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.
It was a Monday morning in the office and, as usual, everyone was busy sorting through their mail before starting work. The other staff had (1)........... that Nicky , one of the computer operators, had been (2)......... rather miserable recently and they wondered what  might  have been happened to  make her so (3)........ . Suddenly Nicky accidentally knocked over a cup of coffee. As she was clearing up the mess, the girl sitting next to her happened to glance at Nicky's right hand. There was a large swelling at the wrist. "What on earth have you (4)........  to yourself? Does it hurt?"  asked the girl. " Yes, it does. I think I've injured it using the computer", replied Nicky. " I think you'd better go and let the doctor (5)............  it", said the girl. " Let's hope there's no permanent  damage to your hand" .

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

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 elements other than hydrogen and helium exist in such small quantities that it is accurate to say that the universe is somewhat more than 25 percent helium by weight and somewhat less than 75 percent hydrogen.
Astronomers have measured the abundance of helium throughout our galaxy and in other galaxies as well. Helium has been found in old stars, in relatively young ones, in interstellar gas, and in the distant objects known as quasars. Helium nuclei have also been found to be constituents of cosmic rays that fall on the earth (cosmic rays are not really a form of radiation; they consist of rapidly moving particles of numerous different kinds). It doesn’t seem to make very much difference where the helium is found. Its relative abundance never seems to vary much. In some places, there may be slightly more of it; in others, slightly less, but the ratio of helium to hydrogen nuclei always remains about the same.
Helium is created in stars. In fact, nuclear reactions that convert hydrogen to helium are responsible for most of the energy that stars produce. However, the amount of helium that could have been produced in this manner can be calculated, and it turns out to be no more than a few percent. The universe has not existed long enough for this figure to be significant greater. Consequently, if the universe is somewhat more than 25 percent helium now, then it must have been about 25 percent helium at a time near the beginning.
However, when the universe was less than one minute old, no helium could have existed. Calculations indicate that before this time temperature were too high and particles of matter were moving around much too rapidly. It was only after the one-minute point that helium could exist. By this time, the universe had cooled so sufficiently that neutrons and protons could stick together. But the nuclear reactions that led to the formations of helium went on for only relatively short time. By the time the universe was a few minutes old, helium production had effectively ceased.

Why does the author mention "cosmic rays"?

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:
Newspapers can be traced back to 16th century Venice. In 1566, handwritten news sheets - called 'avis' or ‘gazette' – filled with information on wars and politics in Europe were distributed weekly in Venice. Similar news sheets soon started to appear in other European countries. By 1615, Germany and Austria were publishing weeklies. And in 1621, the first news sheets appeared in England.
At first, these news sheets only printed news which came from outside the country in which they were printed. Discussion of local or national issues was avoided. Europe’s governments did not tolerate anything negative being said about them as it could lead to national unrest.
Such censorship slowed the development of newspapers. Nevertheless, a belief in the importance of a 'free press’ slowly began to take hold in Europe. England was among the first countries to escape government control of the press. This occurred during the reign of King Charles I in the 17th century, when, during a period of breakdown in the king's authority, people began to publish what they wanted.
Eventually, free press had the right to criticize government and voice other ideas freely. In the middle of the 18th century, Sweden became the first country to make press freedom a part of its law.
In the 19th century, the newspaper industry was transformed by the invention of the telegraph. The telegraph was a communication system that allowed messages to be sent over long distances in a matter of minutes. It wasn’t long before newspapers became society's primary means of spreading and receiving information. In 1880, the first photographs appeared in newspapers and, by the end of the century, all the basic technical tools for the modern newspaper were in place.
The story of newspapers in the 20th century was one of adaptation to changing consumer and media markets. The invention of radio, TV, and later the Internet, repeatedly drove newspapers to re-invent themselves. Also, during the 20th century, mass-market advertising increased profitability for newspapers. This attracted large, publicly-owned corporations who began buying newspapers from the descendants of company founders.
Over the years, people have periodically predicted the extinction of newspapers. In fact, every time a new media has come into being, dire predictions have been made for existing forms (e.g. television was supposed to have replaced radio, radio was supposed to have replaced newspapers). Yet history has repeatedly shown that new media do not replace existing media. Instead, what happens is that media consumption grows, which creates the necessary space for the new media to become a part of the media landscape.
According to the World Association of Newspapers (WAN), each day more than 1.5 billion people around the world read a newspaper. The WAN has also estimated the total annual worth of the global newspaper industry and put it at just under 180 billion USD. Such statistics suggest the newspaper industry is healthier than at any other time in its history. Indeed, if the industry proves itself as capable of adapting to change as it has done in the past, it is unlikely that newspapers will be disappearing from newsstands anytime soon.

