Choose the best answer: 
In the western customs (1) _____ hands is the customary form of greeting, but in China a nod of the head or slight bow is sufficient. Hugging and kissing when greeting are uncommon. Business cards are often (2) _____ and yours should be printed in your own language and in Chinese. Also, it is more respectful to present your card or a gift or -any other article using (3) _____ hands. The Chinese are enthusiastic applauders. You may be greeted with group clapping, even by small children. When a person is applauded in this practice it is the custom for that person to return the applause or a "thank you." (4)­­_______walking in public places, direct eye contact and staring is uncommon in the larger cities, especially in those areas accustomed to foreign visitors. (5) _____, in smaller communities, visitors may be the subject of much curiosity and therefore you may notice some stares.

1. 

Choose the best answer:
Fans are generally taken (1)______ when a famous actor or actress suddenly (2)______the profession at the height of his or her career. Greta Garbo, who made her last film when she was not yet 40, was a notable (3)______ in point.

Sportsmen and women face this decision earliest. Though they generally have evidence that their powers are in (4)______, very few have the self-awareness to get out while the going is still (5)______.

Politicians are perhaps the last to realise that the game is up. As long as they can (6)______ on to power, they refuse to accept the advice of party members, no doubt suspecting it is prompted by their colleagues' own ambitions!
3.

Choose the best answer: 
Family types vary in different countries and among different cultures. In Western, industrialized societies, the nuclear family ranks as the most common family type. It consists of a father, a mother and their children. But nuclear families exist alongside many other types of family units. In the single-parent family, for example, a mother or a father heads the family alone. A blended family is formed when a divorced or widowed parent remarries. As divorce rates have risen, the number of single-parent and blended families has increased.
In many parts of the world, parents and children live together with other family members under the same roof. These complex families usually contain several generations of family members, including grandparents, parents and children. They may also include brothers or sisters and their families, uncles, aunts and cousins. Even when relatives do not live together, they still consider themselves members of the same extended family includes grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins.

27. The nuclear family ranks as the most common family type ______.

Fill in each numbered blank with one suitable word or phrase.

Robots are already a part of our lives. Industrial robots widely used in manufacturing. Military and police organizations use robots to (1) _____ in dangerous situations. Robots can (2) _____ be found from vacuuming the floors in your home to exploring the surface of Mars.

Within a few more years a whole host of robotic adaptations will be running many aspects' of our lives. "I think in (3) _____ next thirty years, we are going to see a transformation between the industrial sorts of robots to personal robots," says Brooks from Brooks' company, IRobot, markets floor cleaning robots for homes.

"The advances in robotics make it clear that many household (4) ____ will be easily handled by a robot in the near future," says Bob Christopher, who works for a robotic technology company that is marketing a toy robot (5) _____ Pleo. "We have only one child but I could easily (6) _____ five or six robots in the home as well."

Within the next 10 years one will be able to (7) _____, to lease or purchase a domestic robot that not only does the household cleaning and prepare and serve his meals, (8) _____ also can carry him to the bathtub if he cannot walk.

Demographic changes, such as a rapidly aging population and a shrinking workforce, will drive forward the application of new (9) ___. There is going to be a real pull for increasing the productivity of working age people. So there is going to be a real push for robotics to help people. (10) _____ addition it is likely that in the near future we will see robots- taking on some of the care functions elderly, or long-term ill people.

(10)..........................

Choose the letter A, B, C or D to answer these following questions

   Contrary to popular belief, one does not have to be a trained programmer to work online. Of course, there are plenty of jobs available for people with high-tech computer skills, but the growth of new media has opened up a wide range of Internet career opportunities requiring only a minimal level of technical expertise. Probably one of the most well-known online job opportunities is the job of webmaster. However, it is hard to define one basic job description for this position. The qualifications and responsibilities depend on what tasks a particular organization needs a webmaster to perform.

