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 following questions:
Foot racing is a popular activity in the United States. It is seen not only as a competitive sport but also as a way to exercise, to enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded people, and to donate money to a good cause. Though serious runners may spend months training to compete, other runners and walkers might not train at all. Those not competing to win might run in an effort to beat their own time or simply to enjoy the fun and exercise. People of all ages, from those of less than one year (who may be pushed in strollers) to those in their eighties, enter into this sport. The races are held on city streets, on college campuses, through parks, and in suburban areas, and they are commonly 5 to 10 kilometers in length.
The largest foot race in the world is the 12-kilometer Bay to Breakers race that is held in San Francisco every spring. This race begins on the east side of the city near San Francisco Bay and ends on the west side at the Pacific Ocean. There may be 80,000 or more people running in this race through the streets and hills of San Francisco. In the front are the serious runners who compete to win and who might finish in as little as 34 minutes. Behind them are the thousands who take several hours to finish. In the back of the race are those who dress in costumes and come just for fun. One year there was a group of men who dressed like Elvis Presley, and another group consisted of firefighters who were tied together in a long line and who were carrying a fire hose. There was even a bridal party, in which the bride was dressed in a long white gown and the groom wore a tuxedo. The bride and groom threw flowers to bystanders, and they were actually married at some point along the route.

Which of the following is NOT implied by the author?

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Architect Ricardo Rosa, who is working in the center of quite busy Batheaston, England, no longer has to deal with heavy traffic on his way to work. He has given up the road - now he canoes along the river between work and home. Before setting off on the three-kilometer journey to work in the nearby town of Batheaston, Ricardo puts on a special jacket and trousers over his suit so he doesn’t get wet. When he gets there, he leaves the canoe locked up with the bicycles outside his office. He began canoeing to work after he was lent a canoe by a colleague and found instructions on how to use it on the internet. The experiment has been so successful that Ricardo now says he won’t go back to driving or cycling. He says, “At first I was a bit nervous because I had never canoed before. But I’m getting much better. It’s been very windy and rainy recently and I’ve been alright. It makes the trip more exciting. I haven’t fallen into the water yet, but I’m sure I will one day and have to sit in my wet work clothes all day. Standing up to get in and out is the most dangerous point.” Some of the people he works with are now thinking of doing the same thing themselves. They already try to help the environment in other ways. The office has its own vegetable garden outside and one employee has left his home to live on a boat. Ricardo says, “I’m hoping they’ll join me. Canoeing takes longer than going by car, but it’s a lot more pleasant. It’s a great way of getting fit and breaking the routine. It feels like you’re on holiday.”  
2. The phrase "setting off" in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to________

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While many behaviors and practices associated with going green are designed to save  money, there are certain ways in which green living can actually be moderately to very expensive. Much of the technology associated with green living (1) ____________ provide benefits to the environment but often at a much higher cost than their traditional counterparts. For instance, the use of solar panels can potentially save you money on your energy bills, but they can (2) ______________ thousands of dollars to install. Energy-efficient appliances are designed to use less electricity and water but they often come with a high price tag.  Going green can also potentially have a negative effect on the environment. For (3) __________, the development of alternative fuels is an innovation in the green movement in an effort to reduce reliance on (4) ___________ natural resources. While these fuels are intended to reduce the toxic emissions caused by the burning of traditional gasoline, they may have unintentionally caused the opposite effect. One of these alternative fuels, E85, actually (5) ___________ more ozone into the atmosphere than traditional fuel. While ozone is a natural part of the Earth’s upper atmosphere, if it becomes concentrated in the lower atmosphere, it can potentially increase air pollution in areas where smog is a concern, which can in turn impact the health of those living in these areas

