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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
1. According to the passage, the Songkran Festival ____

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Musicians who want to make it in the world have a lot of options, but the best one to (1)_________ them obscurity to fame might be rock ’n’ roll. Especially in the days when other forms of music are waning, rock ’n’ roll (2)__________ in the memory. Nevertheless, it is music that transcends cultures and keeps the youth of many nations invigorated.
Before rock ’n’ roll, there were many different forms of popular music. If looking at a timeline, the music of African Americans created both jazz and blues. These (3)_________ into what is known as rhythm and blues, which is often just called R&B. With the invention of the electric guitar, rock ’n’ roll came (4)_________ as musicians experimented with what they could do with the sounds this new style of instrument could make. Musicians were quick to see the possibilities that rock ’n’ roll offered. Early musicians like Chuck Berry (5)__________ the way for the likes of Elvis Presley, who would go on to become known as the King of Rock ’n’ Roll.

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Singapore is an island city of about three million people. It’s a beautiful city with lots of parks and open spaces. It’s also a very (31)______ city.             Most of the people (32)______ in high-rise flats in different parts of the island. The business district is very modern with (33)______ of high new office buildings. Singapore also has some nice older sections. In Chinatown, there  (34)______ rows of old shop houses.  The government buildings in Singapore are very beautiful and date from the colonial days.             Singapore is famous (35)______ its shops and restaurants. There are many good shopping centers. Most of the goods are duty free. Singapore’s restaurants sell Chinese, Indian, Malay and European food, and the prices are quite reasonable.

Fill in the gap with the most suitable provided words

There are (1)................. seasons in North of Vietnam. I like the spring and (2) ............ most. In the spring, it is warm and there are many kinds of (3) .............. blowing. I live in the countryside so the air is very fresh in the spring. The view looks like a beautiful picture. In the summer, it is very (4)............. I and my friends usually go (5)............... and (6) ................. our kites. Sometimes we (7) ............... fishing. I don't like the (8) .................. because the (9).................... is very cold and there is a lot of cold wind. I like living in the (10)......................

(9).....................

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People have five senses. We have a sense of sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste. Believe (31) _________, your sense of smell is very important. Our nose tells us about our environment. When your nose smells something, it sends information to our brain. Smells tell us if there is danger nearby, or if there is something to eat. Of course, these tools were more useful in the past, but they still come (32) _________ today. The things you smell can affect your (33) _________. If you smell something nice, you are more likely to be happy. On the other hand, if you smell something unpleasant, you are more likely to be unhappy. That is (34) _________ there are so many businesses that work to create nice scents. Businesses also work on the best ways to deliver scents to people’s noses. Candles (35) _________ a whole room smell better. Oils and soaps also have health benefits.

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Some people think of 'traditional ' gender roles as being like a 1950s TV sitcom: Dad puts (8) _____ his suit and goes to the office, while Mum, in her apron, stays at home and (9) ____ the housework. But for most of human history, it has taken the efforts of both men and women, whether working in an office (10) _____ in the fields, to look after the family. And that's the situation to which we now seem to be returning. By 2050, women will make up 47% of the workforce in the United States, up from 30% in 1950. But some experts are predicting that, at (11) _____ in the short term, the number of women in the workforce may actually overtake the number of men. What's the reason? During the economic recession that began in 2008, many jobs disappeared from industries traditionally dominated by male workers, such as manufacturing. Unless many more manual manufacturing jobs (12) _____, it may be that women, who traditionally work in healthcare, education and other service industries, will take the lead in the labour market

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It is true that keeping fit will benefit a person’s health in many ways. It has become clear in recent years, that a large number of people are doing less and less exercise and this is now causing many serious illnesses, putting a strain on doctors and hospitals. However, some experts believe that too much exercise can do just as much (44) _____. Although it is true that moderate exercise such as walking can be very beneficial to a person’s health, it is not the only one factor (45)_____ keeps us healthy. Diet is also extremely important and I would argue that it is probably even more important than exercise, although the ideal is for both of these factors to work together. It seems to me that many people are unwilling to put in the effort required to become fitter. (46)_____, too much exercise can also cause problems. So people are urged to take moderate exercise and eat moderately healthily rather than embarking on extreme diets and training. In too many instances, ultra–fit people have had heart attacks or dropped down dead. In all, governments need to find ways of (47)_____ people to take responsibility for their own health. People need to realize that eating healthy food does not have to cost a (48)_____, nor is it difficult to prepare healthy meals themselves. People need to be better educated about their health

