Mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the sentence that best combines each pair of sentences in the following questions.
It was her story that made me cry.

 

Choose the best answer:
who/ Could/ invented/ tell/ the/ you/ me/ light/ bulb?

Read the passage below carefully, and then choose the best answer:
Explosions in the Sky
If you attend a major outdoor event in the evening, whether it is in Paris, Beijing, or New York City, there is a good chance that it will end in a sensational way. After all of the other activities have concluded, the sky will be lit up by a colourful firework display. Although the show may only last for a few minutes, during that time every eye will look on with amazement as they work their magic in the air. Fireworks were invented in the seventh century by the Chinese. They were quickly absorbed into the culture and became a part of many celebratory events and festivals. Eventually, emperors would organize large firework displays to entertain and impress their subjects. Fireworks didn’t become big in Europe until the mid-17th century. People became interested in fireworks after reading accounts from monks and travellers who saw them while in China. Once they did arrive, it was obvious they were there to stay. Fireworks were frequently paired with triumphant classical symphonies to celebrate the end of wars and other great victories. As time went on, the fireworks continued to evolve and get better in many ways. Fireworks now come in every colour imaginable. The colour comes from different chemicals that are placed inside of each firework. Thanks to modern technology, it is also possible to create firework arrangements in the shape of hearts, smiley faces, and even the planet Saturn. This is because of the way that the aerial shells, or casings, of fireworks are constructed. The cases are packed with exploding pellets and a piece of cardboard. The cardboard enables the designers to arrange the pellets in pattern or shape of the object of their choice. The first time this technology was used was in Washington DC, during a celebration to welcome home American troops who fought in the Gulf War. The visual aspect is only part of the reason fireworks are appealing. The sounds that fireworks make also add a healthy dose of excitement to the display. There are several noises that fireworks can make. The most common is the “bang” which sounds a lot like a gunshot. Fireworks can also crackle, hum, and whistle as they streak across the night sky. The world’s largest firework show was held in Kuwait in 2012. 77,282 fireworks exploded during the incredible 64-minute show. But with people’s love for fireworks at an all-time high, who knows how long that record will last?
3. What is the main idea of the second paragraph?

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I have expected ......................... the secret of happiness.

Read the passage below carefully, and then choose the best answer:
Plants that Can Help You
We have already talked about some dangerous plants, but we don’t want to give anyone the wrong idea. Please don’t think that most plants are dangerous. The truth is that although some plants can hurt you, most are completely harmless. In fact, there are plenty of plants that are actually very useful to humans. That is why plants are so popular in Chinese medicine. Chinese medicine has been using plants for at least 4,800 years. One of the most popular plants in Chinese medicine is ginseng. Doctors of Chinese medicine believe that ginseng can help your lungs, clean your blood, and do many other things. Ginseng is also a source of energy. In fact, many modern energy drinks that you see in stores contain ginseng. In some parts of the US, there is a plant called lady fern. This is the plant you need if you have been stung by a bee, or if you have got a small burn or a cut. Lady ferns are great for making your skin feel better. All you have to do is roll one of its leaves and crush it in your hands. The juices inside the leaf will help your skin feel better. If you are ever hiking in Europe, look for a flower called tansy. This yellow flower is a natural insect repellent. You just rub it on your skin, and insects will leave you alone. Sage is one of the most useful plants in the world. Because it has so many uses, it is also quite valuable. Human beings have been using sage for a very long time. In Europe, before refrigerators existed, people often used sage to preserve food. Over the years, people have used sage to fight all kinds of health problems. Sage has been used to treat colds, stop muscle problems, and reduce swelling. There are all kinds of other things that people have used sage for. In fact, sage is so useful that it comes from the Latin word “salvere” which means “to be saved”.
5. Which of the following cannot be inferred from the passage?

Choose the best answer to complete the sentences with given words
The workers/ stopped/ work/ take/ a rest/ because/ they/ felt/ tired.

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:
In most discussions of cultural diversity, attention has focused on visible, explicit aspects of culture, such as language, dress, food, religion, music, and social rituals. Although they are important, these visible expressions of culture, which are taught deliberately and learned consciously, are only the tip of the iceberg of culture. Much of culture is taught and learned implicitly, or outside awareness. Thus, neither cultural insiders nor cultural outsiders are aware that certain “invisible” aspects of their culture exist.
Invisible elements of culture are important to us. For example, how long we can be late before being impolite, what topics we should avoid in a conversation, how we show interest or attention through listening behaviour, what we consider beautiful or ugly- these are all aspects of culture that we learn and use without being aware of it. When we meet other people whose invisible cultural assumptions differ from those we have learned implicitly, we usually do not recognize their behaviour as cultural in origin.
Differences in invisible culture can cause problems in cross-cultural relations. Conflicts may arise when we are unable to recognize others’ behavioural differences as cultural rather than personal. We tend to misinterpret other people’s behaviour, blame them, or judge their intentions or competence without realizing that we are experiencing cultural rather than individual differences.

