9 Trường THPT chuyên Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai – Sóc Trăng

they viewed the Byzantine Emperor, through whose lands they had to travel, as an annoying (15. relevant) …………, denying him even so much as a (16. consult)………… role in the proceedings. In reality, his long experience of the Saracens had given him a(n) (17. consider)………… knowledge of their fighting methods and politics. His advice, had the crusaders chosen to follow it, would have been absolutely (18. value)…………. Instead, they (19. repeat)…………dismissed it as (20. worth)………… with the result that, despite initial success, the crusades eventually dwindled to ignominious failure.

III. ERROR IDENTIFICATION Identify 10 errors in the following passage and correct them

Normal houses are full of hazadous waste. The most important hazardous waste in the home is batteries. If you throw them out with your other garbage, they are open at the landfill, the poison inside moves through rain water and other liquids to the bottom of the landfill. Then they can pollute the natural water in the ground. We should use rechargeable batteries, other hadarhous water in homes is motor oil. Don’t throw old motor oil in the ground and throw it on the 220garbage. It poisons the environment. We should recycle motor oil. Painting is another kind of hazarhous waste in homes. Some cities have "Paint exchange day". If you bring in open, unused blue paint and want red, they give you red, sometimes they mix the paints together into strange colours. If you paint walls with them, you help save the environment Line 1

5

10

1………….. 2………….. 3………….. 4………….. 5………….. 6…………... 7………….. 8………….. 9………….. 10…………..

IV. SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION (20 pts) * Finish each of the following sentence in such a way that it is as similar as possible in meaning to the sentence printed before it 1. Because of his conviction for fraud, the trainer lost his licence → His conviction for fraud.................................................................. .................. 2. My little brother can be so annoying sometimes → I am ................................................ .................................................................. 3. They declared war on the pretext of defending their territorial rights → The excuse................ ......................................................................... .............. 4. Whenever you are on a bus, you hear someone talking about snobbery. → You can’t ............................................................................... ............ ............ 5. Pop stars are corrupted by the adulation of their fans → It’s the way ............................................... ...................................................... * For each of the following sentences, write a new sentence as similar as possible in meaning to the original sentence, using the word given. This word must not be altered in any way. 6. I don’t think the television 's likely to blow up at any minute. LIKEHOOD

→ ………................................................ .................................................................. 7. I’m afraid our problems are just beginning. ICEBERG

→ ………................................................ .................................................................. 8. In the area, Thailand is much better than all other countries in football. SHOULDERS

169 → ………................................................ .................................................................. 9. Thomas was not given details of the company’s new project. DARK

→ ………................................................ .................................................................. 10. I was too scare to tell him what I really thought. LACKED

→ ………................................................ ..................................................................

A. MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (40 pts) I. WORD CH OICE (5 pts) Choose the word or phrase from A, B, C or D that fits each blank. 1. I'm afraid Jennifer’s very ………….She believes everything she’s told.

A. gullible B. trustworthy C. credible D. honest 2. In the hands o f a reckless driver, a car becomes a …………. weapon.

A. lethal B. fatal C. mortal D. venal 3. I slept badly last night and am feeling particularly …………. this morning.

A. slow-witted B. far-reaching C. off-hand D. top-heavy 4. Radio and television make it possible for the news to be widely…………..

A. disseminated B. dislocated C. dismantled D. expressed 5. You can’t bury your head…………. and hope that this problem-goes away, you know.

A. in the mud B. in the pool C. in the sand D. in the water 6. Unanswered, the demands for nuclear deterrents have………….fears of civil war.

A. flashed up B. prognosticated C. sidetracked D. stoked up 7. This evidence should prove…………. that he was telling the truth

A. once and for all B. from time to time C. over and above D. now and then 8. A new computer has been produced, which will…………. all previous models

A. overdo B. supersede C. excel D. overwhelm 9. My cousin was nervous about being interviewed on television, but she rose to the………….wonderfully.

A. event B. performance C. incident D. occasion 10. My decision to drop out of university after a year is one I now …………. regret.

A. painfully B. harshly C. heavily D. keenly

II. STRUCTURES AND GRAMMAR (5pts) Choose the answer which best complete each sentence 1. I supposed, as………… we all, that the meeting would be cancelled.

A. did B. would C. only D. jus t 2. Although the Moon appears…………. , it reflects on average only 7 percent of the light that falls on it.

A. bright to the eye B. brightly to the eye

C. bright in the eye D. brightly in the eye 3. “What would you do in my place?” - “Were…………. treated like that, I’d complain to the manager.”

A. I to be B. I to had been C. I have been D. to I be 4. …………. the catfish is prized for its taste.

A. With ugly look B. As ugly looking

C. Ugly looking as it is D. As it is ugly looking 5. His advice that it………….at once is reasonable.

A. should do B. be done C. needs to be done D. is done 6. At no time………….you pay a rise.

A. did I ever promise B. do ever I promise

C. I have ever promised D. had ever I promised 7. Dick put…………ball in…………net in…………second half but…………goal was disallowed

A. a/a/a/a B. the/the/the/the C. the/the/a/a D. a/a/the/the 8…………. about what he had heard, John telephoned his brother

A. Having worried B. To worry C. He worried D. Worried 9…………. given to the various types of microscopic plants and animals found in water

A. Named plankton B. the name of plankton

C. Plankton’s name D. Plankton is the name

171 10. You must…………….asleep in the train.

A. have been tired if you fallen B. be tired if you fallen

C. have been tired if you fell D. have been tired if you fall

III. PREPOSTIONS AND PHRASAL VERBS (5 pts) Choose the most suitable options to complete each sentence 1. Both the favourite and then the second favourite pulled out. Naturally, we thought we were………….a chance.

