People used to know more or less how their children would live. Now things are changing so quickly that they don’t even know what their own lives will be like in a few years’ time. What follows is not science fiction. It is how experts see the future. You are daydreaming behind the steering wheel; is it too dangerous? No! That’s no problem because you have it on automatic pilot, and with its hi – tech computers and cameras, your car “know” how to get you home safe and sound. What is for lunch? In the old days you used to stop off to buy a hamburger or a pizza. Now you use your diagnostic machine to find out which foods your body needs. If your body needs more vegetables and less fat, your food – preparation machine makes you a salad.
 After lunch, you go down the hall to your home office. Here you have everything you need to do your work. Thanks to your information screen and your latest generation computer, you needn’t go to the office anymore. The information screen shows an urgent message from a co-worker in Brazil. You can instantly send back a reply to him and go on to deal with other matters.

According to the passage, what do people use a diagnostic machine for?

 

Reading the following passage and mark the letter on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word that best fits each of the numbered blank from 34 to 38 
Father's Day was created to complement Mother's Day. Like Mother's Day (34) ______ honors mothers and motherhood, Father's Day celebrates fatherhood and paternal bonds; it highlights the (35)_______ of fathers in society. Many countries celebrate it on the third Sunday of June, but it is also celebrated widely on other days. Historically, Sonora Smart Dodd was the woman behind the celebration of male parenting. Her father, the Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, was a single parent who (36) _______ his six children there. After hearing a sermon about Jarvis' Mother's Day in 1909, she told her pastor that fathers should have a similar holiday honoring them. Although she initially suggested June 5, her father's birthday, the pastors did not have enough time to prepare their sermons, and the celebration was deferred to the third Sunday of June. The first celebration was in Spokane. Washington at the YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) on June 19,1910. Since then it has become a traditional day (37) ________ year. 
In recognition of what fathers do for their families, on this day people may have a party celebrating male parenting or simply make a phone call or send a greeting card. (38) _________, schools help children prepare handmade gifts for their fathers many days before the celebration. 
Question 34:..........................

Read the following text and circle the best answer among A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet for the questions from 44 to 50 
HISTORY LESSONS
“History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon"
Naponeon Bonapart 
Think of three historical figures. What do you know about them? Where did you get your information from? The chances are that you either read it somewhere or someone who read it somewhere told you about it. Did you ever think about who wrote down these facts? How can you be sure that they are true? The thing is, many historical “truths” are historical myths. 
Let's take some examples. In America, 4th July is Independence Day, the most important day in the American Calendar, which Americans celebrate with parades and fireworks. It was on 4th July, 1776 that Congress approved the Declaration of Independence. It was a good start. However, the struggle continued for another seven years after this, with some of the most brutal fighting in the whole war, as King George III was not willing to grant America total Independence, which was the only arrangement that the American leaders would accept. So the fighting continued. The first draft on a Treaty of Peace was signed in November 1782 and in February 1783 the King officially announced that the war would soon be over. This led to the signing of the Treaty of Paris on 3rd September that same year. 
Think about the discovery of America. What's the first name that comes to mind? More than likely it's Christopher Colombus.Was America really discovered by him? He had set out to reach Asia and that's where he thought he was when he came to America. But there were many people there before him. The first ones were certainly the Native Americans, thousands years before 1492. Where had they come from? Even the Vikings had made a number of expeditions, with Leif Eriksson landing there in around 1000 A.D. Perhaps Amerigo Vespucci was the discover of America. After all, unlike Columbus before him, he was the first fifteen - century explorer to realise where has was, or rather, where he definitely wasn't. so, maybe the word “re-discover” is more accurate when it comes to Columbus, if history is to give him any credit at all. 
Everyone believes such historical "facts” because, like you, they got them from what they thought was a reliable source. But how can such things be written down in the first place? One of the reasons must be that history is seldom “cut - and - dried”. The events are often complicated and messy. The achieving of American independence was a lengthy affair. Presumably 4th July was chosen as the date to celebrate because it was seen as more significant than the date of the actual end of the war. Another reason is that such myths always contain a grain of truth. Columbus was not the first person to travel to America, but he was the first fifteenth-century explorer to go there. His “re-discovery” was, from a historical point of view, extremely significant for Europe since his voyages opened up large-scale commerce between Europe and America. 
History has traditionally been written by the winners. If the conquered indigenous peoples had written the history of the discovery of the New World, it would most probably have been very different, but not necessarily objective: the point of view of the conquered can be just as biased as the point of view of the conqueror. But that is not the whole story. The writing of history depends not only on the "side” the writer is on, but also on the culture and attitudes of the era it is written in. 
History is always subjective. So, remember: when you read history, take it with a pinch of salt. 

