Read the following passage and mark A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the blanks from 46 to 50.
What make a good souvenir?
On my desk at home, I have a collection of souvenirs; objects that remind me of places I‟ve visited and important events in my life. These objects include a model boat that I saw being carved from a piece of wood on a Caribbean island, a piece of lava that emerged hot from a volcano in the year I was born, and a shell (46)_______ on my favourite childhood beach.
Unlike everything else, from which memory and detail fades, it is as if the longer you hold on to certain objects, the (47)_______ their associations with the past become, and the sharper the recollections that gather around them. They are, (48)_______ , real souvenirs, encapsulations not only of the place, but of your time in the place. But these days, the term “real souvenirs” sounds like a contradiction in terms, and this is because the objects sold to tourists as souvenirs are often cheap mass-produced imports that have nothing to do with the place at all.
It‟s often the (49)_______ that the best souvenirs, like my shell, are found rather than purchased, but browsing for souvenirs can also be a fun holiday activity. But if you are buying souvenirs on holiday this summer,  make sure they (50)_______ the reality test. A good souvenir is not just made in the area where it is bought, it also says something about the culture of that area. It is something made by local people using sustainable local materials, and because you are effectively supporting the local economy, it shouldn't come too cheap, either.
(49).........................

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.
Are you interested in seeing the beautiful fall foliage of New England but tired of traffic jams and overbooked hotels? Then this year forget the crowds in New England and see the beautiful colors of autumn in the Catskills.
These rugged mountains in New York State, just 90 miles northwest of New York City, are famous for the legendary tales of Rip Van Winkle, and more recently for the summer hotels that sprang up in the region during the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. Families trying to escape the heat of New York City found the Catskills to be the perfect place to stay for a month or so each summer. By the late 1950s there were over 500 resorts and hotels offering nighttime entertainment as well as all kinds of outdoor activities. Famous comedians like Jackie Gleason, Joan Rivers, and Sid Caesar all got their start touring the hotel clubs here. Since the introduction of air-conditioning and cheaper air travel, however, families have stopped coming to the Catskills in such large numbers, choosing instead more distant locations at different times of the year. Many of the Catskill hotels closed in the 1970s, but some remain and have expanded and changed their facilities to meet the needs of today's visitors.
Currently, there are many activities available to the traveler besides witnessing the changing colors of the leaves. There is an all-organic sheep farm where visitors can see how a traditional sheep farm operates. There are also hundreds of miles of scenic drives in the area. Route 42, for instance, is an excellent site for spotting bald eagles. For more information on vacations in the Catskills, call the Office of Public Information.

According to the passage, which of the following caused the decline in the number of resorts in the 1970s?

Fill in each numbered blank with one suitable word or phrase.

Desert biomes are the (1) _____ of all the biomes. In fact, the most important characteristic of a desert is that it receives very little (2) _____. Most deserts receive less than 300 mm a year compared (3) _______ rainforests, which receive over 2,000 mm. That means that the desert only gets 10 percent of the rain that a rainforest gets! The temperature in the desert can (4) _____ drastically from day to night because the air is (5) _____ dry that heat escapes rapidly at night. The daytime temperature averages 38°C (6) _____ in some deserts it can get down to -4°C at night. The temperature also varies greatly depending on the (7) _____ of the desert. Since desert conditions are so severe, the plants that live there need to have (8) _____ to compensate for the lack of water. Some plants, such as cacti, (9) _____ water in their stems and use it very slowly, while others like bushes conserve water by growing few leaves or by having large root systems to gather water or few leaves. Some desert plant species have a short life cycle of a few weeks that (10) _____ only during periods of rain.

(5) _____

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to choose the word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 26 to 30.
The joys and tribulations of being a pet owner! During our lifetime most of us have some experience of either owning a pet or being in close contact with someone who does. Is there such a thing as “the ideal pet”? If so what characterizes the ideal pet? Various (26)_______ influence one‟s choice of pet, from your reasons for getting a   pet (27)_______ your lifestyle. For example, although quite a few pets are relatively cheap to buy, the cost of (28)_______ can be considerable. Everything must be taken into account, from food and bedding, to vaccinations and veterinary bills. You must be prepared to spend time on your pet, (29)_______ involves shopping for it, cleaning and feeding it. Pets can be demanding and a big responsibility. Are you prepared to exercise and housetrain an animal or do you prefer a more independent pet? How much spare room do you have? Is it right to lock an energetic animal into a (30)_______ space? Do you live near a busy road which may threaten the life of your pet? Pets such as turtles and goldfish can be cheap and convenient, but if you prefer affectionate pets, a friendly cat or dog would be more appropriate. People get pets for a number of reasons, for company, security or to teach responsibility to children. Pets can be affectionate and loyal and an excellent source of company as long as you know what pet suit you and your lifestyle.
(27).....................

