Deserts can be defined as areas that receive _______ average annual precipitation of less than 250 mm.

(330)______

Choose the best answer:
Harry and Kate are talking in Harry’s office. Kate: “May I open the window?” Harry: “ _______________”.

Choose the best answer:
We'll have lunch outside in the garden, _____ it's too cold.

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
However objective we believe ourselves to be, most of us do not judge a product solely on its merits, considering quality, value and style before making a decision. (1)______, we are easily influenced by the people around us. There is nothing wrong with this. It is probably a smarter way to make decisions than (2)_________  on only our own opinions. But it does make life hard for companies. They have long understood that groups of friends and relatives tend to buy the same products, but understanding the reasons has been tricky. It is because they are so similar with (3)________to how much money they make and what television ads they watch that they independently arrive at the same decision? Or do they copy one another, perhaps (4)_________ envy or perhaps because they have shared information about the products? Research in Finland recently found overwhelming evidence that neighbours have a big influence on buying decisions. When one of a person’s ten nearest neighbours bought a car, the chances that that person would buy a car of the same brand during the next week and a half (5)_____ by 86 per cent. The researchers argued that it was not just a matter of envy. Used cars seemed to attract neighbours even more than new cars. This suggested that people were not trying to keep up with their neighbours, they were keen to learn from them. Since used cars are less reliable, a recommendation of one can strongly influence a buying decision

Choose the best answer:
You ________ any friends if you ________ talking like that.

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 :
For athletes who like to (1) _________ a variety of endurance sports in a single race, triathlons are a great fit. These competitions (2) _________ running, cycling, and swimming into one race, and they take place one after the other in a single continuous timed race. Athletes who participate must be in top physical form and have the skills needed to complete each portion of the race. Training for triathlons means the athletes have to become proficient not only in the sport required in each stage, but they also have to become familiar with what (3) _________ from one to the other does to their bodies. Many inexperienced triathletes are surprised to (4) _________ hard it can be to switch from swimming to cycling to running, and how tired their muscles can suddenly feel. One thing all triathletes can agree (5) _________ is that no one ever told them that running a triathlon would be easy

Choose the best answer:
When I last...............Jane,she .............to find a job.

Read the passage below carefully, and then choose the best answer:
Drawing a Line in the Sand
Artists are known to be a picky bunch. Over years of practice, they often develop a preference for certain materials. For instance, some sculptors will only work with marble, whereas some painters may insist on only using watercolour paints. Yet, only a select few have become masters working with a common material that you can find on any beach: sand. As children, we all made sand castles, but some skilled artists have taken this activity to the next level. They have created impressive, massive sand constructions in the shape of dragons, castles, and everything else you can imagine. A major benefit for many artists who build with sand is its simplicity. To get started, all you need is sand and water. However, mastering this medium takes years of practice and great attention to detail. For example, different tasks require different ratio of water to sand to get the job done. Deciding on the proper tools can also be complicated. Some artists prefer using buckets and shovels, while others are purists who refuse to use anything but their hands. Sand painting is another form of sand art. The practice dates back dozens of thousands of years and has been used by several different cultures. It involves spreading different coloured particles, which often come from crystals and rocks, onto a surface and then arranging them to make a picture. Interestingly enough, many sand paintings are designed to be temporary. Tibetan monks will spend days creating beautiful sand paintings which are blown away by winds shortly after they are finished. They view the natural destruction of their work as a symbol of impermanence in life. Meanwhile, Native Americans consider their temporary sand paintings as living creatures and they treat them with great respect while they exist. Recently, filmmakers have also discovered a way to work with sand by creating sand animation. Like other forms of animation, an artist will create one image and then capture it on camera. Then, they will make some subtle changes and then move on to the next frame and so on. After they have created and captured hundreds of images, the frames will be strung together. In the final product, it will appear as if the sand images are moving or changing shape. The next time you are at the beach, let your mind run free as you look at the shore. Who knows, you might get the urge to create some remarkable sand art of your own.
1. What is the tone of the passage?

 When she got the news from her family, she could not do anything, _____ cry.

