Test 1 Writing
• Choose either Task 1 (Article/Proposal) or Task 2 (Essay). Write on only ONE of these tasks.
• Choose either Task 1 (Article/Proposal) or Task 2 (Essay). Write on only ONE of these tasks.
• Once you have chosen your task, darken the circle for “Article/Proposal” or “Essay” on your writing answer document.
• Use only the lines provided on the writing answer document to complete this section. You should write about two pages.
• You will have 45 minutes to write your answer.
• Use #2 (soft) pencil only.
• Once you have chosen your task, darken the circle for “Article/Proposal” or “Essay” on your writing answer document.
• Do not write your answer in this booklet.
• Use only the lines provided on the writing answer document to complete this section. You should write about two pages.
• Do not write your answer in this booklet.
• You will not be graded on the appearance of your paper, but your handwriting must be readable.
• You will not be graded on the appearance of your paper, but your handwriting must be readable.
• You will have 45 minutes to write your answer.
• You may use the planning area provided in this booklet, but it will not count toward your score.
• Use #2 (soft) pencil only.
Writing Prompt
• You may use the planning area provided in this booklet, but it will not count toward your score.
EACH DAY
8 children die from gun violence in the USA.
Another 32 are shot and injured
Recent WISQARS research
Task 1: Proposal
Task 1: Proposal
After a recent spate of school shootings, the city council is thinking of introducing stricter gun control laws in order to prevent future gun violence in schools. Some people oppose this idea as they believe it is a person's basic right to be allowed to bear arms. Write a proposal to the president of the city council evaluating the different opinions, and explain what you think should be done. Include at least one piece of information given above to support your response.
After a recent spate of school shootings, the city council is thinking of introducing stricter gun control laws in order to prevent future gun violence in schools. Some people oppose this idea as they believe it is a person's basic right to be allowed to bear arms. Write a proposal to the president of the city council evaluating the different opinions, and explain what you think should be done. Include at least one piece of information given above to support your response.
Task 2: Essay
Task 2: Essay
Gun control has been a controversial issue for many years. Some citizens believe that if gun control is strictly enforced it would quickly reduce the threat of crime. Others feel they have the right to bear arms for protection, or even just the pleasure of hunting. What do you think? Write an essay addressing this topic, and your opinion about it. Include at least one piece of information given above to support your response.
Gun control has been a controversial issue for many years. Some citizens believe that if gun control is strictly enforced it would quickly reduce the threat of crime. Others feel they have the right to bear arms for protection, or even just the pleasure of hunting. What do you think? Write an essay addressing this topic, and your opinion about it. Include at least one piece of information given above to support your response.
Remember
Once you have chosen your task, darken the circle for “Article/Proposal” or “Essay” on your writing answer document.
Remember
Once you have chosen your task, darken the circle for “Article/Proposal” or on your writing answer document.
8
1 Writing
Test
“AwellregulatedMilitia, beingnecessarytothe securityofafreeState, therightofthepeopleto keepandbearArms, shallnotbeinfringed.”
-BillofRights,2ndAmendmentU.S. Constitution Causes of Child & Adolescent Death in the USA in 2019 a 2020 research car crash suffocation firearm injury drowning 3,143 1,430 Number of Deaths in 2019 4,074 995
Listening Section Instructions
This section of the test has three parts. Mark all your answers on the separate answer sheet. Do not make any stray marks on the answer sheet. If you change your mind about an answer, erase your first answer completely. If you do not know the answer, you may guess. Try to answer as many questions as possible.
Part 1
In this part, you will hear 20 short conversations. After each conversation, you will hear a question about it. You will hear each conversation and question once. The answer choices are printed in the test booklet. Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet, not in the test booklet. You should mark A, B, C, or D.
Do you have any questions?