Formal organizations and institutions, such as schools, hospitals, workplaces, governments, and the legal system are collection sites for invisible cultural differences. If the differences were more visible, we might have less misunderstanding. For example, if we met a man in a courthouse who was wearing exotic clothes, speaking a language other than ours, and carrying food that looked strange, we would not assume that we understood his thoughts and feelings or that he understood ours. Yet when such a man is dressed similarly to us, speaks our language, and does not differ from us in other obvious ways, we may fail to recognize the invisible cultural differences between us. As a result, mutual misunderstanding may arise.

The phrase “the tip of the iceberg” in paragraph 1 means that     .

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
It's only 36 centimeters tall, but to fans throughout the world, it represents the highest achievement in football. Every four years, teams from all over the globe compete to take home the FIFA World Cup Trophy, yet nobody ever does. Do you know why? Nobody ever takes it home because the 18-carat gold trophy is kept under lock and key by FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association). The champions of each World Cup tournament receive only a replica. This is to protect the valuable prize from thieves, who have stolen the World Cup trophy twice in its 75-year history. The little trophy has certainly had a troubled existence. The original trophy was made by a French sculptor, Abel LaFleur, and was called the "Jules Rimet Cup," in honor of the founder of the World Cup tournament. Sometime during the first three World Cup events (1930, '34 and '38), the name changed to simply the "World Cup." Then during World War II, not much was seen or heard of the trophy. It was being kept hidden in a shoe box under the bed of Dr. Ottorino Barassi, the Italian vice-president of FIFA, to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Nazi army. Although the trophy made it safely through the war, it didn't fare so well during the turbulent 1960s. In 1966, the Cup was stolen during a public showing of the trophy prior to the World Cup tournament in England. Luckily, it was found a short time later none the worse for wear in a trash container, by a little dog named Pickles. Four years later, Brazil earned permanent possession of the original trophy by winning its third World Cup title. Unfortunately, the trophy was stolen a second time, in 1983, and was never recovered. The Brazilian Football Association had to have a duplicate trophy made. After the first trophy became the possession of Brazil's football association, a new World Cup Trophy for FIFA was designed by an Italian artist, Silvio Gazazniga, in 1974. This trophy cannot be won outright, but remains in the possession of FIFA, and rest assured they are keeping a close eye on it. Today, World Cup winners are awarded a replica of the trophy that is gold-plated, rather than solid gold like the real one. Gazazniga's World Cup trophy weighs almost five kilograms. Its base contains two layers of a semi-precious stone called malachite, and has room for 17 small plaques bearing the names of the winning teams -enough space to honor all the World Cup champions up to the year 2038. After that, a new trophy will have to be made.
2. Which question is NOT answered in the reading?

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

Find mistakes:
English, together with Literature and Maths, are compulsory subjects in the national curriculum.

Choose the best answer:
Both fossil fuel _______ non-renewable resources are very important to our life.

Choose the best answer:
Are you planning to go _______ Paul's job at the resort when he leaves?

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
The ubiquitous bar code, developed more than twenty years ago, is not a stagnant product. On the contrary, the technology has been improved so that it can be used more efficiently. Much less expensive than a computer chip, the bar code can hold more information than it had in the past by adding a second dimension to the structure. The bar code consists of a series of parallel vertical bars or lines of two different widths, although sometimes four widths are used, printed in black on a white background. Barcodes are used for entering data into a computer system. The bars represent the binary digits 0 and 1, just like basic computer language, and sequences of these digits can indicate the numbers from 0 to 9, which can then be read by an optical laser scanner and processed by a digital computer. Arabic numbers appear below the code. The traditional bar code has been used to monitor skiers at ski lifts and to determine price and perform inventory control on groceries, drugs, medical supplies, manufactured parts, and library books to name a few. The bar code used on grocery products, introduced in the 1970s, is called a universal product code (or UPC) and assigns each type of food or grocery product a unique code. The five digits on the left are assigned to a particular manufacturer or maker and the five digits on the right are used by that manufacturer to identify a specific type or mark of product. Traditional single dimension bar codes are not readily customizable because there is little extra space. The two-dimensional bar code, with an information density of 1,100 bytes, allows a considerably greater amount of information to be coded than does the traditional bar code, including customized information. [A] It also has built-in redundancy, meaning that the identical information is duplicated on the same code. [B] Therefore, if the code is damaged, it can still be read. [C] The technology even allows pictures or texts to be contained within the code, as well as bar code encryption. [D] The new technology dramatically reduces the errors of the single dimensional bar code and reduces the enormous costs that some companies have reported in the past. 
1. The word "ubiquitous" in the first sentence is closest in meaning to

Please be advised it is time for the IT department to ---131---mandatory server maintenance and updates.---132---. There will be no Internet service in the building from 7:00 P.M. Wednesday, March 12, until 9:00 A.M. Thursday, March 13. In addition, please note there will be no remote access available. Therefore, you will not be able to log in to the server from outside the office. ---133--- this regularly scheduled maintenance, you will not have access to your e-mail, calendar, or contacts. Employees should plan accordingly. We ---134--- any inconvenience this may cause.

