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Planet earth is part of a system of planets and their moons, as well as numerous asteroids and comets which (26)_________around a huge star we call the Sun. The Sun itself (27)_________of gas. Nuclear reactions inside its core (28)_______the heat and light that make life on the Earth (29)________. The Earth is the third of four small terrestrial (Earth like) planets that orbit close to the (30)_________. Further out in our Solar System are four huge gas planets, while distant Pluto, (31)_________planet, is made (32)_________rock and ice. Our Earth is one of the ten planets that orbit the Sun- a huge, burning-hot star in the center of our Solar System. The Solar System and all the stars in the (33)_________are part of our galaxy-the Milky Way, which (34)________as many as 200 billions stars. Beyond our galaxy (35)_________millions more galaxies. They all add together to make up the Universe

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On December 10, 2006, I was going through some hard time. The landlady did not want to release the house any more so I had to (1) _____ and only had one month to find a place. Because Christmas was coming and it was difficult for me to (2) _____ a suitable accommodation. I had only some money (3) _____. I could not buy a Christmas tree and some presents for my three boys, (4) _____ I had to use the money to find a place to live. Tome, it broke my heart as I could not prepare the Christmas for my three boys. I have been their only parent since my husband (5) _____ away two years ago. I was so sad and everything was getting on my nerves. Although I managed to solve the problem myself I could not help (6) _____ my sons about the things. When I suddenly woke up at midnight, I found my eldest son was sitting (7) _____me. He kissed me and said, "Don't worry, Mum. We love you very much and always stand by you (8) ____ happens." At the moment I started weeping, grabbed him and kissed him. His words and love made me (9) _____ all about what I was stressing about. In fact ever since that moment, I have realized that I can overcome any problems thanks to my sons' love. The most important thing of my life is that my boys are safe and healthy, and they bring me joy all the time. The memory (10) _____ me that nothing really matters, when I have the love of my children

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According to a leading business consultancy, 3–14% of the global workforce will need to switch to a different occupation within the next 10-15 years, and all workers will need to adapt as their occupations (26) _______ alongside increasingly capable machines. Dr Stella Pachidi from Cambridge Judge Business School believes that some of the most fundamental changes are happening as a result of the 'algorithmication' of jobs (27) _______ are dependent on data rather than on production - the so-called knowledge economy. Algorithms are capable of learning from data to (28) _______ tasks that previously needed human judgement, such as reading legal contracts, analysing medical scans and gathering market intelligence. 'In (29) _______ cases, they can outperform humans,' says Pachidi. '(30) _______ these enhancements are not without consequences,' says Pachidi. 'If routine cognitive tasks are taken over by AI, how do professions develop their future experts?' she asks. 'One way of learning about a job is “legitimate peripheral participation” - a novice stands next to experts and learns by observation. If this isn't happening, then you need to find new ways to learn.

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For athletes who like to (31) _________ a variety of endurance sports in a single race, triathlons are a great fit. These competitions (32) _________ running, cycling, and swimming into one race, and they take place one after the other in a single continuous timed race. Athletes who participate must be in top physical form and have the skills needed to complete each portion of the race. Training for triathlons means the athletes have to become proficient not only in the sport required in each stage, but they also have to become familiar with what (33) _________ from one to the other does to their bodies. Many inexperienced triathletes are surprised to (34) _________ hard it can be to switch from swimming to cycling to running, and how tired their muscles can suddenly feel. One thing all triathletes can agree (35) _________ is that no one ever told them that running a triathlon would be easy

Read the reading below carefully, and then complete it with the best option A, B, C or D given below:
Dear Sir or Madam, I am sending you this letter of (1) ____, together with my CV, in view of the possibility of obtaining a job inside your company. (2) ____ very well aware of the fact that you will choose the best, I would be honoured (3) ____ myself among them in order to occupy an intermediary position between your company and your clients. Considering that my experience and my education are appropriate (4) ____ the job you could be offering and for the competence of your company, I decided to (5) ____ my CV to your attention. I have a very high interest in becoming a competent person in a (6) ____ company (7) ____ experience, motivation and ambition will be proven to be the strongest points for the best interest of the company and for my future experience. You will find details (8) ____ my education, my (9) ____ experience and my skills in the attached CV. I would be very glad with the opportunity of an interview, (10) ____ you consider it necessary and useful, in order to analyze the possibility of me being a part of the team. For any explanations that will be necessary please do not hesitate to contact me at the following number: 0723.456.789 Yours faithfully, George Airinei!