What might be a suitable alternative title for this text? 

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

The United Nations Children's Fund, or UNICEF, was (1) _____ by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 1946, to provide emergency food and (2) _____ to children in 'countries that had been devastated by World War II. In 1953, UNICEF became a permanent part of the United Nations System and its name was shortened from the (3) _____ United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund but it has continued to be known by the popular acronym based on this old name. (4) _____ in New York City, UNICEF provides long-term humanitarian and developmental assistance to' children and mother in developing countries. UNICEF is currently focused (5) _____ five primary priorities: Child Survival and Development, Basic Education and Gender Equality, including girl's education, child protection from (6) _____, exploitation, and abuse, HIV/AIDS and children, and Policy advocacy and partnerships for children's rights. Related areas of UNICEF action include early childhood development, adolescence development and participation; life skills based education and child rights all over the world. A (7) _____ funded agency, UNICEF relies on contributions from governments and private (8) _____. Its programs emphasize developing community-level services to promote the health and well-being of children. Recently, UNICEF has begun partnerships with world-class athletes and teams to promote the organization's work and to (9) _____ funds. UNICEF greeting cards are sold worldwide to support efforts on behalf of children creating a better world where children are happy, healthy and live in dignity. UNICEF selects suitable paintings for reproduction from contemporary artists. Total income to UNICEF for 2006 was 2,781,000,000. UNICEF was (10) _____ the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965 and Prince of Asturias Award of Concord in 2006. UNICEF is present in 190 countries and territories around the world. 

(3) _____

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

"The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) encourages and coordinates sound environmental practices throughout the world. It grapples with ways to approach environmental problems on an international level, provides expertise to member countries, monitors environmental conditions worldwide, develops environmental standards, and recommends alternative energy sources.
 UNEP‘s work is guided by principles adopted at the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development, also known as the Earth Summit. The summit, which took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was the largest such conference ever held, attracting with more than 100 national leaders.
 The major theme of the 1992 Earth Summit was sustainable economic development, meaning development that does not use up or destroy so many of the world’s natural resources that it cannot be sustained over time. The meeting produced an overall plan, called Agenda 21, in which large developing countries promised to develop their Industries with an eye to protecting the environment. Industrialized countries pledged to help them do that. The Earth Summit also produced major treaties on biodiversity and global warming, although the latter treaty lacked enforcement provisions.
 In 2002, UNEP sponsored the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa. This conference sought to help developing countries, undergo industrialization without harming the environment. But progress on environmental issues is slow because proposed Solutions continue to pit the interests of poorer developing countries against those of richer industrialized nations. Most developing countries cannot afford to build an environmentally sound industrial base, while industrialized countries are unwilling to absorb the entire cost of environmental reform."

