Choose the letter A, B, C or D to complete the sentences

 ____________ is your favourite subject at school?

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow by circling the corresponding letter A, B, C or D of the correct answers. Mark your choice on the answer sheet.
A drop shot, a tennis player "drops" the ball just over the net, hoping that his or her opponent won't get to it at all or will just barely reach it, thus making a weak return. The drop shot works well in a number of situations. It can be used to tire an opponent, to bring a baseline player to the net, to win points outright when an opponent is slow in moving forward or is out of position, or to substitute for the approach shot.
A perfect situation for a drop shot occurs when a player's opponent is far out of the court and hits well to the inside of the service line. A good drop shot is a sure winner, but a bad one is equally certain a disaster. The opponent who gets to the ball early has been handed the net position, which is a distinct advantage for the net rusher who will usually win the point in short order.

A drop shot works well in order to_____

Read the following passage carefully, and then select the best option A, B, C or D to complete it:

"Music, artful arrangement of sounds (1) _______ time. This definition is obviously very broad, but a narrower one would exclude (2) _______ much. Music is part of virtually every culture on (3) _______, but it varies widely among cultures in style and structure. Definitions of music can (4) _______ dramatically over a short time, as they have across the world during the 20th (5)_________. Can music exist without (6) _______? Some philosophers argue that music should be defined as a kind of “mental(7) _______” and that the physical aspects of sound are simply by-products of this image. If you (8) _______ you can have a musical experience by imagining the sound of a piece of music, then you think (9) _______ can exist without sound. But most musical experiences involve producing or (10) _______ to physical characteristics of sound such as pitch and timbre (quality comparable to texture or color in sight).
Is the tape-recorded sound of a large metal-stamping machine music? Are 4 minutes (11) _______ 33 seconds of silence music? Is the activity of reading a (12) _______ of hundreds of seemingly unrelated objects, activities, and states of mind music? Each of these “(13) _______”, as well as many other sounds (or nonsounds), has been copyrighted (14) _______ a musical composition, performed, and recorded in the 20th century. One of the legacies of 20th century music is to have blurred the definition of music as (15) _______ before."

6. Can music exist without (6) _______?

Read the passage below carefully, and then choose the best answer:

"Background, in relation to computers, on the screen, the color on which characters are displayed. (1) _______, a white background may be used for black characters. In a windowing environment in which more than one program or document can be available to the user, open but currently inactive (2) _______ are said to be in the background.
In the context of operating systems and program execution, background refers to a process, or task, assigned a lower priority in the microprocessor's share of time to tasks other than the task running in the (3) _______. A background process thus often performs its work, such as printing or checking for arriving messages on an electronic mail network, invisibly unless the user requests an update or brings the task to the foreground. (4) _______, only multitasking operating systems are able to support background processing. However, some operating systems that do not support multitasking may be able to perform one or more types of background tasks. For example, in the Apple Macintosh operating system running in Single-Launch Mode (with multitasking (5) _______), the Background Printing option can be used to print documents while the user is doing other work."

1. (1) _______, a white background may be used for black characters.

Read the following passage, then choose the correct answer to questions 31 - 35.
Smoking causes lung cancer, which is the number one cancer among men. Ninety percent of the people who get lung cancer die. Smoking is also the leading cause of mouth cancer, tongue cancer, and throat cancer. Many smokers have heart disease and pneumonia. Smoking causes one million early deaths in the world every year.
Smokers not only harm themselves but also harm others. Smokers breathe smoke out into the air. They breathe it out on their children and their wives or husbands. Children whose parents smoke have more breathing and lung problems than other children. Women who are married to smokers are more likely to have lung cancer than those married to non-smokers.
We are all aware that smoking is bad. So why do people smoke?

The main cause of mouth cancer, tongue cancer and throat cancer is__________.

Reading the following passage and do the tasks below.

Inventors and Inventions

Technology is the reason humans have risen to a dominant role on our planet, above all other species. We are not the strongest or the fastest, in fact we're quite weak in relation to many other animals. But our brains, and our technology have allowed us to dominate our world. The most important discovery in human history is the harnessing of fire, which allowed us to operate in darkness, keep warm in the winter, and cook food. There is no set date to think about the invention of fire, however.