Choose the best answer:
An A level is an Advanced level GCE qualification. This exam is (1) ____ taken after two years of A level study, following the O level/IGCSE exams. Students can take any number of A level exams; in the UK, most college students take three or four A level exams for their final two years of study. The (2) ____ of A levels to be taken will often depend on the qualifications that the university (3) ____ requires. A level results can open doors to (4) ____ studies at some of the best higher educational institutions in the world, and to a (5) ____ range of professional and vocational courses that can help build skills for an exciting and (6) ____ career. In many countries round the world, some schools follow the GCE syllabus to prepare their pupils for taking A level exams. Students at these schools should enquire at their school about how they can register and sit (7) ____ the exams. Students who do not (8) ____ a school that follows the GCE syllabus can still take A level exams and can register as a private individual with the British Council.  In order to register for an A level exam one will need to (9) ____ an entry form which will become available at the British Council offices. Forms usually become (10) ____ for January examinations in early August of the preceding year. For May/June examinations, they are available in early December of the preceding year

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Stephen Hawking was 21 years old and just embarking upon his career as a researcher in cosmology at the University of Cambridge when his father noticed he was tripping and falling frequently. After a series of tests, Hawking was (26) _______ with 50 ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) and doctors estimated he had two and a half years left to live. The news was, of course, devastating, but Hawking avoided an emotional (27) _______ by taking new interest in his studies and his research. His disease continued to progress, (28) _______, and by the mid-1970s he needed more care and his speech was so slurred only his family could understand him. In 1985, Hawking came down with pneumonia and needed a tracheotomy, (29) _______ left him without the ability to speak at 60 all. He did make a full recovery, however, allowing him to finish writing A Brief History of Time, which sold 10 million copies around the world. Although it would be easy to dwell on what ALS has cost him, Hawking has chosen to focus on (30) _______ that he still has in life. His brilliant mind remains unaffected by the disease and as a result Hawking has 65 made significant breakthroughs in his field and has received twelve honorary degrees, as well as multiple awards, medals and prizes

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Hi! I’m Susan and I’ve decided to start this blog to document my Life in Lockdown. We’ve been in Lockdown now for a week in the UK. That means we have to stay at home almost all the time. We’re allowed out once a day to exercise and we can go to the supermarket to buy essentials. You have to try and stay two meters away from other people when you go out. I’m starting to get used to the situation now but it still feels like a dream sometimes. It’s pretty surreal when I look outside and there’s no one around. My mum is a nurse, so she is classed as a key worker and is still going to work every day. The company where my dad works has had to close its stores and furlough all of their employees - that means my dad is still employed but he is not allowed to go to work until his company say he can return. I went to school before and I was studying for exams, so my life has changed quite a lot. I found the situation a bit overwhelming at first. The hardest part has been social distancing. I really miss seeing my friends in person but we chat every day online. I also have to study a lot by myself now and I find that really challenging. My little brother sometimes distracts me when I’m trying to study because he always wants to play. However, one of the positives of the lockdown has been spending more time with my family. I try to stick to a routine each day that also includes time for exercise, some online socializing and something fun or creative like playing a board game with my family. This is helping me make the best of it! I’d love to know what you are doing to stay positive during the lockdown. Let me know in the comments!
5. The word “surreal” in the paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _______.