A. in with B. up for C. in for D. up with 2. His company went bankrupt, three years of hard work………….the drain.

A. into B. in C. down D. low 3. Don’t quote me. What I am about to say is …………. the record.

A. on B. off C. without D. above 4. I was so tired that I just………….in the armchair

A. flaked out B. broke up C. dropped out D. fell over 5. The subject of sex equality seem to ………….in every discussion lesson in my school

A. burst out B. zero in C. crop up D. harp on 6. Our teacher tendsto………….certain subjects which she finds difficult to talk about

A. boil down B. string along C. skate over D. track down 7. It’s a good idea to …………. people before taking them into your confidence

A. tumble to B. root out C. bank on D. size up 8. Some people can just…………. a cold,but my colds seem to linger for weeks

A. shrug off B. cough up C. pull through D. stamp out 9. The man in the market was selling leather coats very cheaply: they were such bargains that were soon…………..

A. cleared off B. done for C. bought out D. snapped up 10. I couldn’t rem ember where I had left my car, when it suddenly …………. me that I didn’t have a car any longer!

A. dawned on B. ran into C. went through D. tumbled to

IV. COLLOCATIONS AND IDIOMS ( 5pts) Choose the answer which best complete each sentence 1. It's great here. Have had …………. ever since we arrived. We’re having a wonderful time.

A. broken sunshine B. unbroken sunshine

C. unbroken light D. unbroken clouds 2. Palair Airlines offers excellent…………. entertainment, with the latest movies and music.

A. on-flight B. during-flight C. in-flight D. over-flight 3. The cottage is in some wonderful…………. countryside on the edge of a dense forest.

A. far B. unspoiled C. great D. spoilt 4. As students, David, Kevin and William were as thick as…………. .

A. thieves B. boy scouts C. a team D. thistles 5. Whenever I feel embarrassed I always go as red as…………..

A. a rose B. lipstick C. a raspberry D. a beetroot 6. He might look kind and sympathetic, but deep down he’s as hard as………….

A. nails B. a mountain C. a gangster D. an iceberg 7. Nagging Susan to stop smoking has no effect on her. It’s like water off ………….

A. a windmill B. a duck’s back C. a dripping tap D. an umbrella 8. My father ………….when he found out that I’d damaged the car.

A. hit the roof B. saw pink elephants

C. made my blood boil D. brought the house down.

9. My mother…………. for an anvironmental group. She helps raise money to protect wildlife

A. indentifies B. encourages C. shares D. volunteers 10. At the 1952 Olympics, speed skaters who had taken amphetamines became ………….ill.

A grimly B. gravely C. solemnly D. rigorously

V. READING COMPREHENSIONS. (10ms) PASSAGE 1: Read the following passage and choose the best option to complete the blank or answer the question. (5 pts)

Life originated in the early seas less than a billion years after Earth was formed. Yet another three billion years were to pass before the first plants and animals appeared on the continents. Life's transition from the sea to the land was perhaps as much of an evolutionary challenge as was the genesis of life.

What forms of life were able to make such a drastic change in lifestyle ? The traditional view of the first terrestrial organisms is based on megafossils-relatively large specimens of essentially whole plants and animals. Vascular plants, related to modern seed plants and ferns, left the first comprehensive megafossil record. Because of this , it has been commonly assumed that the sequence of terrestrialization reflected the evolution of modern terrestrial ecosystems. In this view, primitive vascular plants first colonized the margins of continental waters, followed by animals that fed on the plants, and lastly by animals that preyed on the plant-eaters. Moreover, the megafossils suggest that terrestrial life app eared and diversified explosively near the boundary between the Silurian and the Devonian periods, a little more than 400 million years ago. Recently, however, paleontologists have been taking a closer look at the sediment s below this Silurian-Devonian geological boundary. It turns out that some fossils can be extracted from these sediments by putting the rocks in an acid bath. The technique has uncovered new evidence from sediments that were deposited near the shores of the ancient oceans – plant microfossils and microscopic pieces of small animals. In many instances, the specimens are less than one -tenth of a millimeter in diameter. Although they were entombed in the rocks for hundreds of millions of years, many of the fossils consist of the organic remains of the organism.

These newly discovered fossils have not only revealed the existence of previously unknown organisms, but have also pushed back these dates for the invasion of land by multicellular organisms. Our views about the nature of the early plant and animal com munities are now being revised. And with those revisions come new speculations about the first terrestrial life - forms. 1. The word “drastic” in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to ………....

A. widespread B. radical C. progressive D. risky 2. Accor din g to the theory that the author calls “the traditional view”, what was the first form of life to app ear on land?

A. Bacteria B. M eat-eating animals

C. Plant-eating animals D. Vascular plants 3. According to the passage, what happened about 400 million years ago?

A. Many terrestrial life-forms died out

B. New life-forms on land developed at a rapid rate.

C. The megafossils were destroyed by floods.

D. Life began to develop in the ancient seas. 4. The word “extracted ” in line 18 is closest in meaning to ……….....

A. located B. preserved C. removed D. studied 5. What can be inferred from the passage about the fossils mentioned in lines 17-20 ?

A. They have not been helpful in understanding the evolution of terrestrial life.

B. They were found in approximately the same numbers as vascular plant fossils,

C. They are older than the megafossils.

D. They consist of modern life-forms. 6. The word “instances” in line 21 is closest in meaning to ………...

A. methods B. processes C. cases D. reasons

173 7. The word “they” in line 22 refers to ……….... A. rocks B. shores c. oceans D. specimens 8. The word “entombed” in lime 22 is closest in meaning to ………....

A. crushed B. trapped C. produced D. excavated 9. Which of the following resulted from the discovery of microscopic fossils?

A. The time estimate for the first appearance of terrestrial life-forms was revised.

B. Old techniques for analyzing fossils were found to have new uses.

C. The origins of primitive sea life were explained.

D. Assumptions about the locations of ancient seas were changed. 10. With which of the following conclusions would the author probably agree?