The first great invention, then, was agriculture. Ancient peoples collected wild grains to eat as long ago as 20,000 BC, but didn't start growing these crops until 13,000 BC and 6,000 BC, depending on the region. One of the earliest crops to be domesticated was rice, in China in around 11,000 BC.

Agriculture includes animals, of course, and the earliest animals to be domesticated are believed to be pigs, in 13,000 BC in Macedonia. The switch to agriculture is crucial, as it provides a food surplus. This surplus means that not everyone has to be involved in food production, freeing people up to conduct trade and advance science and the arts.

Other crucial inventions are the wheel, invented by the Greeks, which allowed people to carry heavy goods; as well as nails, invented by the Romans, without which construction was difficult.

Another great, world-shaking invention was the compass. The compass was invented between 200 BC and 100 AD in China. Prior to the compass, mariners had to use the sun and stars to navigate, which meant it was impossible to steer when the sky was overcast. The invention allowed accurate navigation in any weather... though the compass was first used for feng shui, or the construction of houses to be harmonious with the environment.

Probably the most significant medieval achievement was the printing press, without which modern civilization wouldn't be possible. It was invented in Johannes Gutenberg in 1436. Though imprinting symbols or images via stencils and ink had been known in Europe and China for hundreds of years, Gutenberg mechanized the process, improving its speed and efficiency. Up until then, books had to be painstakingly copied by hand, but now they could be mass-produced easily.

About fifty years after the invention of the printing press, twenty million volumes had been mass-produced. This led to a rise of literacy never seen before and directly contributed to the Protestant Reformation as it allowed average people to access the Bible.

One of the greatest inventions, which today we take for granted, is the lightbulb. There were several contributors to the field before Thomas Edison came along, but today he is credited with the invention of the first practical incandescent light bulb. He tried thousands of times to create the light bulb before managing to do so in 1879. This invention revolutionized the world.

When asked about the thousands of times he'd failed to create the lightbulb, Edison replied 'I didn't fail. I just found 2,000 ways now not to make a light bulb; I only needed to find one way to make it work.' Who the next great inventor will be is up in the air.

Which of the following people invented the wheel?

Choose the letter A, B, C or D to complete the passage below

Education plays a vital role ____________ (6) shaping successful people. It gives us the opportunity to become a productive member of a civilized society by acquiring all the necessary skills. We learn ____________ (7) to meet challenges and overcome obstacles. We learn how to become an integrated personality and maintain the perpetuation of our culture. People learn basic norms, rules, regulations, ____________ (8) values of society through education. Moreover, high quality education enables us to ____________ (9) a successful life, enhances our intelligence, skills, knowledge, and brings positive changes in our life.

Education lays the foundation stone for our future. An illiterate person can find ____________ (10) very difficult to cope ____________ (11) some aspects of life. Education expands our vision and creates awareness. It helps us develop a disciplined life and provides us with better earning opportunities. It enables us ____________ (12) the world beyond our own surroundings. Education ____________ (13) also a prerequisite of the prosperity and modernization of any country.

Modern education is liberal, open, and exoteric. It is the premise of progress, in every family and in every society. It teaches people to reason. It is based ____________ (14) the humanism, freedom, equality, democracy, and human rights. The content of education keeps pace with the needs of modern society and is a mirror of its goals, values, and priorities. So, education is a necessary means of eradicating the unemployment problem. It is able to reduce poverty in a number of ____________ (15). But we have to remember that there is a great need for the growth of the vocational education so that every person could pursue a fulfilling career that ensures a satisfied life.

 Moreover, high quality education enables us to ____________ (9) a successful life, enhances our intelligence, skills, knowledge, and brings positive changes in our life.

Read the passage and choose the best answer.

There is now increasing concern about the world’s energy (23)____ , particularly about those involving fossil (24) ____. In less than a hundred years we shall probably exhaust all the present (25) ____ of oil and gas. The world’s coal (26) ____ should last langer but, once used, these cannot be renewed. It is important; therefore, that we should develop such (27) ____ sources of energy as solar energy as well as water and wind power.