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It is natural for young people to be critical of their parents at times and to blame them for most of the misunderstandings between them. They have always complained, more or less justly, that their parents are old-fashioned, possessive and dominant; that they do not trust their children to deal with obstacles; that they talk too much about certain problems and that they have no sense of humor, at least in parent-child relationships. I think it is true that parents often underestimate their teenage children and also forget how they themselves felt when young.  Young people often irritate their parents with their choices in clothes and hairstyles, in entertainers and music. This is not their motive. They feel cut off from the adult world into which they have not yet been accepted. So they create a culture and society of their own. Then, if it turns out that their music or entertainers or vocabulary or clothes or hairstyles irritate their parents, this gives them additional enjoyment. They feel they are superior, at least in a small way, and that they are leaders in style and taste.  Sometimes you are resistant and proud because you do not want your parents to approve of what you do. If they did approve, it looks as if you are betraying your own age group. But in that case, you are assuming that you are the underdog: you can you can keep your honor. This is a passive way of looking at things. It is natural enough after long years of childhood, when you were completely under your parents' control. But it ignores the fact that you are now beginning to be responsible for yourself.  If you plan to control your life, co-operation can be part of that plan. You can charm others, especially parents, into doing things the ways you want. You can impress others with your sense of responsibility and initiative, so that they will give you the authority to do what you want to do. 
5. To improve parent-child relationships, teenagers are advised to be ____

Read the reading below carefully, and then complete it with the best option A, B, C or D given below:
There are many Chinese festivals in Hong Kong. The Western New Year starts on the first day of January but the Chinese begin New Year on the first day of the first moon of the Chinese calendar. Before New Year's Day comes, people clean and decorate their houses, (1)_____ a lot of traditional food and go shopping for presents and new clothes. New Year’s Eve is the time (2) _____every family gathers its members together for dinner. People (3)____ the New Year with a music performance and a firework display to light up the sky. On New Year's Day, they visit their friends and relatives. The children get lucky money in red envelopes. Many people go to the (4)____ to wish for good health and good luck. Chinese people in Hong Kong celebrate the New Year with (5) _____ and happiness

Choose the best answer:
Learning to manage your time involves using a variety of life skills together. First of all, you need to know yourself. Only you know (1) ____ you are a morning or an evening person, for example. Understanding when you are (2) ____ your best can help you decide when to do certain things you have to do - like studying. Then, you need to prioritise and decide which things are the most (and least) important. After that, you need to get organised and start planning a schedule, (3) ____ could include when to study, as well as when to relax. It is important to be (4) ____ when you are trying to manage your time. You need to factor in time to sleep, (5) ____, and this should be based on your normal sleep patterns there is no (6) ____ in planning to study at six in the morning if you have never managed to get out of bed before eight. Many people forget to include socialising, but this is a mistake because it is unhealthy to avoid seeing people, just as it is a mistake to (7) ____ all your time socialising while your list of things to do grows longer and longer.  On the subject of lists, it is important to remember that these may have to change. You need to plan for the unexpected - a visit from a friend, for example - and this means that you may have to (8) ____ your to-do list, perhaps (9) ____ something that is less important. Flexibility is the key here, (10) ____ you risk becoming extremely disorganised. It is better to have to change a plan than to lose it completely.  Finally, remember the old saying - 'If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. In the end, managing your time better will help you avoid stress, and that can only be a good thing.

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Few people have packed more into a day trip than Michael and Lillian Long from Kent who took the ferry from their home in England to Boulogne in France in 1987. On Easter Sunday this adventurous couple went for a short walk around the town. In no time they were spectacularly lost and showing all the qualities of born explorers. 'We walked and walked,' Mrs Long recalled, 'and the further we walked to try to get back, the further we walked away from Boulogne.' Unable to speak French, they felt embarrassed about asking the way, so they walked throughout the night until finally the next morning a driver gave them a lift to a small village they did not recognise. Here they caught a train to the wrong destination - Paris. In the French capital they spent all their remaining money on catching what they thought was the express train back to Boulogne. After an enjoyable trip they arrived in Luxembourg on Monday. Two hours later police put them on the train back to Paris, but it divided and their half ended up in Basel, an attractive medieval town in the north of Switzerland. Having no money, they tried to find work, but without success. The railway company offered them a free ticket to Belfort, thinking that this was where they had come from. Once they got off the train, our heroes hiked forty-two miles to Vesoul, hitched a lift to Paris and then nearly boarded the train to Bonn in Germany. Diverted just in time to the right platform, they finally reached Boulogne a week after they had set out on their walk. They had covered a distance of almost 1,700 km without luggage, maps or any idea of where they were. When he arrived at Dover harbour, Mr Long said it was the first time they had travelled abroad and that they would not be leaving England again.
2. The word “qualities” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _______ 