   To specify the job description of a webmaster, one needs to identify the hardware and software that the website the webmaster will manage is running on. Different types of hardware and software require different skill sets to manage them. Another key factor is whether the website will be running internally (at the firm itself) or externally (renting shared space on the company servers). Finally, the responsibilities of a webmaster also depend on whether he or she will be working independently, or whether the firm will provide people to help. All of these factors need to be considered before one can create an accurate webmaster job description.

   Webmaster is one type of Internet career requiring in-depth knowledge of the latest computer applications. However, there are also online jobs available for which traditional skills remain in high demand. Content jobs require excellent writing skills and a good sense of the web as a “new media”.

   The term “new media” is difficult to define because it encompasses a constantly growing set of new technologies and skills. Specifically, it includes websites, email, Internet technology, CD-ROM, DVD, streaming audio and video, interactive multimedia presentations, e-books, digital music, computer illustration, video games, virtually reality, and computer artistry.

   Additionally, many of today’s Internet careers are becoming paid-by-the-job professions. With many companies having to downsize in tough economic items, the outsourcing and contracting of freelance workers online has become common business practice. The Internet provides an infinite pool of buyers from around the world with whom freelancers are able to work on projects with companies outside their own country of residence.

   How much can a person make in these kinds of career? As with many questions related to today’s evolving technology, there is no simple answer. There are many companies willing to pay people with technical Internet skills salaries well above $70,000 a year. Generally, webmasters start at about $30,000 per year, but salaries can vary greatly. Freelance writers working online have been known to make between $40,000 and $70,000 per year.

What is the purpose of the passage?

Choose the correct answer to complete the following passage by writing the corresponding letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet.
Of the myriad of Japanese ceremonies introduced to the West, the Japanese tea ceremony would have to be the least accessible. (1)__________ many other aspects of Japanese culture, the practice of drinking tea was (2) __________ from China well over a thousand years ago. In Japan, green tea developed its own character, and the Japanese tea ceremony has evolved (3) __________ a peculiarly Japanese phenomenon.

The modern tea ceremony can be (4) __________back to the 17th century when it developed alongside another singular Japanese adaption of Chinese culture: the philosophy of Zen. The tea ceremony eventually became established as a recognized form of high art, where it was practiced in (5) __________ locations, from a Zen temple to an ordinary home. Even today, the simplest and most secular tea ceremony still embraces the Zen aesthetics of (6) __________, austerity and devotion. During the ceremony strictly prescribed words of invitation and gratitude are murmured quietly; tea maker and guests (7) __________ their roles with humility and respect. A brief moment of (8) __________ tranquility has been communally created and shared. It is simultaneously an aesthetic, social and spiritual moment. Significantly it is a Japanese moment, fleeting and poignant with its own peacefulness (9) __________ the noise and confusion of the everyday world is temporarily suspended as a vague, indefinable (10) __________ of the eternal pervades.

2.

Choose the correct answer to complete the following passage by writing the corresponding letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet.
Of the myriad of Japanese ceremonies introduced to the West, the Japanese tea ceremony would have to be the least accessible. (1)__________ many other aspects of Japanese culture, the practice of drinking tea was (2) __________ from China well over a thousand years ago. In Japan, green tea developed its own character, and the Japanese tea ceremony has evolved (3) __________ a peculiarly Japanese phenomenon.

The modern tea ceremony can be (4) ____traced______back to the 17th century when it developed alongside another singular Japanese adaption of Chinese culture: the philosophy of Zen. The tea ceremony eventually became established as a recognized form of high art, where it was practiced in (5) __________ locations, from a Zen temple to an ordinary home. Even today, the simplest and most secular tea ceremony still embraces the Zen aesthetics of (6) __________, austerity and devotion. During the ceremony strictly prescribed words of invitation and gratitude are murmured quietly; tea maker and guests (7) __________ their roles with humility and respect. A brief moment of (8) __________ tranquility has been communally created and shared. It is simultaneously an aesthetic, social and spiritual moment. Significantly it is a Japanese moment, fleeting and poignant with its own peacefulness (9) __________ the noise and confusion of the everyday world is temporarily suspended as a vague, indefinable (10) __________ of the eternal pervades.