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

The Middle East and North Africa are one of the driest regions on earth. Nearly two-thirds of the region is desert. The Sahara Desert of northern Africa is the largest desert in the world. Desert air (26) ____ little moisture, so few clouds form over the land. Without clouds to block the sun, temperatures may reach as (27) ____ as 125°F during the day. At night, without the clouds to contain the heat, the temperature can fall to as low as 125°F. Extreme temperatures (28) ____ with little rainfall make desert life difficult for people, plants, and animals. (29) ____, some life forms have adapted to even the most severe desert (30) ____, Camels are able to survive long periods without food or water. Many desert plants have long, shallow (31) ____ systems. This allows the plants to reach out to collect water over great distances. Other desert plants have taproots. Taproots grow very deep (32) ____ they can tap sources of underground water. Plant life in the desert is usually spread out over great distances. This is (33) ____ deserts are often described as barren, or lifeless. When many people think of a desert they often think of endless miles of hot sand, but a desert does not have to be hot or sandy. Most of the land of the Middle East and North Africa is hot, dry desert land, (34) ____ some deserts look very different. Most of Antarctica is a desert but there is no sand on the continent and the climate of Antarctica is (35) ____ coldest on earth.

(26) ____

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 6 to 10.
 You will make the interview process easier for the employer if you volunteer relevant information about yourself. Think about how you want to present your (6)_______, experiences, education, work style,   skills, and goals. Be prepared to supplement all your answers with examples that support the statements you make.
It is also a good idea to review your résumé with a critical eye and identify areas that an employer might see as limitations or want further information. Think about how you can answer difficult questions _______ (7) and positively, while keeping each answer brief.
An interview gives the employer a (8)_______ to get to know you. While you do want to market yourself to the employer, answer each question with an honest response.
Never say anything negative about past experiences, employers, or courses and professors. Always think of something positive about an experience and talk about that. You should also  be (9)_______ . If you are genuinely interested in the job, let the interviewer know that.
One of the best ways to show you are interested in a job is to demonstrate that you have researched the organization prior to the interview. You can also (10)_______ interest by asking questions about the job, the organization, and its services and products.
(7)................

Choose the word (A, B, C, or D) that best fits each of the blank spaces.

Life after high school doesn't end. In fact, life begins once there are no more lockers, gym class, or teachers nagging you about homework.

In terms of choosing the (1) ____ career, it is important to consider a career assessment test in which you answer a series of questions designed to (2) ____ your strengths and weaknesses. While career tests should not be your main source of decision making, you can use them as a tool to help you decide what career might match your (3) ____.

Think about your interests and hobbies. If you enjoy science, you may want to apply to college and pursue a career in engineering or marine (4) ____.Write a list of possible careers that match your interests and your capabilities. If you find you are happiest when you work with others, jot down that you are a team player. In that case, you may want to consider jobs that involve people interaction instead of careers like computer programming or writing, which require more alone time. Speak to an adult you trust about your ideas and be willing to receive (5) ____.

Narrow your options and look for a career with growth (6) ____. While it is important to pick a career that will stimulate your mind, it is also important to be practical about the market. If you decide that you want to go to college, you will need to pick a career that enables you to make a living (7) ____ you graduate.

Jump into the first step of realizing your career dreams. If you have decided that you would like to pursue a career that requires higher education, do your (8) ____ on applying to the college or programme, including qualifications, application deadlines, tuition fees and length of study. If you have decided on a career that does not require higher education, start looking for ways to enter the field and (9) ____ experience. Speak to someone who already has your dream job. This person can provide a better picture of the pros and cons of the (10) ____