131..................

Choose the best answer:
He/ see/ advertisement/ the Youth Newspaper/ February 22th.

Choose the best answer:
The cellphone/ be/ portable/ so/ I/ can/ bring/ everywhere.

I have been trying to ring him up all day and I could not _____ through.

(472)_____

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
I had never been to Denmark before, so when I set out to catch the ferry in early May, I little suspected that by the end of the trip I’d have made such lasting friendships. Esjberg is a (1) ________ port for a cyclist’s arrival, where tourist information can be obtained and money changed. A cycle track leads (2) ________ town and down to Ribe, where I spent my first night. The only appointment I had to keep was a meeting with a friend who was flying out in June. I wanted to use my time well, so I had planned a route which would include several small islands and various parts of the countryside. In my (3) ________, a person travelling alone sometimes meets with unexpected hospitality, and this trip was no (4) ________. On only my second day, I got into conversation with a cheerful man who turned out to be the local baker. He insisted that I should join his family for lunch, and, while we were eating, he contacted his daughter inOdense. Within minutes, he had (5) ________ for me to visit her and her family. Then I was sent on my way with a fresh loaf of bread to keep me going and the feeling that this would turn out to be a wonderful holiday

Choose the best answer:
A lot of/ people/ be/ injured/ the/ earthquake.

Read the passage below carefully, and then choose the best answer:
The Greatest Light Show on the Earth
If you are a fan of amazing visual displays, planetariums around the world offer some entertaining laser-light shows that are often accompanied by popular music. Yet if you want to see the world’s greatest light show, you won’t be able to catch it indoors. Instead, you will have to head to one of the Poles. In certain spots, you will be treated to colourful streaks of light dancing across the sky. This incredible display is the aurora borealis, and every year people from all corners of the globe flock to witness its wonders firsthand. The Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, got its official name in 1621. The name combines the name of the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora, and the Roman god of the north wind, Boreas. In ancient times, the aurora completely baffled people’s minds, as science was far more primitive than it is today. Nevertheless, they created many myths to explain them. The Vikings believed the lights were the reflection of dead maidens. The Scots thought they were supernatural beings battling in heaven. Meanwhile, Eskimos thought that the lights were dead souls, and when the colours changed, it was their attempt to contact living friends and relatives. It was not until 2008 that a team of scientists from ULCA finally concluded with certainty what the true cause of these dancing light is. The process begins when solar winds carry charged particles from the Sun through space and into the Earth’s atmosphere. When these charged particles enter the Earth’s atmosphere, they are magnetically attracted to the Earth’s poles. During their journey to these points, they come in contact with nitrogen and oxygen atoms in the sky. These collisions are what cause the aurora. The heights at which the collisions occur determine the colours of the individual lights. For example, when the solar winds collide with nitrogen at least than 96 kilometres above the Earth’s surface, the lights will be blue. If the same collision occurs above 96 kilometres, however, the light will be purple. Or, if the solar wind particles collide with oxygen, the colours produced will be either red or green. However, merely understanding how the aurora works does not do this phenomena justice. To truly appreciate the full splendor of the aurora, you will have to see this Natural Wonder of the World in person.
6. Where can we often see the aurora most?

 Read the following passage and choose the correct answer to each of the questions.

"Who talks more - men or women? Most people believe that women talk more. However, linguist Deborah Tannen, who has the studied the communication style of men and women, says that this is a stereotype. According to Tannen, women are more verbal - talk more - in private situations, where they use conversation as the “glue’ to hold relationships together. But, she says, men talk more in public situations, where they use conversation to exchange information and gain status. Tannen points out that we can see these difference even in children. Little girls often play with one ‘best friend’ and their play includes a lot of conversation. Little boys often play games in groups, their play usually involves more doing than talking. In school, girls are often better at verbal skills, while boys are often better at mathematics. A recent study at Emory University helps to shed light on the roots of this difference. Researchers studied conversation between children aged 3-6 and their parents. They found evidence that parents talk very differently to their sons than they do to their daughters. The startling conclusion was that parents use more language with their girls. Specifically, when parents talk with their daughters, they use more descriptive language and more details. There is also far more talk about emotions, especially with daughters than with sons."

2: Which word is similar in meaning to the word “glue” ?