7.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
It is a well-known fact that Japanese people have a longer life expectancy than the population of most other countries. A (1)..................report shows that the Japanese also expect to remain healthier for longer. Scientists are trying to work out what keeps elderly Japanese people so healthy, and whether there is a lesson to be learnt from their lifestyles. Should we (2).........any changes to our eating habits, for instance, or go jogging each day before breakfast? Is there some secret (3)........ in the Japanese diet that is particularly beneficial for the human body? Although the prospect of a longer , healthier life is a good thing for the individual, it can actually create a social problem. The number of people over the age of 65 in the population has doubled in the last 50 years and that has increased pension and medical costs. Japan could soon be (4)........... an economic problem: there are more elderly people who need to be looked after. And relatively fewer younger people working and paying taxes to support them. One solution could be to (5)............ retirement age from 65 to 70 . After all, the elderly have a great deal to contribute. If they continue to be active in society, younger generations will have the chance to learns more from their wisdom and experience.
(3).............................

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
When you first apply for a job, you (1)..... not succeed in getting it. It’s always a good (2).... to ask them to explain to you what prevent you from beating the other candidates. Don’t complain about the situation, but ask them to advise you (3)........ what you can do better next time. Perhaps the interviewer disapproved of or disagree with something you said. Perhaps they just glanced at your application and saw something that made it easy to choose between you and another candidate. Don’t regard it as a failure, but recognize it as a chance to  learn more. (4)........ you don’t worry too much about it and continue to believe in yourself, you’ll eventually find the chance you’ve been waiting for. Then, your family and friends will be able to (5)........... you on your success
(2).......................

Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer A, B, C or D

Diwali is a main Hindu festival. It is known as the “Festival of Lights”. It makes the victory of good over evil. In other words, lights are symbols of victory of brightness over darkness. People in India turn on lamps in every house and watch firecrackers in the night sky. These lights are a way showing honor to the gods of India for giving the people health, knowledge, riches and peace.

On the day of Diwali, children get up at 3:00 a.m and take a bath. They dress up in festival clothes, light up the candles and share sweets. There is competition among the children to light the first firecracker and to make the loudest noise. Soon, the whole sky is bright. Children seem to have the most fun during this festival.

The author’s main purpose in paragraph 1 is _______.

Choose the best answer: 
Family types vary in different countries and among different cultures. In Western, industrialized societies, the nuclear family ranks as the most common family type. It consists of a father, a mother and their children. But nuclear families exist alongside many other types of family units. In the single-parent family, for example, a mother or a father heads the family alone. A blended family is formed when a divorced or widowed parent remarries. As divorce rates have risen, the number of single-parent and blended families has increased.
In many parts of the world, parents and children live together with other family members under the same roof. These complex families usually contain several generations of family members, including grandparents, parents and children. They may also include brothers or sisters and their families, uncles, aunts and cousins. Even when relatives do not live together, they still consider themselves members of the same extended family includes grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins.

28. In the single-parent family, ________.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
Keeping fit and healthy may seem difficult, but there are a few easy-to-follow guidelines. Firstly, a balanced diet is absolutely essential. This (1)....... selecting food that is low in salt and sugar. Experts recommend reducing the amount of fat in your diet, as too much can lead to heart problems. They also suggest increasing the (2)......of high fiber food we eat. This comes in the form of fresh fruit, vegetables, whole meal bread and pasta. As well as being packed with vitamins and minerals, they are delicious too. Secondly, it’s important to fit exercise into your daily(3) ..... _This can be done by simply walking as much as possible and climbing stairs instead of taking the lift. Exercise is necessary to maintain a healthy body, as well as increasing energy levels and (4) ...... you feel generally fitter and happier. Finally, staying relaxed is important for good health. Too much stress can lead to a variety of illnesses, from headaches to high blood pressure. (5) ......... possible, do things you enjoy and treat yourself occasionally. So the message is simple- enjoy yourself but learn to respect your body too. It’s all a question of getting the balance right.
(3)..........................

