Choose the item (A, B, C or D) that best completes the following sentences

One of the greatest advantages of robots is that they can work in situations that are dangerous or harmful for human workers. For example, the continuous smell of paint has a harmful effect on painters, but it doesn't "bother" a robot. Robots can work in nuclear power plants and in undersea research stations that might be dangerous for humans. Already, robots are working in the plastics industry and in chemical and industrial equipment industries. One  of the most common uses of robots is still in automobile factories. They can do the heavy, unpleasant, or dangerous work. These kinds of industrial robots are not usually "mobile". The work they need to do is brought to them, like cars on an assembly line, for example.

The robot industry is a big business. By the middle of the 1990s, Japan' led the world in robot production with more than 71,000 industrial robots at work. Both the United States and Japan, as well as other countries, continue to develop more advanced robots. Robots can now be made to perform more complex jobs. Robots can make decisions while they are working  and learn from their mistakes. Robots can now see with TV camera "eyes." They can easily hear and can even speak using a voice made by a computer. But it is difficult to make a robot "understand." Thinking and understanding are very human qualities. The robots of the future will probably be very complex. They will be able to perform many humanlike tasks. Robots and other technology will make the future a very interesting place!

We can infer from the passage that by the middle of  the 1990s ............

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

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

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

The modern tea ceremony can be (4) __________back to the 17th century when it developed alongside another singular Japanese adaption of Chinese culture: the philosophy of Zen. The tea ceremony eventually became established as a recognized form of high art, where it was practiced in (5) __________ locations, from a Zen temple to an ordinary home. Even today, the simplest and most secular tea ceremony still embraces the Zen aesthetics of (6) __________, austerity and devotion. During the ceremony strictly prescribed words of invitation and gratitude are murmured quietly; tea maker and guests (7) __________ their roles with humility and respect. A brief moment of (8) __________ tranquility has been communally created and shared. It is simultaneously an aesthetic, social and spiritual moment. Significantly it is a Japanese moment, fleeting and poignant with its own peacefulness (9) __________ the noise and confusion of the everyday world is temporarily suspended as a vague, indefinable (10) __________ of the eternal pervades.
3.

Read the passage below and choose the best answer (A, B, C or D ) to each question.

Different cultures follow their own special customs when a child's baby teeth fall out. In Korea, for example, they have the custom of throwing lost teeth up on the roof of a house. According to tradition, a magpie will come and take the tooth. Later, the magpie will return with a new tooth for the child. In other Asian countries, such as Japan and Vietnam, children follow a similar tradition of throwing their lost teeth onto the roofs of houses.

Birds aren't the only animals thought to take lost teeth. In Mexico and Spain, tradition says a mouse takes a lost tooth and leaves some money. However, in Mongolia, dogs are responsible for taking teeth away. Dogs are highly respected in Mongolian culture and are considered guardian angels of the people.

Tradition says that the new tooth will grow good and strong if the baby tooth is fed to a guardian angel. Accordingly, parents in Mongolia will put their child's lost tooth in a piece of meat and feed it to a dog. The idea of giving lost teeth to an angel or fairy is also a tradition in the West. Many children in Western countries count on the Tooth Fairy to leave money or presents in exchange for a tooth. The exact origins of the Tooth Fairy are a mystery, although the story probably began in England or Ireland centuries ago. According to tradition, a child puts a lost tooth under his or her pillow before going to bed. In the wee hours, while the child is sleeping, the Tooth Fairy takes the tooth and leaves something else under the pillow. In France, the Tooth Fairy leaves a small gift. In the United States, however, the Tooth Fairy usually leaves money. These days, the rate is 1 to 5 per tooth, adding up to a lot of money from the Tooth Fairy!

According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true about the tradition of tooth giving in the West?

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
No one can say when sports began. Since it is impossible to (23)..... a time when children did not spontaneously run races or wrestle, it is clear that children have always included sports in their play, but one can only speculate about the (24).......of sports as autotelic physical contests for adults. Hunters are depicted in prehistoric art, but it cannot be known (25).......... the hunters pursued their prey in a mood of grim necessity or with the joyful abandon of sportsmen. It is certain,(26)......., from the rich literary and iconographic evidence of all ancient civilizations that hunting soon became an end in itself at least for royalty and nobility. Archaeological evidence also indicates that ball games were common among ancient peoples as (27)......... as the Chinese and the Aztecs.
(26).......................

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
I live on the first floor of a house that has been (1).......... into three flats. Five months ago, a couple moved into the flat above and since then my life has been a nightmare. They get up at 6 a.m and make a terrible noise. They listen to the radio at top (2)......... , talk loudly and stamp on the floor. In the evening they play the same record on their stereo over and over again. It’s beginning to (3)......... me mad. I’ve tried turning my own stereo up to (4)............ out the noise but I like peace and quiet and find loud music stressful. I tried to talking to them but it hasn’t done any good. I realize I should live and (5)............. live , but I have begun to have quite irrational revenge fantasies about them – like switching off their electricity or deliberately making a lot of noise late at night when I know they are asleep. What on earth can I do?
(1).............................

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

Ever since it was first possible to make a real robot, people have been hoping for the invention of a machine that would do all the necessary jobs around the house. If boring and repetitive factory work could be (1)_____ by robots, why not boring and repetitive household chores too?

For a long time the only people who really gave the problem their attention were amateur inventors And they came up against a major difficulty. That is, housework is actually very complex It has never been one job it has always been many. A factor robot (2)_____ one task endlessly until it is reprogrammed to do something else. It doesn’t run the whole factory. A housework robot on the other hand, has to do several different (3)_____ of cleaning and carrying jobs and also has to cope (4)______ all the different shapes and positions of rooms, furniture, ornaments, cats and dogs. (5)______ , there have been some developments recently. Sensors are available to help the robot locate objects and avoid obstacles. We have the technology to produce the hardware. All that is missing the softwarethe programs that will operate the machine.