26_____________

Read the passage and answer the questions that follow by circling the corresponding letter A, B, C or D of the correct answers.
London is the place where the historic past and the present come alive. A blend of history, architecture and culture has created an amazingly and constantly developing city.
Not surprisingly the capital has become a wonderful place for visitors and a great place to live with countless museums, galleries and entertainment places throughout the city. Whatever you want to buy, you can surely find out in London.
London has a population of 7.2 million people and it is one of Europe's most densely populated areas.
Throughout history, a lot of immigrants and refugees have been arriving in London. London has more women than men and its population is younger when compared to the rest of the country. The capital is housing over 306,000 students in higher education.

The population of London is________.

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

The Buddha of the Poor

More than 26,000 children now have bright (23)…………………..faces after receiving free operations. About 173,000 poor people received free treatment to regain their vision, and nearly 3,400 deaf children were given hearing aids. These are part of the (24)………………………..of the Ho Chi Minh Association for Support of Poor Patients, launched and run by Mr. Nguyen Vinh Nghiep. Mr Nghiep, the former Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, retired in 1992, and (25)……………………his Association two years later. Together with his former colleagues, Mr Nghiep has (26)……………………… billions of VND from individual (27)……………….and organizations to support more than a million poor people nationwide through seven major (28)………………….programmes, such as “ For the children’s smile”, “Bringing light to poor blind people from birth”., “ Sound and Vouce for Deaf and Dumb Children”, : Wheelchairs for people with disabilities and paralysed children”.

The “ Free meals for patients and their relatives” programme has offered over 2.6 million free meals to poor people in 10 hospitals. Mr Nghiep said, “Helping one person to gain their (29)………means bringing happiness to him or herself, freeing two or three more people from (30)………………of the patient, and more importantly, building (31)…………………..for poor patients in society.”

In 2002, Mr Nghiep, (32)……………. “The Buddha of the Poor”, was given the national title of Labor Hero in the Reneval Process, and his Association received the title in 2005.

Question 23......................

Read the passage and choose the best anwers.

Rain forests cover less than six percent of the earth’s area, but they have 100,000 kinds of all the kinds of plants on the earth. Three- fourths of known kinds of plants and animals call the rain forests their home. Twenty percent of our different kinds of medicine come from rain forests. The glues on an envelope and in shoes come from tropical plants. Rain forests provide materials for hundreds of other products.

Rain forests are also very important to the world’s climate. The Amazon rain forest alone receives about thirty to forty percent of the total rainfall on the earth and products about the same percentage of the world oxygen. Some scientists believe that the decreasing size of rain forests will affect the climate on the earth, making it uncomfortable or even dangerous for life.

Saving rain forests is an international problem. One country, or even a few countries, cannot solve the problem alone. The nations of the world must work together to find a solution before it is too late.

What percent of the total rainfall on the earth does the Amazon rain forests receive?

Read the passage and choose the best answer.

I live in a small village (23)____ Henfield – there are about 500 people here. I love it because it is quiet and life is slow and easy. You never (24) ____ queue in shops or banks. The village is clean – people (25) ____ it and don’t throw their rubbish in the streets. The air is also clean because there’s not much heavy traffic. It’s much more friendly here than in a city. Everyone knows everyone and (26) ____ someone has a problem, there are always people who can help. There aren’t many things I don’t like about Henfield. One thing is that there’s not much to do in the evening – we haven’t got any cinemas or theaters. Another problem is that people always talk about (27) ____ and everyone knows what everyone else is doing. But I still prefer village life to life in a big city.

25____________

Choose the best answer:

I learn English badly but he learns it ....... than me.

Read the passage and choose the best answer.

The tourist industry is considered to be (23)____ largest industry. Before 1950, one million people traveled abroad each year but by the 1990s, the figure had risen to 400 million every year. Such large (24) ____of tourists; however, are beginning to cause problems. For example, in the Alps the skiers are destroying the mountains they came to enjoy. Even parts of Mount Everest in the Himalayas are reported to be covered (25) ____ old tins, tents, and foods that have been thrown away.  But at a time (26)____ we have greater freedom to travel than ever before, more and more people are asking how they can enjoy their holidays without (27)____ problems by spoiling the countryside. Now there is a new holiday guide called “Holidays that don’t cost the earth”. It tells you how you can help the tourist industry by asking your travel agent the right before you go on holiday.

