Choose the best answer:
Women are expert at gossiping, and they always talk about trivial things, or at least that‘s what men have always thought. However, some new research (1) _____ that when women talk to women, their (2) ______ are far from frivolous, and cover many more (3) _____ (up to 6 subjects) than men talk to other men. Women‘s conversations (4)_____ from health to their houses, from politics to fashion, from movies to family, from education to relationship problems. Sports are notably (5)_____. Men tend to have a more limited range of subjects, the most popular being work, sports, jokes, cars, and women. According to Professor Petra Boynton, a psychologist who interviewed over 1000 women, women also tend to move quickly from one subject to another in (6)_____, while men usually stick to one subject for longer periods of time. At work, this (7) _____ can be an advantage for men, as they can put other matters aside and concentrate matter aside and concentrate (8) ______ on the topic being discussed. On the other hand, it also means that they sometimes find it hard to concentrate when several things have to be discussed at the same (9) _____ in a meeting. Professor Boynton also says that men and women talk for different reasons. In social (10) _____ women use conversation to solve problems and reduce stress while men talk with each other to laugh or to compare opinions

Choose the best answer:
Most people feel that when they dream, they are (35)________ off to another world. On the (36)________, dreams are often connected to our daily lives. When our whole (37)_________ is filled with something, when we are either very upset (38)________ when we are in good spirit, a dream will represent this reality in symbols. It is often (39)_______ that we benefit from dreams because they help the spirit to heal itself when things (40)__________ wrong Dreams are therefore a kind of escape, almost a holiday from (41)__________ life, with its fears and responsibilities. It is, however, a strange kind of holiday because whether we have a wonderful time or whether it turns (42)_________ to be a nightmare, we quickly forget it. Most dreams disappear forever, (43)_________ you are one of those people disciplined enough to write them down as soon as you (44)_________

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

Choose the best answer:
Earth is the only place we know of in the universe that can support human life. (1) _____ human activities are making the planet less fit to live on. As the western world (2) _____ on consuming two-thirds of the world's resources while half of the world's population do so just to stay alive we are rapidly destroying the (3) _____ resource we have by which all people can survive and prosper. Everywhere fertile soil is (4) _____ built on or washed into the sea. Renewable resources are exploited so much that they will never be able to recover (5) _____. We discharge pollutants into the atmosphere without any thought of the consequences. As a (6) _____ the planet's ability to support people is being reduced at the very time when rising human numbers and consumption are (7) _____ increasingly heavy demands on it. The Earth's (8) _____ resources are there for us to use. We need food, water, air, energy, medicines, warmth, shelter and minerals to (9) _____ us fed, comfortable, healthy and active. If we are sensible in how we use the resources, they will (10) _____ indefinitely. But if we use them wastefully and excessively, they will soon run out and everyone will suffer.

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The future of the daily newspaper is in danger. With changes in people‘s reading habits and financial concerns, it seems that more and more of us are turning (1)…………from the traditional daily newspaper as a means of getting our information and going online or to TV news for the headlines and main stories instead. Does this mean that newspaper will (2)…………become a thing of the past? Many experts believe that newspapers will survive in some form in the future (3)………… the convenience of the internet, their main rival. The main reason for thinking this is that a large percentage of the population is (4)………… 35 and has a strong newspaper reading habit. For many of these people, reading newspapers is not simply a way of getting the information about (5)…………events but part of a traditional routine. For them, catching up with the main stories electronically from news websites or TV news broadcast will never be a real substitute for turning the pages of a paper on the train or at the table. However the main competition for newspapers (6)…………from their own online version. Access to these is currently free of charge but for how much longer? Many newspaper corporations are (7)…………that the only way forward for all newspapers is to charge customers to read the online versions. Apparently, surveys (8)…………that as many as 48%of British and American consumers are prepared to pay for this service, although they are not prepared to pay very (9)…………! Would you be willing to pay for online access to news websites or should it continue to be free for everyone? Can you (10)…………a world without newspapers?