In the 20th century, newspapers     .

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:
U.N. diplomats abandoned efforts to draft a treaty that would outlaw human cloning. They will likely settle for a weaker statement, and won’t seek a widespread ban, officials said. The debate began when Italy introduced a document into the UN. to stop any attempt at cloning human life. The Belgians objected to the use of the term “human life” in the document, because they feared it would put a stop to all forms of human cloning.
[1] There is near universal support among the United Nations’ 191 members for a ban on reproductive cloning-creating cloned babies. [2] Many countries have wrestled over whether to allow cloning for stem cell and other types of research. [3] Indeed, many researchers believe that stem cells could be used to repair nerve tissue or cure diseases, including Alzheimer’s. [4] Stem cells are taken from embryos and cloned, but extracting these cells kills the embryo. Opponents say that this is equal to murder.

Which of the following can be inferred from his passage?

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.
Because an increasing number of people are opting to work outside the traditional office, notebook PCs are becoming more and more popular. However, you should know that notebook PCs aren't for everyone. As  you (6)........ up the pros and cons of your desktop PC with a new system, you should bear (7)...........mind that you may get better profit for your money by investing in a faster, more powerful desktop PC.
Portability comes at a price. Leave your laptop unattended for any length of time in any sort of public place and you will quickly discover that it has been stolen. You could even lose it without any intentional neglect on your area; laptops (and all the business and personal information they  contain)  are easy (8)..... for skilled thieves. So, yes, there are definitely serious security issues. Also, if you are prone to tossing your laptop around as you do your purse, workout bag or umbrella, you'll probably break it before you get your money's worth. Guarantees are getting better and longer, but they still won‘t cover a simple slip, let alone (9)........ carelessness. So, before you (10) ........ out to get yourself the latest technological appliance, think long and hard as to whether a notebook PC is really suitable for you.
(7)..............................

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:
If you ask any Vietnamese girl right now who she has a crush on, chances are you will encounter the name of the 20-year-old goalkeeper who plays for Vietnam national team. Bui Tien Dung made a name for himself in the AFC U23 Championship where he accurately blocked opponents' shots time after time and saved Vietnam’s chance at the championship in the process. Bui Tien Dung was born on February 28th, 1997 in a poor farming family in Thanh Hoa Province. Dung has loved soccer since he was a kid, but his family was so poor that they could not even
afford a plastic soccer ball for him and his brother. The Bui brothers had to resort to playing with balls made from scrap papers and old grapefruits.
Dung's parents recognized the brothers' passion for football and used the little money they had to support their sons' early training. When a big football club in the city announced a recruitment event, Dung convinced his younger brother to go to the tryout. He passed on the opportunity knowing that his parents could not afford to have both their sons gone to city.
While his younger brother training in the city, Dung's local training center went bankrupted and abruptly ended Dung's football career. For a year, instead of kicking balls, the young man worked as a construction worker to support his parents. He seemingly gave up on football.
Fate finally smiled on Dung when a football coach rediscovered him and sent him to train with a local football team. Reentering the football field, Dung wanted to play in a defense position but he was pushed to goalkeeping because of his height. At first, Dung was unhappy about his new position, but his parents advised him to follow and make the best out of it. And Dung did.
The young goalkeeper trained hard for his new position and patiently climbed up the ranks the following years. Through hard work, he was named the best goalkeeper of Vietnam's U19 division. Those who have worked with Dung described him as a likable young man. He is very respectful to others and speaks very little. However, when the gloves are on, the nice young man transforms into a fierce competitor and an unyielding goalkeeper.
At AFC U23 Championship, Dung finally reunited with his brother on the field. They fought battle after battle together with other amazing players on the team and helped Vietnam made history for Southeast Asian football.
Even though Vietnam came short of winning the championship, Dung and his teammates are already heroes and legends in the heart of Vietnamese people. They played fairly and lost with glory and grace.

What is the passage mainly about?

