Choose the best answer:
There is a natural balance to all things: life and death, good and bad, happiness and sadness, pleasure and pain. The very idea that you should focus on positives and ignore negatives, likewise with strengths versus weaknesses, is not only delusional; it's a recipe for disaster. Let me tell you a couple of stories to show how dealing with reality as openly and genuinely as possible is the path to success and happiness, while focusing only on the positives and strengths can destroy your career and your company. It's no secret that Steve Jobs was forced out of Apple in 1984 because his management style had become toxic to the company. Much later, Jobs would come to realize that getting fired from the company he cofounded "was the best thing that could have ever happened” to him. He called it “awful-tasting medicine" that "the patient needed." He also likened it to life hitting him in the head with a brick. That forced Jobs to look in the mirror and see the truth - that he wasn't as capable or as strong a leader as he could be. And as he addressed the issues that stood in his way, the result was the founding of NeXT and Pixar, his eventual return to Apple, and the greatest turnaround in corporate history that built the most valuable company on Earth. It's easy to miss the obvious connection staring us right in the face, that it wasn’t just Apple that had hit a wall, fallen on hard times, and found itself in need of a turnaround. The same was true of Jobs. And there was an undeniable connection between the two. It's also easy to miss the insightfulness of Jobs' realization that none of his later achievements would have occurred if he hadn't faced reality. That sort of introspection only comes from someone who's had some sort of intervention and gone through gut-wrenching change as a result. Not to compare myself with Jobs, but the truth is I've gotten a couple of those bricks to the head myself. I've been fired more than once and lost my wife early in our marriage. But in every case I looked in the mirror, faced what I saw, made some changes, and bounced back stronger than ever. If I'd just tried to stay positive, focused on my strengths, and searched for the silver lining in the clouds, I never would have figured out what was wrong and become a better person, a better husband, and a better leader. I never would have achieved so much in my career or won my wife back. While life is full of ups and downs, one thing is certain: If you attempt to filter your consciousness and disallow negative thoughts or make believe the weaknesses holding you back don't exist, you'll never get past those hurdles and get to the next stage in your personal and professional development. And neither will your business.
1. What could be the best title for the passage?

Read the reading below carefully, and then complete it with the best option A, B, C or D given below:
Jane’s family decided to go to London last week because they want to __(1)__ a tour. The sight in London was so __(2)__ that she’s been there a few days but it __(3)__ to her only to be yesterday. It means __(4)__ she enjoyed the trip so much. She and her father stayed __(5)__ a very big hotel __(6)__ two hundred rooms. From there, they can __(7)__ reach Hyde Park, __(8)__ very big park in London. In here, people can buy from a needle __(9)__ an elephant in two best__(10)__ streets, Regent Street and Oxford Street.

Read the reading below carefully, and then complete it with the best option A, B, C or D given below:
Tattooing is an old art. In ancient Greece, people who had tattoos were (1) ______ as members of the upper classes. It was not (2) ______ the late 18th century,  when Captain Cook saw South Sea Islanders decorating their bodies with tattoos,  that attitude began to change. Sailors came back from these islands with pictures  of Christ on the backs and from then on, tattooing (3) ______ in popularity. A  survey by the French army in 1881 showed that (4) ______ the 378 men  questioned there were 1333 designs. 
Nowadays, not everybody finds tattoos acceptable. Some people think that getting  one is silly because tattoos are more or less permanent. There is also some (5) ______ about catching a blood disease from unsterilized needles

Read the reading below carefully, and then complete it with the best option A, B, C or D given below:
Voluntary work helps foster independence and imparts the ability to deal with different situations, often simulaneously, thus teaching people how to work  their way through different systems. It therefore brings people into touch with the real worls; 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 an agriculturalist or a nurse would have, but they do have many skills that can help others. And in the absence of any particular talent, their energy and enthusiasm can be harnessed for the benefit (3) ____ their fellow human beings, and ultimately themselves. From all this, the gain to any community no matter how many voluntees are involved is (4)_____ Employers will generally look favorably on people (5)_____ 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

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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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Fashion is no longer something that is just made of cloth or leather. These days it has become something that needs batteries and is often connected to the Internet. When it comes to high-tech fashion, it might be (31) _________ to your wrist or resting on the bridge of your nose, and it is doing a lot more than just (32) _________ you look stylish. Google was one of the first to burst on the scene with a fashionable item that was also very (33) _________. Google Glass, which looks like glasses, allows wearers to do all sorts of things, from seeing information in a simple viewer to simply saying out loud, “Take a picture.” What you are seeing in the picture that will be taken, (34) _________Google Glass heard you through its microphone and has a built-in camera. If you ask a question, you will (35) _________ the answer in the tiny screen displayed before one eye. Google Glass uses Bluetooth technology to communicate with a smartphone, so it is not a stand-alone item

