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However objective we believe ourselves to be, most of us do not judge a product solely on its merits, considering quality, value and style before making a decision. (1)________, we are easily influenced by the people around us. There is nothing (2)___________ with this. It is probably a smarter way to make decisions than (3)________ on only our own opinions. But it does make life hard for companies. They have long understood that groups of friends and relatives tend to buy the same products, but understanding the reasons has been tricky. It is because they are so similar with (4)_______ to how much money they make and what television ads they watch that they independently (5)________ at the same decision? Or do they copy one another, perhaps (6)______ envy or perhaps because they have shared information about the products? Research in Finland recently found overwhelming evidence that neighbours have a big influence on buying decisions. When one of a person‘s ten nearest neighbours bought a car, the chances that that person would buy a car of the same brand during the next week and a half (7)__________ by 86 per cent. The researchers argued that it was not just a (8)_________ of envy. Used cars seemed to attract neighbours even more than new cars. This suggested that people were not trying to (9)_______ up with their neighbours, they were keen to learn from them. Since used cars are less reliable, a recommendation of one can (10)________influence a buying decision

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The well-being of America's rural people and places depends upon many things - the availability of good-paying jobs; (1)______ to critical services such as education, health care, and communication; strong communities; and a healthy natural environment. And, (2)______ urban America is equally dependent upon these things, the challenges to well-being look very different in rural areas than in urban areas. Small-scale, low-density settlement (3)______ make it more costly for communities and businesses to provide critical services. Declining jobs and income in the natural resource-based industries that many rural areas depend on (4)______ workers in those industries to find new ways to make a living. Low-skill, low-wage rural manufacturing industries must find new ways to challenge the increasing number of (5)______ competitors. Distance and remoteness impede many rural areas from being connected to the urban centers of economic activity. Finally, changes in the availability and use of natural resources located in rural areas (6)______ the people who earn a living from those resources and those who (7)______ recreational and other benefits from them. Some rural areas have met these challenges successfully, achieved some level of prosperity, and are ready (8)______ the challenges of the future. Others have neither met the current challenges nor positioned themselves for the future. Thus, concern for rural America is real. And, while rural America is a producer of critical goods and services, the (9)______ goes beyond economics. Rural America is also home to a fifth of the Nation's people, keeper of natural amenities and national treasures, and safeguard of a/an (10)______ part of American culture, tradition, and history

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The latest addiction to trap thousands of people is Internet, which has been (1) ............... for broken relationships, job losses, finacial ruin and even one suicide. Psychologists now recognize Internet Addiction Syndrome (IAS) as a new illness that could (2) ................... serious problems and ruin many lives. Special help groups have been set up to (3) .................. sufferers help and support. IAS is similar to (4) ................... problems like gambling, smoking and drinking : addicts have dreams about Internet; they need to use it first thing in the morning; they (5) ............... to their partners about how much time they spend online; they (6) .................. they could cut down, but are unable to do so . A recent study found that many users spend up to 6 hours a week on the Internet; (7) .................... they felt guilty, they became depressed if they were (8) ................... to stop using it. Almost anyone can be at risk. Some of the addicts are teenagers who are already hooked on computer games and who (9) .................... it very difficult to resist the games on the Internet. Surprisingly, however, psychologists (10) .................. that most victims are middle-aged housewives who have never used a computer before

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Hypatia was born in Alexandria, in Egypt, in 370 A.D. For many centuries, she was (16) only woman scientist to have a place in the history books. Hypatia's father was director of Alexandria University, and he (17) sure his daughter had the best education available. This was unusual, as most women then had few (18) to study. After studying in Athens and Rome, Hypatia returned to Alexandria (19) she began teaching mathematics. She soon became famous (20) her knowledge of new ideas. We have no copies of her book, (21) we know that she wrote several important mathematical works. Hypatia was also interested in technology and (22) several scientific tools to help with her work. At the (23) , many rulers were afraid of science, and (24) connected with it was in danger. One day in March 415, Hypatia (25) attacked in the street and killed

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In this age of (30)........ telephone networks and electronic mail, it seems that fewer and even fewer people are taking time to sit down and write letters (31).......  friends and relatives. For hundreds of years, letters were the only way to keep (32)...........  people who were any distance away and letter-writing was seen as an important skill for all learned people (33)............. . Gradually, (34)............. , the importance of writing letters is decreasing to a point that majority of us have to (35)............ a special effort to turn out something worthwhile when we apply for a job or make a complaint. In business circles the tendency is for routine communications to become shorter. (36)............. clients may appreciate a detailed letter, an employee who sends out long letters is often regarded as (37)............ . Many people prefer the telephone in all circumstances and its speed is essential in many situations but (38)............  have you put the telephone down, dissatisfied with what you have managed to say? I don‘t think I‘ll throw my (39)................ away yet