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Allowing adolescents to make more of their own choices was found to be the most common strategy used to encourage independence. Many parents also reported that they are pushing their teenager by no longer doing certain things for them. Regardless of their effort, one quarter of parents surveyed still believe they are the main barrier to their teen’s independence because they are failing to hand over more responsibility. “As children become teenagers, the role of parents shifts to helping them gain the knowledge and experience they will need for being independent adults,” explained poll codirector Sarah Clark. “This process of transitioning from childhood to adulthood includes everything from preparing for work and financial responsibility, to taking care of one’s health and well-being. Our poll suggests that parents aren’t letting go of the reins as often as they could be to help teens successfully make that transition.” The new survey from the University of Michigan involved nearly 900 parents with at least one teenager between the ages of 14 and 18. Overall, 60 percent of the respondents attributed their child’s lack of independence to characteristics such as not being mature or knowledgeable enough to take on more responsibility. By contrast, 25 percent of parents admitted that it is faster and less of a hassle to do things themselves. “It is clear that parents recognize tension in helping teens move toward independence, and they agree that valuable learning experiences often result from a poor decision,” said Clark. “Some parents justify taking control over certain responsibilities because they don’t believe their teen is ‘mature enough.’ Parents need to carve out more time for supporting teens in their transition to adulthood.”  
3. The word “them” in paragraph 2 refers to _______

Each sentence has a mistake. Find it by chosing A B C or D 

 The beautiful of Cyprus, with its  pine-covered mountains, sandy beaches, historical monuments, and picturesque villages, is legendary

Find mistake:
Her old grandmother is not enough strong to go walking up hills.

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Generation gap refers to a vast difference in cultural norms between a younger generation and their elders. It’s a distressing thing for the phenomenon (1) ____ occurs around the world. The (2) ____ of communication, different views on certain problems and different attitudes towards life may cause the generation gap or even widen it. First, one of the major factors for this misunderstanding between two generations is that parents and children lack communication. Young people (3) ____ reveal their feelings to their parents, and often complain that their parents are out of (4) ____ with modern days, that they are dominant, that they do not trust their children to deal with crises, and that they talk too much about certain problems. So when young people meet some problems, they would rather (5) ____ to their classmates or their friends for help. The lack of communication widens the generation gap Another factor is that parents and their children see almost everything from different (6) ____. Take choosing career as an example. Parents generally believe it is their responsibility to plan the career for their children. Some hope their children will (7) ____ professions that will bring them greatest prestige and economic benefits. Some hope children will have a stable job with a regular income. But the youth may think they should be free to (8) ____ their own decisions as to their future career. Young people explain that true success is not a matter of money or position, instead, it is a matter of self-fulfillment. Finally, with the change of the world over decades, the attitude of the young has altered too. There are differences in (9) ____ matters as musical tastes, fashions, drug use, sex and politics between the young people and their elders. Nowadays long hair on young males is viewed as fashion by the young, but it is frequently considered a shocking act of rebellion against (10) ____ norms by parents

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Don’t look now, but artificial intelligence is watching you. Artificial intelligence has tremendous power to enhance spying, and both authoritarian governments and democracies are adopting the technology as a tool of political and social control. Data collected from apps and websites already help optimize ads and social feeds. The same data can also reveal someone’s personal life and political leanings to the authorities. The trend is advancing thanks to smartphones, smart cameras, and more advanced AI. An algorithm developed at Stanford in 2017 claimed to tell from a photograph whether a person is gay. Accurate or not, such a tool creates a new opportunity for persecution. “Take this type of technology, feed it to a citywide CCTV surveillance system, and go to a place like Saudi Arabia where being gay is considered a crime,” says Lisa Talia Moretti, a digital sociologist. “Suddenly you’re pulling people off the street and arresting them because you’re gay, because the computer said so.”  No country has embraced facial recognition and AI surveillance as keenly as China. The AI industry there has flourished thanks to fierce competition and unrivaled access to personal data, and the rise of AI is enabling tighter government control of information, speech, and freedoms. In some Chinese cities, facial recognition is used to catch criminals in surveillance footage, and to publicly shame those who commit minor offenses. Most troubling, AI is being used in Xinjiang, a province in Western China, to persecute Muslims. Even if China’s AI capabilities are exaggerated, the AI boom there is having a chilling effect on personal freedom, says Ian Bremmer, an expert on global political risk and founder of the Eurasia Group. “You just need a government that is starting to get that capacity and make it known, and have a few people that are sort of strung up as examples, and suddenly everyone is scared,” he says. This might feel like a distant reality, but similar tools are being developed and used in the West. Just ask Glenn Rodriguez, who faced judgment from an algorithm when seeking parole from prison in the US. Despite 10 years of good behavior, Rodriguez saw how an algorithm called COMPAS, designed to predict inmates’ likelihood of reoffending, would be biased against him. And even though the parole board went against the computer program’s  
7. Which of the following statements is TRUE, according to the passage?