(3) ____

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 "greenhouse effect" is the warming that happens when certain gases in Earth's atmosphere (23) ________ heat. These gases let in light but keep heat from escaping, like the glass walls of a greenhouse. First, sunlight shines onto the Earth's surface, (24) ______ it is absorbed and then radiates back into the atmosphere as heat. In the atmosphere, “greenhouse gases trap some of this heat, and the (25) ________ escapes into space. The more greenhouse gases are in the atmosphere, the more heat gets trapped. 
        Scientists have known about the greenhouse effect since 1824, when Joseph Fourier calculated that the Earth would be much colder if it had no atmosphere. This greenhouse effect is what keeps the Earth's climate (26) _________. Without it, the Earth's surface would be an average of about 60 degrees Fahrenheit cooler. Scientists often use the term "climate change" instead of global warming. This is because as the Earth's average temperature climbs, winds and ocean currents move heat around the globe in ways that can cool some areas, warm others, and change the amount of rain and snow falling. (27)_________, the climate changes differently in different areas.

This greenhouse effect is what keeps the Earth's climate (26) _________. 

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.

   It is commonly believed in the United States that school is where people go to get an education. Nevertheless, it has been said that today children interrupt their education to go to school. The distinction between schooling and education implied by this remark is important.

   Education is much more open-ended and all-inclusive than schooling. Education knows no bounds. It can take place anywhere, whether in the shower or on the job, whether in a kitchen or on a tractor. It includes both the formal learning that takes place in schools and the whole universe of informal learning. The agents of education can range from a revered grandparent to the people debating politics on the radio, from a child to a distinguished scientist. Whereas schooling has a certain predictability, education quite often produces surprises. A chance conversation with a stranger may lead a person to discover how little is known of other religions. People are engaged in education from infancy on. Education, then, is a very broad, inclusive term. It is a lifelong process, a process that starts long before the start of school, and one that should be an integral part of one's entire life.

   Schooling, on the other hand, is a specific, formalized process, whose general pattern varies little from one setting to the next. Throughout a country, children arrive at school at approximately the same time, take assigned seats, are taught by an adult, use similar textbooks, do homework, take exams, and so on. The slices of reality that are to be learned, whether they are the alphabet or an understanding of the workings of government, have usually been limited by the boundaries of the subject being taught.

   For example, high school students know that they are not likely to find out in their classes the truth about political problems in their communities or what the newest filmmakers are experimenting with. There are definite conditions surrounding the formalized process of schooling.

What does the author probably mean by using the expression “children interrupt their education to go to school” (lines 2-3) ?

Read the passage and answer the question by circling the correct answer. 
Accustomed though we are to speaking of the films made before 1927 as "silent," the film has never been, in the full sense of the word, silent. From the very beginning, music was regarded as an indispensable accompaniment; when the Limeira films were shown at the first public film exhibition in the United States in February 1896, they were accompanied by piano improvisations on popular tunes. At first, the music played bore no special relationship to the films; an accompaniment of any kind was sufficient. Within a very short time, however, the incongruity of playing lively music to a solemn film became apparent, and film pianists began to take some care in matching their pieces to the mood of the film. As movie theaters grew in number and importance, a violinist, and perhaps a cellist, would be added to the pianist in certain cases, and in the larger movie theaters small orchestras were formed. For a number of years the selection of music for each film program rested entirely in the hands of the conductor or leader of the orchestra, and very often the principal qualification for holding such a position was not skill or taste so much as the ownership of a large personal library of musical pieces. Since the conductor seldom saw the films until the night before they were to be shown (if, indeed, the conductor was lucky enough to see them then), the musical arrangement was normally improvised in the greatest hurry. To help meet this difficulty, film distributing companies started the practice of publishing suggestions for musical accompaniments. In 1909, for example, the Edison Company began issuing with their films such indications of mood as "pleasant," "sad," "lively." The suggestions became more explicit, and so emerged the musical cue sheet containing indications of mood, the titles of suitable pieces of music, and precise directions to show where one piece led into the next. Certain films had music especially composed for them. The most famous of these early special scores was that composed and arranged for D.W. Griffith's film “Birth of a Nation”, which was released in 1915.

It can be inferred that orchestra conductors who worked in movie theaters needed to________.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase for each of the blanks from 16 to 20.
As teenagers approach university level, a decision has to be made on what course to pursue. In this world of diversity, (16) such a choice is not easy for both children and parents. In the old days, it was not much a problem to do the task because there were not so many diverse learning areas to choose from. Besides, there were only a few distinctive professional careers like doctor, engineer, accountant, nurse, teacher, etc. to think about. Most higher learning usually led to a financially successful  life. (17) , the cost of education was not so high.
Today‟s world is entirely different from the things (18) have just been described. The job market is constantly changing due to innovative technology and new (19) . Meanwhile, most teenagers have difficulty in identifying their own interests. There are a variety of well-organized career talks and student counseling workshops to guide and help teenagers (20) what course to take. Furthermore, psychological tests are also used. Certain instruments such as surveys, interviews and computer software can help to find out preferences, interests, or learning styles of the students.
(17)........................