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Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse are the official (35)_______ of the Sovereign and, as such, serve as both home and office for The Queen, whose personal standard flies (36)_______ Her Majesty is in residence. These buildings are used extensively for State ceremonies and Official entertaining and are opened to the (37)_______ as much as these commitments allow. They are furnished with fine pictures and (38) _______ of art from the Royal Collection, which has been assembled over four centuries by successive sovereigns. Many of the State Apartments and rooms at the official residences have been in continuous use since their conception and many of the works of art are (39)_______ in the rooms for which they were originally (40)_______ The official residences are in (41)_______use and the style and manner in which they are (42) _______to visitors reflects their working status. Rooms are kept as close to their normal (43) _______as possible. Inevitably, opening times are subject to change at short notice depending on circumstances. The Royal Collection, which is owned by The Queen as Sovereign in trust for her successors and the Nation, is administered by the Royal Collection Trust to which a proportion of admission and other income from visitors is directed. The remainder of this income funds the majority of the cost of restoring Windsor Castle which was badly (44)_______by fire in November 1992

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A recent issue of a language learning magazine has consulted a number of experts in the (1)________ of second language acquisition. Their advice may prove invaluable for those (2)______ a language course. One suggestion is that you (3)______whether you are likely to be successful at learning a language or not. Did you enjoy studying languages at school, for example? Do you have enough time to learn a language? The main (4)______will be your own time and effort. Therefore you must make sure that the course on offer leads to a (5)______qualification. Also, be realistic in your (6)______. If you don't set achievable aims you are more likely to give up. Do not be deceived (7)______thinking that the most expensive courses are the best. (8)______around to get the best possible value for money. You should also bear in mind that the quicker you learn a language the more quickly you forget it. Sandra Miller, a French teacher, tried to teach herself German by enrolling on a (9)______ course. Already fluent in four languages and with a sound knowledge of teaching methodology her chances of (10)______progress were high. Three years on she remembers very little. She feels her biggest mistake was not to build on her previous studies. "I should have consolidated what I'd learnt by continuing to study, even if it were by myself."

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Leading scientists have (52)_________ that tomatoes can be of great benefit to our health. A lot of research has been (53)________ out in recent years. It‘s the whole tomato (54)_________ may lower cancer risks, not individual compounds, (55)___________ to  new research. Experts have discovered that taking the antioxidant lycopene – (56)________ is found in tomatoes, but is increasingly popular (57)_________ a health food suppplement because of its link to a reduced risk of cancer – did not work as (58)_________ as eating whole tomatoes. Scientists believe people (59)________ eat them in pastas, salads, tomato juice and pizza. Recent finding suggests that the risks (60)_________ poor eating habits cannot be reserved with a pill. We shouldn‘t (61)________ easy solutions to a complex problem

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At 19, Ben Way was already a millionaire, and one of a number of teenagers who _____(1) their fortune through the Internet._____(2) makes Ben‘s story all the more remarkable is that he is dyslexic, and was_____ (3)by teachers at his junior school that he would never be able to read or write properly.‖ I wanted to prove them_____ (4)―, says Ben, creator and director of Waysearch engine which can be used to find goods in online shopping malls. When he was eight, his local authorities_____(5) him with a PC to help with school work. Althrough he was_____ (6)to read the manuals, he had a natural ability with the computer, and encouraged by his father, he soon began_____(7) people $ 10 an hour for his knowledge and skills. At the age of 15 he _____(8) up his own computer consultancy, Quad Computer, which he ran from his bedroom, and two years later he left school to_____(9) all his time to business. ―By this time the company had grown and needed to take_____(10) a couple of employees to help me‖, says Ben.That enabled me to start doing business with bigger companies.It was his ability to consistently overcome difficult challenges that led him to win the ―Young Entrepreneur of the year‖ award in the same year that he formed Waysearch

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The first traffic signal was invented by a railway signaling engineer. It was installed outside the Houses of Parliament in 1868. It (1) ______ like any railway signal of the time, and was operated by gas. (2) ______, it exploded and killed a policeman, and the accident (3) ______ further development until cars became common.(4) ______ traffic lights are an American invention. Red-green systems was installed in Cleveland in 1914. Three-colour signals, operated (5) ______ hand from tower in the (6) ______ of the street, were installed in New York in 1918. The first lights of this type to (7) ______ in Britain were in London, on the junction between St. James‘s Street and Piccadilly, in 1925. Automatic signals were installed (8) ______year later. In the past, traffic lights were special. In New York, some lights had a statue on top. In Los Angeles the lights did not just (9) ______ silently, but would ring bells to (10) ______the sleeping motorists of the 1930s. These are gone and have been replaced by standard models which are universally adopted.