1. What will the speakers probably do next?
a. practice a presentation
b. wait for somebody to arrive
c. discuss the material someone sent them
d. give a public talk without one of their team members
2. What is the man probably going to do next?
a. begin reorganizing his papers
b. look for something in a cabinet
c. talk to Maria about getting supplies
d. see if Ryan can lend him some plastic binders
3. What are the speakers discussing?
a. study choices available after school
b. the best way to learn job-related skills
c. the value of getting a formal education
d. whether social skills are important
4. What does the man imply?
a. He left his paper in the professor's office.
b. He does not want to wait for the professor.
c. He is delivering an assignment that is overdue.
d. He has been having trouble contacting his professor.
5. What does the man say about the phone?
a. He is having trouble figuring it out.
b. He is impressed with its capabilities.
c. He believes it is worth its expensive price.
d. He thinks the woman should buy the same model.
6. What are the speakers discussing?
a. recent advances in health science
b. how to deliver medicine to a hospital
c. research that the woman is currently doing
d. a new robot that can take care of sick people
7. What happened?
a. All classes were canceled.
b. There was a fire at the school.
c. They had to leave the building.
d. They are unable to enter the building.
8. What information does the man provide about his job?
a. which days of the week he works
b. how long he has held the position
c. how much money he earns per hour
d. how he feels about the people he works with
9. What does the man imply?
a. The woman should not repair her shoes.
b. One shoe is more damaged than the other.
c. The soles of the shoes will be difficult to repair.
d. The shoes are not worth the price they are being sold for.
10. What does the woman find surprising?
a. that the man needs to change his password
b. why the man is having trouble with his e-mail
c. how the man was able to change his password
d. why the man cannot edit his personal information
9
Test 1 Listening
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11. What is true about the speakers?
a. They attended a sporting event.
b. They support different sports teams.
c. They are happy their team won a game.
d. They disagree the game was well played.
12.What does the woman explain?
a. the science behind a food allergy
b. the last time she ate at a restaurant
c. the reason why she cannot do her work
d. the cause of her current physical condition
13.What does the woman want?
a. changes to the class schedule
b. more lessons in the laboratory
c. better access to school facilities
d. extra time to finish an assignment
14.What happened to the man?
a. He lost track of the time.
b. He forgot about an appointment.
c. The electricity went out while he was working.
d. His report took longer to write than he expected.
15.What are the speakers discussing?
a. tips for writing novels
b. the man's new writing focus
c. how to build a career as a writer
d. difficulties experienced by most writers
16.What does the man's question imply?
a. He does not appreciate how hard she has been working.
b. He does not understand the university application process.
c. He does not know which details need to be on her application.
d. He does not realize how difficult it is to be accepted into university.
17.What does the man imply about the new restaurant?
a. It is difficult to get to.
b. It will be on a busy street.
c. It will have a different menu.
d. It is far from the current restaurant.
18.What does the man find surprising?
a. that the system is computerized
b. that the electrical system needs support
c. that the woman's father works from home
d. that the woman's father works for the electric company
19.What does the woman imply?
a. She grew tired of playing the same game.
b. She is upset a game is being discontinued.
c. She grew too old to play computer games.
d. She was not surprised about the announcement.
20. What do the speakers imply about the paper cutters?
a. They are in poor condition.
b. They are dangerous to use.
c. They are unavailable at present.
d. They are stored in a poor location.
Test 1 Listening 10
Test 1 Listening
Part 2
In this part, you will hear three short talks. After each talk, you will hear six questions about it. Before each talk begins, you will have time to preview the questions that are printed in the test booklet. You will hear each talk and the questions once. If you want to, you may take notes in your booklet as you listen. Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet, not in the test booklet. You should mark A, B, C, or D.
Do you have any questions?
Now you will hear the first talk. Look at the questions. Listen to a woman on a podcast.
21. What is the purpose of the speaker's talk?
a. to help people save money on food
b. to explain the reasons for her success
c. to recount how her career got started
d. to describe the origins of her TV program
22. What does the woman say her financial problems inspired her to do?
a. find creative ways to save money
b. use ingredients she had never tried before
c. pursue her ambition to be a professional chef
d. make healthy dishes using inexpensive ingredients
23. Why did the speaker start blogging?
a. to have fun
b. to get recipes
c. to earn money
d. to become famous
24. What does the speaker imply about her fame?
a. It happened very suddenly.
b. It took many years to develop.
c. It was encouraged by her readers.
d. It resulted from a single TV appearance.