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Parents whose children show a special interest in a particular sport have a difficult decision to (1) ______ about their children‘s career. Should they (2) ______ their children to train to become top sportsmen and women? For many children it (3) ______starting very young and school work, going out with friends and other (4) ______ have to take second place. It‘s very difficult to explain to a young child why he or she has to train for five hours a day, even at the weekend, when (5) _______ of his or her friends are playing. Another problem is of course money. In many countries money for training is (6) ______ from the government for the very best young sportsmen and women. If this help cannot be given, it means that it is the parents (7) ______ have to find the time and the money to support their child‘s development- and sports clothes, transport to competitions, special equipment etc. can all be very expensive. Many parents are understandably (8) _______ that it is dangerous to start serious training in a sport at an early age. Some doctors agree that young (9) _______ may be damaged by training before they are properly developed. Professional trainers, however, believe that it is only by starting young that you can reach the top as a successful sports person. What is clear is that very (10) _______ people reach the top and both parents and children should be prepared for failure even after many years of training

Choose the best answer:
Reference books are not designed to be read from the first page to the last but rather to be consulted to answer the questions and provide both general and specific pieces of information. One of the most (1) _______-used reference books is a dictionary, which provides information about words. It lists meanings and spellings, (2) _______ how a word is pronounced, gives (3) _______of how it is used, may reveal its origins and also lists synonyms and (4) _______. To help you find the words faster, there are guide words at the top of each page showing the first and last words on that page and of course it (5) _______ to know the alphabet! There may be numerous special sections at the back with (6) _______ about famous people and places, lists of dates and scientific names, etc. There is usually a section at the front (7) _______ how to use the dictionary, which includes the special abbreviations or signs. An atlas is also a reference book and (8) _______ charts, tables and geographical facts, as well as maps. Political maps locate countries and cities, physical maps show the formation of the land with its mountains and valleys, and economic maps show industries and agriculture. To find a specific place, you need to look in the (9) _______ at the back of the atlas and the exact position on the map. There are numerous map (10) _______ that you need to know in order to be able to read a map-almost like a special language-and these are explained at the front of the atlas

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

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British parents are always complaining that their children spend too much time gluing to the telly and not enough (37)____ other activities like sports and reading. A survey recently carried out on people's viewing habits (38)____ not disapprove it. It shows that young people in Britain spend on (39)___ twenty three hours a week in front of the television, (40)_______ works out at over three hours every day. What is surprising, however, is the fact that the average adult watches even more: an incredible 28 hours a week. We seem to have become a nation of telly addicts. Just about (41)_______ household in the country has a television and over half have two or more. According (42)___ the survey, people nowadays don't just watch television sitting in their living room, they watch it in the kitchen and in bed as well. The Education Minister said a (43)___weeks ago that Britain's pupils should spend more time reading. Unfortunately, parents are not setting a good example: adults do (44)__ reading than young people. In fact, reading is (45)___ the bottom of their list of favorite pastimes. They would (46)____ listen to the radio, go to the cinema or hire a video to watch on their television at home

Choose the item among A, B, C or D that best answers the question about the passage: 

"Many people think that we can learn a lot about the culture of a foreign country simply by living in that country. However, this is not necessarily true. Often, the longer we stay in a foreign country, the more we realize how little we actually know about the culture of that country.
 Books and talks about other people’s culture can even be dangerous because they concentrate on cultural differences and exaggerate national character, and sometimes a lot of information they contain is untrue.
 In a study recently carried out in Britain, people were asked to make a list of anything that they thought was typical of Britain and would interest a foreign visitor there. Most mentioned Shakespeare, the Queen, village inns, English folk dancing, English castles, and fish chips wrapped in newspaper. Although all of these characters can be found in British culture, they do not show the real interest of ordinary British people: (They are, in fact, simply stereotype - that is, general character which people wrongly think are typical.) What is surprising is that they were suggested by British people themselves as representing their culture. If people have such a wrong impression of their own culture, how much false would their impression of other culture be!"

4. It is easy to…….

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

The increase in urbanization causes different problems. Air and water pollution are amongst the major issue we have to tackle.