A. The evolution of terrestrial life was as complicated as the origin of life itself.

B. The discovery of microfossils supports the traditional view of how terrestrial life evolved.

C. New species have appeared at the same rate over the course of the last 400 million years.

D. The technology used by paleontologists is too primitive to make accurate determinations about ages of fossils.

PASSAGE 2: Read the following passage and choose the best option to complete the blank or answer the question. (5 pts)

Animation traditionally is done by hand-drawing or painting successive frames of an object, each slightly different than the preceding frame. In computer animation, although the computer may be the one to draw the different frames, in most cases the artist will draw the beginning and ending frames and the computer will produce the drawings between_the first and the last drawing. This is generally referred to as computer-assisted animation, because the computer is more of a helper than an originator.

In full computer animation, complex mathematical formulas are used to produce the final sequence of pictures. These formulas operate on extensive databases of numbers that define the objects in the pictures as they exist in mathematical space. The database consists of endpoints, and color and intensity information. Highly trained professionals are needed to produce such effects because animation that obtains high degrees of realism involves computer techniques for three-dimensional transformation, shading, and curvatures.

High-tech computer animation for film involves very expensive computer systems along with special color terminals or frame buffers. The frame buffer is nothing more than a giant image memory for viewing a single frame. It temporarily holds the image for display on the screen.

A camera can be used to film directly from the computer's display screen, but for the highest quality images possible, expensive film recorders are used. The computer computes the positions and colors for the figures in the picture, and sends this information to the recorder, which captures it on film. Sometimes, however, the images are stored on a large magnetic disk before being sent to the recorder. Once this process is completed, it is repeated for the next, frame. When the entire sequence has been recorded on the film, the film must be developed before the animation can be view ed. If the entire sequence does not seem right, the motions must be corrected, recomputed , redisplayed, and rerecorded. This approach can be very ex pensive and time consuming. Often, computer-animation companies first do motion tests with simple computer-generated line drawings before selling their computers to the task of calculating the highresolution, realistic-looking images. 1. What aspect of computer animation does the passage mainly discuss?

A. The production process B. The equipment needed

C. The high cost D. The role of the artist 2. According to the passage , in computer-assisted animation the role of the computer is to draw the……….

A. first frame B. middle frames

C. last frame D. entire sequence of frames 3. The word “they ” in the second paragraph refers to………..

A. formulas B. databases C. numbers D. objects

4. According to the passage, the frame buffers mentioned in the third paragraph are used to……….

A. add color to the images B. expose several frames at the same time

C. store individual images D. create new frames 5. According to the passage, the positions and colours of the figures in high-tech animation are determined by………..

A. drawing several versions

B. enlarging one frame at a lime

C. analyzing the sequence from different angles

D. using computer calculations 6. The word "captures” in the fourth paragraph is closest in meaning to……….

A. separates B. registers C. describes D. numbers 7. The word “Once” in the fourth paragraph is closest in meaning to………..

A. before B. since C. after D. while 8. According to the passage, how do computer-animation companies often test motion?

A. They experiment with computer-generated line drawings.

B. They hand -draw successive frames.

C. They calculate high-resolution images.

D. They develop extensive mathematical formulas. 9. The word “task” in the 4th paragraph is closest in meaning to………..

A. possibility B. position C. time D .job 10. Which of the following statements is supported by the passage?

A. Computers have reduced the costs of animation .

B. In the future, traditional artists will no longer be needed.

C. Artists are unable to produce drawings as high in quality as computer drawings.

D. Animation involves a wide range of technical and artistic skills.

IV. CLOZE TEST (10 PTS) PASSAGE 1: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word for each of the blanks. (5pts)

Why did you decide to read this, and will you keep reading to the end? Do you expect to understand every single part of it and will you remember anything about it in a fortnight's (1)………. ? Common sense (2)………. that the answers to these questions depend on “readability”- whether the (3)……….matter is interesting, the argument clear and the (4)………. attractive. But psychologists are trying to (5)………. why people read - and often don’t read certain things, for example technical information. They also have examined so much the writing as the readers.

Even the most technically confident people often (6)……….instructions for video or home computer in favor of hands - on experience. And people frequently take little notice of consumer information, whether on nutritional labels or in the small print of contracts. Psychologists researching reading (7)………. to assume that both beginners and competent readers read everything put in front of them from start to finish. There are (8)………. among them about the roles of eyes, memory and brain during the process. Some people believe that fluent readers take in very letter or word they see; others (9)……….that readers rely on memory or context to carry them from one phrase to another. But they have always assumed that the reading process is the same: reading starts, comprehension (10)……….then reading stops. 1. A. term B. gap C. period D. time 2. A. informs B. transmits C. suggests D. advises 3. A. text B. content C. subject D. topic 4. A. layout B. assembly C. pattern D. formation 5. A. value B. determine C. rate D. ensure 6. A. pass B. miss C. ignore D. omit 7. A. tend B. lead C. undertake D. consent

175 8. A. contests B. arguments C. objections D. separations 9. A. direct B. insist C. press D. urge 10. A. issues B. sets C. establishes D. occurs

PASSAGE 2: Read the following passage and mark the latter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks. (5 pts)

Why is it that many teenagers have the energy to play computer games until late at night but can’t find the energy to get out of bed (1)………. for school? According to a new report, today’s generation of children are in danger of getting so (2)………. sleep that they are putting their mental and physical health at (3)………. Adults can easily survive on seven to eight hours’ sleep a night, (4)………. teenagers require nine or ten hours. According to medical experts, one in five youngsters (5)………. anything between two and five hours’ sleep a night less than their parents did at their age.