23__________

Choose the letter A, B, C or D to complete the sentences with given words

If/ it/ fine/ tomorrow, we/ go/ the/ dentist.

Rewrite sentences without changing the meaning

Stress and tiredness often leads to lack of concentration.

Read the passage and choose the best answer.

To stay healthy, it is important to have a balanced diet. We should eat enough three main groups of food. These groups are protein, carbohydrate, and fat.

Proteins are very important for building our body. They help us to build new cells as old ones die. Meat and milk products are major sources of protein. We can also get protein from fish, eggs, and beans.

Carbohydrates and fat are important to enable us to store energy. Carbohydrates are found in sugar and cereals. Fat can be found in vegetable oil, butter, and nuts.

Our body also needs minerals, such as iron and calcium, and vitamins. Fish, vegetables, and milk contain most of the minerals we need. Vitamins are found in fresh vegetables and fruit.

Carbohydrates…………..

Choose the letter A, B, C or D to complete the sentences

The flight had to be delayed the bad weather.

Read the following passage and do the tasks below.

The traditional American family

The nuclear family, consisting of a mother, father, and their children, may be more an American ideal than an American reality. Of course, the so called traditional American family was always more varied than we had been led to believe, reflecting the very different racial, ethnic, class, and religious customs among different American groups, but today diversity is even more obvious.

The most recent government census statistics reveal that only about one third of all current American families fits the traditional mold of two parents and their children, and another third consists of married couples who either have children or have none still living at home. An analysis of the remaining one third of the population reveals that about 20 percent of the total number of American households are single people, the most common descriptor being women over sixty-five years of age. A small percentage, about 3 percent of the total, consists of unmarried people who choose to live together; the rest, about 7 percent, are single parents, with at least one child.

There are several easily identifiable reasons for the growing number of single-parent households. First, the sociological phenomenon of single-parent households reflects changes in cultural attitudes toward divorce and also toward unmarried mothers. A substantial number of adults become single parents as a result of divorce. In addition, the number of children born to unmarried women who choose to keep their children and rear them by themselves has increased dramatically. Finally, there is a small percentage of single-parent families that have resulted from untimely death. Today, these varied family types are typical and, therefore, normal.

In addition, because many families live far from relatives, close friends have become a more important part of family life than ever before. The vast majority of Americans claim that they have people in their lives whom they regard as family although they are not related. A view of family that only accepts the traditional nuclear arrangement not only ignores the reality of modern American family life, but also undervalues the familial bonds created in alternatives family arrangements. Apparently, many Americans are achieving supportive relationships in family forms other than the traditional one.

The word none in paragraph 2 refers to..................

Choose the letter A, B, C or D to complete the passage below

Education plays a vital role ____________ (1) shaping successful people. It gives us the opportunity to become a productive member of a civilized society by acquiring all the necessary skills. We learn ____________ (2) to meet challenges and overcome obstacles. We learn how to become an integrated personality and maintain the perpetuation of our culture. People learn basic norms, rules, regulations, ____________ (3) values of society through education. Moreover, high quality education enables us to ____________ (4) a successful life, enhances our intelligence, skills, knowledge, and brings positive changes in our life.

Education lays the foundation stone for our future. An illiterate person can find ____________ (5) very difficult to cope ____________ (6) some aspects of life. Education expands our vision and creates awareness. It helps us develop a disciplined life and provides us with better earning opportunities. It enables us ____________ (7) the world beyond our own surroundings. Education ____________ (8) also a prerequisite of the prosperity and modernization of any country.

Modern education is liberal, open, and exoteric. It is the premise of progress, in every family and in every society. It teaches people to reason. It is based ____________ (9) the humanism, freedom, equality, democracy, and human rights. The content of education keeps pace with the needs of modern society and is a mirror of its goals, values, and priorities. So, education is a necessary means of eradicating the unemployment problem. It is able to reduce poverty in a number of ____________ (10). But we have to remember that there is a great need for the growth of the vocational education so that every person could pursue a fulfilling career that ensures a satisfied life.

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

Technology, such as tablets, isn't only useful for ________ (8) knowledge; it helps with communication as well. Teachers and administrators use such devices to send materials and information ________ (9) students and parents. Students ________ (10) in homework and term papers online and can access educational applications and programs to further assist with learning.