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Most of us own modern gadgets such as mobile phones, or digital cameras. We may carry them round in our pockets, or attach them to our bodies. But not for much longer! So far designers have succeeded in (4) _____ tiny bits of technology di–rectly into our clothing. In actual fact “cyberfashion” is the latest trend! One example, the Musical Jacket, is already in the shops and stores. This jacket is silk. It is (5) _____ by a keyboard, also manufactured from fabric, which is connected to a tiny device (6) _____ plays music. At present, you have to touch a shoulder pad to hear the music. But in the future, you will be able to operate the device just by turning your wrist or walking! For many athletes, scientists have invented a smart shirt which measures your heart rate, body temperature and respiration rate! (7) _____, the most romantic piece of cyberfashion must be the Heartthrob Brooch. This item of jewellery, made from diamonds and rubies, has two miniature transmitters. They make the brooch glow in time to the beating of its wearer’s heart. If you meet someone (8) _____, your heart will beat faster – and your brooch will let everyone know how you feel!

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The knock-on effect of volunteering on the lives of individuals can be profound. Voluntary work helps foster independence and imparts the ability to deal with different situations, often simultaneously, thus teaching people how to work their way through different systems. It therefore brings people into touch with the real world; and, hence, equips them for the future.  Initially, young adults in their late teens might not seem to have the expertise or knowledge to impart to others that say a teacher or agriculturalist or nurse would have, but they do have many skills that can help  any skills that can help others. And in the absence of any particular talent, their energy and enthusiasm can be harnessed for the benefit of their fellow human beings, and ultimately themselves. From all this, the gain to any community no matter how many volunteers are involved is immeasurable.  Employers will generally look favourably on people who have shown an ability to work as part of a team. It demonstrates a willingness to learn and an independent spirit, which would be desirable qualities in any employee. So to satisfy employers' demands for experience when applying for work, volunteering can act as a means of gaining experience that might otherwise elude would-be workers and can ultimately lead to paid employment and the desired field.  The knock-on effect of volunteering on the lives of individuals can be profound. Voluntary work helps foster independence and imparts the ability to deal with different situations, often simultaneously, thus teaching people how to work their way through different systems. It therefore brings people into touch with the real world; and, hence, equips them for the future.  Initially, young adults in their late teens might not seem to have the expertise or knowledge to impart to others that say a teacher or agriculturalist or nurse would have, but they do have many skills that can help  any skills that can help others. And in the absence of any particular talent, their energy and enthusiasm can be harnessed for the benefit of their fellow human beings, and ultimately themselves. From all this, the gain to any community no matter how many volunteers are involved is immeasurable.  Employers will generally look favourably on people who have shown an ability to work as part of a team. It demonstrates a willingness to learn and an independent spirit, which would be desirable qualities in any employee. So to satisfy employers' demands for experience when applying for work, volunteering can act as a means of gaining experience that might otherwise elude would-be workers and can ultimately lead to paid employment and the desired field.  
6. The word "prerequisites" in the passage mostly means ____

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Fathers in today families are spending more time with their children than at any point in the past 100 years. (1) ____ the number of hours the average woman spends at home with her children has declined since the early 1900s, as more and more women enter the workforce, there has been a decrease in the number of children per family and an increase in (2) ____ attention to each child. As a result, mothers today in the United States, (3) ____ those who work part- or full-time, spend almost twice as much time with each child as mothers did in the 1920s. People (4) ____ raised children in the 1940s and 1950s typically report that their own adult children and grandchildren communicate far better with their kids and spend more time (5) ____ with homework than they did. America's children are also safer today than they've (6) ____ been. An infant was four times more likely to die in the 1950s than today. A parent then was 27 per cent more likely to lose an older teen (7) ____ death. If we look back over the last millennium, we can see that families have always been diverse. In each period, families have solved one set of problems only to face new (8) ____. What works for a family in one economic and cultural setting doesn't work for a family in another. What's helpful (9) ____ one stage of a family's life may be (10) ____ at the next stage. If there is one lesson to be (11) ____ from the last millennium of family history, it's that families always have to (12) ____ with a changing world.