In the first place, cars, factories and burning waste emit dangerous gases that change the air quality in our cities and pose threats to our health. Dangerous gases such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides cause respiratory diseases, for instant, bronchitis and asthma. Those are also proved to have long-term effects on the environment.

Furthermore, with the increased population, it becomes difficult to manage the waste generated in cities. Most of the waste is discharged or dumped into rivers or onto streets. The waste pollutes water and makes it unfit for human consumption. Subsequently, it becomes more and more difficult for city dwellers to get clean water. Some cities in Africa are unable to provide adequate water supply because most of the water is lost in pipe leakages. In fact, most city dwellers in developing countries are forced to boil their water or to buy bottled water, which is very expensive.

There are several actions that could be taken to eradicate the problems described above. Firstly, a simple solution would be joining community efforts to address problems affecting your city. Ask your parents, friends and relatives to join in as well. These efforts might include clean-up campaigns, recycling projects and a signature campaign to ask the government to do something about the situation. A second measure would be encouraging your teacher to talk about these problems and to discuss how young people can help to solve them. Finally, writing to local organizations working on these issues for ideas on how you can contribute to solve them.

Which of the following would serve as the best title for the passage?

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We are using up the world‘s petroleum. We use (1)_________ in our cars and to heat our building in winter.Farmers use petrochemicals to (2) _________ the soil rich. They use them to kill insects (3) _________ eat plants. These chemicals go (4) _________ rivers and lakes and kill the fish there. Thousands of pollutants also go into the air and pollute it. Winds carry this (5) _________ air to other countries and other continents. Poor farmers use the same land over and (6) _________ . The land needs a rest so it will be better next year. However, the farmers must have food this year. Poor people cut down forests (7) _________ firewood. In some areas when the trees are gone, the land (8) _________ desert. Poor people can‘t save the environment for the (9) _________ . This is not a problem for one country or one area of the world. It is a problem for allhumans. The people and the nations of the world must work together to (10) _________ the world‘s resources

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
Long ago prehistoric man began to domesticate a number of wild plants and animals for his own use. This not only provided a more abundant food source but also allowed more people to live on  a smaller plot of ground. We tend to forget that  all  of our present – day pets, livestock, and food plants were taken from the wild and developed into the forms we know today.
As centuries passed and human cultures evolved anf blossomed, humans began to organise their knowledge of nature into the broad field of natural history. One aspect of early natural history concerned the use of plants for drugs and medicine. The early herbalists sometimes overworked their imaginations in this respect. For example, it was widely believed that a plant or part of a plant that resembles an internal organ would cure ailments of that organ. Thus, an extract made from a heart-shaped leaf might be prescribled for a person suffering from heart problems.
Nevertheless, the overall contributions of these early observers provided the rudiments of our present knowledge of drugs and their uses.

The word “blossomed” in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to     .

A.     B. C. D. 

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
May 7, 1840 was the birthday of one of the most famous Russian composers of the nineteenth century Peter Illich Tchaikovsky. The son of a mining inspector, Tchaikovsky studied music as a child and later studied composition at the St.Pertersburg Conservatory. His greatest period of productivity occurred between 1876 and 1890, during which time he enjoyed the patronage of Madame von Meck, a woman he never met, who gave him a living stipend of about $1,000.00 a year. Madame von Meck later terminated her friendship with Tchaikovsky, as well as his living allowance, when she, herself, was facing financial difficulties. It was during the time of Madame von Meck’s patronage, however, that Tchaikovsky created the music for which he is most famous, including the music for the ballets of Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty.
Tchaikovsky’s music, well known for its rich melodic and sometimes melancholy passages, was one of the first that brought serious dramatic music to dance. Before this, little attention had been given to the music behind the dance. Tchaikovsky died on November 6,1893, ostensibly of cholera, though there are now some scholars who argue that he committed suicide.