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
Without transportation, our modern society could not (23).......... We would have no metal, no coal and no oil nor would we have any (24)....... made from these materials.
(25)....... , we would have to spend most of our time raising food and food would be limited to the kinds that could grow in the climate and soil of our neighborhood.
Transportation also affects our lives in other ways. Transportation can speed a doctor to the side of a sick person, even if the patients’ lives on an isolated farm. It can take police to the scene of a crime within a moment of being noticed. Transportation (26)......._ teams of athletes to compete in national and international sports contests. In time of (27).............. transportation can rush aid to persons in areas stricken by floods, families and earthquakes.
(23).......................

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
Do you ever wish you were more optimistic, some one who always (36)....... to be successful? Having some one around who always fears the worst isn’t really a lot of (37)........we all know someone who sees a single cloud on a sunny day and says: “It looks like rain.” But if you catch yourself thinking such things, it’s important to do something (38) ..........it. You can change your view of life, (39)....... to psychologists, it only takes a little effort, and you’ll find life more rewarding as a (40).......... Optimism, they say, is partly about self-respect and confidence, but it’s also a more positive way of looking at life and all it has to offer . Optimists are more (41).... to start new projects and generally more prepared to take risks.
Upbringing  is obviously very important in forming your (42).... to the world. Some people are brought up to (43)..... too much on others and grow up forever blaming other people when anything goes wrong. Most optimists, on the (44).......... hand, have been brought up not to regard failure as the end of the world-they just (45)......... with their lives
(45)...........................

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions:
With Robert Laurent and William Zorach, direct carving enters into the story of modern sculpture in the United States. Direct carving - in which the sculptors themselves carve stone or wood with mallet and chisel - must be recognized as something more than just a technique. Implicit in it is an aesthetic principle as well: that the medium has certain qualities of beauty and expressiveness with which sculptors must bring their own aesthetic sensibilities into harmony. For example, sometimes the shape or veining in a piece of stone or wood suggests, perhaps even dictates, not only the ultimate form, but even the subject matter.
The technique of direct carving was a break with the nineteenth-century tradition in which the making of a clay model was considered the creative act and the work was then turned over to studio assistants to be cast in plaster or bronze or carved in marble. Neoclassical sculptors seldom held a mallet or chisel in their own hands, readily conceding that the assistants they employed were far better than they were at carving.
With the turn-of-the-century Crafts movement and the discovery of nontraditional sources of inspiration, such as wooden African figures and masks, there arose a new urge for hands-on, personal execution of art and an interaction with the medium. Even as early as the 1880's and 1890's, nonconformist European artists were attempting direct carving. By the second decade of the twentieth century, Americans - Laurent and Zorach most notably - had adopted it as their primary means of working.
Born in France, Robert Laurent (1890-1970) was a prodigy who received his education in the United States. In 1905 he was sent to Paris as an apprentice to an art dealer, and in the years that followed he witnessed the birth of Cubism, discovered primitive art, and learned the techniques of woodcarving from a frame maker.
Back in New York City by 1910, Laurent began carving pieces such as The Priestess, which reveals his fascination with African, pre-Columbian, and South Pacific art. Taking a walnut plank, the sculptor carved the expressive, stylized design.
It is one of the earliest examples of direct carving in American sculpture. The plank's form dictated the rigidly frontal view and the low relief. Even its irregular shape must have appealed to Laurent as a break with a long-standing tradition that required a sculptor to work within a perfect rectangle or square.