25. What does the woman say about her TV program?
a. It is in its fifth year.
b. It was her creative idea.
c. It lifted her out of poverty.
d. It includes interviews with guests.
26. What does the speaker imply about her audience?
a. They need reliable nutritional information.
b. They require practical advice for saving money.
c. They have experienced circumstances similar to hers.
d. They enjoy hearing about other people's real-life experiences.
Now you will hear the second talk. Look at the questions. Listen to a person talking about traveling.
27. What is the purpose of the speaker's talk?
a. to advise tourists how to avoid danger
b. to give advice for travelers to his hometown
c. to warn people against traveling to dangerous cities
d. to tell tourists what to do if they are victims of a crime
28. What does the speaker tell people to do in hotels?
a. Leave valuables at the front desk.
b. Do not answer phone calls to the room.
c. Confirm all incoming calls with hotel staff.
d. Do not let hotel staff enter when you are out.
29. How does the speaker support his opinion about the dangers of hotel safes?
a. by recounting a personal experience
b. by quoting the words of police officials
c. by providing statistics about hotel safety
d. by describing a technique used by thieves
30. Why does the speaker mention money pouches?
a. to suggest a method for keeping money secure
b. to emphasize the danger of speaking with strangers
c. to highlight the importance of dressing appropriately
d. to give an example of an item that should not be left in a hotel
31. What does the speaker imply about his advice regarding strangers?
a. It is the most important point in his talk.
b. His audience probably considers it obvious.
c. He is repeating the advice of security experts.
d. Most people have not thought about his point.
32. What concern does the speaker express about his advice?
a. that his listeners will not believe what he is saying
b. that his audience will forget what he is telling them
c. that people will feel he is insulting their intelligence
d. that his words will discourage people from traveling
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Now you will hear the third talk. Look at the questions. Listen to a student giving a class presentation.
33. What statistic does the speaker provide?
a. the percentage of students who have copied test answers from other students
b. the number of students who have been caught cheating in the speaker's school
c. the percentage of high school students who do not believe that cheating is bad
d. the proportion of students who cheat as compared to the entire student population
34. Why does the speaker say: ��
a. to demonstrate how common cheating is in schools
b. to give an example of how students justify their cheating
c. to suggest that schools bear some responsibility for cheating
d. to imply that young people do not always understand cheating is wrong
35. What opinion does the speaker express about students who cheat?
a. They make it difficult for adults to trust them.
b. They establish a dangerous habit for their adult lives.
c. They damage their personal reputations with other students.
d. They make it easier for other students to follow their example.
36. What does the speaker suggest is a root cause of cheating in high schools?
a. stress
b. ambition
c. emotional changes
d. lack of punishment
37. What does the speaker imply about teachers?
a. They cannot stop cheating on their own.
b. They bear partial responsibility for cheating.
c. They are not able to effectively enforce school rules.
d. They are sometimes confused about what constitutes cheating.
38. What does the speaker say teachers can do to reduce cheating?
a. change their student assessment methods
b. stop tolerating students who cheat on exams
c. eliminate standardized tests from the curriculum
d. spend more time discussing results with students
Test 1 Listening 12
Test 1 Listening
Part 3
In this part, you will hear two segments from a radio program. After each segment, you will hear six questions about it. Before each segment begins, you will have time to preview the questions that are printed in the test booklet. You will hear each segment twice. Then you will hear the questions once. If you want to, you may take notes in your booklet as you listen. Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet, not in the test booklet. You should mark A, B, or C.
Do you have any questions?
Segment 1
Look at the questions. Then listen to the first segment.
39. What effect does the body's microbiome have on health?
a. It influences how easily people get sick.
b. It helps the body fight off outside bacteria.
c. It aids in digestion and other bodily processes.
40. What is said to be the healthiest type of indoor environment?
a. one which is free of bacteria and fungi
b. one which contains a variety of microbes
c. one which matches the human microbiome
41. What happens in buildings that lack fresh air?
a. Healthy microbes are circulated through the environment.
b. Human-associated microbes develop in large concentrations.
c. Air filters remove healthy microbes, along with unhealthy ones.