(344)_______

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 :
As more and more people concentrate in cities, planners are looking for ways to (1) _______ cities into better living spaces. This can be (2) _______ by improving existing infrastructure while also creating more public spaces that are both beautiful and green. This can be hard to accomplish, especially in cities with a haphazard fashion. Some cities have been created with the idea of a green city as the goal. One such city, Masdar City in the United Arab Emirates, aims to become a (3) _______ . for other cities to follow. It is being known as a truly green city that relies strictly on renewable sources such as solar energy to provide all of its energy needs. In addition, it will be a zero waste city in which (4) _______ that is used can be recycled. (5) _______ it will truly accomplish its goal remains to be seen, but it will also act as an experiment for environmentally-friendly areas to be tested.

Read the passage below carefully, and then choose the best answer:
Danger!
If you are walking through the woods and you see a bear, you know that you are in danger. The same is true if you see a snake or a beehive. However, these aren’t the only dangerous things in nature. When you are having a good time outside, you also need to be careful of plants. In some ways, plants are more dangerous than animals. This is because dangerous plants often look normal. Sometimes they even look pretty. If you try to touch one of these nice-looking plants, you could be in a lot of trouble. Take the angel’s trumpet flower, for example. This beautiful white flower is full of poison. A person who touches it can get headaches, confusion, and a very fast heartbeat. Very often, the poison can kill you. All parts of the angel’s trumpets are poisonous, but the most dangerous parts are the seeds and leaves. Here is another dangerous and somewhat creepy plant: doll’s eyes. This plant got its name because its berries look just like doll’s eyes. The berries from these plants can stop a person’s heart. In fact, most berries that you see in nature are poisonous. You should never eat wild berries that you find when you are outside. Some plants can sting you. Stinging needles don’t look dangerous, but they have many tiny hairs on them. If you touch a stinging needle, those hairs will put a weak poison onto your skin. The poison won’t kill you, but it will make your skin itch for a while and it might drive you crazy. One of the more common dangerous plants is poison ivy. This plant produces a clear liquid that will cause all kinds of problems to anyone who touches it. Most people who touch poison ivy get a red and very painful rash on their skin. The rash often itches very badly, and sometimes it creates large blisters. If you see a green plant that has three leaves growing from every branch, stay away from it. It could be poison ivy.
6. The word “it” in the last paragraph refers to __________

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
For many American university students, the weeklong spring break holiday means an endless party on a sunny beach in Florida or Mexico. In Panama City Beach, Florida, a city with a permanent population of around 36,000, more than half a million university students arrive during the month of March to play and party, making it the number one spring break destination in the United States. A weeklong drinking binge is not for anyone, however, and a growing number of American university students have found a way to make spring break matter. For them, joining or leading a group of volunteers to travel locally or internationally and work to show problems such as poverty, homelessness, or environmental damage makes spring break a unique learning experience that university students can feel good about. Students who participate in alternative spring break projects find them very rewarding. While most university students have to get their degrees before they can start helping people, student volunteers are able to help people now. On the other hand, the accommodations are far from glamorous. Students often sleep on the floor of a school or spend the week camping in tents. But students only pay around $250 for meals and transportation, which is much less than some of their peers spend to travel to more traditional spring break hotspots. Alternative spring break trips appear to be growing in popularity at universities across the United States. Students cite a number of reason for participating. Some appreciate the opportunity to socialize and meet new friends. Others want to exercise their beliefs about people’s obligation to serve humanity and make the world a better place. Whatever their reason, these students have discovered something that gives them rich rewards along with a break from school work.
3. The word “binge” in the second paragraph probably means______

Choose the best answer:
‘Each of you may have one piece of candy,’ Mrs. Jones said to the children.

Stories about how people somehow know when they are being watched have been going around for centuries. However, few (1)________ have been made to study the phenomenon scientifically. Now, with the accomplishment of the largest ever research of the so-called staring effect, there is striking indication that this is a recognizable and (2)________ sixth sense. The research elaborates thousands of kids. For the research, they stood with their eyes covered and with their backs to other youngsters, who were told to either stare at them or look away. The outcomes constantly revealed that the kids who could not see were able to (3)________ when they were being stared at. In total of 14.000 experiments (4)________ globally, the teenagers (5)________ sensed when they were being watched almost 81% of the time.