(2)..........................

Choose the best answer: 
This agreement, once it comes into force, will bring ______ benefits to over 5,000 Canadians by coordinating pension benefits between Canada and Poland.

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

"Oxford engineer, David Heston, is planning an interesting cycle ride this summer - (1)….. the Sahara Desert. During his five-week journey, temperatures (2)…..  a sizzling 45°. David, 19, of Church Road, Dorchester, hopes to complete the first summer (3)…… of the desert on a tandem (bicycle for two people). “It does sound a bit (4)….. he said. (5)…. there are good reasons. It’s part of a research expedition about finding ways of (6)…. the spread of the desert. The Sahara is getting bigger and bigger and that’s bad (7)…… .
David is taking five Cambridge University friends with him. One will join him on the tandem and the others will drive two Land Rovers in support, travelling from (8)….. of Algeria to Agadez in the South. The journey is not without its problems, and (9)….. a 600-mile section (10)…..has no roads and no water."

2. During his five-week journey, temperatures (2)…..  a sizzling 45°. 

Choose the best answer: 
Archaeological records ― paintings, drawings, and carvings of humans engaged in activities involving the use of hands ― indicate that humans have been predominantly right-handed for more than 5,000 years. In ancient Egyptian artwork, for example, the right-hand is depicted as the dominant one in about 90percent of the examples. Fracture or wear patterns on tools also indicate that a majority of ancient people were right-handed. Cro-Magnon cave paintings some 2,000 years old commonly show outlines of human hands made by placing one hand against the cave wall and applying paint with the other. Children today make similar outlines of their hands with crayons on paper. With few exceptions, left hands of Cro-Magnons are displayed on cave walls, indicating that the paintings were usually done by right- handers. Anthropological evidence pushes the record of handedness in early human ancestors back to at least 1.4 million years ago. One important line of evidence comes from flaking patterns of stone cores used in toolmaking: implements flaked with a clockwise motion (indicating a right-handed toolmaker) can be distinguished from those flaked with a counter-clockwise rotation (indicating a left-handed toolmaker). Even scratches found on fossil human teeth offer clues. Ancient humans are thought to have cut meat into strips by holding it between their teeth and slicing it with stone knives, as do the present-day Inuit. Occasionally the knives slip and leave scratches on the users' teeth. Scratches made with a left-to-right stroke direction (by right-handers) are more common than scratches in the opposite direction (made by left-handers). Still other evidence comes from cranial morphology: scientists think that physical differences between the right and left sides of the interior of the skull indicate subtle physical differences between the two sides of the brain. The variation between the hemispheres corresponds to which side of the body is used to perform specific activities. Such studies, as well as studies of tool use, indicate that right- or leftsided dominance is not exclusive to modern Homo sapiens. Populations of Neanderthals, such as Homo erectus and Homo habilis, seem to have been predominantly right-handed, as we are.
2.The word "other" in paragraph 2 refers to

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read the passage and choose correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

BOOKS

Nearly all the discoveries that have been (1)_______ through the ages can be found in books. The invention of the book is one of humankind's (2)_______ achievements, the importance of (3)_______ cannot be overestimated. Books are very adaptable, (4)_______ us with both entertainment and information. The production of books (5)_______ in Ancient Egypt, though not in a form that is recognised to us today. The books read by the Romans, however, have some similarities to the ones we read now. Until the middle of the 15th century, in Europe, all books were written by hand. They were often beautifully illustrated and always rare and expensive. With printing came the possibility of cheap, large-scale publication and distribution of books, making knowledge more widespread and accessible.

(1) ______

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

In paragraph 2, the word “endeavor” is closest in meaning to ..............

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

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

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

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

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

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

(7) ______

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.
In the western customs (16)............ hands is the customary form of greeting, but in China a nod of the head or (17)............ bow is sufficient. Hugging and kissing when greeting are uncommon. Business cards are often (18)....... _ and yours should be printed in your own language and in Chinese. Also, it is more respectful to present your card or a gift or any other article using (19)......._ hands. The Chinese are (20)...........applauders. You may be greeted with group clapping, even by small children.
(19).......................

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

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 41 to 45.
Working as a novelist is not really a career like being a doctor or a scientist. Although a fewwell-known ones, like Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling, have become wealthy, most writers find it difficult even to make a living from their book sales. Novels take a long time towrite, and authors can get into financial (41)     if they don’t have money coming in regularly from another job. But for those determined to     write novels, it is without (42) one of the most enjoyable kinds of work to do. The writer has to be creative, thinking up completely new stories, and (43)      , meaning they put all their time and effort     into their work. They also need to be able to cope in a crisis, as nobody else can write their book for them. For this, a good sense of (44) often helps. Or the thought that maybe their novel might one day be turned into a film and become a Hollywood (45)          !
(41)........................

Read the passage and choose correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

BOOKS

Nearly all the discoveries that have been (1)_______ through the ages can be found in books. The invention of the book is one of humankind's (2)_______ achievements, the importance of (3)_______ cannot be overestimated. Books are very adaptable, (4)_______ us with both entertainment and information. The production of books (5)_______ in Ancient Egypt, though not in a form that is recognised to us today. The books read by the Romans, however, have some similarities to the ones we read now. Until the middle of the 15th century, in Europe, all books were written by hand. They were often beautifully illustrated and always rare and expensive. With printing came the possibility of cheap, large-scale publication and distribution of books, making knowledge more widespread and accessible.

(5) ______