The word “dictates” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ..........

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.
A large number of inventions require years of arduous research and development before they are perfected. For instance, Thomas Edison had to make more than 1,000 attempts to invent the incandescentlight bulb before he finally succeeded. History is replete with numerous other examples of people trying, yet failing to make inventions before they eventually succeede d. Yet some inventions have come about not through hard work but simply by accident.
In most cases, when someone unintentionally invented something, the inventor was attempting to create something else. For example, in the 1930s, chemist Roy Plunkett was attempting to make a new substance that could be used to refrigerate items. He mixed some chemicals together. Then, he put them into a pressurized container and cooled the mixture. By the time his experiment was completed, he had a new invention. It was not a new substance that could be used for refrigeration though. Instead, he had invented Teflon, which is today most commonly used to make nonstick pots and pans. Similarly, decades earlier, John Pemberton was a pharmacist in Atlanta, Georgia .He was attempting to create a tonic that people could use whenever they had headaches. While he was not successful in that endeavor, he managed to invent Coca - Cola, the world – famous carbonated soft drink.
Scientists have also made crucial discoveries by accident when they were conducting experiments. In 1928, Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, an antibiotic, in this manner. He discovered some mold growing in a dish with some bacteria. He noticed that the bacteria seemed to be avoiding the mold. When he investigated further, he determined some of the many useful properties of penicillin, which has saved millions of lives over the past few decades. Likewise, in 1946, scientist Percy Spencer was conducting an experiment with microwaves. He had a candy bar in his pocket, and he noticed that it suddenly melted. He investigated and learned the reason why that had happened. Soon afterward, he built a device that could utilize microwaves to heat food: the microwave oven.

The author uses Alexander Fleming as an example of  ..........

Fill in each numbered blank with one suitable word or phrase.

Robots are already a part of our lives. Industrial robots widely used in manufacturing. Military and police organizations use robots to (1) _____ in dangerous situations. Robots can (2) _____ be found from vacuuming the floors in your home to exploring the surface of Mars.

Within a few more years a whole host of robotic adaptations will be running many aspects' of our lives. "I think in (3) _____ next thirty years, we are going to see a transformation between the industrial sorts of robots to personal robots," says Brooks from Brooks' company, IRobot, markets floor cleaning robots for homes.

"The advances in robotics make it clear that many household (4) ____ will be easily handled by a robot in the near future," says Bob Christopher, who works for a robotic technology company that is marketing a toy robot (5) _____ Pleo. "We have only one child but I could easily (6) _____ five or six robots in the home as well."

Within the next 10 years one will be able to (7) _____, to lease or purchase a domestic robot that not only does the household cleaning and prepare and serve his meals, (8) _____ also can carry him to the bathtub if he cannot walk.

Demographic changes, such as a rapidly aging population and a shrinking workforce, will drive forward the application of new (9) ___. There is going to be a real pull for increasing the productivity of working age people. So there is going to be a real push for robotics to help people. (10) _____ addition it is likely that in the near future we will see robots- taking on some of the care functions elderly, or long-term ill people.

(1).................................

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

   Dodder is an unusual and unwanted plant that attacks other plants. Except for its flowers, the plant looks like spaghetti noodles. Its almost leafless, thread–like stems hang down atop other plants that dodder needs to stay alive. Dodder does not produce its own food. Instead, it steals it from other plants. It feeds by sucking juices from the plant it is wrapped around, often making its host very weak or even killing it. Dodder can find other plants by their smell. When a dodder seedling starts growing, it follows the scent of plants it prefers, like tomato plants, potato plants, or other farm crops.

   Unlike most plants that usually grow in the direction of light or warmth, a dodder plant will grow in the direction of, for example, tomato odor––if a tomato happens to be growing nearby.

   However, a young dodder plant must find a host plant quickly. If it cannot catch a whiff of a potential host within a few days, it will dry up and disappear—even if there is plenty of water around. Once it finds a host, the young dodder plant will attach itself to it and start growing faster. At that point, the dodder plant will drop its root.