This (6)………. serious questions about whether lack of sleep is affecting children's ability to concentrate at school. The connection between sleep deprivation and lapses in memory, impaired reaction time and poor concentration is well (7)……….. Research has shown that losing as little as half an hour’s sleep a night can have profound effects (8)………. how children perform the next day. A good night's sleep is also crucial for teenagers because it is while they are asleep (9)………. they release a hormone that is essential for their ‘growth spurt’ (the period during teenage years when the body grows at a rapid rate). It’s true that they can, to some (10)………. , catch up on sleep at weekends, but that won’t help them when they are dropping off to sleep in class on a Friday afternoon. By Tim Falla and Paul A.Davies, Solutions Advanced. OUP 1. A. behind time B. about time C. in time D. at time 2. A. few B. less C. much D. little 3. A. jeopardy B. threat C. risk D. danger 4. A. or B. because C. whereas D. so 5. A. puts B. gets C. brings D. makes 6. A. raises B. rises C. results D. comes 7. A. organized B. arranged C. established D. acquired 8. A. in B. on C. to D. at 9. A. at which B. which C. where D. that 10. A. rate B. extent C. level D. point

B. WRITTEN TEST I. OPEN CLOZE TEST: (20 pts) CLOSE TEST 1: Fill each blank with ONE word. (10 pts) CELL PHONES

Cell phones have been popular in Japan since the early 1990s, but it was not (1)………. 1999 that their use really took off. The age of cell phones has emerged, but with it come problems. Cell phones are used on buses and trains, in restaurants, and in all (2)………. of life. They cause problems when they (3)………. during meetings, concerts, wedding, or even funerals. What’s more, people speak loudly in public, and students read and text messages during lessons. More seriously, when a cell phone is used near a person using a (4) ………. to regulate his heartbeat, its radio waves may (5)………. with the functioning of the pacemaker.

Now, something is being done to (6)………. these problems. In many places, new technology is being used to block cell phone calls. Airline (7)………. are requested to stop using cell phones while on board. Concert halls ask their audience to switch their phones to the (8)………. mode. However, phone users fear that if they do not answer their phones, they will (9)………. valuable business opportunities. That’s why many do not (10)………. off their phones even when they are asked to.

CLOSE TEST 2: Fill each blank with ONE word. (10 pts)

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING SPORTY

It is a multi-million dollar industry and that attracts some of the most talented individuals alive, it generates further millions (1)………. advertising revenue and has spawned a whole celebrity culture of its (2)……….. But what role does sport play in our ordinary lives?

Few people are untouched (3)………. sport. We all have (4)……….favorite football team or tennis player or, at least, support our national side in major sporting events like the Olympics. How can it be, then, that so (5)………. people actually play sports and that obesity is becoming a major threat in the developed world?

Well, in part, the answer is (6)………. the question. Obesity is not a problem in the developing world (7)………. participation in sport is still high. True, there may be few organized leagues but children the world still go out to play games like football with other children and this comes the supremacy of countries like Brazil in the world of football. So, what is stopping the British or the Americans? After (8) ………. , they still have organized sports in schools and a myriad of clubs and teams to join in their spare time. What they lack is a public space for children to play unsupervised outdoors. As a result, they are kept indoors and encouraged to play online (9)………. of getting our in the fresh air. They may of course still develop a love of sport as spectators but this is unlikely to do much to lower levels of obesity (10)………. the young.

II. WORD FORMS (20 pts) PART 1: Complete the sentence with the correct form of the given word. (10 pts) 1. Janet’s exam results turned out to be………. DISASTER 2. You look rather………. Are you worried about something? OCCUPY 3. There are very few………. places on earth today. Man has been nearly everywhere. EXPLORE 4. The doctor gave him an injection to………. the pain. DIE 5. Nowadays people may no longer suffer from lifetime physical………. NORMAL 6. Home-made ice-cream is one of our……….. SPECIAL 7. The meeting has been………. arranged for 3 p.m next Friday. PROVIDE 8. The government’s ……….approach has brought criticism. COMPROMISE 9. Jim is one of the most……….members of the committee. SPEAK 10. Many newspapers today gave very sensational……….about the private life of that Hollywood star. CLOSE

PART 2: Complete the passage with appropriate forms from the words given in the box. (10 pts)

angry fashion foreign frustrate generate patient polite secret serve tradition

“All things come to those who wait.” It’s a (1)……….. phrase that has kept the British patiently in line for years. For (2)………..we’ve been waiting our turn. This may sometimes have led to (3)………. abroad, when (4) ………..haven't always respected the rules of the orderly queue. But at home we have (5)……….. enjoyed our reputation. It's rather (6)……….. , though, isn’t it? Today’s highly developed culture of (7)……….. to the public seems to have more in common with the American “I want it and I want it now” philosophy. But our (8)……….. seems to be growing. We may wait with less (9)……….. than we used to - you only have to observe the (10) ……….. shoppers in a supermarket queue. But wait we still do.

III. ERROR IDENTIFICATION (10 pts) Identify 10 errors in the following passage and correct them.

It is very difficult to succeed in the music business; nine out of ten bands that release a first record fail to produce the second. Surviving in the music industry requires luck and patience, but most of all it requires and intricate knowledge of how a record company is functioned. The process begins when a representative of a company's Artists and Reportoire (A & R) department visits bars and night clubs,

177 scouting for young, talented bands. After the representative identifies a promised band, he or she will work to negotiate a contract with that band. The signature of this recording contract is a slow process. A company will spend a long time to investigate the band itself as well as current trands in popular music. During this period, it is important that a band reciprocates with an investigation of its own, learning as much as possible about the record company and making personnel connections within the different departments that will handle their recordings. l…………….. 2…………….. 3…………….. 4…………….. 5…………….. 6…………….. 7…………….. 8…………….. 9…………….. 10……………

V. SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION (20pts) PART 1: Finish each of the second sentences in such a way that they have the same meaning as the original ones: 1. I left without saying goodbye as I didn’t want to disturb the meeting. → Rather………………………………………………………………………….. 2. For further information, please send a self-addressed envelope to the above address. → Further information can ……………………………………………………….. 3. It shouldn’t have surprised me that my children didn’t like the new, cheaper ice-cream. → I might…………………………………………………………………………. 4. The noise made by the children didn’t prevent the baby from sleeping soundly. → Whatever………………………………………………………………………. 5. Don’t run away with the idea that this job is easy. (conclusion)

