Today people have far more time to use, more choices to make, and more problems to solve. How-to books help people deal with modern life.

The passage tells us that How-to books sell well on how________

Choose the word or phrase among A, B, C or D that best fits the blank space in the following passage:

"Many parents believe that they should begin to teach their children to read when they are (1)….. more than toddlers. This is fine if the child shows a real interest but (2)…… a child could be counter-productive if he isn’t ready. Wise parents will have a (3)….. attitude and take the lead from their child. What they should provide is a selection of (4)….. toys, books and other activities. Nowadays there is a plenty of good (5)….. available for young children, and of course, seeing plenty of books in use about the house will also (6)…..  them to read.
 Of course, books are no longer the only (7)….. of stories and information. There is also a huge range of videos, which can (8)…. And extend the pleasure a child finds in a book and are (9)… valuable in helping to increase vocabulary and concentration. Television gets a bad (10)…. as far as children are concerned, mainly because too many children spend too much time watching programmes not intended for their age group."

10. Television gets a bad (10)…. as far as children are concerned, mainly because too many children spend too much time watching programmes not intended for their age group.

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.

   Mickey Mantle was one of the greatest baseball players of all time. He played for the New York Yankees in their years of glory. From the time Mantle began to play professionally in 1951 to his last year in 1968, baseball was the most popular game in the United States. For many people, Mantle symbolized the hope, prosperity, and confidence of America at that time.

   Mantle was a fast and powerful player, a “switch-hitter” who could bat both right-handed and lefthanded. He won game after game, one World Series championship after another, for his team. He was a wonderful athlete, but this alone cannot explain America’s fascination with him.

   Perhaps it was because he was a handsome, red-haired country boy, the son of a poor miner from Oklahoma. His career, from the lead mines of the West to the heights of success and fame, was a fairy-tale version of the American dream. Or perhaps it was because America always loves a “natural”: a person who wins without seeming to try, whose talent appears to come from an inner grace. That was Mickey Mantle.

   But like many celebrities, Mickey Mantle had a private life that was full of problems. He played without complaint despite constant pain from injuries. He lived to fulfill his father’s dreams and drank to forget his father’s early death.

   It was a terrible addiction that finally destroyed his body. It gave him cirrhosis of the liver and accelerated the advance of liver cancer. Even when Mickey Mantle had turned away from his old life and warned young people not to follow his example, the destructive process could not be stopped. Despite a liver transplant operation that had all those who loved and admired him hoping for a recovery, Mickey Mantle died of cancer at the age of 63.

The author uses the word “But” in paragraph 4 to ______.

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 from 36 to 40.
Vietnamese generally shake hands when greeting and parting. Using both hands shows respect as does a (36)_________ bow of the head. In rural areas, elderly people who do not extend their hand are greeted with a slight bow. Women are more likely to bow the head than to shake hands. Vietnamese names begin with the family name andare (37)_________ by a given name. People address one another by their given names,    but add a title that indicates their perceived relationship to the other person. These titles are family related rather than professional. Among colleagues, for example, the younger of the two might combine the given name with the title of - Anh(OlderBrother). A/n (38)_________ greeting combined with the given name and titleis “Xin chao” (Hello). Classifiers for gender and familiarity are also combined with the greeting. In formal meetings, business cards are sometimes exchanged on greeting.
Vietnamese have astrong (39)_________ of hospitality and feel embarrassed if they cannot show their guests  full respect by preparing for their arrival. Therefore, it is (40)_________ to visit someone without having been invited. Gifts are not required, but are appreciated. Flowers, incense, or tea may be appropriate gifts for the hosts. Hosts also appreciate a small gift for their children or elderly parents.
(38).................

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.

As Australia's largest and oldest city, Sydney carries many traces of its history. Time seems to stand still in the city's old streets and in its many magnificent, ancient buildings, such as the Sydney Town Hall, the Queen Victoria Building, and St. Mary's Cathedral. To explore the city's present and past, head for The Rocks the oldest neighbourhood in Australia and Sydney, where sandstone houses built in the 18th century still stand. You can stroll through the pretty streets, visit a traditional pub for some craft beer, and try delicious local dishes.

Sydney is blessed with natural gifts that few cities can rival. This city is full of greenery. Parks and nature reserves mingle with urban areas. Thanks to this, you need not travel far to see rare species in numerous city zoos; or enjoy fresh air and a range of plants from all corners of the world, all gathered in boundless parks. For those visitors keen to explore the sea, Sydney is heaven with over 70 spectacular bays and beaches. These include beautiful Bondi Beach, which is said to be the loveliest on the planet, where visitors can sunbathe, and play various water sports.

Sydney is said to be a miniature world of attractions, captivating visitors. It is a must-go destination on every tourist's bucket list, should they visit the beautiful land of Australia.

(Adapted from Heritage)

The word “These” in paragraph 2 refers to ________.