Klok Financial has recently updated its employee handbook. ---143--Although the information concerning benefits and terms of employment remains the same, other important modifications have been made. This version of the handbook includes new policies concerning e-mail privacy, Internet use, and the use of mobile devices. Our travel guidelines have also been 144---. The process for
reimbursement after a trip is now much more efficient.

All employees must attend an informational session about the policies. One-hour sessions will be held at 10 A.M. on 9 July and 16 July. ---145, employees will be required to sign a form acknowledging that they have received, read, and understood the information contained in the handbook and that they accept the terms. Please arrange with your manager ---146--- one of these sessions.

146...................

Thank you for your purchase on September 27. Your package has shipped and is due to arrive on October 1. ---131---. Simply visit www.sprtech.com/shipping/status, enter your order number, and press “Search”.
When you receive your package, we ---132--- you to take a short survey at www.sprtech.com/survey. It is through customer feedback that we are---133---  to monitor our level of service.  Upon ---134--- of the survey, you will receive a 10% discount toward your next order.

133...................

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:
U.N. diplomats abandoned efforts to draft a treaty that would outlaw human cloning. They will likely settle for a weaker statement, and won’t seek a widespread ban, officials said. The debate began when Italy introduced a document into the UN. to stop any attempt at cloning human life. The Belgians objected to the use of the term “human life” in the document, because they feared it would put a stop to all forms of human cloning.
[1] There is near universal support among the United Nations’ 191 members for a ban on reproductive cloning-creating cloned babies. [2] Many countries have wrestled over whether to allow cloning for stem cell and other types of research. [3] Indeed, many researchers believe that stem cells could be used to repair nerve tissue or cure diseases, including Alzheimer’s. [4] Stem cells are taken from embryos and cloned, but extracting these cells kills the embryo. Opponents say that this is equal to murder.

Which of the following best describes the organization of this passage?

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:
Life expectancy is the period of time that a person can expect to live. Life expectancy varies greatly between genders and cultures. It used to be that women had a lower life expectancy than men (1 in every 4 women died in childbirth), but now they live an average of four to five years longer than men. Life expectancy has been increasing rapidly over the last centuries. With the advent of such modern miracles as sewers, medicine and a greater understanding of how diseases are spread, our life expectancy has increased by 25-30 years.
In developing countries like Swaziland, where there is a high HIV/ AIDS rate, life expectancy is as low as 32.6 years. In developed countries like Australia, life expectancy rates are as high as 81 years. There are an increasing number of factors which can cancel out the disadvantages you have. The one that we are looking at now is how your career can affect your life expectancy. Choosing the wrong career can result in a shorter life!
If you want your career to positively influence your life expectancy, you have to be made of money. That's right. Rich people in wealthy areas of England and France live 10 years longer than the people in poorer areas. Having a successful career has its drawbacks, too if the result of hard work is stress.
Stress can lead to a number of psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, fatigue, tension and aggression. These conditions may result in a lack of concentration and an increase in serious injuries at work. They can also lead to high blood pressure and heart attacks which seriously affect life expectancy.
If you are worried that your job might decrease your life expectancy, you probably need to avoid careers on "dangerous jobs" list such as timber cutters, pilots, construction workers, roofer, truck drivers.
So if you don't want to kick the bucket at an early age, choose a career in something other than timber cutting, but above all, remember to relax.

According to the passage, which of following is true if you have a successful career?

