Choose the best answer:
Braille _________ a system of raised dots that can be read with the fingers by people who are blind.

 

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
Cities develop as a result of functions that they can perform. Some functions result directly from the a great city regardless of the disadvantageous ingenuity of the citizenry, but most functions activity. result from the needs of the local area and of the surrounding hinterland (the region that supplies goods to the city and to which the city furnishes services and other goods). Geographers often make a distinction between the situation and the site of a city. Situation refers to the general position in relation to the surrounding region, whereas site involves in physical characteristics of the specific location. Situation is normally much more important to the continuing prosperity of a city. If a city is well situated in regard to its hinterland, its development is much more likely to continue. Chicago, for example, possesses an almost unparalleled situation: it is located at the southern end of a huge lake that forces East-West transportation lines to be compressed into its vicinity, and at a meeting of significant land and water transport routes. It also overlooks what is one of the world's fiest large farming regions. These factors ensured that Chicago would become characteristics of the available site, such as being prone to floding during thunderstorm Similarly, it can be argued that much of New York City's importance stems from its early and continuing advantage of situation. Philadelphia and Boston both originated at about the same time as New York and shared New York's location at the Western end of one of the world's most important oceanic trade routes, but only New York possesses an easy-access functional connection (the Hudson-Mohawk lowland) to the vast Midwestern hinterland. This account does not alone explain New York's primacy, but it does include several important factors. Among the many aspects of situation that help to explain why some cities grow and others do not, original location on a navigable waterway seems particularly applicable. Of course, such characteristics as slope, drainage, power resources, river crossings, coastal shapes, and other physical characteristics help to determine city location, but such factors are normally more signifiant in early stages of city development than later.
4. According to the passage, a city's situation is more important than its site in regard to the city's .

Read the passage below carefully, and then choose the best answer:
A Microchip in Your Body
In 1998, a British scientist named Kevin Warwick did an experiment. He inserted a small microchip into his left arm. He used the microchip to turn on lights, work with his computer, and even start the water for his hath. After only nine days, Warwick removed the microchip from his arm. Nine days is not a long time, but it was enough to give the world a very important message. It is possible to have a microchip in your body. Many people think that someday, we all will have microchips. There are all kinds of things that a microchip could do. It could be useful for simple, everyday things. You might not have to carry keys, because you could use your microchip to open the front door of your house. You might not need cash, because you could use your microchip to buy things. A microchip might be able to do more important things. For example, a microchip could contain all of your important health information. If you had an emergency and wert to hospital, doctors could read your microchip and learn all of your health history. Some scientists even believe that someday a microchip could help cure diseases. Many people dislike the idea of a microchip in their body. They have a lot of concerns. Is it safe? Could a microchip make you sick? Besides, would other people be able to read your microchip and steal your personal information? People are especially worried about personal freedom. This is probably the biggest reason why so many people are against these microchips. What if your government could use your microchip to watch you? What if your government could use your microchip to find your location? Do you want the government to have that information about you? Again, for most people the answer is “no". Nobody has microchips in their body yet. We don't know if this will ever happen. If we ever do have microchips, we don't know what they would look like or what they would do. What do you think? Would you like to have a microchip inserted into your body?
3. What can be inferred from the experiment done by Kevin Warwick in 1998?

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

FAMILY HISTORY

In an age when technology is developing faster than ever before, many people are being (21) _____to the idea of looking back into the past. One way they can do this is by investigating their own family history. They can try to (22) _____out more about where their family came from and what they did. This is now a fast-growing hobby, especial in countries with a (23) _____ short history, like Australia and the United States.

It is (24) _____thing to spend some time (25) _____through a book on family history and to take the (26) _____to investigate your own family’s past. It is (27) _____another to carry out the research work successfully. It is easy to set about it in a disorganised way and (28) _____yourself many problems which could have been (29) _____with a little forward planning.

If your own family stories tell you that you are (30) _____with a famous character, whether hero or criminal, do not let this idea take over your research. Just treat it as an interesting possibility. A simple system for  collecting and storing your path. The most important thing, though, is to get started. Who knows what you might find?

(25) _____

Choose the best answer:
Minh used to _____ his homework late in the evening.

Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today. I ---135--- our conversation, and I remain very interested in the position of the cost accountant. I would welcome the opportunity to return for the third and final round of ---136---.I am confident my years of accounting experience would benefit your firm. As discussed, over the last ten years, I have helped many companies save a ---137--- the amount of money. I am especially adept at analyzing the day-to-day operations of a business and helping to determine more cost-effective methods. I checked regarding your question about a potential start date.---138---. I hope to hear from you in the near future. 

137..........

Only one of the people__________ was qualified for the job.
(132)_______

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
For many American university students, the weeklong spring break holiday means an endless party on a sunny beach in Florida or Mexico. In Panama City Beach, Florida, a city with a permanent population of around 36,000, more than half a million university students arrive during the month of March to play and party, making it the number one spring break destination in the United States. A weeklong drinking binge is not for anyone, however, and a growing number of American university students have found a way to make spring break matter. For them, joining or leading a group of volunteers to travel locally or internationally and work to show problems such as poverty, homelessness, or environmental damage makes spring break a unique learning experience that university students can feel good about. Students who participate in alternative spring break projects find them very rewarding. While most university students have to get their degrees before they can start helping people, student volunteers are able to help people now. On the other hand, the accommodations are far from glamorous. Students often sleep on the floor of a school or spend the week camping in tents. But students only pay around $250 for meals and transportation, which is much less than some of their peers spend to travel to more traditional spring break hotspots. Alternative spring break trips appear to be growing in popularity at universities across the United States. Students cite a number of reason for participating. Some appreciate the opportunity to socialize and meet new friends. Others want to exercise their beliefs about people’s obligation to serve humanity and make the world a better place. Whatever their reason, these students have discovered something that gives them rich rewards along with a break from school work.
3. The word “binge” in the second paragraph probably means______

 "______" Andy suggested.

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
Harvard University, today recognized as part of the top echelon of the world's universities, came from very inauspicious and humble beginning. This oldest of American universities was founded in 1636, just sixteen years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth. Included in the Puritan emigrants to the Massachusetts colony during this period were more than 100 graduates of England's prestigious Oxford and Cambridge universities, and these universities graduates in the New Word were determined that their sons would have the same educational opportunities that they themselves had had. Because of this support in the colony for an institution of higher learning, the General Court of Massachusetts appropriated 400 pounds for a college in October of 1636 and early the following year decided on a parcel of land for the school; this land was in an area called Newetowne, which was later renamed Cambridge after its English cousin and is the site of the present-day university. When a young minister named John Harvard, who came from the neighboring town of Charlestown, died from tuberculosis in 1638, he willed half of his estate of 1,700 pounds to the fledgling college. In spite of the fact that only half of the bequest was actually paid, the General Court named the college after the minister in appreciation for what he had done. The amount of the bequest may not have been large, particularly by today's standard, but it was more than the General Court had found it necessary to appropriate in order to open the college. Henry Dunster was appointed the first president of Harvard in 1640, and it should be noted that in addition to serving as president, he was also the entire faculty, with an entering freshmen class of four students. Although the staff did expand somewhat, for the first century of its existence the entire teaching staff consisted of the president and three or four tutors.
2. The passage indicates that Harvard is .

Choose the best answer:
I/ more/ interested/ go swimming/ my sister.

Read the reading below carefully, and then complete it with the best option A, B, C or D given below:
Carefully conducted studies that have followed the children of working mothers have not been able to show any long-­‐term problems, compared (1)_____children whose mothers stay at home. My personal (2) _____is that mothers should be allowed to work if they wish. Whether we like it or not, there are a number of mothers who just have to work. There are many who must work out of pure economic (3) _____. Many mothers are not born to be full-time parents. After a few months at home with a much loved infant, the feel trapped and isolated. There are a number of options when it refers to choosing childcare. These range from child minders and nannies through to Granny or the kind of lady across the street. In reality, (4) _____ many parents do no have any choice; they have to accept anything they can get. Be prepared! No (5)_____ how good the children may be, some children are going to protect wildly if they are left. This is a (6) _____ normal stage of child development. Babies separate well in the first six months, but soon after that they start to get a crush on Mum and close family (7)_____. Make sure that in the first week, you allow plenty of time to help your child (8)_____. All children are different. Some are independent,(9) _____ others are more attached to their mothers. Remember that if you want to do the best for your children, it’s not the quantity of time you spend with them, it’s the (10)_____ that matters