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Life span usually is measured in units of time. Although this may seem eminently logical, certain difficulties may arise. In cold blooded animals in general, the rate of metabolism that determines the various life processes varies with the temperatures to which they are exposed. If aging depends on the expenditure of a fixed amount of vital energy, an idea first proposed in 1908, life span will vary tremendously depending on temperature or other external variables that influence life span. There is considerable evidence attesting at least to the partial cogency of this argument. So long as a certain range is not exceeded, cold blooded invertebrates do live longer at low than at high temperalures. Rats in the laboratory live longest on a somewhat restricted diet that does not permit maximum metabolic rate. Of perhaps even greater significance is the fact that many animals undergo dormant periods. Many small mammals hibernate; a number of arthropods have life cycles that include periods during which development is arrested. Under both conditions the metabolic rate becomes very low. It is questionable whether such periods should be included in computing the life span of a particular organism. Comparisons between species, some of which have such inactive periods while others do not, are dangerous. It is possible that life span could be measured more adequately by total metabolism; however, the data that are necessary for this purpose are almost entirely lacking.  Length of life is controlled by a multitude of factors, which collectively may be termed environment, operating on a genetic system that determines how the individual will respond. It is impossible to list all the environmental factors that may lead to death. For analytical purposes it is, however, useful to make certain formal separations. Every animal is exposed to (1) a pattern of numerous events, each with a certain probability of killing the individual at any moment and, in the aggregate, causing a total probability of death or survival; (2) climatic and other changes in the habitat, modifying the frequency with which the various potentially fatal events occur; and (3) progressive systemic change, inasmuch as growth, reproduction, development, and senescence are characteristics intrinsic in the organism and capable of modifying the effects of various environmental factors. 
2. The word "they" in the passage refers to ____

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Thailand's most celebrated festival is the Songkran Festival. It starts on April 13 and lasts between three to ten days, depending on where you are in Thailand. The word Songkran is from Sanskrit, meaning the beginning of a new solar year.  The festival begins on April 13 and everyone is awakened at dawn to the sound of firecrackers used to drive away evil spirits. This is the day when everything is scrupulously cleaned from the self, clothes, Buddha images, to houses, shops and streets in preparation for the New Year.  April 14 is the day between the old year and the new year. It is customary not to quarrel or use harsh words on one another. The morning is spent shopping and preparing food for the following day, while the afternoon is reserved for visiting a temple in the neighborhood. It is imperative that they carry a fistful of sand with them to compensate for the dirt that they have carried away from the temple during their visits throughout the year. The sand is then sculpted into stupa-shaped piles.  April 15 marks the New Year's Day called Wan Phya Wan. It is a day of great importance. It is customary to visit the temple early in the morning to take food to the monks, as a form of merit making and later in the afternoon to return to place small banners, known as Thung, on the top of the stupas built the day before.  After that, visits to family and relatives are carried out. The gifts during the visit include areca nuts, clove leaves, turmeric water and acacia oil. Family members ask for forgiveness from their respected elders for any wrong doings they may have committed throughout the year and to receive their blessings for the year to come. At the end of this ceremony, a little water is sprinkled onto the hands and heads of the old people as a blessing and then quite a lot is thrown at the rest of the family in anticipation of the water wars that are to follow.  Traditionally water should be thrown on April 16 but nowadays it is not unusual for water to be thrown throughout the whole of the Songkran festival. Armed with high-powered water pistols, bowls, buckets or anything that will hold water revelers gather on the streets to throw water at one another. Even the policemen directing traffic are not spared. Each and every participant is expected to receive the 'blessing' with good humor.  If you want to stay dry and still do not want to miss the fun, you can always view the scene from inside an air-conditioned tourist bus - just remember not to open the windows.  To attract tourists, other activities are held in big cities. These include the sand-stupa building contests, local cultural performances and Miss Songkran Beauty Queen Contests. Demonstrations of Thai cooking and handicraft making are also held at well-known hotels in cities like Bangkok
8. The word "they" in the passage refers to ____