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.
When John Mills was going to fly in an airplane for the first time, he was frightened. He did not like the idea of being thousands of feet up in the air. "I also didn't like the fact that I wouldn't  be in control," says John.
"I'm a terrible passenger in the car. When somebody else is driving, I tell them what to so. It drives everybody crazy."
However John couldn't avoid flying any longer. It was the only way he could visit his grandchildren in Canada.
"I had made up my mind that I was going to do it, I couldn't let my son, his wife and their three children travel all the way here to visit me. It would be so expensive for them and I know Tom's business isn't doing so well at the moment - it would also be tiring for the children - it's a nine-hour flight!" he says.
To get ready for the flight John did lots of reading about airplanes. When he booked his seat, he was told that he would be flying on a Boeing 747, which is better known as a jumbo jet. "I  needed to know as much as possible before getting in that plane. I suppose it was a way of making myself feel better. The Boeing 747 is the largest passenger aircraft in the world at the moment.
The first one flew on February 9th 1969 in the USA. It can carry up to 524 passengers and 3.400 pieces of luggage. The fuel for airplanes is kept in the wings and the 747's wings are so big that they can carry enough fuel for an average car to be able to travel 16,000 kilometers a year for 70 years. Isn't that unbelievable? Even though I had discovered all this very interesting information about the jumbo, when I saw it for the first time, just before I was going to travel to Canada, I still couldn't believe that something so enormous was going to get up in the air and fly. I was even more impressed when I saw how big it was inside with hundreds of people!"
The biggest surprise of all for John was the flight itself. "The take-off itself was much smoother than I expected although I was still quite scared until we were in the air. In the end, I managed to relax, enjoy the food and watch one of the movies and the view from the window was spectacular. I even managed to sleep for a while!
"Of course," continues John, "the best reward of all was when I arrived in Canada and saw my son and his family, particularly my beautiful grandchildren. Suddenly, I felt so silly about all the years when I couldn't even think of getting on a plane. I had let my fear of living stop me from seeing the people I love most in the world. I can visit my son and family as often as I like now!" Question 24: Why did John Mills fly in an airplane?

What does the word "which" in the paragraph refer 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:
Why are there so many grandmothers and so few grandfathers? In other words, why do men die younger than women? Is this because men are afraid of getting old and helpless and so they prefer to die before that happens? Perhaps they fear to be left alone by their women and so decide to do the leaving first.
Many explanations are given for the fact that men die earlier than women. Men are stronger physically, yet women can hang on longer to life. Both men and women are emotional creatures but women are not afraid or ashamed to cry while men refuse to do so. They are afraid of being thought "soft". Some men, when they are upset, play loud music or dig in the garden to relieve their feelings. Many men like an orderly life so that they bury themselves in their work or want a wife with some children or long to take part in wars where there is a definite chain of command. There is a leader to give orders and a known enemy to fight against and defeat. All these make men feel they live in a rational world.
So the majority of men like a rational world. Rationality is fine but it does not include everything that makes life joyful and fun or even messy and frustrating. When a man refuses to cry he is refusing to accept that his emotions are part of him. Of course some men do not follow this pattern. Bob Hawke is capable of crying in public whereas Margaret Thatcher is probably incapable of crying at any time.
We need to cry because that shows our ability to suffer. If we do not suffer we are not really alive at all. Suffering can be creative or destructive. If we can all learn to cry and laugh and shout and dance openly, we are living creatively and adding something to the human race. We often say men suffer more from stress and therefore they die earlier. Are we not saying in another way that they do not know how to suffer in the right way – with tears and laughter instead of silence – and so they are miserable and just give up? That is just my theory of course. Have you a better one?

What is found the same for both men and women?

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
Water is necessary for life. People can live only a few days (44)........  it. Yet nearly 25 million   people die each year because of it. Both industrial nations and less-developed countries are worried about the (45).................... and quantity of water in the world.
Even though people, animals, agriculture, and industry use a lot of water, there is more than enough on the Earth. Water covers about three-fourths of the Earth's surface. However, 97.4 percent of it is salt water. Three-fourths of the Earth's fresh water is frozen in glaciers and in the great polar ice caps. Most of the water we use (46)................     from rivers, lakes, and the atmosphere. Less than one percent of the Earth's water is usable, and we use it over and over again.
One of the (47)......... about water is distribution. Water is not always distributed where the large (48)..........centers are. Some regions get enough rain, but it is all in one or two short rainy seasons.

(44)................................

Read the following passage and mark A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the blanks.
                           EXAM ADVICE
In Part Three of the Speaking Section you work together with a partner. You have to do a (16)...... task which usually lasts about 3 minutes. One possible task is “problem solving”, which means you have to look at some (17).......... information and then discuss the problem with your partner. You may be shown photos, drawings, diagrams, maps, plans, advertisements or computer graphics and it  is (18)......... that you study them carefully. If necessary, check you know exactly what to do by politely asking the examiner to repeat the instruction or make them clearer.
While you are doing the task, the examiner will probably say very little and you should ask your partner questions and make (19)..........if he or she is not saying much. If either of you have any real difficulties, the examiner may decide to step in and help. Normally, however, you will find plenty to say, which helps the assessor to give you a fair mark. This mark depends on your success in doing the task by competing with your partner, which includes taking (20)............... in giving opinions and replying appropriately, although in the end it may be possible to “agree to disagree”.