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Fossil fuels are used to generate the majority of the world’s energy, and they come in different forms. For example, coal may be burned in a power (31) _________ to generate electricity, but gasoline is burned in a car’s engine to make it run. Neither of these two sources is considered green energy because they produce a lot of pollution when they are burned. In addition, they come from a source that is inevitably going to (32) _________. Green energy can be defined as any energy source that is to some degree nonpolluting. When it is called (33) _________, this means that a person can replace the same amount of energy that was consumed by that person (34) _________ that person's lifetime. Since it took millions and millions of years to create the fossil fuels that we now burn, we know that they cannot be replaced by us. Wind power and solar power, (35) _________ harnessed properly, are two excellent sources of green energy. Once the necessary parts such as wind turbines to generate wind power and solar panels to create solar power have been produced, only the pollution from the production is left

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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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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.
3. The word “status” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to _______.

Choose the best answer A, B, C or D to answer the following question

Binh is a student. He’s 12 years old. He studies at Tran Hung Dao primary school. He usually leave home for school at 6.30 a.m. He lives quite near the school, so he usually walks to school with some of his friends. But today his father is driving him to school. He loves Literature and English. Today he has Physics, Chemistry and English. At school, he often plays volleyball with his best friends.

Which subjects does he like?

Choose the best answer:
Where brainpower is concerned, the old edict of 'use it, or lose it' holds true from the start. Babies who receive love and encouragement from their parents develop the neural connections they need to get on in life. But what happens to those who fail to get this support? Do they grow up to be less bright than their nurtured peers? It would be comforting to believe that deprived children escape long-term damage by being too young to speak, or know any different, but the evidence suggests otherwise. At a recent meeting of the Royal Society of Medicine, medics were shown slides taken with a powerful scanner comparing the brains of 'normal' three-year-olds with those who had been raised in deprivation or in orphanages. The work was done by Dr Bruce Perry of the Child Trauma Academy in Houston, Texas. The scans showed that the frontal-temporal areas of the brain, those responsible for personality and enabling a person to display and regulate emotions, showed little activity. For years, scientists have known that animals reared in enriched environments have larger and more complex brains than animals that grow up in deprivation, so experts like Perry anticipated that the same would hold true for humans. However, it is only now, thanks to powerful scanners that allow this theory to be put to the test, that the damage is clearly visible. Perry explains the reason for the abnormality is that the brain develops in a 'use-dependent' way, growing, organising and working according to experience. With the right stimulation, the brain makes the connections it needs. Without it, synapses, junctions between the neurons used to transport the brain's messages, literally dissolve. “Adverse experiences play a vital role in organising the neural system in the developing brain,” says Perry; in other words, ill- treatment in infancy leads to faulty wiring in the brain. Significantly, the rate at which new synapses form is greatest in the first eight months of life. Fortunately, different parts of the brain develop at different rates, so the damage may be confined to the parts that were actively organising at the time of stress or neglect. Perry describes these times as “windows of opportunity” that exist for different brain functions. If the connections between neurons are not developed at the critical period, they may not develop at all. Synapses associated with vision are most active when a child to eight months. A baby born with cataracts, removed at the age of two, will remain blind, as the window of opportunity has passed. Interaction between the child and its carers is vital to teach the brain to function normally. By playing with and talking to her child, the mother distracts the infant from a bombardment of competing noises. This communication trains a section of the brain to regulate emotions so the child is able to function day- to-day without being a hostage to impulses and feelings. Yet, despite the damage caused by stress and trauma in childhood, Perry, like most clinicians, is optimistic that intervention can help, as the cortex, the grey matter responsible for high level brain function, is malleable and capable of changing. He is supported in this belief by child psychiatrist Dr Dora Black, founder of the Traumatic Stress Clinic in London, who works with severely traumatized children. She claims neurological evidence is available that shows that, although trauma can affect the speech area in the brain, this function can return if the child receives help early enough. “Unfortunately,” admits Perry, “what we don’t know is how much deprivation is needed to prevent the recovery of normal expression of various emotional, cognitive or social skills.
4. The word “it” in paragraph 2 refers to ________