42. What does Ben Rubin imply about air conditioning systems?
a. They help improve air quality.
b. They often lack effective filters.
c. They increase health risks to humans.
43. What did the hospital study demonstrate?
a. how indoor environments become unhealthy
b. how unhealthy environments affect sick people
c. how difficult it is to keep environments free of microbes
44. Why are dogs mentioned?
a. to compare the healthy microbiomes of humans with other animals
b. to suggest a method for improving the health of indoor environments
c. to demonstrate how harmful bacteria may enter the human microbiome
Segment 2
Look at the questions. Then, listen to the second segment.
45. What was the main purpose of the experiment?
a. to confirm the results of an earlier experiment
b. to test a specific theory about how bats navigate
c. to identify different navigational strategies in bats
46. What do the speakers say about bats' use of sounds to navigate?
a. It has never been fully understood by scientists.
b. It does not explain their ability to travel long distances.
c. It is used in combination with other senses when hunting insects.
47. Why do the speakers mention the Earth's magnetic field?
a. to point out a limitation of their experiment
b. to illustrate the complicated ways bats navigate
c. to explain the logic behind the experiment's design
48. What technology did the scientists use in their experiment?
a. tracking devices
b. electric antennas
c. magnetic compasses
49. What was an important feature of the experiment?
a. It was repeated on two separate occasions.
b. Two sets of bats were fitted with different devices.
c. Two groups of bats were released at the same time.
50. What do the speakers imply about their experiment?
a. It provides a foundation for further research.
b. It probably does not fully explain bat behavior.
c. It suggests abilities that may be true of other animals.
13
51. After the crash, he got out of his car, he pointed to the damage and demanded ………. him. They both knew, what had happened was her fault.
a. she compensate
b. she compensating
c. her to compensate
d. compensating
52. “Well, I hear Ronald’s not doing well in school.”“I have already told him that he’ll fail his exams unless he ………. soon.”
a. doesn’t start studying
b. starts studying
c. will start studying
d. will study
53. “Have you told her the truth about the money you lost at the casino when in Las Vegas?” “No, but I promise to tell her everything the moment I ………. her.”
a. have seen
b. am seeing
c. will see
d. see
54. If I thought a conversation about their relationship could have helped her, I certainly would ………. her to talk to me.
a. had been encouraging
b. be encouraging
c. encourage
d. have encouraged
55. I have read most of her novels ………. were rejected by the publishers the first time she sent them in.
a. some of them
b. those which
c. many of which
d. all of whom
56. “I met him at a party two years ago. He’s quite wealthy, you know.”“Really? What does he do ………. ?”
a. to stay alive
b. for a living
c. for a life
d. to live
57. Exercise has such a profound effect on our wellbeing ………. to be an effective strategy for overcoming depression.
a. to actually be proven
b. proven actually
c. that it has actually been proven
d. so that it is proven actually
58. The politician expects that by this time next year he ………. all the money that was loaned to him during his campaign.
a. would have been returning
b. will have returned
c. going to return
d. has returned
59. “Are you surprised John failed his exam again?”
“No, I was not surprised as I know he’s not ………. he makes out to be.”
a. as good a student as
b. so good student as
c. a good student that
d. so good of a student
60. For those who depend on “ImageBox” for free stock photos, recent changes to its website ………. to find the right images.
a. makes challenging
b. make challenges
c. make it challenging
d. makes them challenged
61. “Have you read Andie’s new novel about an American woman who lost her daughter?” “Yes, I never realized ………. he is.”
a. how talented a writer
b. so talented a writer
c. what talented a writer
d. such a talented writer
62. “Don’t worry! I’ll try to be there if I can.” “Oh, please ………. ! We would really like to see you.”
a. try it
b. do try
c. be trying
d. keep trying
63. “Did you call the twins? You promised you would.”“Yes, but ………. of them was at home when I called.”
a. none
b. nobody
c. neither
d. both
64. ………. thousands of people may be without television for an entire day has sparked an outcry among TV watchers throughout the region.
a. There are possibly
b. The possibility that
c. It is possible that
d. There is a possibility
65. “Have you asked your father about the concert we were talking about?” “He said he has no objection ………. !”
a. that I go
b. of my going
c. to my going
d. for me to go
66. As technology users become more sophisticated, the demands they make on technology producers become ………. .
a. much more
b. greater
c. the most
d. more than
Test 1 Grammar 14
This passage is about an accommodation project.