(57)_________

Read the reading below carefully, and then complete it with the best option A, B, C or D given below:
GIL DURDIN Director
Newline Shopping Center
Dear Mr. Durdin,
In high-traffic establishments such as yours, floors are used around the clock as deliverymen bring goods and people come and go into the building. Given the (1)------- use, the floors must be very durable to remain usable over the years. To (2)------- this matter, Floorbest, Inc. has designed a special protective floor system specially for supermarkets and commercial centers like yours. We are the speediest installer in your region! After you make an order, a Floorbest installer will visit your location within two business days to take the exact specifications for your business. Installation of the new flooring system (3)------- within four weeks. To request a free estimate, please call today at 373-4555.
CLYDE PARKER Manager Floorbest, Inc

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
How men first learnt to invent words is unknown; in other words, the origin of language is a (1)………. . All we really know is that men, unlike animals, somehow invented certain sounds to express thoughts and feelings, actions and things so that they could communicate with each other; and that later they agreed (2)…….. certain signs, called letters, which could be combined to represent those sounds, and which could be written down. These sounds, (3)……… spoken or written in letters, are called words. Great writers are those who not only have great thoughts but also express these thoughts in words that appeal powerfully to our minds and emotions. This charming and telling use of words is what we call literacy type. Above all, the real poet is a master of words. He can (4) ……..his meanings in words which sing like music, and which by their position and association can move men to tears. We should, therefore, learn to choose our words carefully, (5)……… they will make our speech silly and vulgar

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

On December 10, 2006, I was going through some hard time. The landlady did not want to release the house any more so I had to (1) _____ and only had one month to find a place. Because Christmas was coming and it was difficult for me to (2) _____ a suitable accommodation. I had only some money (3) _____. I could not buy a Christmas tree and some presents for my three boys, (4) _____ I had to use the money to find a place to live. To me, it broke my heart as I could not prepare the Christmas for my three boys. I have been their only parent since my husband (5) _____ away two years ago. I was so sad and everything was getting on my nerves. Although I managed to solve the problem myself I could not help (6) _____ my sons about the things. When I suddenly woke up at midnight, I found my eldest son was sitting (7) _____me. He kissed me and said, "Don't worry, Mum. We love you very much and always stand by you (8) ____ happens." At the moment I started weeping, grabbed him and kissed him. His words and love made me (9) _____ all about what I was stressing about.

In fact ever since that moment, I have realized that I can overcome any problems thanks to my sons' love. The most important thing of my life is that my boys are safe and healthy, and they bring me joy all the time. The memory (10) _____ me that nothing really matters, when I have the love of my children.

(7) _____

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
As teenagers approach university level, a decision has to be made on what course to pursue. In this world of diversity, (1) ______ such a choice is not easy for both children and parents. In the old days, it was not much a problem to do the task because there were not so many diverse learning areas to choose from. Besides, there were only a few distinctive professional careers like doctor, engineer, accountant, nurse, teacher,etc.  to think about. Most higher learning usually led to a financially successful life. (2) ______, the cost of education was not so high. Today’s world is entirely different from the things (3) ______ have just been described.  The job market is constantly changing due to innovative technology and new (4) ______. Meanwhile, most teenagers have difficulty in identifying their own interests. There are a variety of well- organized career talks and student counseling workshop to guide and help teenagers (5) ______ what course to take. Furthermore, psychological tests are also used.  Certain instruments such as surveys, interviews and computer software can help to find out preferences, interests, or learning styles of the students

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 Healthy Way To Know A City
Maybe you are staying in a city, and there is no park nearby where you can take your morning job. One of the more recent trend is to go on a running tour, but you are not leading the way. Rather, a running (1)_________ who knows the best (2)_________ in the city acts as your guide. You are going out for a run, but you are also being shown highlights of the city while you are doing it. Guided running tours are a trend that seems to be catching (3)_________ in quite a few of the bigger cities in the United States. New York City, Chicago,  and San Francisco are just three of the major cities that have running tours in (4)_________. They offer these tours to individuals, groups, and even for corporate events. If you are going into a city with colleagues to attend a business meeting or a convention, what better way is there to see the city and network with others (5)_________ while taking a healthy run?

Choose the best answer:
A small stone struck the windshield while we _______ down the gravel road.

At any competition, everyone is _____.

(478)_____