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
Not very long ago, when people needed to find a job, there were several possible steps. They might begin with a look through the classified ads in the newspaper. They could go to the personnel office at various companies and fill out an application, or they could go to an employment agency. They could even find out about a job opening through word-of-mouth - from another person who had heard about it.
These days, job hunting is more complicated. The first step is to determine what kind of job you want (which sounds easier than it is) and make sure that you have the right education for it. Rapid changes in technology and science are creating many professions that never existed until recently. It is important to learn about them because one might be the perfect profession for you. The fastest- growing areas for new jobs are in computer technology and health services. Jobs in these fields usually require specific skills, but you need to find out exactly which degrees are necessary. For example, it may be surprising to learn that in the sciences, an M.S. is more marketable than a Ph.D! In other words, there are more jobs available for people with a Master of Science degree than for people with a doctorate (however, people who want to do research still need a Ph.D.) How do people learn about "hot" new professions? How do they discover their "dream job"? Many people these days go to a career counselor. In some countries, job hopping has become so common that career counseling is now "big business". People sometimes spend large amounts of money for this advice. In Canada and the United States, high school and college students often have access to free vocational counseling services on campus. There is even a career organization, the Five O'Clock Club, which helps members to set goals. Members focus on this question: what sort of person do you want to be years from now? The members then plan their career around that goal. All career counselors - private or public - agree on one basic point: it is important for people to find a career that they love. Everyone should be able to think, "I'm having such a good time. I can't believe they're paying me to do this.

The word “them” in the second paragraph refers to     .

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According to a magazine article I read recently, we (1) _____live in an age of increasing leisure. Not only are more and more people reaching (2) _____ age with their taste for enjoyment and even adventure relatively (3) _____ but the working week is becoming shorter and the opportunities for (4) _____ are becoming greater and greater all the time. Not to mention the fact that people tend to spend less time traveling to work or may even be working from home. What I can‘t understand, however, is who these people are. As far as I can (5) _____ the whole thing is another one of those journalistic fictions. I admit that there are a lot of retired people (6) _____but I am not sure that all of them are dashing about learning hang-gliding or sailing single-handed (7) _____ the world. My own parents seem to spend most of their time gazing at the television. And as for the shorter working week, I wish someone would remind my company about it. I seem to be working longer hours (8) _____the time. The little leisure time I have is eaten into by sitting in traffic jams or waiting for trains to (9) _____up at rain-swept platforms. I haven‘t noticed any dramatic improvements in my (10) _____either, but perhaps I just have to wait until I get my pension

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It is now extremely popular to take a gap year between school and university or university and work, and tospend it travelling. There are plenty of reasons to recommend it - travel (1) ______ the mind, you‟re only youngonce,lifeisn't a rehearsal and so on.And if you don't do it, you may always regret that you didn't take the (2) ______. In the end, there's only one response: well, why not? The idea may have its (3) _____ from the 18thcentury. Grand Tour once undertaken by the young, rich and noble, but it the middle classes who have (4) ____ it into something that 200.000 British youngsters do every year. (5) ______ has never been so easy and cheap, with more places open to tourists than ever. Also, the gap year is now (6) ______ by many employers and universities. The States, the Far East and Australia were among the original (7) _______ and although these remain in the (8) ________ five, young explorers are now going (9) _______ farther. The most far-flung comers of the world are (10) _______ in popularity year by year

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
In the 1960s, The Beatles were probably the most famous pop group in the whole world. Since then, there havebeen a great many groups that have achieved enormous fame, so it is perhaps difficult now to imagine how sensational The Beatles were at that time. They were four boys from the north of England and none of them had any training in music. They started by performing and recording songs by black Americans and they had some success with these songs. Then they started writing their own songs and that was when they became really popular. The Beatles changed pop music. They were the first pop group to achieve great success from songs they had written themselves. After that it became common for groups and singers to write their own songs. The Beatles did not have a long career. Their first hit record was in 1963 and they split up in 1970. They stopped doing live performances in 1966 because it had become too dangerous for them - their fans were so excited that they surrounded them and tried to take their clothes as souvenirs! However, today some of their songs remain as famous as they were when they first came out. Throughout the world, many people can sing part of a Beatles song if you ask them.