In the industrialized world, the problem concerning accommodation is not materials for building but limited space as well as the prohibitive price of land. The answer in most industrial cities has been 'the skyscraper' building up ………… (67) than out. But ………… (68) can be done in an overcrowded city like Tokyo, where earthquakes prevent real skyscrapers ………… (69) making economic use of the world's most costly real ………… (70)?
The Japanese are thinking of turning the world ………… (71) down. The government is financing two business corporations, Taisei and Shimuzu to plan huge underground cities to accommodate 100,000 people, ………… (72) with offices, theaters, hotels, sports centers, and a complete transport network.
Taisei have christened their ………… (73) Alice City, after Lewis Carroll's heroine who found a 'Wonderland' in a rabbit hole. The underground city is technically ………… (74) but there is a massive psychological barrier to ………… (75). Will people be able to cope with living away from the sun and sky? ………… (76) down to a workplace and being buried in an office for eight hours may not seem an attractive idea.
This passage is about the Britannic sinking day.
Just after celebrating morning Mass on November 21, 1916, Violet Jessop, a young Irish stewardess working on board the H.M.H.S. Britannic heard a dull roar. The hospital ship, sister to the Titanic, was crossing the Aegean, carrying 1,134 medical staff and crew members to an Anglo-French military base on the Greek island of Lemnos.
As the unexplained explosion ripped through the ship, Jessop ………… (77), 'it gave a shiver, a long drawn out shudder from stem to ………… (78).' Jessop, who had ………… (79) survived not only the Titanic disaster four years earlier but also a 1911 collision ………… (80) the third White Star Line sister, Olympic, remembered feeling strangely calm as her lifeboat was lowered. But ………… (81) there, she was confronted by a horrific scene. As the Britannic sank, its captain continued ………… (82) full steam ahead in an attempt to bring the ship into shallower waters. ………… (83) to him, the boat's churning propellers were sucking the lifeboats ………… (84) the stern and killing their passengers.
Jessop threw herself from her lifeboat to avoid the deadly blades, and, clutching a spare life jacket to stay ………… (85), she watched another great ship go down. The white pride of the ocean's medical world ………… (86) her head a little, then a little lower and still lower until she took a fearful plunge and disappeared into depths. Britannic's sinking remains one of the maritime world's greatest mysteries.
77
75
83.
b. steering
c. striking
d. staying
a. Unknown
b. Aware
c. Informed
d. Known
84.
a. above
b. close
c. under
d. amid
85.
a. ablaze
b. ashore
c. aboard
d. afloat
86.
a. sipped
b. dipped
c. dripped
d. drifted
Test 1 Cloze 15
a. more b. rather c. longer d. higher 68 a. still b. even c. that d. what 69 a. from b. to c. than d. in
a. estate b. property c. land d. ground
a. downright b. outright c. upside d. upright
a. across b. besides c. along d. providing
a. estate
ambition
prospect
project
a. feasible
palpable
intractable
invincible
67
70
71
72
73
b.
c.
d.
74
b.
c.
d.
a. overtake
overcome
overrate
overdo
a. Competing
Sitting
Commuting d. Compelling
b.
c.
d.
76
b.
c.
. a. recalled
b. credited
.
c. surveyed d. recoiled 78
a. steam
.
b. steep c. stern d. rudder 79. a. considerably b. conspicuously c. seemingly d. remarkably 80
.
once
thus
so
a. referring b. pertaining c. involving d. respecting 81
a. then b.
c.
d.