(16)............................

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:
Diversity is a hallmark of life, an intrinsic feature of living systems in the natural world. The demonstration and celebration of this diversity is an endless rite. Look at the popularity of museums, zoos, aquariums and botanic gardens. The odder the exhibit, the more different it is from the most common and familiar life forms around us, the more successful it is likely to be. Nature does not tire of providing oddities for people who look for them. Biologists have already formally classified 1.7 million species. As many as 30 to 40 million more may remain to be classified. (1)
Most people seem to take diversity for granted. If they think about it at all they assume it exists in endless supply. Nevertheless, diversity is endangered as never before in its history. Advocates of perpetual economic growth treat living species as expendable. As a result an extinction crisis of unprecedented magnitude is under way. Worse yet, when diversity needs help most, it is neglected and misunderstood by much of the scientific community that once championed it. (2)
Of the two great challenges to the legitimacy of this diversity, the familiar one comes primarily from economists. Their argument, associated with such names as Julian Simon, Malcolm McPherson and the late Herman Kahn, can be paraphrased: "First, if endangered species have a value as resources - which has been greatly exaggerated - then we should be able to quantify that value so that we can make unbiased, objective decisions about which species, if any, we should bother to save, and how much the effort is worth. Secondly, the global threat to the diversity of species, particularly in the tropics, has been overestimated. Thirdly, we have good substitutes for the species and ecosystems that are being lost, and these substitutes will nullify the damage caused by the extinctions". (3)
The structure of the argument seems to me to be identical in form to that of an old joke from the American vaudeville circuit. One elderly lady complained to another about her recent vacation at a resort in the Catskill Mountains in New York State. "The food was terrible", she moaned. "Pure poison, I couldn't eat a bite. And the portions were so tiny!" (4)
Species may be valuable, but not especially so, and the threat to them has been exaggerated. But this does not matter anyway, say the economists, because we can replace any species that vanishes.(5) 
It is not clear how much of an impact this argument has on the informed public, but it has certainly provoked an outcry among scientific conservationists. It has set the terms for, and dominated, most of the pro-diversity literature of the past few years, making it a literature of response, thus limiting its scope and creative force.

The word "intrinsic" in the passage is closest in meaning to     .

Thanks for a great year! In case you haven't heard, Henwith Home Supply will be ---135--- our second store this spring. This additional retail site will be located in the shopping centre at the corner of Aberton Parkway and Sutton Avenue in Derbyshire.

We will be accepting applications for cashiers and sales position
---136--- 1 April. The personnel director will review applicants' qualifications from 2 April to 6 April, and ---137--- is scheduled to begin one week later.---138---.

136.................

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:
Dark matter in the universe is believed by some scientists to be a substance that is not readily observable because it does not directly refract light or energy. Its existence can only be deduced because of the effect that it has on surrounding matter. In fact, some members of the scientific community have argued that dark matter does not actually exist. Others, however, believe in its existence, in part because the scientific community does not have a complete understanding of gravita science. On the other hand, some would argue that it is the understanding of gravitational science that leads most scientists to believe in the existence of dark matter, because without dark matter, there are many cosmological phenomena
that are difficult to explain.
For example, dark matter in the universe may have a peculiar effect on the Milky Way galaxy. Some scientists believe that the interaction between dark matter and other smaller, nearby galaxies is causing the Milky Way galaxy to take on a warped profile. It has been asserted that not only does dark matter exist, it may also be responsible for the Milky Way’s unusual shape. The interaction referenced involves two smaller galaxies near the Milky Way, called Magellanic clouds, moving through an enormous amount of dark matter, which, in effect, enhances the gravitational pull that the two Magellanic clouds could have on the Milky Way and other surrounding bodies. Without the existence of the dark matter, the Magellanic clouds would not have sufficient mass to have such a strong effect on the bend of the Milky Way galaxy.
The strongest evidence for the validity of this hypothesis rests in Newtonian physics, and the hypothesis that anything with mass will exert a gravitational pull. The Milky Way and other galaxies with peculiar warped shapes are being molded by a gravitational force. However, there is nothing readily observable with sufficient mass that could cause such a high level of distortion via gravitational pull in the vicinity of the Milky Way. Therefore, something that is not easily observed must be exerting the necessary force to create the warped shape of the galaxy.
Aaron Romanowsky and several colleagues have questioned the effect that dark matter might have on galaxies. They point to the existence of several elliptical galaxies surrounded by very little dark matter as evidence that dark matter is not, in fact, the cause of the warped galaxies. While they do not claim that their findings should be interpreted to conclude that dark matter does not exist, they apparently believe that the results of their studies cast doubt on some of the conventional theories of galaxy formation and manipulation.
Several models constructed by researchers from the University of California at Berkeley, however, point to the idea that dark matter is the most likely explanation for the distorted shape of the Milky Way and other galaxies. Using computer models, they have mapped the likely interactions between certain galaxies and the surrounding dark matter, and those models have shown not only the possibility that dark matter is responsible for the warped shape of the Milky Way, but that the relationship between the dark matter and the Magellanic clouds is dynamic; the movement of the clouds through the dark matter seems to create a wake that enhances their gravitational influence on the Milky Way.