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Environmental pollution is a term that refers to all the ways by which man pollutes his surroundings. Man dirties the air with gases and smoke,. the water with chemicals and other substances, and damages the many fertilizers and pesticides. Man also pollutes his (31) _________ soil with (32) ____ surroundings in various other ways. For example, people ruin natural beauty by (33) _________ garbage and waste products on the land and in the water. They death. Polluted water kills fish life. Pollution of soil reduces the amount of land that is operate machines and motor vehicles that fill the air with disturbing noise. Badly polluted air can cause illness, and (34) _________ and other (35) available for growing food

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It is estimated that about three billion people use the internet computer network around the world. Most people use the Internet to (25) _______information or for entertainment. A new study, however, shows US that almost 10% of Internet users are using it SO often that it is seriously harming their lives. The study says that these people may find it difficult to stop using the Internet because they have become addicted. Someone who is addicted finds it extremely difficult to stop (26) _______activity. According to a psychologist in the field. 30% of Internet users claim that they use the Internet to escape from (27) _______or emotions. The study also shows that having a chat or discussion with strangers on the Internet is one of the most (28) _______activities.

I am......(1)..... teacher, I……..(2)…….at a primary school in the USA. In the morning I......(3)..... up at seven o'clock. I have breakfast with bread and a cup of coffee. Then I go to work. I teach his students French. I have lunch at school. I go home.....(4)...... one o'clock in the afternoon. I don’t work on Saturdays and Sundays. I go to the cinema, or …….(5)……… a book. I like the books very much. I have a sister in Oxford and a brother in London.

(5)............................

I am......(1)..... teacher, I……..(2)…….at a primary school in the USA. In the morning I......(3)..... up at seven o'clock. I have breakfast with bread and a cup of coffee. Then I go to work. I teach his students French. I have lunch at school. I go home.....(4)...... one o'clock in the afternoon. I don’t work on Saturdays and Sundays. I go to the cinema, or …….(5)……… a book. I like the books very much. I have a sister in Oxford and a brother in London.

(5)............................

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Library is a collection of books and other informational materials made available to people for reading, study, or reference. The word library comes (1)_________ liber, the Latin word for ― book‖ . (2) _____ , library collections have almost always contained a variety of materials. Contemporary libraries maintain collections that include not only printed materials such as manuscripts, books , newspapers, and magazines, (3)_______ audio-visual and online databases. In addition (4) _____ maintaining collections within library buildings, modern libraries often feature telecommunications links that provide users with access to information at remote sites. The central mission of a library (5) _______ to collect , organize, preserve, and provide access to knowledge and information. In fulfilling this mission, libraries preserve a valuable record of culture that can be passed down to (6)_______ generations. Libraries are an essential link in this communication between the past , present, and future. Whether the cultural record is contained in books or in electronic formats, libraries ensure (7) ____ the record is preserved and made available for later use. People use library resources to gain information about personal (8)__ or to obtain recreational materials such as films and novels. Students use libraries to supplement and enhance their classroom experiences, to learn (9)_____ in locating sources of information, and to develop good reading and study habits. Public officials use libraries to research legislation and public policy issues. One of the most valued of all cultural institutions, the library (10) ___ information and services that are essential to learning and progress. From ― Library ( institution)‖ by Richard S.Halsey et al

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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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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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Higher Education in the UK Students who have successfully completed an A-level course may go to university to do (1)_____ three- or four-year course leading to a first degree such as Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BSc), etc. They apply to several universities which then (2)_____ an offer of a place specifying the minimum grades the student needs to obtain in the A level subjects studied. Higher education is not (3)_____. In principle, students have to pay a contribution to the cost of teaching (tuition fees) and have also to pay their living costs (maintenance). The government provides (4)_____ to help them pay for university education which have to be paid back from earnings once their income reaches a certain (5)_____. In recent years government policy has been to (6)_____ the percentage of 18-year olds (7)_____ go to university, which is now, at 40%, double the 1990 figure, but this growth has been at the (8)______ of the amount of financial support given to individual students. Universities receive money (9)_____ the state for each student and are responsible for employing staff and deciding which courses to offer. The head of a university, who is (10)_____ for its management, is called a vice-chancellor