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.

   Orchids are unique in having the most highly developed of all blossoms, in which the usual male and female reproductive organs are fused in a single structure called the column. The column is designed so that a single pollination will fertilize hundreds of thousands, and in some cases millions, of seeds, so microscopic and light they are easily carried by the breeze. Surrounding the column are three sepals and three petals, sometimes easily recognizable as such, often distorted into gorgeous, weird, but always functional shapes. The most noticeable of the petals is called the labellum, or lip. It is often dramatically marked as an unmistakable landing strip to attract the specific insect the orchid has chosen as its pollinator. To lure their pollinators from afar, orchids use appropriately intriguing shapes, colors, and scents. At least 50 different aromatic compounds have been analyzed in the orchid family, each blended to attract one, or at most a few, species of insects or birds. Some orchids even change their scents to interest different insects at different times.

   Once the right insect has been attracted, some orchids present all sorts of one-way obstacle courses to make sure it does not leave until pollen has been accurately placed or removed. By such ingenious adaptations to specific pollinators, orchids have avoided the hazards of rampant crossbreeding in the wild, assuring the survival of species as discrete identities. At the same time they have made themselves irresistible to collectors.

What does the passage mainly discuss?

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.

   It is commonly believed in the United States that school is where people go to get an education. Nevertheless, it has been said that today children interrupt their education to go to school. The distinction between schooling and education implied by this remark is important.

   Education is much more open-ended and all-inclusive than schooling. Education knows no bounds. It can take place anywhere, whether in the shower or on the job, whether in a kitchen or on a tractor. It includes both the formal learning that takes place in schools and the whole universe of informal learning. The agents of education can range from a revered grandparent to the people debating politics on the radio, from a child to a distinguished scientist. Whereas schooling has a certain predictability, education quite often produces surprises. A chance conversation with a stranger may lead a person to discover how little is known of other religions. People are engaged in education from infancy on. Education, then, is a very broad, inclusive term. It is a lifelong process, a process that starts long before the start of school, and one that should be an integral part of one's entire life.

   Schooling, on the other hand, is a specific, formalized process, whose general pattern varies little from one setting to the next. Throughout a country, children arrive at school at approximately the same time, take assigned seats, are taught by an adult, use similar textbooks, do homework, take exams, and so on. The slices of reality that are to be learned, whether they are the alphabet or an understanding of the workings of government, have usually been limited by the boundaries of the subject being taught.

   For example, high school students know that they are not likely to find out in their classes the truth about political problems in their communities or what the newest filmmakers are experimenting with. There are definite conditions surrounding the formalized process of schooling.

The word “they” in line 17 refers to

Read the passage and choose the best answer.

It can take a long time to become successful in your chosen field, however talented you are. One thing you have to be (1) ____ of is that you will face criticism along the way. The world is (2) ____ of people who would rather say something negative than positive. If you've made up your (3) ____ to achieve a certain goal, such as writing a novel, (4) ____ the negative criticism of others prevent you from reaching your target, and let the constructive criticism have a positive effect on your work. If someone says you're totally in the (5) ____ of talent, ignore them. That's negative criticism. If (6) ____, someone advises you to revise your work and gives you a good reason for doing so, you should consider their suggestions carefully. There are many film stars (7) ____ were once out of work. There are many famous novelists who made a complete mess of their first novel - or who didn't, but had to keep on approaching hundreds of publishers before they could get it (8) ____. Being successful does depend on luck, to a (9) ____ extent. But things are more likely to (10) ____ well if you persevere and stay positive.