Choose the best answer:
Thailand's most celebrated festival is the Songkran Festival. It starts on April 13 and lasts between three to ten days, depending on where you are in Thailand. The word Songkran is from Sanskrit, meaning the beginning of a new solar year.  The festival begins on April 13 and everyone is awakened at dawn to the sound of firecrackers used to drive away evil spirits. This is the day when everything is scrupulously cleaned from the self, clothes, Buddha images, to houses, shops and streets in preparation for the New Year.  April 14 is the day between the old year and the new year. It is customary not to quarrel or use harsh words on one another. The morning is spent shopping and preparing food for the following day, while the afternoon is reserved for visiting a temple in the neighborhood. It is imperative that they carry a fistful of sand with them to compensate for the dirt that they have carried away from the temple during their visits throughout the year. The sand is then sculpted into stupa-shaped piles.  April 15 marks the New Year's Day called Wan Phya Wan. It is a day of great importance. It is customary to visit the temple early in the morning to take food to the monks, as a form of merit making and later in the afternoon to return to place small banners, known as Thung, on the top of the stupas built the day before.  After that, visits to family and relatives are carried out. The gifts during the visit include areca nuts, clove leaves, turmeric water and acacia oil. Family members ask for forgiveness from their respected elders for any wrong doings they may have committed throughout the year and to receive their blessings for the year to come. At the end of this ceremony, a little water is sprinkled onto the hands and heads of the old people as a blessing and then quite a lot is thrown at the rest of the family in anticipation of the water wars that are to follow.  Traditionally water should be thrown on April 16 but nowadays it is not unusual for water to be thrown throughout the whole of the Songkran festival. Armed with high-powered water pistols, bowls, buckets or anything that will hold water revelers gather on the streets to throw water at one another. Even the policemen directing traffic are not spared. Each and every participant is expected to receive the 'blessing' with good humor.  If you want to stay dry and still do not want to miss the fun, you can always view the scene from inside an air-conditioned tourist bus - just remember not to open the windows.  To attract tourists, other activities are held in big cities. These include the sand-stupa building contests, local cultural performances and Miss Songkran Beauty Queen Contests. Demonstrations of Thai cooking and handicraft making are also held at well-known hotels in cities like Bangkok
6. According to the passage, when do people bring food to the monks at the temple?

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An A level is an Advanced level GCE qualification. This exam is (1) ____ taken after two years of A level study, following the O level/IGCSE exams. Students can take any number of A level exams; in the UK, most college students take three or four A level exams for their final two years of study. The (2) ____ of A levels to be taken will often depend on the qualifications that the university (3) ____ requires. A level results can open doors to (4) ____ studies at some of the best higher educational institutions in the world, and to a (5) ____ range of professional and vocational courses that can help build skills for an exciting and (6) ____ career. In many countries round the world, some schools follow the GCE syllabus to prepare their pupils for taking A level exams. Students at these schools should enquire at their school about how they can register and sit (7) ____ the exams. Students who do not (8) ____ a school that follows the GCE syllabus can still take A level exams and can register as a private individual with the British Council.  In order to register for an A level exam one will need to (9) ____ an entry form which will become available at the British Council offices. Forms usually become (10) ____ for January examinations in early August of the preceding year. For May/June examinations, they are available in early December of the preceding year

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Unlike previous generations, millennials look further than job stability, competitive salaries and benefits to be committed and loyal to a company. They are driven by a sense of shared purpose, (25) _____ means they need to have a strong sense of their part in the „bigger picture’ to bring their best results to the workplace. And (26) _____ until now businesses are mostly focused on (27) _____ key consumer needs, what becomes clear when examining the global workforce trends by 2020 is that employee experience is equally important for company success . This is easily seen in a number of tech giants and industry leaders like Google, Facebook, SAP, Tumblr, Intuit, and others. These brands build their entire (28) _____ structure and organizational ethos around the experience of their employees. State-of-the-art office campuses, flexible hours and resting rooms are only some of the methods these enterprises leverage to keep their employee experience great. And more importantly, all of these are fast becoming the norm in (29) _____ to today’s workplace trends for companies that understand millennials and know that the 2020 workplace needs to be more dynamic, purpose-driven and versatile