According to the passage, “Swan Lake” and “The Sleeping Beauty” are     

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The first question we might ask is: What can you learn in college that will help you in being an employee? The schools teach (55) _______ many things of value to the future accountant, doctor or electrician. Do they also teach anything of value to the future employee? Yes, they teach the one thing that it is perhaps most valuable for the future employee (56)_______. But very few students bother to learn it. This basic skill is the ability to organize and express ideas in writing and in speaking. This means that your success as an employee will depend on your ability to communicate with people and to (57) _______ your own thoughts and ideas to them so they will (58) _______ understand what you are driving and be persuaded. Of course, skill in expression is not enough (59) _______ itself. You must have something to say in the first place. The effectiveness of your job depends (60) _______ your ability to make other people understand your work as they do on the quality of the work itself. Expressing one‘s thoughts is one skill that the school can (61) _______ teach. The foundations for skill in expression have to be (62) _______ early: an interest in and an ear (63) _______ language; experience in organizing ideas and data, in brushing aside the irrelevant, and above all the habit of verbal expression. If you do not these foundations (64) _______ your school years, you may never have an opportunity again

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When the word "endangered" is mentioned, people usually think of particular species, like the panda or whooping crane. However, we would like to encourage you to think about (1) _______ in a broader context. It is (2) _______, the physical places where species live and interact with one another. Although the development of special breeding programs, also known as captive conservation, may help some species in some cases, it is clearly not (3) _______ answer to the global problem. Indeed, (4) _______ we are able to protect natural areas where endangered species actually live, they have no future Species become endangered for a wide (5) ________ of reasons. By analyzing and grouping many individual cases, however, we find the same broad causes (6) _________ again and again. They are Habitat Destruction, Exotic Species, and Overexploitation. Among other factors threatening particular species are limited: distribution, disease, and pollution. Limited distributions are often a consequence of other threats: populations confined to one or a few small areas because of habitat (7) _________, for example, may be disastrously affected by random factors. Diseases can have severe (8) _________ on species lacking natural genetic protections against particular pathogens, like the rabies and canine distemper viruses that are currently devastating carnivore populations in East Africa. Domestic animals are usually the reservoirs of these and other diseases affecting wild (9) _________, showing once again that human activities lie at the root of most causes of endangerment. Pollution has seriously done harm (10) _________ number of terrestrial species, although species living in freshwater and marine ecosystems are also suffering

Choose the item among A, B, C or D that best answers the question about the passage:

"There are many stereotypes about the character of people in various parts of the United States. In the Northeast and Midwest, people are said to be closed and private. In the South and West, however, they are often thought of as being more open and hospitable. Ask someone from St. Louis where the nearest sandwich shop is, and he or she will politely give you directions. A New Yorker might eye you at first and after deciding it is safe to talk to you, might give you a rather unexpected explanation. A person from Georgia might be very kind about directing you and even suggest some different places to eat. A Texan just might take you to the place and treat you to lunch.
 American stereotypes are known for their hospitality and warmth. New Englanders are often thought of as being friendly and helpful. Southerners are known for their hospitality and warmth. People from the western part of the United States are often considered very outgoing. These differences in character can be traced to different factors such as climate, living conditions, and historical development.
 When travelling from place to place, Americans themselves are often surprised at the different degrees of friendliness in the United States."

2. Which of the following is true according to the passage?

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Few people now question the reality of global warming and its effects on the worlds climate. Mary scientists (1) ________ the blame for recent natural disasters on the increase in the worlds temperatures and are convinced that, more than (2) ________ before, the Earth is at risk from the forces of the wind, rain and sun. (3) ________ to them, global warming is making extreme weather events, such as hurricanes and droughts, even more (4) ________ and causing sea levels all around the world to (5) ________ . Environmental groups are putting (6) ________ on govemments to take action to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide which is given (7) ________ by factories and power plants, thus attracking the problem at its source. They are in (8) ________ of more money being spent on research into solar, wind and wave energy devices, which could then replace existing power (9) ________ . Some scientists, (10) ________ , believe that even if we stopped releasing carbon dioxide and other gases into the atmosphere tomorrow, we would have to wait several hundred years to notice the result. Global I warming, it seems, is to stay