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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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Many people see large urban cities as a wonder of human imagination and creativity. They represent how far the human population has come in terms of community development. Despite its positive things, there are also negatives from urbanization on the physical health of humans living. As it would be expected, developing countries tend to see more negative physical health effects than modern countries in regard to urbanization. One example of a developing country experiencing these problems is China. China is a country that in the past 30-40 years went from being an agrarian based society to a significant industrialized country. This industrialization has in effect caused the need for more centralized cities, centralized meaning having lots of jobs and living spaces within a close proximity. In most recent decades, since China’s change to being more of an industrial based economy, the country has experienced record high numbers of people migrating within its borders. In effect, the number of cities with over 500,000 people has more than doubled. These migrations are typically of people from rural areas of China moving to the new urban areas. Due to this large influx in the urban population, there are many possibilities for health challenges among these people. One very common and fairly obvious negative aspect of highly congested urban areas is air pollution. It could include particulate matter, most commonly attributed to industrial plants and refineries waste, or chemicals like CO2 or Methane. Due to a vast number of people in these urbanized cities, the air pollution is known to be very extreme. These conditions can lead to many different health problems such as: Asthma, cardiovascular problems or disease. When exposed to these conditions for a prolonged period of time, one can experience even more detrimental health effects like: the acceleration of aging, loss of lung capacity and health, being more susceptible to respiratory diseases, and a shortened life span. Another way that urbanization affects the populations’ health is people’s change in diet. For instance, urban cities tend to have lots of accessible, quick, and easy to get food. This food is also more than likely not as high quality as well as contains a large amount of sodium and sugar. Because this food is so accessible, people tend to eat it more. This increase in consumption of low-quality food can then lead to diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, obesity, or many other health conditions.
6. Why are urban populations easy to get diseases from food, according to the last paragraph?

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It was once thought that forests and the wood that could be taken from them were in endless supply. Especially in areas like South America, where vast areas of the continent were covered by rainforests, logging and clearing of forests for farming seemed like a harmless endeavor. (31) _________ the clearing of rainforests been kept in moderation, it may have become a stable source of wood and a(n) (32) _________ for the people in the region. It was not, though, and the amount of damage that has been (33) _________ to the entire planet has been terrible because of the clearing of rainforests. The rainforests are considered the lungs of the world because they breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen. We need the oxygen to survive, and the more we clear rainforests, the more carbon dioxide begins to concentrate in the atmosphere. In addition to the clearing of forests, the burning of fossil fuels for energy (34) _________ more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. It makes the problems of global warming get worse, as we keep adding more carbon dioxide while simultaneously taking away the planet’s (35) _________ to deal with this gas

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A healthy diet is essential for maintaining a healthy body and a healthy lifestyle. Though some doctors and health experts disagree on some components of a healthy diet, other parts are almost universally recognized. For example, all agree that a healthy diet includes necessary nutrients - ingredients that help keep bodies strong and healthy. Human bodies need more than 50 different kinds of nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, water, and fiber.  Vitamins are natural substances found in plants and animals. A body cannot make its own vitamins, so it must get them from food. Vitamins do not supply energy. However, they are useful substances that the body needs. Vitamin A, for example, helps eyes see better. Vitamin B develops protein needed in muscle growth. Vitamin C helps support the healing process for certain illnesses. Finally, Vitamin D helps strengthen teeth and bones  Minerals help balance bodily fluids, such as blood and water. They are also an important part of the iron in blood. There are seven major minerals that bodies need in large amounts, and ten minor, or trace, minerals, which bodies need in smaller amounts. Scientists are still studying many minerals, such as nickel and cobalt, to try to understand exactly how they affect the human body.  Some people do not include water as a nutrient, but it is vital for a healthy body to function properly. Humans can live for several days without food, but only for two or three days without water. People who play sports or exercise a lot often fail to drink enough water. This can cause their muscles to become overly tired. If not enough water is taken in during very strenuous exercise, death may in fact result. Scientists have learned much about the importance of fiber in recent years. They now say that many people do not get enough fiber in their diets. The average many people should eat between 30 and 40 grams of fiber each day, twice as much as the average person currently gets. Though fiber is not digested or absorbed, it helps rid the body of waste products. Fiber helps control weight and maintain normal levels of important substances such as cholesterol and blood sugar. Fiber is found in whole-grain breads and cereals, as well as nuts, beans, fruits, and vegetables. There are several different kinds of fiber, and they each help in different ways. Two kinds of fiber, called pectins and gums, are needed to help control body fats, cholesterol, and carbohydrates (a type of nutrient that produces energy). Apples, cranberries, and cherries are good sources of pectin. Oatmeal and legumes are good s general, fresh fruits and raw vegetables provide more fiber than peeled fruits and cooked vegetables. According to dieticians, two servings of vegetables and two servings of whole grains (like whole wheat bread) each day will provide enough fiber for most adults.  In summary, recommendations for a healthy diet include drinking lots of liquids while eating fiber from a wide variety of foods. This way, the body will not be getting too much of one kind of fiber and too little of another kind. If a person is not eating enough fiber now, it is best to change one's diet gradually. Above all, experts warn, do not depend on getting fiber from pills or tablets. A whole bottle would need to be consumed to see any benefit. 
5. The word "function" in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to ____