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At a time when the younger generation, hooked to the mobiles, TV and internet, is fast-moving away from books, Sundargarh Collector Nikhil Pasan Kalyan has taken it upon himself this particular sacred responsibility. Kalyan on Thursday launched a campaign ‘Sundargarh Bahi Padha’ to promote reading by distributing books among the people in Sundargarh town. He reached out to the people at roadside stalls and engaged with them over cups of tea. While motivating them to read, he gifted books to them. The district administration plans to extend the initiative to schools and villages in the coming six months with focus on improving school and public libraries, and equipping all offices and waiting rooms with books. Further, reading sessions have been scheduled to be conducted every week at the Collector’s residence campus and other places involving people of all ages including students. “Books are the best teachers. To improve morality and openness in the society, everyone has to read. They could be in any genre. Reading is the starting point,” said Kalyan. Chief District Medical and Public Health Officer (CDM-PHO) Dr SK Mishra commented on the present situation: “Youths and students confine themselves to prescribed courses of study and refuse to go beyond that,” he said. Undoubtedly, internet connection and electronic gadgets like computers, laptops and mobile phones provide a sea of information and ready-made knowledge but simultaneously decrease the creativity in individuals, Mishra added. “Social media kills time, creativity and the urge to pick up a book. It may be noted that people with reading habits have lesser chances of suffering from Alzheimer’s,” he said. Presently, of the four Government-run public libraries in the district three are functional, albeit with few readers. Kalyan has sought collective participation to make the initiative a success  
4. The word “They” in paragraph 3 refers to _______

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
Pollution is a threat to many species on Earth, but sometimes it can cause species to thrive. Such is the case with Pfiesteria piscicida. A one-celled creature called a dinoflagellate, Pfiesteria inhabits warm coastal areas and river mouths, especially along the eastern United States. Although scientists have found evidence of Pfiesteria in 3,000-year-old sea floor sediments and dinoflagellates are thought to be one of the oldest life forms on earth, few people took notice of Pfiesteria.
Lately, however, blooms – or huge, dense populations – of Pfiesteria are appearing in coastal waters, and in such large concentrations the dinoflagellates become ruthless killers. The blooms emit powerful toxins that weaken and entrap fish that swim into the area. The toxins eventually cause the fish to develop large bleeding sores through which the tiny creatures attack, feasting on blood and flesh. Often the damage is astounding. During a 1991 fish kill, which was blamed on Pfiesteria on North Carolina’s Neuse River, nearly one billion fish died and bulldozers had to be brought in to clear the remains from the river. Of course, such events can have a devastating effect on commercially important fish, but that is just one way that Pfiesteria causes problems. The toxins it emits affect human skin in much the same way as they affect fish skin. Additionally, fisherman and others who have spent time near Pfiesteria blooms report that the toxins seem to get into the air, where once inhaled they affect the nervous system, causing severe headaches, blurred vision, nausea, breathing difficulty, short-term memory loss and even cognitive impairment.
For a while, it seemed that deadly Pfiesteria blooms were a threat only to North Carolina waters, but the problem seems to be spreading. More and more, conditions along the east coast seem to be favorable for Pfiesteria. Researchers suspect that pollutants such as animal waste from livestock operations, fertilizers washed from farmlands and waste water from mining operations have probably all combined to promote the growth of Pfiesteria in coastal waters.

All of the following are true, according to the passage, EXCEPT     .