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
It is hard to think of a world without gas or electricity. Both are commonly used for lighting and heating today. We now can instantly flick a lighter or strike a match to make a flame. But it was not long ago that there were no such things as matches or lighters. To make
fire, it was necessary to strike a piece of iron on flint for sparks to ignite some tinder. If the tinder was damp, or the flint old, you had to borrow some fire from a neighbor.
We do not know exactly when or how people first used fire. Perhaps, many ages ago, they found that sticks would burn if they were dropped into some hole where melted lava from a volcano lay boiling. They brought the lighted sticks back to make their fire in a cave. Or, they may have seen trees catch fire through being struck by lightning, and used the trees to start their own fires.
Gradually people learned they could start a fire without traveling far to find flames. They rubbed two pieces of wood together. This method was used for thousands of years.
When people became used to making fires with which to cook food and stay warm at night, they found that certain resins or gums from trees burnt longer and brighter. They melted resins and dipped branches in the liquid to make torches that lit their homes at night. Iron stands in which torches used to be fixed can still be seen in old buildings of Europe.
There was no lighting in city streets until gas lamps, and then electric lamps were installed.
Boys ran about London at night carrying torches of burning material. They were called torch boys, or link boys, and earned a living by guiding visitors to friends’ houses at night.
For centuries homes were lit by candles until oil was found. Even then, oil lamps were no more effective than a cluster of candles. We read about the splendors and marvels of ancient palaces and castles, but we forget that they must have been gloomy and murky places at night.

The word “gloomy” in the passage is closest in meaning to

Choose the best answer:
I was raised on a farm in a remote village in the 1950s. The winter months were endless and everything was covered in snow. I was always (53) ________ for the warmer weather to come. When spring arrived, everything came alive- flowers would bloom and the animals would come out of hibernation. I would follow the bear tracks and search for them. Once, however, I (54) ________ an angry mother bear who saw me (55) ________ a threat. (56) ________ the sight of the bear, I did what my father had told me. I stood still until she stopped growling and walked away. The trick was effective, but looking back now, I realized that the situation was (57) ________ more serious than I thought at the time. By the age of twelve, I had lots of camping (58) ________, as I used to go camping with my dog on my school holidays. We would spend days (59) ________ the forest, catching fish for dinner, (60) ________ at the frogs and the (61) ________ of birds and the insects hopping up and down on the surface of the water. Of course, this was possible only during the warm months. When the autumn came, everything went quiet, which was quite usual in those parts. It wasn‘t long before the animals disappeared, the birds (62) ________ south and the snow took over. The place became deserted once again

Choose the best answer:
The invention of the airplane , like many great inventions, was initially met with ridicule and disbelief. Although many people who heard about the first powered flight on December 17, 1903, were excited and impressed, others reacted with peals of laughter. The idea of flying an aircraft was repulsive to some people. Although Orville and Wilbur Wright, the inventors of the first flying machine, were called impulsive fools, the Wrights continued their experiments in aviation. Orville and Wilbur Wright had always had a compelling interest in aeronautics and mechanics. As young boys they earned money by making and selling kites and mechanical toys. Later, they designed a newspaper-folding machine, built a printing press, and operated a bicycle-repair shop. In 1896, when they read about the death of Otto Lilienthal, the brother's interest in flight grew into a compulsion. Lilienthal, a pioneer in hang-gliding, had controlled his gliders by shifting his body in the desired direction. This idea was repellent to the Wright brothers, however, and they searched for more efficient methods to control the balance of airborne vehicles. In 1900 and 1901, the Wrights tested numerous gliders and developed control techniques. The brothers' inability to obtain enough lift power for the gliders almost led them to abandon their efforts. After studying and experimenting with model wings in a wind tunnel, the Wright brothers designed their first airplane in 1903 for less than one thousand dollars. They even designed and built their own lightweight gasoline engine. On December 17, they successfully flew the plane for twelve seconds and 120 feet, despite a turbulent start. By 1905 the Wrights had perfected the first airplane that could turn, circle, and remain airborne for half an hour at a time. Others had flown in balloons or in hang gliders, but the Wright brothers were the first to build a full-size machine that could fly under its own power. As the contributors of one of the most outstanding engineering achievements in history, the Wright brothers are accurately called the fathers of aviation.
The word them in paragraph 3 refer to ______