→ ………….………………………………………………………………………. 6. Russ's opinions on the new management policies were very different from those of his fellow workers. (odds) → Russ………….……………………………………the new management policies. 7. The young actress was very nervous before the audition. (butterflies)

→ ………….………………………………………………………………………. 8. Margaret is said to be a very good cook. (reputation)

→ ………….………………………………………………………………………. 9. She chooses the kind of hotels she stays in very carefully. →She’s very fussy………………………………………………………………… 10. The rocketing prices have proved too much for most salaried people. (cope)

→……………………………………………………………………………………

A. MULTIPLE CHOICE I. PH ONOLOGY (10 pts) Choose the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from the others. 1. A. picturesquely B. antiqueness C. querulously D. discotheque 2. A. phlebitis B. wily C. poliomyelitis D. philately 3. A. macabre B. chiromancy C. chemical D. chivalrous 4. A. paranoia B. papist C. saffron D. travail 5. A. absinthe B. soothe C. loathe D. wreathe

Choose the word that has the stress pattern different from that of the others: 6. A. euphemism B. phenotype C. veracity D. cantaloupe 7. A. matriarchy B. epileptic C. rutherfordium D. diplomatic 8. A. disinter B. cadaver C. cathedral D. attorney 9. A. acupuncturist B. vociferously C. antithesis D. extraordinary 10. A. entrepreneur B. anonymity C. representation D. encyclopedia

II. VOCABULARY (10 pts): Choose the correct word or phrase A, B, C or D to complete each sentence. 1. His strange behaviour aroused the…………of police.

A. doubt B. suspicion C. disbelief D. notice 2. When his parents are away, his oldest brother………….

A. knocks it off B. calls the shots

C. draws the line D. is in the same boat 2323. After the concert, everyone had to…………home through the thick snow.

A. trudge B. tread C. trace D. trickle 4. Alaska boasts several climates due to its………… mountains, warm ocean currents, and frozen seas.

A. adept B. pious C. ghastly D. lofty 5. When I finish writing this composition, I’m going to …………and go to bed.

A. make time B. hit the hay C. hit the big time D. call it a day 6. Certain kinds of plants can grow only in…………soil.

A. loose B. slack C. sparse D. scarce 7. John’s got very…………feelings about taking on more responsibility at the moment.

A. puzzled B. mixed C. jumbled D. muddled 8. Paul’s been in Alice's bad…………ever since he offended her at the party.

A. eyes B. books C. likes D. treats 9. The car was…………speed.

A. gathering B. collecting C. consuming D. firing 10. They’re having serious problems. Their relationship is on the………….

A. cliffs B. rocks C. stones D. grass

III. STRUCTURES AND GRAMMAR (10 pts) 1. …………earning all that money if you don’t have time to enjoy it?

A. Is it to the good B. What’s the good of

C. Is it all to the good D. Is it for good 2. She………… fainted when she heard that her child died.

A. rather than B. nothing but C. all but D. near 3. …………to interfere in your affairs but I would like to give you just one piece of advice.

A. It is far from clear B. Far from it for me

179

C. Far and wide for me D. Far be it from me 4…………..we just have to wait.

A. At this point in time B. On the point of time

C. At some point D. That’s not the point 5. He gripped his brother’s arm lest he ………….by the mob.

A. would be trampled B. could be trampled

C. were trampled D. be trampled 6. I don’t know …………the new manager.

A. what to do of B. what to make of

C. how to do of D. how to make of 7. Don’t tell me I …………till 5 o’clock in the afternoon.

A. was to make them to stay B. must have made them stay

C. could have made them stay D. was to have made them stay 8. What I fear most of all is that we………… in what refers to the building of a new market in West Crane. The local people seem to be very wary about it.

A. might misinterpret B. might have misinterpreted

C. won’t be misinterpreting D. might be misinterpreted 9. Sam looked as if he………… in the world.

A. weren't cared B. weren’t taken into care

C. didn't have a care D. weren't in the care 10. What's all this crying………… ?

A. without the aid of B. in aid of

C. with the aid of D. within the aid of

IV. PREPOSITIONS AND PHRASAL VERBS (10 pts) 1. He is not a very outspoken person, so we may find it hard to…………his opinions.

A. leak out B. come off C. sound out D. bring round 2. Are you still …………an illusion that Mr. Spike will agree to your conditions?

A. in B. under C. on D. of 3. We all tried to convince our teacher to change his mind about the school trip and he finally…………

A. caught on B. set out C. got through D. came round 4. Our grandfather can ………… his war experiences all the day. Sometimes, we all get truly bored with it.

A. harp on B. vouch for C. figure out D. leaf through 5. Father says he’s too ………… after working the nightshift and he won’t help us prepare the barbecue.

A. run away B. worn out C. taken in D. pulled down 6. They said I'd be …………probation for the first two or three weeks as they want to find out about my skill.

A. for B. on C. in D. at 7. Your report ………… the side effects of the venture. Why not write more about its good points, Mr. Hewitt?

A. backs down B. takes to C. dwells on D. makes out 8. I know Pete's conduct was intolerable, but don’t be too hard…………him.

A. on B. with C. at D. to 9. It is said that the corruption can hardly be …………especially among top officials.

A. worn off B. rooted out C. gone back D. stringed along 10. Mrs. Black has promised to be…………service on Monday. I hope she keeps her word or else I won’t manage to prepare everything in time.