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For athletes who like to (31) _________ a variety of endurance sports in a single race, triathlons are a great fit. These competitions (32) _________ running, cycling, and swimming into one race, and they take place one after the other in a single continuous timed race. Athletes who participate must be in top physical form and have the skills needed to complete each portion of the race. Training for triathlons means the athletes have to become proficient not only in the sport required in each stage, but they also have to become familiar with what (33) _________ from one to the other does to their bodies. Many inexperienced triathletes are surprised to (34) _________ hard it can be to switch from swimming to cycling to running, and how tired their muscles can suddenly feel. One thing all triathletes can agree (35) _________ is that no one ever told them that running a triathlon would be easy

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The word ‘grandparents’ is descriptive of the unique dual parenting role that this generation assumes. It emphasises the vital part they play in family life. With a (26) _______ of old world experience behind them, and with the unique ability to metamorphose from advisers or mediators into listeners or friends, they can offer support and stability in an ever-changing world. The underlying sense of responsibility (27) _______ goes with this is tremendous. Grandparents perform a balancing act between the needs of their adult children and those of their grandchildren. This role is varied. It is imperial at times, muted at (28) _______. It goes underground whenever required, but it is solid and absolutely dependable. Grandparents often (29) _______ the gap between parents and children. Rebellious, independent children who are trying to find their feet are almost always at loggerheads with their parents. The role of grandparents can be very important provided that they act as impartial judges and are able to convey this feeling to both parties. One important thing, which seems to be missing in the lives of children today, is a sense of family, values, beliefs and principles. This is where the grandparents step in. (30) _______, instilling beliefs and values is not as easy as it was fifty or sixty years ago

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Australians place a high value on independence and personal choice. This means that a teacher or course tutor will not tell students what to do, but will give them a number of options and suggest they work out which one is the best in their circumstances. It also means that they are expected to take action if something goes wrong and seek out resources and support for themselves. Australians are also prepared to accept a range of opinions rather than believing there is one truth. This means that in an educational setting, students will be expected to form their own opinions and defend the reasons for that point of view and the evidence for it. Australians are uncomfortable with differences in status and hence idealise the idea of treating everyone equally. An illustration of this is that most adult Australians call each other by their first names. This concern with equality means that Australians are uncomfortable taking anything too seriously and are even ready to joke about themselves. Australians believe that life should have a balance between work and leisure time. As a consequence, some students may be critical of others who they perceive as doing nothing but study. Australian notions of privacy mean that areas such as financial matters, appearance and relationships are only discussed with close friends. While people may volunteer such information, they may resent someone actually asking them unless the friendship is firmly established. Even then, it is considered very impolite to ask someone what they earn. With older people, it is also rude to ask how old they are, why they are not married or why they do not have children. It is also impolite to ask people how much they have paid for something, unless there is a very good reason for asking.
6. Which of the following is NOT true, according to the passage?

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When you wake up in the morning, do you assume that you're going to have a great day or that you're going to have a difficult day? If you normally have positive expectations, you might consider yourself an optimist, and if your expectations are usually negative, you may be a pessimist. According to research done by the Mayo Clinic, optimism can have a strong positive effect on your health. Their research shows that optimists may live longer, get colds less often, and be less likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease. Optimists may even deal with stress better than pessimists do. If you think you might be a pessimist and would like to try to be more optimistic, pay attention to what some call “self-talk.” The term “self-talk” refers to the automatic thoughts that go through your head all the time. You know-the ideas, worries, beliefs, and hopes that run through your mind as you're driving, washing dishes, folding laundry. Are those thoughts negative like, “Everyone knows so much more than I do,” or positive like, “I'm learning a lot at this job”? If your self-talk is negative, there are some things you can do to steer it in a more positive direction. First, you can simply stop your negative self-talk. Every time you catch yourself thinking something negative, you can stop yourself by actually saying, “Stop,” out loud. Alternatively, you can revise your self-talk. For example, if you catch yourself saying, “I’m terrible at giving presentations,” revise that to a question like, “How can I improve my presentation skills?” Another idea is to think of yourself as a friend. When you “hear” a negative sentence go through your mind, think about whether or not you would feel comfortable saying it to a friend. If the sentence seems too mean to say to a friend, think about what would sound better
4. The word “it” in paragraph 4 refers to ______