The word “they” in line 10 refers to     .

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Nearly 200 of the 1500 native plant species in Hawaii are at risk of going extinct in the near future because they have been (33)_______ to such low numbers. Approximately 90 percent of Hawaii's plants are found nowhere else in the world but they are (34)_______ by alien invasive species such as feral goats, pigs, rodents and (35)_______ plants. The Hawaii Rare Plant Restoration Group is striving to (36)_______ the extinction of the 182 rare Hawaiian plants with fewer than 50 individuals remaining in the (37)_______ . Since 1990, (38)_______ a result of their "Plant Extinction Prevention Program", sixteen species have been brought into (39)_______ and three species have been reintroduced. Invasive weeds have been removed in key areas and fencing put up in order to (40)_______ plants in the wild. In the future the Hawaii Rare Plant Restoration Program aims (41)_______ collecting genetic material from the remaining plants in the wild for storage as a  safety net for the future. They also aim to manage wild populations and where possible reintroduce species into (42)_______

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
The need for a surgical operation, especially an emergency operation, almost always comes as a severe shock to the patient and his family. Despite modern advances, most people still have an irrational fear of hospitals and anaesthetics. Patients do riot often believe they really need surgery- cutting into a part of the body as opposed to treatment with drugs.
In the early year of the 20th century, there was little specialization in surgery. A good surgeon was capable of performing almost every operation that had been advised up to that time. Today the situation is different. Operations are now being carried out that were not even dreamed of fifty years ago. The heart can be safely opened and its valves repaired. Cloyed blood vessels can be clean out, and broken ones mended and replaced. A lung, the whole stomach, or even part of the brain can be removed and still permit the patient to live a comfortable and satisfactory life. However, not every surgeon wants to, or is qualified to carry out every type of modern operation.
The scope of surgery has increase remarkable in the past decades. Its safety has increased, too. Deaths from most operations are about 20% of what they were in 1910 and surgery has been extended in many directions, for example, to certain types of birth defects in new born babies, and at the other end of the scale, to life-saving operation for the octogenarian .The hospital stay after surgery has been shortened to as little as a week for most major operations. Most patients are out of bed on the day after an operation and may be back at work in two or three weeks.
One of the most revolutionary areas of modern surgery is that of organ transplants. Until a few decades ago, no person, except an identical twins, was able to accept into his body the tissues of another person without reacting against them and eventually killing them. Recently, however, it has been discovered that with the use of X-rays and special drugs, it is possible to graft tissues from one person to another which will survive for periods of a year or more. Kidneys have been successfully transplanted between non-identical twins. Heart and lung transplants have also been reasonably successful.
“Spare parts” surgery, the simple routine replacement of all worn-out organs by new ones, is still a dream of the future but surgery is ready for such miracles. In the meantime, you can be happy if the doctors say to you: “Yes, l think it is possible to operate on you for this condition”.

What is the similar meaning to the word “octogenarian”?

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
Rachel Carson was born in 1907 in Springsdale, Pennsylvania. She studied biology at college and zoology at Johns Hopkins University, where she received her master’s degree in 1933. In 1936, she was hired by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, where she worked most of her life.
Carson’s first book, Under the Sea Wind, was published in 1941. It received excellent reviews, but sales were poor until it was reissued in 1952. In that year she published The Sea Around Us, which provided a fascinating look beneath the ocean’s surface, emphasizing human history as well as geology and marine biology. Her imagery and language had a poetic quality. Carson consulted no less than 1,000 printed sources. She had voluminous correspondence and frequent discussions with experts in the field. However, she always realized the limitations of her nontechnical readers.
In 1962, Carson published Silent Spring, a book that sparked considerable controversy.
It proved how much harm was done by the uncontrolled, reckless use of insecticides. She detailed how they poison the food supply of animals, kill birds and fish, and contaminate human food. At the time, spokesmen for the chemical industry mounted personal attacks against Carson and issued propaganda to indicate that her findings were flawed. However, her work was proved by a 1963 report of the President’s Science Advisory Committee.

Which of the following was NOT mentioned in the passage as a source of information for The Sea Around Us?