A. in B. on C. of D. within

V. READING COMPREHENSION

PASSAGE 1: Read the following passage and choose the best option to complete the blank or answer the question. (10 pts)

Every day, millions of shoppers hit the stores in full force - both online and on foot - searching frantically for the perfect gift. Last year, Americans spent over $30 billion at retail stores in the month of December alone. Aside, from purchasing holiday gifts, most people regularly buy presents for other occasions throughout the year, including weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and baby showers. This frequent experience of gift-giving can engender ambivalent feelings in gift-givers. Many relish the opportunity to buy presents because gift-giving offers a powerful means to build stronger bonds with one’s closest peers. At the same time, many dread the thought of buying gifts; they worry that their purchases will disappoint rather than delight the intended recipients.

Anthropologists describe gift-giving as a positive social process, serving various political, religious, and psychological functions. Economists, however, offer a less favourable view. According to Waldfogel (1993), gift-giving represents an objective waste of resources. People buy gifts that recipients would not choose to buy on their own, or at least not spend as much money to purchase (a phenomenon referred to as “the deadweight loss of Christmas”). To wit, givers are likely to spend $100 to purchase a gift that receivers would spend only $80 to buy themselves. This “deadweight loss” suggests that gift-givers are not very good at predicting what gifts others will appreciate. That in itself is not surprising to social psychologists. Research has found that people often struggle to take account of others’ perspectives - their insights are subject to egocentrism, social projection, and multiple attribution errors. What is surprising is that gift-givers have considerable experience acting as both gift-givers and gift-recipients, but nevertheless tend to overspend each time they set out to purchase a meaningful gift.

In the present research, we propose a unique psychological explanation for this overspending problem i.e., that gift-givers equate how much they spend with how much recipients will appreciate the gift (the more expensive the gift, the stronger a gift-recipient’s feelings of appreciation). Although a link between gift price and feelings of appreciation might seem intuitive to gift-givers, such an assumption may be unfounded. Indeed, we propose that gift-recipients will be less inclined to base their feelings of appreciation on the magnitude of a gift than givers assume.

Why do gift-givers assume that gift price is closely linked to gift-recipients’ feelings of appreciation? Perhaps givers believe that bigger (that is, more expensive) gifts convey stronger signals of thoughtfulness and consideration. According to Camerer (1988) and others, gift-giving represents a symbolic ritual, whereby gift-givers attempt to signal their positive attitudes toward the intended recipient and their willingness to invest resources in a future relationship. In this sense, gift-givers may be motivated to spend more, money on a gift in order to send a “stronger signal” to their intended recipient. As for gift- recipients, they may not construe smaller and larger gifts as representing smaller and larger signals of thoughtfulness and consideration. 1. What is the main idea discussed in the passage?

A. Gift-giving, despite its uneconomical downsides, cultivates a positive social process.

B. Gift- recipients are widely acknowledged as considerably experienced in gift-giving.

C. Gifts can serve as implicit signals of thoughtfulness and consideration.

D. Gift-giving may have certain drawbacks alongside its positive qualities. 2. The author most likely uses the examples of gift-giving occasions in paragraph 1 to highlight the.………

A. regularity with which people shop for gifts

B. recent increase in the amount of money spent on gifts

C. anxiety gift shopping causes for consumers

D. number of special occasions involving gift-giving 3. In paragraph 1, the word “ambivalent” most nearly means.……….

A. unrealistic B. apprehensive C. conflicted D. supportive 4. The author indicates that people value gift-giving because they feel it_____.

A. functions as a form of self-expression B. is an inexpensive way to show appreciation

C. requires the gift-recipient to reciprocate D. can serve to strenghten a relationship

181 5. The “social psychologists” mentioned in paragraph 2 would likely describe the “deadweight loss” phenomenon as.………

A. predictable B. unprecedented C. disturbing D. questionable 6. In paragraph 3, the authors indicate that the assumption made by gift-givers may be.………

A. insincere B. unreasonable C. incorrect D. substantiated 7. The word “convey” in paragraph 4 most nearly means.……….

A. transport B. counteract C. exchange D. communicate 8. In paragraph 4, the author refers to works by Camerer and others in order to.……….

A. offer an explanation B. introduce an argument

C. question a motive D. support a conclusion 9. In paragraph 4, the word “construe” most probably means.………

A. view B. understand C. consider D. take 10. Which of the following best characterizes the tone of the author?

A. authoritative B. pessimistic C. ironic D. informative

PASSAGE 2: Read the following passage and choose the best option to complete the blank or answer the question. (10 pts)

According to sociologists, there are several different ways in which a person may become recognized as the leader of a social group in the United States. In the family, traditional cultural patterns confer leadership on one or both of the parents. In other cases, such as friendship groups, one or more persons may gradually emerge as leaders, although there is no formal process of selection. In larger groups, leaders are usually chosen formally through election or recruitment.

Although leaders are often thought to be people with unusual personal ability, decades of research have failed to produce consistent evidence that there is any category of “natural leaders.” It seems that there is no set of personal qualities that all leaders have in common; rather, virtually any person may be recognized as a leader if the person has qualities that meet the needs of that particular group.

Furthermore, although it is commonly supposed that social groups have a single leader, research suggests that there are typically two different leadership roles that are held by different individuals. Instrumental leadership is leadership that emphasizes the completion of tasks by a social group. Group members look to instrumental leaders to “get things” done. Expressive leadership, on the other hand, is leadership that emphasizes the collective well-being of a social group’s member. Expressive leader are less concerned with the overall goals of the group than with providing emotional support to group members and attempting to minimize tension and conflict among them. Group members expect expressive leaders to maintain stable relationships within the group and provide support to individual members.

Instrumental leaders are likely to have a rather secondary relationship to other group members. They give orders and may discipline group members who inhibit attainment of the group’s goals. Expressive leaders cultivate a more personal or primary relationship to others in the group. They offer sympathy when someone experiences difficulties or is subjected to discipline, are quick to lighten a serious moment with humor, and try to resolve issues that threaten to divide the group. As the differences in these two roles suggest, expressive leaders generally receive more personal affection from group members; instrumental leaders, if they are successful in promoting group goals, may enjoy a more distant respect. 1. What does the passage mainly discuss?