The passage states that some members of the scientific community are reluctant to believe in the existence of dark matter because:

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

"At last it is here: tomorrow is the exam day. There is no more homework to do, you have done lots of (1)…..  and you have had plenty of useful practice with past papers. You have finished the (2)…. . So what should you do now? Probably the least advisable course of (3)…. would be to carry on studying late into the night, trying (4)….. to learn things you should have learned long ago and (5)…. in the morning with an awful headache.
 A far better idea is to practise, (6)….. a singer or a musician does, what you already knew. In order not to feel (7)…. the next day, go to bed early and get up at your usual (8)….. . You may be a little bit (9)….. but that is probably just a (10)…… of your determination to do will in the exam."

10. but that is probably just a (10)…… of your determination to do will in the exam."

Congratulations on your recent ---139--- in Tuchman's Autopay system. Thank you for signing up for this convenient billing system. Your automatic payments will begin with the next billing cycle on 1 March. ---140---. Your statements will come to you electronically and your payment will be deducted from your designated bank account. You may ---141--- the account from which the funds are withdrawn. Simply log in to the My Account section on our Web site https://www.tuchmans.ky, select Autopay, and follow the instructions to enter the alternate account information. Please contact customer service if you have ---142--- using Tuchman's Autopay.

139...................

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 the early 1800s, to reach the jump-off point for the West, a family from the East of the United States could either buy a steamboat passage to Missouri for themselves, their wagons and their livestock or, as happened more often, simply pile everything into a wagon, hitch up a team, and begin their overland trek right in their front yard.
Along the macadamized roads and turnpikes east of the Missouri River, travel was comparatively fast, camping easy, and supplies plentiful. Then, in one river town or another, the neophyte emigrants would pause to lay in provisions. For outfitting purposes, the town of Independence had been preeminent ever since 1827, but the rising momentum of pioneer emigration had produced some rival jump-off points. Westport and Fort Leavenworth flourished a few miles upriver. St. Joseph had sprung up 55 miles to the northwest; in fact, emigrants who went to Missouri by riverboat could save four days on the trail by staying on the paddle wheelers to St. Joe before striking overland.
At whatever jump-off point they chose, the emigrants studied guide books and directions, asked questions of others as green as themselves, and made their final decision about outfitting. They had various, sometimes conflicting, options. For example, either pack animals or two -wheel carts or wagons could be used for the overland crossing. A family man usually chose the wagon. It was the costliest and slowest of the three, but it provided space and shelter for children and for a wife who likely as not was pregnant. Everybody knew that a top-heavy covered wagon might blow over in a prairie wind or be overturned by mountain rocks, that it might mire in river mud or sink to its hubs in desert sand, but maybe if those things happened on this trip, they would happen to someone else. Anyway, most pioneers, with their farm background, were used to wagons.

All of the following were mentioned in the passage as options for modes of transportation from the Missouri River to the West EXCEPT     .

Conference Room 120 can be booked for meetings and conference calls. First, make a reservation request online at www.gzpoffice.com/confroom. When your request ---135---, the system automatically checks for availability. Your request will be accepted if no other event is scheduled at that time. The system will then immediately send you an e-mail message to ---136--- your reservation. However, if another meeting is scheduled that conflicts with yours, you will be notified that the request has been declined.
---137---. It is therefore ---138--- that you schedule your will event well ahead of time. This way, if a given time slot is already reserved, you will be able to reschedule your meeting.

136.............