   Dodder is thus a difficult weed to manage and a real headache for farmers. When it does get out of hand, dodder can greatly reduce a farmer’s harvest or even destroy crops completely. Before sowing their produce, farmers in warm parts of the world often check to make sure no unwanted dodder seeds have intermingled with their crop seeds. This is a good way to stop dodder plants from sneaking their way into a crop field.

The word it refers to___________.

Choose the word or phrase among A, B, C or D that best fits the blank space in the following passage.

No matter who we are or where we are from, we only have 24 hours each day to get things done. Some people seem to make the most (1) ____ their time, using it to achieve their goals and dreams. Others feel that life is passing them by and they aren't (2) ____ anything. If you are in the latter group, it is not too late to turn things around. By implementing a few simple hacks, you can start getting better results very quickly.

If you want to become more productive, it pays to learn about the Pareto (3) ____ (which is also known as the 80-20 rule). It states that for most tasks, 80 percent of the results we get come from 20 percent of the work we do. For example, 80 percent of the company sales usually come from 20 percent of customers. Therefore, the trick is to focus your (4) ____ on the key 20 percent of actions that truly matter to greatly improve your results.

In some cases, people may be busy from morning to night but still seem to get nothing done. In this (5) ____, the problem might be that clear goals haven't been set. To fix this, set some time aside to list the things you want to achieve in life. Then, select the top three or four that you want to focus on for the next year. Look at your goals every night before bedtime and ask yourself what are the next (6) ____ to accomplish each day. Then, promise yourself that you will finish these tasks no matter how busy you get. If possible try completing the tasks first thing in the morning so you are (7) ____ of success.

Another common mistake regarding productivity is not considering our (8) ____ levels. If we try to work around the clock, we will eventually get tired and quit. Everyone needs time to sleep, eat, (9) ____ with friends, and unwind from the stress of the day. To make sure you don't burn out, be sure to schedule some time for breaks and fun activities into your (10) ____ every day. Finally, no matter how difficult your goals may seem, remember the old saying that "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step".

(1) ______

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
Students and jobseekers are keen to get onto the course or into the workplace of their choice hope that voluntary work will help them stand out from the crowd. This chance to (1)........ experience-personally and professionally-is high on the wish list of young people. A survey carried out last year revealed that young and old alike said volunteering had improved their lives, particularly those (2)........in conservation or heritage work. Businesses recognize its importance and get to raise their profile in the community, while staff get a break from their daily routine to develop “soft skill”, (3)......initiative and decision-making. One volunteering organization is conduct another survey to find out if volunteering does make a difference in the workplace, or if it is something businesses do simply to improve their (4)....... Not only are business-sponsored placements becoming more common, the government is also investing money and aiming to (5)..... volunteers. The push is clear to make volunteering as attractive as possible to everyone. And the more people who participate, the more act fulfils its direction of making the world a better place.
(3).............................

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
The future of the African elephant depends on man. No (1)..... can human beings and wild animals live in harmony throughout vast area of the continent as was possible in days gone by, for man’s needs have increased as well as his numbers. There are regions, such as the Congo forests and the equatorial Sudan, (2)............ the old relationship may remain for a few more years or even generations, but in general it has gone. Conservation, if it is to be effective, should be a positive, constructive policy, and it is wishful thinking to imagine otherwise, (3).... in the case of the elephant. And this is not yet true of the whole of Africa, it soon will be, for the increase in the human population is almost universal. Where human beings and wild animals find themselves in competition with each other, the animals will (4)....... Even if there appears to be enough room for both, man will not tolerate long a situation in which elephants and other (5).............. make even occasional raids on his fields of food or economic crops. For many years this has been a major cause of conflicting interests and one of the reasons why so many elephants have been shot to control their numbers.
(5)............................