82. a. stirring
87. At the supermarket, they sell all the usual kinds of coffee, but also some less well-known ………. .
a. brands
b. breeds
c. marks
d. emblems
88. I find it really difficult to understand Georgia sometimes because she doesn’t ………. her words clearly.
a. enunciate
b. construe
c. denounce
d. proliferate
89. In college, Durban began to suffer from headaches and …………. pain in his arms and legs.
a. extenuating
b. exquisite
c. excruciating
d. expedient
90. We thought he was the perfect employee for this job but with ………. , we should never have let him have access to the files.
a. retrospect
b. restriction
c. hindsight
d. contemplation
91. He threw off his clothes and ………. into the water to save the drowning child.
a. marched
b. stormed
c. plunged
d. slammed
92. The college doesn’t have the financial ………. to build a new library for the students.
a. sources
b. resources
c. facilities
d. equipment
93. The Swiss authorities severely ………………. the banks for accepting $660 million from the former Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha.
a. reciprocated
b. reprimanded
c. restored
d. replenished
94. Consumers can choose from our …………. of premium kitchen products to create countless combinations.
a. flat
b. suite
c. portion
d. segment
95. The climbers’ spirits were starting to ………. when at last they reached the mountain refuge.
a. wane
b. flag
c. ebb
d. diminish
96. When it ………. doing things around the house, he was completely useless.
a. went to
b. came to
c. went for
d. came for
97. If you like the apartment the chances are that other people will like it too, so speed is of the ………... .
a. vitality
b. restriction
c. essence
d. scarcity
98. The company's ………… on human rights is well known. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on gender, age, nationality, or religion.
a. aspect
b. regard
c. stance
d. standing
99. The President of the company was fined because he was ………. in paying his taxes.
a. devoid
b. delinquent
c. discrete
d. defective
100. As a teacher, I have to remind you that good grades are essential in order to gain ………. to university.
a. entry
b. passage
c. placement
d. faculty
101. I asked him for specific information, but his reply was so ………. and general that it didn’t answer my question.
a. converted
b. possessive
c. vague
d. urgent
102. Factory errors are not normally examined in …………. unless the magnitude of the error is significant.
a. part
b. detail
c. design
d. element
16
Test 1 Vocabulary
This passage is about coqui frog.
Scores of communities across Hawaii’s Big Island have been hit by rampaging “Eleutherodactylus coqui”, otherwise known as the coqui frog. Biologists theorize that these tiny natives of Puerto Rico stowed away a dozen or so years ago on nursery plants en route to Hawaii. The Pacific island chain’s moist, verdant environment offered the invaders an ideal habitat. With few natural predators, such as snakes and tarantulas, to keep their populations in check, the mottled yellow to grayish brown creatures - almost impossible to spot on most vegetation - rapidly multiplied. During the day, the coqui makes its nest in moist areas covered by leaves and leaf litter. Unlike the offspring of many other frog species, coqui froglets - about the size of a grain of rice when they hatch - emerge fully formed from eggs, skipping the tadpole stage entirely.
Locals might not have a problem with the frogs if it weren’t for their ear-piercing mating call, which can reach from 70 to 90 decibels, comparable to a vacuum cleaner or a garbage disposal. The racket they make means they have joined termites and volcano zones as possible deal breakers in property sales. A more serious fear for scientists is that the coqui might severely reduce, or even wipe out, certain insects on which some rare birds rely. A thriving frog population could also mean a free lunch for other invasive species, such as rats and snakes.
Not everyone minds the little frogs: in Puerto Rico, many people find them endearing; they appear on T- shirts and license plates. But in Hawaii, islanders have been reduced to spraying their backyards with citric acid in an effort to get a good night’s sleep. State officials believe that aggressive spraying and clearing of underbrush can prevent their spread throughout most of the Hawaiian archipelago. But experts tend to talk in terms of containment rather than eradication on the Big Island.