Choose the best answer:
Banana fiber is used in the production of banana paper. Banana paper is used in two different senses: to (23) _____ to a paper made from the bark of the banana tree, mainly used for artistic purposes, or paper made from banana’s fiber, (24) _____ from an industrialized process, from the stem and the non–usable fruits. The paper can be either hand–made or made by machine. The volume of raw (25) _____ for making banana paper around the world on plantations is vast and largely unutilized. The market for banana paper is seen as a growth industry. (26) _____ 1988, in Costa Rica, companies like EcoPaper.com and Costa Rica Natural Paper have been producing 100% industrialized fine environmental and ecological paper derived from natural banana fibers, for the writing and stationery market. This industry (27) _____ numerous waste products such as: the plastic that wraps the bananas, plastic cords to tie the wrapping, damaged bananas and the pinzote (stems). An alarming quantity of over of 92% of water, 3% of resins and 2% glucose; the rest is vegetal fiber. This particular composition makes it decompose without the solid component being destroyed. This causes a severe impact on the surrounding ecosystems – much to the detriment of rivers and underground waters

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The traffic light signal was invented by a railway signaling engineer. It was installed (26)_________The House of Parliament in 1868. It (27)_________like any railway signal of the time, and was operated by gas. (28)_________, it exploded and killed a policeman, and the accident (29)_________further development until cars became common.             (30)_________traffic lights are an American invention. Red-green (31)_________were installed in Cleveland in 1914. Three-color signals, (32)_________by hand from a tower in the (33)_________of the street, were installed in New York in 1918. The (34)________lights of this type to (35)________in Britain were in London, on the junction between St James’s street and Piccadilly in 1925.

Read the reading below carefully, and then complete it with the best option A, B, C or D given below:
When you are in Hong Kong, you can go about taxi, by tram, by bus or (1)______underground. I mysetf prefer the underground (2)___ it is fast easy and cheap. There are(3)_______ tram and bus in Hong Kong, and one cannot drive along the road (4)_________ and without many stops. The underground is therefore usually quicker (5)___ taxis or buses. If you do not know Hong Kong very well, it is very difficult (6)_____________the bus you want. You can take a taxi, but it is (7)_______expensive than the underground or a bus. On the underground you find good maps that tell you the names of the stations and show you (8)____________to get to them, so that it is easy to find your way

Choose the best answer:
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to get your dream job? It can take years to get the education and develop the skills you need for the perfect job. However, there is a way to experience your dream job without having to get the required training or degree. Since 2004, Brian Kurth’s company, Vocation Vacations, has been connecting people with mentors who have the jobs of their dreams. Kurth had been working for a phone company before starting his own company. He didn’t like his job, and he had a long time to think about it on his drive to and from work. He also thought about his dream job while driving. He was interested in becoming a dog trainer, but he didn’t want to take any chances  and switch to a field he didn’t have experience in. He really wanted to know what the job was like and if  it was realistic for him to work towards his goal. So, he found a mentor – a dog trainer that could tell him about the job and everything it involved. After that, he helped his friends find mentors to explore jobs  they were interested in. They thought it was helpful to talk to people who had their dream jobs before spending lots of time and money getting the training they needed for those jobs. Kurth saw how much this helped his friends, so he decided to turn it into his business. He started Vocation Vacations in 2004, and by 2005, the company was offering experience with over 200 dream jobs. Today, about 300 mentors work with the company to share their knowledge about their jobs. Customers pay to experience the job of their dreams and work with these mentors to see what a job is really like. A “job vacation” costs between $350 and $3,000 and can be for one to three days. Many people use Vocation Vacations to see if their dream job is a career path they want to continue. Others do  it just to experience the job of their dreams one time. Vocation Vacations jobs are in the fields of fashion, food, entertainment, sports and animals. Many  people want to try glamorous jobs. For example, they want to try working as actors, music producers, photographers and fashion designers. According to Kurth, some other popular dream jobs are working as bakers, hotel managers and wedding planners.  
3. What do mentors at Vocation Vacations do?