____ is the activity of doing special exercises regularly in order to make your muscles grow bigger.

(444)_______

Read the passage below carefully, and then choose the best answer:
Are Vitamins Beneficial?
If you happen to flip through TV channels, you are likely to come across a commercial for a new vitamin or supplement designed to improve your health. These pills often promise the world, claiming to cure baldness, or kick-start fat loss. But in the medical community, there is some debate as to whether these products provide any tangible benefits at all. Millions of people worldwide begin their day by popping a multi-vitamin. These pills are supposed to effortlessly provide our bodies with vitamins in case we have missed them in our meals. It seemed to be a no-brainer that everyone should take one. Scientific studies, however, have painted another picture. In 2006, a study conducted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, which used the strictest possible standards, concluded that multi-vitamins have zero effect on reducing a person’s chances of getting cancer or heart disease. The only people multi-vitamins benefitted were those in poverty-stricken nations who suffered from nutritional deficiencies. In 2009, a related study by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center came to a similar conclusion after monitoring 160,000 women for a period of 10 years. Antioxidants are another supplement that is promoted to improve health and prevent aging. Antioxidants are found in vitamins A, C, and E, and are supposed to greatly reduce cellular damage. However, in a study that involved over 180,000 adults, those who took a combined dosage of these vitamins actually increased their risks of dying by 16 percent. One likely cause for these negative results is that people who eat healthy diets and take vitamins are probably getting too many nutrients, which can be toxic. Then why are these supplements being promoted? Many experts blame the health industry in the US and other nations because supplements are not highly regulated as they should be. What is worse, vitamin makers are not required to list negative side effects like medicines do. In many cases, it can even be difficult for the US’s Federal Drug Agency (FDA) to ban risky ingredients due to lengthy and expensive legal battles. On the other hand, after these studies were made public, people continued buying more vitamins than ever. It seems that no matter what evidence is presented, the majority of people are not ready to give up on a magic pill just yet.
4. According to the research, who does vitamins usually help?

Choose the best answer:
I/ call/ the/ travel agents/ now.

Read the passage below carefully, and then choose the best answer:
Strengthening Your Core
If there is one indication that someone is fit, it is a tight and lean stomach. Men and women alike hope that eating right and putting in hard work at the gym will earn them a perfect six-patch. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true. The rising popularity of fast food has led to an increase of obesity rates and waistlines around the globe. If someone is out of shape, you will notice the extra weight around their midsection. In both cases, a person’s core muscles seem to tell a lot about their fitness and eating habits. Many people associate the core with just the stomach area, but science actually defines it as our body without arms and legs. Although many people want a solid core to look good, the development of these muscles affects many areas of our lives. In athletics and general life for that matter, we all rely on our core muscles heavily to get things done. Studies have shown that athletes who build a powerful core foundation aren’t injured as much. Meanwhile, the benefits of your average Joe may be even greater. Ordinary people use their core muscles for nearly every task they do. This includes picking things up, sitting in a chair, or tying your shoes. Our core muscles provide stability, so we can keep our balance and easily move in any direction. If we neglect them, life can become much more difficult. As a result, we should always consider our core muscles when designing our workouts. However, if you have been sedentary for years, performing thousands of repetitions will probably get you injured. Instead, start off slowly and gradually build up your numbers. An excellent exercise for both beginners and advanced exercisers is the plank. You simply get in an extended pushup position as if you have just finished a rep. Maintain this position, but place the weight on your forearms instead of your hands. Then, hold the position as long as you can. You should feel your core muscles working hard to help your hands and support the weight of your body. In the beginning, you may only be able to hold it for a few seconds, but keep at it. The Guinness World Record for abdominal planking is three hours and seven minutes.
4. The word “Joe” in paragraph 2 refers to __________

Choose the best answer:
Eat / less / sweet / food / and / eat / more / fruit / vegetables.