103. What is the main purpose of the passage?
a. to illustrate how the coqui frog affects property sales in some countries
b. to point out the coqui frog's unique nature
c. to illustrate how a frog species can damage the insect population
d. to describe the difficulties local residents face in areas with coqui frogs
104. What contributed to the spread of the coqui frog in Hawaii?
a. their small size
b. their attractive skin color
c. the wet climate
d. their preying on snakes and tarantulas
105. How do coqui frogs differ from many other kinds of frog?
a. They feed mainly on rice.
b. They do not lay eggs.
c. They are born as tadpoles.
d. They hatch as minute frogs.
106. According to the passage, what do the coqui frogs have in common with termites?
a. Both species thrive in volcano zones.
b. They both originally came from Puerto Rico.
c. Their existence discourages people from buying houses.
d. They both provide food for rats and snakes.
107. What are the local inhabitants bothered most by?
a. the fact that the frogs eat insects.
b. the frogs’ vocal abilities.
c. the threat the frogs pose to rare species of birds.
d. the fact that the frogs might attract other vermin.
108. According to the passage, what is likely to happen to Hawaii’s coqui population in the future?
a. They will be completely wiped out.
b. Their numbers will be reduced.
c. They will continue to multiply.
d. The locals will stop trying to exterminate them.
Test 1 Reading 17
This passage is about Wizardry.
Though wizardry holds a cherished place in Indian myth, the only magic acts most citizens see these days are cheesy shows with doves pulled from pieces of cloth or eggs produced from empty bags. In a bid to revive the craft, more than 150 magicians met last week in the city of Cochin only to mourn their vanishing art - an art considered the secondoldest profession in the world. The practitioners debate the big questions: Is it right to work with live animals? Should the state give welfare benefits to down-at-the-heels magicians? The latter question grows even more relevant, as India's tricksters slip deeper into a rut of performing the same old tricks without coming up with novel ideas.
As with any brotherhood, there are factional squabbles. On one side are the conjurers, who excel in palming and concealing, clever finger movements that take endless practice. On the other are the entertainers, who create illusions - making elephants disappear or their own wives levitate. Their performances involve shoving knives into plump female assistants, sawing them in half or chopping off their heads. Anyone with money can perform illusions contend the conjurers, laughing off stories of wizards who can make, say, the Statue of Liberty vanish.
Long before films and TV, magicians were perhaps India's main entertainers. Their tricks were passed like precious heirlooms from father to son. Now the sons are studying business, and the tricks are dying. Fakiruddin, a decrepit 5O-year-old street magician, now spends most of his time drinking. Although his ability to grow a mango plant in just minutes is perhaps the only act that baffles this elite gathering, Fakiruddin is among the poorest of the group. He sleeps, along with his snakes, at a bicycle parking stand. «People are too stressed», he complains of his dwindling audience. «They have no time to stop and watch. They just walk away».
109. What is true about Wizardry, in India?
a. experiences a revival.
b. is mourned as a vanished art.
c. produces eggs and doves.
d. though a cherished craft, is now on the decline.
110. What was one of the most crucial questions debated at the wizards' meeting?
a. whether the government should subsidize the trade or not.
b. whether magic was the second-oldest profession in the world.
c. what research had been done into magic so far.
d. why magicians had stopped coming out with novel ideas.
111. What became apparent during their meeting?
a. the members had split into two opposing groups.
b. the conjurers won the upper hand.
c. any rich person can become an illusionist.
d. there would be general consensus on all issues debated.
112. What is the main difference between conjurers and illusionists?
a. conjurers are experts on palmistry.
b. conjurers need female assistants.
c. illusionists can make things disappear.
d. illusionists need endless practice.
113. What is lamentable about Indian wizards?
a. That most of them spend their time drinking.
b. That their children don't wish to follow in their footsteps.
c. That their tricks are the sole entertainment available in India.
d. That only one of them can grow a mango plant just in a few minutes.