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Though overwhelmed by the news of the novel coronavirus outbreak, Munyaradzi Gurure, the 21-year-old student at Guangxi University of Finance and Economics from South Africa, has still stepped out to serve as a volunteer in the train station to help battle the epidemic.  “I’m well aware the situation of epidemic prevention and control is very severe,” he said. “Seeing that many people actively joined in the fight, I also wanted to do my part and volunteer at the station.” With the number of novel coronavirus cases continuing to rise both in and outside of China, Gurure’s family back in South Africa was very worried about his health, and hoped he would quit the volunteer job. “I told my parents China has taken a lot of strong quarantine measures and is actually safe,” he said. “I want to do whatever I can to prevent the spread of the infection. The country took really good care of me during the last three years.”  Working about four hours a day, Gurure either carries an 8-kilogram electric sprayer to disinfect the waiting room or checks passengers’ temperature as soon as they walk into the station. He also makes sure people are in good health and wearing masks at all times. Though it’s not easy work, Gurure came across many Chinese who are very surprised to see a foreign face, but then give a thumbs up and say “very good” to him in Chinese. Gurure’s foreign classmates found out about his volunteer job and sent messages saying “good job”, some showing interest in joining him to help curb the spread of the virus. 
5. According to paragraph 3, why did the author mention other people’s reaction to Gurure’s volunteering?

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We find that bright children are rarely held back by mixed- ability teaching. On the contrary, both their knowledge and experience are enriched. We feel that there are many disadvantages in streaming pupils. It does not take into account the fact that children develop at different rates. It can have a bad effect on both the bright and the not-so-bright child. After all, it can be quite discouraging to be at the bottom of the top grade! Besides, it is rather unreal to grade people just according to their intellectual ability. This is only one aspect of their total personality. We are concerned to develop the abilities of all our pupils to the full, not just their academic ability. We also value personal qualities and social skills, and we find that mixed- ability teaching contributes to all these aspects of learning. In our classrooms, we work in various ways. The pupils often work in groups; this gives them the opportunity to learn to co-operate, to share, and to develop leadership skills. They also learn how to cope with personal problems as well as learning how to think, to make decisions, to analyze and evaluate, and to communicate effectively. The pupils learn from each other as well as from the teachers. Sometimes the pupils work in pairs; sometimes they work on individual tasks and assignments; and they can do this at their own speed. They also have some formal class teaching when this is appropriate. We encourage our pupils to use the library, and we teach them the skills they need in order to do this effectively. An advanced pupil can do advanced work; it does not matter what age the child is. We expect our pupils to do their best, not their least, and we give them every encouragement to attain this goal.
9. According to the passage, "streaming pupils" ......

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For hundreds of years, giving flowers have been a social means of communication. In the United States, flowers are often given during rites of passage, for commemorating special occasions or as a heartfelt gift between loved ones and friends. Flower gifting also occurs in most countries around the world. However, the meanings and traditions often vary. While students traditionally gave their favorite teacher an apple in past years, in China, teachers are given flowers. Peonies are by far the flower most often given in China. They are also quite popularly used for weddings. Strangely, potted plants are not considered a pleasant gift among Asian cultures. The people believe that like a plant confined by a pot, the gift symbolizes a binding or restriction. In Russia, in lieu of giving birthday presents, the guest of honor receives a single flower or an unwrapped bouquet. Floral arrangements or baskets are not given. Russians celebrate a holiday known as Woman’s Day. Traditional gifts include red roses, hyacinths or tulips. When there is a funeral or other occasion where someone wishes to express sympathy, carnations, lilies or roses are given in circular configurations, which signify the transition of birth, life and death to rebirth. In this instance, the color of choice is commonly yellow. For joyous occasions, arrangements and bouquets generally contain an odd number of flowers In the times of ancient Rome, brides carried flowers to scare away evil spirits and encourage fertility. The Dutch believed that flowers were food for the soul. When invited to someone’s home in Great Britain, it is tradition to bring a gift of flowers. All types are acceptable except white lilies, which are usually seen at funerals. Not unlike the United States, red roses are a symbol of love. Flowers are generally gifted in odd numbered increments regardless of the occasion. However, the Brits also have superstitions regarding the number 13, so the number is avoided. In the southern region of the continent, flowers are traditionally given during Christmas. Egyptians are much more conservative and restrict flower gifting to funerals and weddings. While certain flowers may have significant meanings for some, flowers in Las Vegas and across the United States flowers are an accepted gift for any reason desired.  
1. What does the topic mainly discuss?