Read the passage below carefully, and then choose the best answer:
Durable Ceramic Beauty
Inside an art and craft workshop, a young woman sits in front of a pottery wheel. The machine contains a large lump of clay which she molds into the shape of an elaborate bowl. Later, when she is satisfied with its appearance, it will be baked in an oven until it solidifies. Then she adds decorative paints to add some style. In the end, this ceramic pot will be both a handy utility for eating as well as a work of art. Humans have been working with ceramics for about 30,000 years, making it one of the oldest industries on the planet. In ancient times, ceramics enabled humans to make containers to store food and drinks, as well as bricks for buildings, but as time went on, people found other uses for this prehistoric technology. Techniques were added to give these products more eye-catching designs. Objects were often coated with glaze, so they would be smoother and more pleasant to touch. This helped to transform these practical items into works of art. People would pay large amounts of money for pieces of ceramic art and use them to decorate their homes. In modern times, architects and inventors discovered that ceramic offered the perfect balance between beauty and durability, and started using it in their products as well. Ceramics have found a home in the world of automobiles as they are used to produce several products. They are often used to make brake discs, engines, and other parts because ceramics are able to withstand extremely hot temperatures. Ceramics also play a part in the world of medicine, as their flexibility and strength are perfect for creating sturdy dental implants. Other doctors are using them to replace damaged bones because they are able to bond with tissues in the body without causing adverse reactions. In many kitchens today, you will also find ceramic knives. Once they are produced, the hard edges of these blades rarely need to be sharpened. Unlike metal knives, they won’t rust when exposed to difficult conditions. Ceramics also help to make it possible for humans to travel into space. Space shuttles are designed with ceramic tiles because they are one of the few materials that can stand the extreme heat when reentering the Earth’s atmosphere, plus they don’t wear out easily. With so many useful applications, it is hard to deny that ceramic technology is out of this world.
6. What is a benefit of using a ceramic knife?

Read the reading below carefully, and then complete it with the best option A, B, C or D given below:
Azmah, Inc., Hits a Record
1 May - Azmah, lnc., one of Malaysia's leading electronics manufacturers, announced yesterday that it achieved record safes in the last quarter. Azmah's revenue jumped 18 percent to RM 144 million, with the increase largely (1)------- by television sales. Sales of flat-screen models alone rose nearly 30 percent over sales figures from the previous quarter. (2)-------, production costs also reached record highs. Azmah reports its profit margins have been reduced by 20 percent because of the rising prices of computer chips and other electronic (3)------

 When we were in Stockholm, we had coffee and cakes …… a coffee shop …….. the old town.

Why is it that flying to New York from London will leave you feeling less tired than flying to London from New York? The answer may be a clear case of biology not being able to keep up with technology. Deep inside the brain there is a "clock" that governs every aspect of the body's functioning: sleep and wake cycles, levels of alertness, performance, mood, hormone levels, digestion, body temperature and so on. It regulates all of these functions on a 24-hour basis and is called the circadian clock (from the Latin, circa "about" + dies "day").

This body clock programmes us to be sleepy twice a day, between 3-5 a.m and again between 3-5 p.m. Afternoon tea and siesta times are all cultural responses to our natural biological sleepiness in the afternoon. One of the major causes of the travelers' malady known as jet lag is the non-alignment of a person's internal body clock with clocks in the external world. Crossing different time zones confuses the circadian clock, which then has to adjust to the new time and patterns of light and activity. To make matters more complex, not all internal body functions adjust at the same rate. So your sleep/wake may adjust to a new time zone at one rate, while your temperature adjusts at a different pace. Your digestion may be on a different schedule altogether.

Though we live in a 24-hour day, the natural tendency of the body clock is to extend our day beyond 24 hours. It is contrary to our biological programming to shrink our day. That is why travelling in a westward direction is more body-clock friendly than flying east. NASA studies of long haul pilots showed that westward travel was associated with significantly better sleep quantity and quality than eastward flights. When flying west, you are "extending" your day, thus travelling in the natural direction of your internal clock. Flying eastward will involve "shrinking" or reducing your day and is in direct opposition to your internal clock's natural tendency.

One of the more common complaints of travelers is that their sleep becomes disrupted. There are many reasons for this: Changing time zones and schedules, changing light and activity levels, trying to sleep when your body clock is programmed to be awake, disruption of the internal circadian clock and working longer hours. Sleep loss, jet lag and fatigue can seriously affect our ability to function well. Judgment and decision-making can be reduced by 50%, attention by 75 percent, memory by 20 percent and communication by 30 percent. It is often suggested that you adjust your watch as soon as you board a plane, supposedly to try to help you adjust to your destination's schedule as soon as you arrive. But it can take the body clock several days to several weeks to fully adjust to a new time zone.

According to the article, ________