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The first traffic signal was invented by a railway signaling engineer. It was installed (33) ___ the Houses of Parliament in 1868. It (34)_____ like any railway signal of the time, and was operated by gas. (35) ____, it exploded and killed a policeman, and the accident discouraged further development until cars became common. (36) ____ traffic lights are an American invention. Red – green systems were installed in Cleveland in 1914. Three - color signals, operated (37) _____ hanz d from a tower in the (38) _____ of the street, were installed in New York in 1918. The first lights of this type to (39) ____ in Britain were in London, on the junction between St. James‘s Street and Piccadilly, in 1925. Automatic signals were installed (40) ____ year later. In the past, traffic lights were special. In New York, some lights had a statue on top. In Los Angeles the lights did not just change silently, but would ring bells to (41) _____ the sleeping motorists of the 1930s. These are gone and have been (42) ____ by standard models which are universally adopted

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Looking for an unforgettable way to celebrate that special occasion? Well, the (1)__ of options open today‘s youngster – or even ― oldster‖ for that matter, is a far cry from the traditional party or restaurant visit. No longer is it (2)__sufficient to invite your friends round, buy some food and get a barker to produce a cake. No, today‘s birthday boy or girl is looking for something out of the ordinary, ranging from the (3)__ expensive to the downright dangerous. Anything goes, as long as it is unusual and impressive. Top of this year ‗s popular (4)__are as follows: taking some friends rally driving, helicopter lessons, plane trip and parachuting, and hot air ballooning . Then there is always group bungee jumping or taking your buddies on a stomach – churning, while water rafting (5)__down rapids. The desire of adventurous celebration is not restricted to the (6)__. I recently met an octogenarian who celebrated (7)__the milestone of eighty by having a fly lesson. Of course, if you have money the world is your oyster. A very rich relation of mine flew fifty of his friends to a Caribbean islandto mark the passing of his half century. Unfortunately I was only a (8)__relation. Undoubtedly, the more traditional forms of celebration do continue to (9)__the less extravagant or less adventurous among us. However, with my own half century looming on the horizon I would not say no to a weekend in Paris and a meal at the Eiffel Tower. I can (10)__dream. Perhaps by the time I‘m eighty I‘ll be able to afford it.

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A recent issue of a language learning magazine has consulted a number of experts in the (1)________ of second language acquisition. Their advice may prove invaluable for those (2)______ a language course. One suggestion is that you (3)______whether you are likely to be successful at learning a language or not. Did you enjoy studying languages at school, for example? Do you have enough time to learn a language? The main (4)______will be your own time and effort. Therefore you must make sure that the course on offer leads to a (5)______qualification. Also, be realistic in your (6)______. If you don't set achievable aims you are more likely to give up. Do not be deceived (7)______thinking that the most expensive courses are the best. (8)______around to get the best possible value for money. You should also bear in mind that the quicker you learn a language the more quickly you forget it. Sandra Miller, a French teacher, tried to teach herself German by enrolling on a (9)______ course. Already fluent in four languages and with a sound knowledge of teaching methodology her chances of (10)______progress were high. Three years on she remembers very little. She feels her biggest mistake was not to build on her previous studies. "I should have consolidated what I'd learnt by continuing to study, even if it were by myself."

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
Insects’ lives are very short and they have many enemies, but they must survive long enough to breed and perpetuate their kind. The less insect-like they look, the better their chance of survival. To look "inedible" by resembling or imitating plants is a deception widely practiced by insects. Mammals rarely use this type of camouflage, but many fish and invertebrates do.
The stick caterpillar is well named. It is hardly distinguishable from a brown or green twig. This caterpillar is quite common and can be found almost anywhere in North America. It is also called "measuring worm" or "inchworm." It walks by arching its body, then stretching out and grasping the branch with its front feet then looping its body again to bring the hind feet forward. When danger threatens, the stick caterpillar stretches its body away from the branch at an angle and remains rigid and still, like a twig, until the danger has passed.
Walking sticks, or stick insects, do not have to assume a rigid, twig-like pose to find protection; they look like inedible twigs in any position. There are many kinds of walking sticks, ranging in size from the few inches of the North American variety to some tropical species that may be over a foot long. When at rest their front legs are stretched out, heightening their camouflage. Some of the tropical species are adorned with spines or ridges, imitating the thorny bushes or trees in which they live.
Leaves also seem to be a favorite object for insects to imitate. Many butterflies can suddenly disappear from view by folding their wings and sitting quietly among the foliage that they resemble.

In which paragraph does the author describe the way in which stick caterpillars move?