(4) ______

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 "greenhouse effect" is the warming that happens when certain gases in Earth's atmosphere (23) ________ heat. These gases let in light but keep heat from escaping, like the glass walls of a greenhouse. First, sunlight shines onto the Earth's surface, (24) ______ it is absorbed and then radiates back into the atmosphere as heat. In the atmosphere, “greenhouse gases trap some of this heat, and the (25) ________ escapes into space. The more greenhouse gases are in the atmosphere, the more heat gets trapped. 
        Scientists have known about the greenhouse effect since 1824, when Joseph Fourier calculated that the Earth would be much colder if it had no atmosphere. This greenhouse effect is what keeps the Earth's climate (26) _________. Without it, the Earth's surface would be an average of about 60 degrees Fahrenheit cooler. Scientists often use the term "climate change" instead of global warming. This is because as the Earth's average temperature climbs, winds and ocean currents move heat around the globe in ways that can cool some areas, warm others, and change the amount of rain and snow falling. (27)_________, the climate changes differently in different areas.

First, sunlight shines onto the Earth's surface, (24) ______ it is absorbed and then radiates....

Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer.

Approximately one-third of the Earth's land surface is desert, arid land with meager rainfall that supports only sparse vegetation and a limited population of people and animals. Deserts have been portrayed as fascinating environments of adventure and exploration. These arid regions are called deserts because they are dry. They may be hot. They may be cold. They may be regions of sand or vast areas of rocks with occasional plants

Deserts are natural laboratories in which to study the interactions of wind and sometimes water on the arid surfaces of planets. They contain valuable mineral deposits that were formed in the arid environment or that were exposed by erosion. Because deserts are dry, they are ideal places for human artifacts and fossils to be preserved. Deserts are also fragile environments. The misuse of these lands is a serious and growing problem in parts of our world.

There are many animals in the desert. Some are very large, like the kangaroo or the  gazelle. Both are big and have to travel long distances for water at a spring, or an oasis.  Another fairly large animal is the addax. The addax is a desert antelope. They live in the Sahara Desert. All addaxes are herbivores. There are less than 200 of them left because of hunting and tourists. Some animals crawl along. Examples of these are snakes and  lizards. Snakes rarely drink water; they get their moisture from other prey that they eat.  So do others, like the kangaroo rat. Lizards are commonly found in the desert. They stay  out of the sun and move as little as possible. There are also other animals in the desert.  The fennec lives in northern Africa in the Sahara Desert. They are a relative of the fox.  They eat mice, small birds, lizards, and insects. When necessary, they will eat fruit. One  more desert animal is the jerboa. The jerboa is a small, long-distance jumper that lives in the desert. They are free drinking animals and they eat plants, seeds, and bugs.

The word They in paragraph 2 refers to ________.  

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

The Middle East and North Africa are one of the driest regions on earth. Nearly two-thirds of the region is desert. The Sahara Desert of northern Africa is the largest desert in the world. Desert air (26) ____ little moisture, so few clouds form over the land. Without clouds to block the sun, temperatures may reach as (27) ____ as 125°F during the day. At night, without the clouds to contain the heat, the temperature can fall to as low as 125°F. Extreme temperatures (28) ____ with little rainfall make desert life difficult for people, plants, and animals. (29) ____, some life forms have adapted to even the most severe desert (30) ____, Camels are able to survive long periods without food or water. Many desert plants have long, shallow (31) ____ systems. This allows the plants to reach out to collect water over great distances. Other desert plants have taproots. Taproots grow very deep (32) ____ they can tap sources of underground water. Plant life in the desert is usually spread out over great distances. This is (33) ____ deserts are often described as barren, or lifeless. When many people think of a desert they often think of endless miles of hot sand, but a desert does not have to be hot or sandy. Most of the land of the Middle East and North Africa is hot, dry desert land, (34) ____ some deserts look very different. Most of Antarctica is a desert but there is no sand on the continent and the climate of Antarctica is (35) ____ coldest on earth.

(30) ____

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 blank from 36 to 40 .
Child workers, some as young as 10, have been found working in a textile factory in conditions described as close to slavery to produce clothes that appear destined for one of the major high street retailers.
The discovery of these children working in appalling conditions in the Shahpur Jat area of Delhi has renewed concerns about the (36)_______ by some large retail chains of their garment production to India, recognised (37)_______ the United Nations as one of the world‟s hotspots for child labour. According to one (38)_______ , over 20 percent of India's economy is dependent on children, (39)_______ comes to a total of 55 million youngsters under 14 working. Consumers in the West should not only be demanding answers from retailers about how their (40)_______ are produced but also should be looking  into their consciences at how they spend their money and whether cheap prices in the West are worth the suffering caused to so many children.
(39)..................