114. In the last line of the final paragraph, what does the author mean by “dwindling audience”?
a. thinning crowd
b. rich spectators
c. stressed viewers
d. puzzled onlookers
Test 1 Reading 18
This passage is about children and life skills
Children, whether other people's or our own, constitute the foundation stone of our future and the moral backbone of tomorrow. It is thus everybody's problem that the incidence of child abuse and neglect is on the rise. Modern societies have, amongst other disadvantages, brought about increasing isolation and alienation. Thus, while we frantically rush around trying to build a better future for ourselves, we have neglected to nurture the communal ties that help provide our future with a sound foundation. We cannot possibly expect to weather the storm on our own. It has been proven that individuals experiencing emotional, social or financial stress are susceptible to child abuse and neglect. The key lies in our ability to rekindle the dying embers of our communal ties. This would not only ensure that people experiencing problems would have someone to turn to when difficulties arise, but that members of a community work in collaboration with one another to ensure the healthy functioning of the whole.
It is equally important that schools disseminate information that will enable children to make informed decisions based on knowledge. It is necessary that this knowledge be based on healthy values, -norms and attitudes, and that children possess the necessary skills to implement these decisions. The attitudes and values that must be instilled should help these children build a positive self-concept, as this will help them establish a strong moral backbone, which is essential for informed decision-making.
Last but not least, assertiveness training is required, as it will help these children implement the life skills they are taught. These life skills should, amongst others, include discourse management skills, problem-solving skills, refusal skills and skills that help them deal with their emotions. Very often, a difficult child may deal the final blow to a parent who is overburdened and stressed. This is of course never an excuse but it does, nevertheless, highlight the fact that adults and children alike must be informed and given the appropriate support and guidance.
115. According to the passage, what have we neglected to do?
a. build a sound foundation for our future by cultivating communal ties
b. take note of the rise in incidence of child abuse and neglect
c. provide support for those experiencing financial difficulties
d. provide knowledge for the formation of healthy norms
116. Why would reestablishing communal bonds be beneficial?
a. Community members will work in collaboration and provide support.
b. They will help us rekindle the dying embers of our communal ties.
c. To ensure that neglected children receive professional help.
d. It is the only way to help those susceptible to child abuse and neglect.
117. What is required for one to make informed decisions?
a. a positive self-concept and ill-informed ideas
b. attitudes, values and a self-concept ·
c. self-confidence and a sound value system
d. the dissemination of information
118. Why is assertiveness deemed essential?
a. to inform adults and children alike
b. to implement life skills
c. to help deal with overburdened and stressed parents
d. to inform and provide counsel
119. What conclusions do we reach upon reading this text?
a. Children require more information and support than other members of society.
b. Life skills can help children deal more effectively with problems they encounter.
c. Parents are susceptible to child abuse because they are burdened and stressed.
d. Isolation and alienation prevent the establishment of a sound value system.
120. In the third sentence of the last paragraph what does the author mean by the phrase “deal the final blow”?
a. endure a tough experience
b. diminish stress and burden
c. aggravate the situation
d. come to an agreement
Test 1 Reading 19
Hiring a Chef
You work for a popular restaurant and your restaurant needs to hire a head chef for its new location. You are on the selection committee. Describe the two candidates you are given to the other member of the committee so that you both know the four candidates.
Candidate 1 Candidate 2
John Ricci
The following list provides some information about John Ricci:
▶ restaurant cook for 12 years
▶ specializes in Italian cuisine
▶ managed family restaurant
▶ trained by popular American chef
▶ works well with others
▶ won Chicago’s best pizza award
▶ has violated food sanitation regulations
Ron Davis
The following list provides some information about Ron Davis:
▶ steakhouse cook for 13 years
▶ focuses on traditional American cooking
▶ experience cooking for large gatherings
▶ good customer relations
▶ skilled baker
▶ won 2 cooking competitions
▶ changes jobs frequently
Laura Foster
The following list provides some information about Laura Foster:
▶ 7 years professional experience
▶ combines several international cooking styles
▶ specializes in vegetarian menus
▶ studied cooking in India
▶ calm under pressure
▶ writes for cooking magazine
▶ argues with customers frequently
Daniel Emerson
The following list provides some information about Daniel Emerson:
▶ head chef for 9 years
▶ specializes in seafood
▶ instructor at local culinary school
▶ trained in Japan
▶ arranges food artistically for serving
▶ featured on TV cooking program
▶ won’t work Fridays
20
Test 1 Speaking