Choose the best answer:
The car has been .................... in clay.

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New data from Akamai, an internet delivery and cloud services company, has exposed that the video game industry remains a growing threat vector for security breaches. Hackers have targeted 12 billion credential stuffing attacks against game websites within a 17-month period The rise and success of credential stuffing attacks is a result of people continuing to reuse the same passwords across multiple accounts. Google identified that 59% of online users reuse passwords. When a data breach happens, user credentials are exposed and can subsequently be found on the internet and the dark web. Cybercriminals use a bot with a list of exposed credentials against a website to gain access to an account on that site. The reason that gaming is subject to so many breaches is twofold; No. 1, most video game companies use low-friction authentication measures because increasing friction drives customer attrition and results in a loss of revenue. The second issue is that from a consumer perspective, gaming is seen as having a low financial risk and, as a result, gamers tend to use less secure passwords. Adding to these challenges is the fact that game developers are pressured to deliver more products at a faster pace, meaning there are more bugs and security issues for cybercriminals to exploit. This has created a perfect storm in the video game industry upon which hackers are all too eager to capitalize.   A significant number of gamers are young — elementary, middle, and high schoolaged — who are less security-conscious and more trusting of people they meet online. To them, privacy is a learned behavior leaving them open to exploitation. They may need to be taught best practices to safeguard their accounts and understand the risks of using weak passwords linked to the games they play. Providing a seamless online experience is paramount in the digital age and, as a result, many organizations balk at implementing robust security procedures for fear of alienating customers. The challenge for the video game industry is to find a balance between increased security without frustrating its players. One notable exception is Microsoft, which has deployed vigorous security measures with Xbox in line with the rest of its business. Without a fundamental change in approach from both gamers and the industry overall, the escalation of this problem shows no signs of slowing down.  
6. Which of the following statements is TRUE, according to the passage?

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An integral part of human life is the sports. As we all know, many competitive and  entertaining activities are engaged in sports. A sport is a way to stay fit and healthy. If we want to be physically fit we have to have an active life to stay healthy, so it is always a good idea to participate in sports and games.  The sport has inherent discipline and physical demands so that enthusiasts tend to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Weight loss, more energy, better mobility and a lot of things can come from the sport. All of this can describe a good person’s health. People are taught by sports and games to appreciate their health. The energy and vitality necessary to participate cannot be sustained without health. For professional athletes, their fitness and health depend on their livelihood. Sport also aims to keep individuals in good health and endurance.  Water is the most important nutrient that we cannot live without. If you do sports, you tend to sweat more thus increase your metabolic rate. If you do not replace these fluids, you can have very serious health problems or you can even die. To have a healthy and active body we need to eat essential nutrients. Participating in sports activities will encourage you to drink more water since we develop the urge to do so when we participate in physical activities.  When participating in sports activities we come to learn new things. It makes us learn how to tackle things the difficult situation. Sports develop a sense of unity and brotherliness. It develops team spirit in us. It helps in developing mental and physical toughness. It improves our efficiency. With our day-in-day-out activities, we tend to become exhausted the more reason we need sports in our lives to help us forget stressful things we go through. Everybody should always play a sport once a week to keep themselves fit and healthy. Sport is a fundamental phase for a child who is learning. In education, it helps the students keep their value in life, students are taught various games in the very early stage of life at school. Nurturing sports talents from school encourages a lot of talented children and it affirms the sportsmanship in them. Those students who perform well are promoted to play at the national and international level. Sports can be a carrier developing option for many students.  As we know, a physical activity governed by a set of rules or habits is called sport. Sport is often involved in the competition. The sport was originally developed for recreation. When people want to do the distraction or recovery, they usually do sports, sports games or skill tests. From this, we can conclude that sport has large and varied manifestations.  Sport can be played indoors or outdoors. It can be done by individual or team, with or without competition. And we know that sport requires skill and physical effort. The growth and development of sport and its related industries were witnessed by modern sport. Because we know that a healthy person is a wealthy person, the sport is the secret of both health and prosperity. 
3. According to paragraph 2, what do sports teach people?