A. The problems faced by leaders

B. How leadership differs in small and large groups

C. How social groups determine who will lead them

D. The role of leaders in social group 2. The passage mentions all of the following ways by which people can become leaders EXCEPT ……….

A. recruitment B. formal election process

C. specific leadership training D. traditional cultural patterns 3. In mentioning “natural leaders” in line 7, the author is making the point that………..

A. few people qualify as “natural leaders”

B. there is no proof that “natural leaders” exist

C. “natural leaders’ are easily accepted by the members of a social group

D. “natural leaders” share a similar set of characteristics 4. Which of the following statements about leadership can be inferred from paragraph 2?

A. A person who is an effective leader of a particular group may not be an effective leader in another group.

B. Few people succeed in sharing a leadership role with another person.

C. A person can best learn how to be an effective leader by studying research on leadership.

D. Most people desire to be leaders but can produce little evidence of their qualifications. 5. The passage indicates that instrumental leaders generally focus on……….

A. ensuring harmonious relationships

B. sharing responsibility with group members

C. identifying new leaders

D. achieving a goal 6. The word “collective” is closest in meaning to……….

A. necessary B. typical C. group D. particular 7. The word “them” refers to………..

A. expressive leaders B. goals of the group

C. group members D. tension and conflict 8. A “secondary relationship” between a leader and the members of a group could best be characterized as……….

A. distant B. enthusiastic C. unreliable D. personal 9. The word “resolve” is closest in meaning to………..

A. avoid repeating B. talk about

C. avoid thinking about D. find a solution for 10. Paragraphs 3 and 4 organize the discussion of leadership primarily in terms of………..

A. examples that illustrate a problem B. cause and effect analysis

C. narration of events D. comparison and contrast

VI. GUIDED CLOZE PASSAGE 1: Read the following passage and choose the options that best complete the blank.(10 pts) THE VACUUM CLEANER

Until about 250 years ago, households did not take dirt as seriously as they do now - it was a fact of life, and that was that. Cleaning often consisted of an annual (1)………. called 'spring cleaning' when the furniture was moved aside, and all the linen products in the house were cleaned. Carpets and rugs were taken outside, hung on ropes and had the dust (2)……….out of them - an exhausting and messy process.

The industrial revolution brought about a major change - as new products became available to make homes cleaner, a corresponding interest in 'domestic hygiene' appeared in households. This in turn led to the (3)……….of further products, one of which was the vacuum cleaner. (4) ………. has it that when one of the first vacuum cleaners was demonstrated, a kindly scientist took the proud inventor (5)………., and offered a bit of advice that was to become crucial to the future evolution of the product - 'make it suck, not blow'.

The first vacuum cleaners appeared in the 1860s in the United States. They were operated by hand pumps and were almost as (6)………. as spring cleaning. It was only when electric motors had become sufficiently (7)………. to become portable that vacuum cleaners became common household items. Most of today's major (8)………. - including Electrolux and Hoover - were born in the 1920s.

The household dirt that vacuum cleaners suck up is mostly dead skin cells - humans (9)………. millions of cells every day. A much smaller proportion comes from dust and soil carried into the house from (10)………..

183 1. A. ritual B. result C. resolution D. scrub 2. A. cleaned B. taken C. beaten D. sucked 3. A. fabrication B. appearing C. recreation D. development 4. A. Story B. Epics C. Legend D. Tale 5. A. away B. aside C. aback D. along 6. A. laborious B. hard C. nefarious D. straining 7. A. scientific B. forward C. technological D. advanced 8. A. brand B. marks C. makes D. trademarks 9. A. lose B. outgrow C. omit D. shed 10. A. external B. outside C. beyond D. indoors

PASSAGE 2: Read the following passage and choose the options that best complete the blank.(10 pts) CARNIVOROUS PLANTS

All plants rely on nutrients taken from the soil in order to survive. However, in areas where the soil does not contain enough vital nutrients, some plants have adapted to (1)………. their diets from another source: living organisms. Though they are few in number, carnivorous plants are nonetheless fascinating beings that eat anything from one-celled organisms to insects in order to survive. They are commonly found in marshlands. Carnivorous plants feature one of several types of traps to ensnare prey, which they consume to (2)………. nutrients that may be missing from the soil. While there are over 400 species of carnivorous plants in the world today, some are more (3)……….than others.

The most well-known of these plants are the snap traps, which include the Venus flytrap. Snap traps are easily identified by their leaves, which are separated into two lobes that have the ability to fold together. Inside the lobes, the surface is covered with tiny hairs that are (4)………. to movement. When the plant’s prey brushes against the hairs, it triggers a closing mechanism that rapidly brings the two lobes together, trapping the prey (5)……….inside. The response of the traps is phenomenal (6) ………. speed: the time between triggering the hairs and snapping shut is less than a second. As the prey struggles inside the trap, it only triggers more hairs, causing the leaves to tighten their (7)……….

The plant then secrets liquid chemicals from special glands into the trap to dissolve the prey and absorb all of its nutrients. Besides the Venus flytrap, only one other type of snap trap exists today, (8)………. to as the waterwheel plant. The two share a common ancestor and differ only in a few ways. (9)………., the waterwheel is an aquatic plant, while the flytrap is exclusively terrestrial. In addition, the flytrap feeds primarily on arthropods like spiders, while the waterwheel lives (10)……….simple invertebrates, like certain types of plankton. 1. A. feed B. enlarge C. supplement D. modify 2. A. break in on B. make up for C. get through with D. drop out of 3. A. dominant B. prevalent C. recessive D. popular 4. A. prone B. liable C. vulnerable D. sensitive 5. A. closely B. furiously C. steadily D. securely 6. A. in accordance with B. in regard to C. in preference to D. on merits of 7. A. grip B. snail C. fist D. seizure 8. A. implicated B. indicated C. referred D. denoted 9. A. For instance B. As a result C. In contrast D. Otherwise 10. A. onto B. with C. for D. off

B. WRITTEN TEST I. OPEN CLOZE TEST PASSAGE 1: Fill in each gap with ONE suitable word. (10 pts) ALTERNATIVE FAST FOOD

It is generally agreed upon that fast food is a great solution to the problem of what to eat. However, it’s (1)…………as less nutritional than a healthy meal, which is what growing children need. For years,

nutritionists have been trying to get children into the (2)…………of eating healthy food. Without a doubt, this has not been easy, getting in (3)………… that they have to compete with numerous fast food restaurants which are very popular with young people.