Read the reading below carefully, and then complete it with the best option A, B, C or D given below:
Here is a wonderful opportunity at a (1) ________ cost to visit the truly remarkable island of Cuba. We have (2) ________ rooms at some of the finest hotels for periods of 7 and 14 nights. You may (3) ________ your time between relaxing and exploring this beautiful country by taking advantage of our extensive excursion programme. The (4) ________ of such a small country is amazing and, as it is set in the warm waters of Caribbean, it is (5) ________ to have one of the most pleasant climates in the world. Cuba, being so small, is not only an ideal country to tour, but it's also a place where visitors can relax and (6) ________ in exotic surroundings. Not only has nature (7) ________ Cuba with magnificent coast and some fine sandy beaches, but there are also extensive (8) ________ near them. Most beaches are close to important sites such as international parks with their (9) ________ wildlife, flora and fauna . Because the south of the island is blessed with being the driest region in the country most hotels are situated here. Rain is however (10) ________ in the north from December to July

Choose the best answer:
Not everybody recognizes the benefits of new developments in communications technology. Indeed, some people fear that text messaging may actually be having a negative ______(31) on young people's communication and language skills, especially when we hear that primary school children may be at ______(32) of becoming addicted to the habit. So widespread has texting become, however, that even pigeons have started doing it. What‟s more, in this case, it's difficult to view the results as anything but positive. Twenty of the birds are about to ______(33) to the skies with the task of measuring air pollution, each ______(34) with sensor equipment and a mobile phone. The ______(35) made by the sensors will be automatically ______(36) into text messages and beamed to the Internet - where they will appear on a dedicated 'pigeon blog'

Read the reading below carefully, and then complete it with the best option A, B, C or D given below:
Although women now (1) ______ almost half of all workers in the U.S., nearly 80  percent of them are employed in low-paying clerical, sales, service, or factory jobs.  Approximately a third of all women workers have clerical jobs, which pay (2)  ______ average $12,000 or less. Partly as a result, women make only seventy five cents for every dollar (3) ______ by men. (4) ______, men routinely make  more money even when education, experience, and responsibilities are (5) ______

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Culture has a strong influence on non–verbal communication. Even the simple act of looking someone in the eye is not at all that simple. In the USA, Americans are (5) _____ to look directly at people when speaking to them. It shows interest in what they are saying and is thought to carry a (6) _____ of honesty. Meanwhile, in Japan and Korea, people avoid long periods of eye contact. It is considered more polite to look to the side during a conversation. The Lebanese, (7) _____, stand close together and look intensely into each other's eyes. The action shows sincerity and gives people a better sense of what their counterparts want. Given such differences with even the most common expressions, people (8) _____ travel or work abroad have a real need to learn the other culture's body language. People tend to be unaware of the messages they are sending to others. So, it is (9) _____ to consider your own body language before dealing with people from other cultures. Knowing about the body language of friends, clients, and colleagues can be very helpful in improving understanding and avoiding miscommunication

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In Germany, it's important to be serious in a work situation. They don't mix work and play so you shouldn't make jokes (1)_______you do in the UK and USA when you first meet people. They work in a very organized way and prefer to do one thing at a time. They don't like· interruptions or (2)_______changes of schedule. Punctuality is very important so you should arrive on time for appointments. At meeting, it's important to follow the agenda and not interrupt (3)_______speaker. If you give a presentation, you should focus (4)_______facts and technical information and the quality of your company's products. You should also prepare well, as they may ask a lot of questions. Colleagues normally use the family names, and title - for example 'Doctor' or 'Professor', so you shouldn't use first names (5)_______a person asks you to

Choose the best answer:
The World Health Organisation has produced a report predicting that 9.8 billion of us will be living on this planet by 2050. Of that number, 72% will be living in urban areas - a higher proportion than ever before. Presented with this information, governments have a duty to consider how best to meet the (26) _______ of city residents, and not just for the short-term. Certain problems associated with urban living have been highlighted by research company Richmond-Carver in its latest global survey. At the top of the list, survey respondents' concerns is the fact that competition amongst tenants for rental properties has driven the median price up - so much so people need to hold down two or more jobs to meet (27) _______ their expenses. Another issue the survey highlighted is the difficulty commuters face. Overcrowding means that seats are often not available on long journeys, but more significant is that schedules are (28) _______. Many studies have shown the effect that has on a country's productivity. Interestingly, certain problems seem more common in some cities than others: respondents from increasingly crowded European cities, including Manchester and Barcelona, commented on how their quality of life was affected by loud machinery, other people's music and car alarms. Something the survey failed to ask about was the value people placed on having access to nature in urban neighborhoods. (29) _______, some countries are already moving forward. Singapore is a prime example; its rooftop gardens make the city a far more desirable place to live. It is the Singaporean government (30) _______ is behind this push for sustainable living