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There are many types of family systems around the world. In North America and  northern Europe, the nuclear family (with two generations - a father, a mother and one or more children) is often seen as the most typical. In contrast, in most other parts of the world, extended families, which include other family members such as grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, are seen as the norm.  The common view is that the nuclear family has become the norm in many Western societies as a result of industrialization and urbanization. This trend began in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when people were forced to move to cities to find work in the factories that sprang up during the Industrial Revolution. In the twentieth century, greater industrialization resulted in even more people leaving their large extended families. Urbanization also meant that people lived in much smaller houses, which were not big enough for an extended family.  The trend towards nuclear families meant that many of the duties and responsibilities of a family, such as providing food and shelter, cleaning the home, preparing the food, caring for children and their education, and caring for the sick and elderly are no longer shared among the members of the extended family. The parents (or parent) now have to do this, with some help from the state. However, this is the price that people pay for the higher standard of living that may come from living in a city.  We may think we know what we mean by a ‘nuclear’ family and an extended family, but reality is more complicated than most people believe. Most nuclear families are part of extended families: children have grandparents and, in many cases, aunts, uncles and cousins as well. Part of what makes them ‘nuclear’ is that they live in their own separate household, but it is not the whole story. In Greece or Italy, for example, a nuclear family may live in its own flat, but the extended family may live in the same apartment block or in the same street and family members see each other and even eat together every day. There is at least one more factor to consider. Family members may be separated from each other by geographical distance, but they may have close emotional ties. Even in North America and northern Europe, grandparents usually have close bonds with their grandchildren, and families often travel long distances so that they can see each other. Grandparents often help their adult children, for example, by cooking and looking after their children in emergencies. In the same way, when their parents become too old to live on their own, adult children may take them into their own homes. As a result, they turn their nuclear family into an extended family.  The structure of families changes over time. The effects of urbanization and industrialization are enormous, but they are not the only reasons for the changes. People marry, have children, become widowed, divorce and die. Children grow up and adults grow old. Nuclear families become extended families and extended families become nuclear families. Family ties stay strong or become weak. One thing is certain: in a changing world, the family will continue to change, but ultimately, it is likely to continue to be the basic unit of society
6. The word "their" in the passage refers to ____

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The Greenbox emerged as Ireland’s first and most successful integrated ecotourism destination with a set of standards based on sound environmental practices highlighting all (1) ____ the region and its people had to offer. The Greenbox aimed to deliver environmentally sustainable tourism products, accommodation and attractions. Such tourism activity would have minimal impact (2) ____ the ecology of the area, be of maximum benefit to the local communities and (3) ____ the needs of the environmentally conscious visitor. The Greenbox encompassed an area covering all of Leitrim and Fermanagh and parts of Donegal, Sligo and Cavan. The Greenbox promoted travel which is small scale, low impact, culturally sensitive and community orientated, and provided a marketing tool for businesses that were grounded in sustainable principles and (4) ____ within the Greenbox area. The concept was broader than (5) ____ established definition of tourism, embracing activities such as organic food production, rural transport, energy and waste management. 

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Cultural beliefs differ as to whether directness or indirectness is considered positive.  In the mainstream American culture, the ideal (1) ____ of communication includes being direct rather than indirect (“ideal” here means that the culture values this style, although not everyone speaks directly). There are several expressions in English (2) ____ emphasize the importance of being direct: “Get to the point! Don’t beat around the bush! Let’s get down to business!” These sayings all indicate the importance of dealing directly with issues rather than (3) ____ them. One way to determine whether a culture favors a direct or indirect style in communication is to find out how the people in that culture express disagreement or how they say, “No”. In Japan, there are at least fifteen ways of saying “No”, without actually saying the word. Similarly, in Japan, it would be (4) ____ rude to say directly “I disagree with you” or “You’re wrong”.  Many Americans believe that “honesty is the best policy” and their communication style reflects this. Honesty and directness in communication are strongly related. It is not a (5) ____, then, to find out that cultural groups misjudge each other based on different beliefs about directness and honesty in communication