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. 
     Many of us worry about the effects of television on family life. We think that we spend too much time watching television and that it takes us away from more important activities, such as reading, exercising and talking to family and friends. But is this really true? 
      Studies have shown that people in the United States do spend a lot of time in front of their television sets. About 98% of American homes have at least one TV set, and in the average home the TV is on more than six hours a day. But how much attention do people actually pay to the programs? And do people who watch TV really spend less time on other free-time activities? Recently some researchers in New York City tried to find the answers to these questions by conducting a telephone survey. They phoned more than a thousand people all over the United States and asked them questions about how they spend their free time.
      No one was surprised to find out that watching TV is the most popular free-time activity in the United States. More than 70% of those asked said that they watch TV every day or almost every day. The second most popular activity that they mentioned was reading the newspaper. Listening to music at home was third, talking on the phone to friends and relatives was fourth and doing some form of exercise was fifth. 
      But the researchers discovered an interesting fact about Americans' TV habits. According to this survey, although most people turn the TV on every day, they do not actually watch it very much. Six out of ten people said that when the TV is on, they seldom pay attention to it. During a typical television program, they may eat dinner, do housework, read a newspaper or magazine, talk to their children or even read to them. The TV may be on, but it is just background music.
      The researchers therefore concluded that television does not take Americans away from more important activities. It doesn't keep them from doing other free-time activities. In fact, when they compared people who frequently watch TV and those who seldom watch TV, they found that there were no great differences in their other activities. The frequent watchers read to their children and talk to their families just as much as the others. 
(Adapted from “Reading Academic English” by Judy Rapoport, Ronit Broder and Sarah Feingold)

What did the researchers find about Americans’ TV habits in their survey?

Read the passage and choose the best answer.

It can take a long time to become successful in your chosen field, however talented you are. One thing you have to be (1) ____ of is that you will face criticism along the way. The world is (2) ____ of people who would rather say something negative than positive. If you've made up your (3) ____ to achieve a certain goal, such as writing a novel, (4) ____ the negative criticism of others prevent you from reaching your target, and let the constructive criticism have a positive effect on your work. If someone says you're totally in the (5) ____ of talent, ignore them. That's negative criticism. If (6) ____, someone advises you to revise your work and gives you a good reason for doing so, you should consider their suggestions carefully. There are many film stars (7) ____ were once out of work. There are many famous novelists who made a complete mess of their first novel - or who didn't, but had to keep on approaching hundreds of publishers before they could get it (8) ____. Being successful does depend on luck, to a (9) ____ extent. But things are more likely to (10) ____ well if you persevere and stay positive.

(9) ______

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.
There are many theories of aging, but virtually all fall into the category of hypotheses with a minimum of supporting evidence. One viewpoint is that aging occurs as the body's organ systems become less efficient. Thus failures in the immune system, hormonal system, and nervous system could all produce characteristics that we associate with aging. Following a different vein, many current researchers are looking for evidence at the cellular and sub cellular level. It has been shown that cells such as human fibroblasts (generalized tissue cells) grown in culture divide only a limited number of times and then die. Only cancer cells seem immortal in this respect. Fibroblast cells from an embryo divide more times than those taken from an adult. Thus some researchers believe that aging occurs at the cellular level and is part of the cell's genetic makeup. Any event that disturbs the cell's genetic machinery such as mutation, damaging chemicals in the cell's environment, or loss of genetic material, could cause cells to lose their ability to divide and thus bring on aging. Other theories of aging look at different processes. 
Chronological aging refers to the passage of time since birth and is usually measured in years. While chronological age can be useful in estimating the average status of a large group of people, it is a poor indicator of an individual person's status because there is a tremendous amount of variation from one individual to the next in regard to the rate at which biological age changes occur. For example, on the average, aging results in people losing much of their ability to perform strenuous activities, yet some elderly individuals are excellent marathon runners.
Another type of aging is cosmetic aging, which consists of changes in outward appearance with advancing age. This includes changes in the body and changes in other aspects of a person's appearance, such as the style of hair and clothing, the type of eyeglasses, and the use of a hearing aid. Like chronological aging, it is frequently used to estimate the degree to which other types of aging have occurred. However, it is an inaccurate indicator for either purpose because of variation among individuals and because a person's appearance is affected by many factors that are not part of aging, including illness, poor nutrition, and exposure to sunlight.

It can be inferred from the passage that fibroblast cells_________,