Nutritionists have lately come up with an idea which could (4)………… to be successful. This involve (5)………… children how to cook and in the process to enjoy the taste of fresh food. In the long (6)………… , this may keep them off fast food. There are already a number of school projects throughout Britain that are experimenting with the idea. They begin making vegetarian pizza - both the dough and the topping. Many children were impressed with their own homemade pizzas. (7)…………they compared their pizzas with ready-made ones, the differences were noticeable. They found the (8)………… greasy and not as delicious as the homemade ones. Throughout the lesson, the children learn about the quality and become skillful in the different techniques involved in cooking. They become interested in cooking and in no (9)………… they even learn how to look after themselves by eating nutritious food.

Finally, nutritionists would like to get children cooking at home, too. It may be messy, but, it's also an (10)…………for parents to spend quality time with their children.

PASSAGE 2: Fill in each gap with ONE suitable word. (10 pts)

Every spring and fall, you can probably look up into the sky and see large flocks of birds either coming or going. This (1)…………of flying south for the winter and north for the summer is called migration. Birds migrate for a number of reasons. One reason is of course to escape the (2)…………conditions of winter. Although they have feathers, most birds are poorly (3)………… to deal with extremely cold temperatures. Their (4)…………are open to the wind and snow, and do little to keep the birds warm. Furthermore, birds often find it extremely difficult to gather enough food during the winter. By flying south (5)…………warmer climates during winter, birds avoid the cold temperatures and food shortages that other animals have to (6)………… during the winter months. Another reason is mating. Many birds will only lay their eggs in certain places and at certain times of the year. So, migration also occurs at mating times.

One of the amazing things about birds is the distances and the accuracy (7)…………which they migrate. Many birds are able to find their way back, to the exact same spots year after year despite having flown thousands of kilometres. The bar goose, for example, migrates over 30,000 kilometres each year without (8) …………its way. In order to travel such long distances without getting lost, bird s-use a variety of methods to help them (9)…………. One of the most important of these methods is the use of landmarks. From high in the air, birds have an excellent view of the land below them. They can see mountains, rivers and other (10)…………land features and use them to find their way.

II. WORD FORMS PART 1: Give the correct forms of the words in brackets. 1. There is little hope that Maurice’s behavior will ever improve. It will probably remain so ………… till he grows up. (CORRECT) 2. The ………… project has just been launched in that university. (DEPARTMENT) 3. Matt says you must be good at ………… responsibilities of a restaurant owner. (TASK) 4. Everyone marveled at his ………… idea of organizing more field trips for students. (OBJECT) 5. He gets …………whenever he hears that song. (EYE) 6. She looked absolutely ………… when I told her what had happened. She could hardly say a word. (DUMB)

7. New immigrants have been successfully ………… into the community. (SIMILAR) 8. This school was once ………… as a military hospital during the war. (REQUIRE) 9. In Scotland, there is greater emphasis on…………by individual schools. (VALUE) 10. He stood at the door to make sure that no one…………the party. (GATE)

185 front except secure labour check solid tend affirm alter sure

EXTRACT FROM A BOOK ABOUT MEETING

We are (1)…………by the experts that we are, as a species, designed for face-to-face communication. But does that really mean having every meeting in person? Ask the bleary-eyed sales team this question as they struggle (2)………… through their weekly teambuilding session and that answer is unlikely to be in the (3)…………. Unless you work for a very small business or have an (4)………… high boredom threshold, you doubtless spend more time sitting in meetings than you want to. Of course, you could always follow business Norman’s example. He liked to express (5)…………with customers queuing at the (6)………… by holding management meetings standing up. Is email a realistic (7)…………? It’s clearly a powerful tool for disseminating information, but as a meeting substitute, it's seriously flawed. Words alone can cause trouble. We’re all full of (8)………… that can be unintentionally triggered by others and people are capable of reading anything they like into an email. There is also a (9)…………for email to be used by people who wish to avoid ‘real’ encounters because they don’t want to be (10)……… with any awkwardness.

III. ERROR IDENTIFICATION Identify 10 errors in the following passage and correct them . BEETHOVEN

Ludwig Van Beethoven, one of the most popular classical composer of all time, is sometimes known as ‘the Shakespeare of music’. He was born in Bonne in 1770, and publishing his first work at the age of thirteen. Mozart was his teacher for a short time and they did not get on very well together; Beethoven was a difficult student. Like a composer, Beethoven was a genius - but as a person, he was not very easy to like. He was a passionate man who controlled his temper very easily. He was also arrogant. The upper classes of Vienna used to invite him to parties, when he was often quite rude. He was once heard to say to a prince: ‘There will always be many princes, but there is uniquely one Beethoven.’ Nevertheless, Beethoven played some of the most beautiful symphonies the world has never heard. How was such an arrogant, badtempered man inspired to the write such romantic music? Perhaps the answer lies in the three letters that were found after his death. They were addressed to his ‘immortal Beloved’. Nobody knows that this woman was, but it appears that Beethoven was deeply in love with her for most of his adult life. Line 1

5

10

15.

1……………. 2……………. 3……………. 4……………. 5……………. 6……………. 7……………. 8……………. 9……………. 10……………

IV. SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION Rewrite the sentences with the given words or beginning in such a way that their meanings remain