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When living and working in another country, there are numerous things to consider  apart from the more obvious ones of climate, language, religion, currency, etc. Some important considerations are less obvious. For example, do you have a pet or do you enjoy a hobby such as horse riding? Your animal or hobby may be perceived in a completely different light in another culture so it’s important to consider the significance given to specific animals in different parts of the world and general perceptions towards them.  One example which is often mentioned in popular press is the case of dogs. In some cultures, like the US or UK, dogs are loved and considered a great pet to have at home and with the family. In other cultures, such as those where Islam is the majority religion, dogs may be perceived as dirty or dangerous. Muslims’ treatment of dogs is still a matter of debate amongst Islamic scholars . While these animals are widely considered by many Western cultures to be ‘man’s best friend’, the Koran describes them as unhygienic. Muslims will therefore avoid touching a dog unless he can wash his hands immediately afterwards, and they will almost never keep a dog in their home.  In Iran, for instance, a cleric once denounced ‘the moral depravity’ of dog owners and even demanded their arrest. If you are an international assignee living and working in Saudi Arabia or another Arabic country, you should remember this when inviting Arab counterparts to your house in case you have a dog as a pet. This is just one example of how Islam and other cultural beliefs can impact on aspects of everyday life that someone else may not even question. A Middle Eastern man might be very surprised when going to Japan, for instance, and seeing dogs being dressed and pampered like humans and carried around in baby prams!  Dogs are not the only animals which are perceived quite differently from one culture to another. In India, for example, cows are sacred and are treated with the utmost respect. Conversely in Argentina, beef is a symbol of national pride because of its tradition and the high quality of its cuts. An Indian working in Argentina who has not done his research or participated in a cross cultural training programme such as Doing Business in Argentina may be surprised at his first welcome dinner with his Argentinean counterparts where a main dish of beef would be served.  It is therefore crucial to be aware of the specific values assigned to objects or animals in different cultures to avoid faux-pas or cultural misunderstandings, particularly when living and working in another culture. Learning how people value animals and other symbols around the world is one of the numerous cultural examples discussed in Communicaid’s intercultural training courses. Understanding how your international colleagues may perceive certain animals can help you ensure you aren’t insensitive and it may even provide you with a good topic for conversation. 
1. Which of the following could be the main idea of the passage?

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Birds are even more disrupted by their noisy neighbours than had been thought  previously, researchers have found. And human activities could be preventing birds from reproducing and even developing normal social behaviour and keeping the peace.  A study by Queen’s University Belfast found that when European robins were subjected to human produced noises their behaviour changed. Background noise appeared to mask the communication of crucial information between birds. While aggressive communication is common and birds respond to it, interference through noise can lead to the birds mistaking the signals.  Birds can end up in situations all too familiar to humans. “The birds receive incomplete information on their opponent’s intent and do not appropriately adjust their response,” explained Arnott. “Where song is disguised by background noise, in some cases the male ends up fighting more vigorously than he should, but at other times gives in too easily.”Arnott said the purpose of birdsong was twofold – to attract mates and defend territory. Birds already face an array of human-made dangers, from pesticides and intensive farming to shooting and poisoning. But noise had often been overlooked, the paper in Biology Letters found. A spokesperson for the RSPB said: “Everyone is becoming increasingly concerned that nature is in crisis in the UK, with one in 10 of our wildlife species at threat of extinction. Many of our birds’ populations are already facing a serious crisis as a result of habitat loss, climate change and other human activities. This report is a good reminder that the way we live and our lifestyle has an impact on our natural world, and that we need to protect our natural world if we want to let nature sing.”  For birds, the extra burden of noise pollution adds to extraordinary decline in species, including among once common birds, in recent decades due to such activities as agricultural practice and pesticide use. In the experiment the team used playbacks of robin song to stimulate responses from birds who were territory holders. Simple or complex songs were used in either the presence or absence of noise. The researchers found that song complexity  was used as a signal of aggressive intent; birds demonstrated higher aggressive intent towards complex rather than simple song. This process was disrupted by the presence of added noise.
3. The word “mask” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to _______