1. What are the aims of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)?

1.Not so long ago almost any student who successfully completed a university degree or diploma course could find a good career quite easily. Companies toured the academic institutions, competing with each other to recruit graduates. However, those days are gone, even in Hong Kong, and nowadays graduates often face strong competition in the search for jobs.
    2.Most careers organizations highlight three stages for graduates to follow in the process of securing a suitable career: recognizing abilities, matching these to available vacancies and presenting them well to prospective employers.
    3.Job seekers have to make a careful assessment of their own abilities. One area of assessment should be of their academic qualifications, which would include special skills within their subject area. Graduates should also consider their own personal values and attitudes, or the relative importance to themselves of such matters as money, security, leadership and caring for others. An honest assessment of personal interests and abilities such as creative or scientific skills, or skills acquired from work experience, should also be given careful thought.
    4.The second stage is to study the opportunities available for employment and to think about how the general employment situation is likely to develop in the future. To do this, graduates can study job vacancies and information in newspapers or they can visit a careers office, write to possible employers for information or contact friends or relatives who may already be involved in a particular profession. After studying all the various options, they should be in a position to make informed comparisons between various careers.
    5.Good personal presentation is essential in the search for a good career. Job application forms and letters should, of course, be filled in carefully and correctly, without grammar or spelling errors. Where additional information is asked for, job seekers should describe their abilities and work experience in more depth, with examples if possible. They should try to balance their own abilities with the employer's needs, explain why they are interested in a career with the particular company and try to show that they already know something about the company and its activities.
    6.When graduates are asked to attend for interview, they should prepare properly by finding out all they can about the prospective employer. Dressing suitably and arriving for the interview on time are also obviously important. Interviewees should try to give positive and helpful answers and should not be afraid to ask questions about anything they are unsure about. This is much better than pretending to understand a question and giving an unsuitable answer.
    7.There will always be good career opportunities for people with ability, skills and determination; the secret to securing a good job is to be one of them

According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?

The Census Counts!
Every ten years there is a national census to count the number of people. The census counts the number of people in each area, the number of men and women, their ages, their profession, their family size and status. The census is the only way to count everyone. Its results are used by a great many people and are available to everyone. The census is useful; it helps to work out present and future needs for housing by seeing how many people are housed now, or the sizes and ages of their families. In addition, the size of annual grants made by the Government to public services depends largely on the numbers and needs of people in the area provided by the census. Furthermore, the census shows how many people have moved from one area to another and how the number of the local work force is changing.
The census is taken in order to provide the figures about the nation as a whole. It does not give information about any named person, family or household. Therefore, names and addresses are needed on the forms but they are not fed into the computer. After the census, the forms with the names on are locked away and will not be released to anyone outside the Census Office for 100 years. The answers people give on their census forms will be treated in strict confidence. Everyone working on the census is sworn to secrecy and can be sued if he or she improperly reveals information.

How the size of grants to local services is based on information from the census?

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.

   Although speech is the most advanced form of communication, there are many ways of communicating without using speech. Signals, signs, symbols, and gestures may be found in every known culture. The basic function of signal is to impinge upon the environment in such a way that it attracts attention, as, for example, the dots and dashes of a telegraph circuit. Coded to refer to speech, the potential for communication is very great. Less adaptable to the codification of words, signs also contain meaning in and of themselves. A stop sign or a barber pole conveys meaning quickly and conveniently.

   Symbols are more difficult to describe than either signals or signs because of their intricate relationship with the receiver’s cultural perceptions. In some cultures, applauding in a theater provides performers with an auditory symbol of approval. Gestures such as waving and handshaking also communicate certain cultural messages.

   Although signals, signs, symbols, and gestures are very useful, they do have a major disadvantage in communication. They usually do not allow ideas to be shared without the sender being directly adjacent to the receiver. Without an exchange of ideas, interaction comes to a halt. As a result, means of communication intended to be used for long distances and extended periods must be based upon speech. To radio, television, and the telephone, one must add fax, paging systems, electronic mail, and the Internet, and no one doubts but that there are more means of communication on the horizon.

The word “intricate” in paragraph 2 could best be replaced by ___________.

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.‌ ‌
Nowadays,‌ ‌most‌ ‌people‌ ‌realize‌ ‌that‌ ‌it’s‌ ‌risky‌ ‌to‌ ‌use‌ ‌credit‌ ‌card‌ ‌numbers‌ ‌online.‌ ‌However,‌ ‌from‌ ‌time‌ ‌to time,‌ ‌we‌ ‌all‌ ‌use‌ ‌passwords‌ ‌and‌ ‌government‌ ‌ID‌ ‌numbers‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌Internet.‌ ‌We‌ ‌think‌ ‌we‌ ‌are‌ ‌safe,‌ ‌but‌ ‌that may‌ ‌not‌ ‌be‌ ‌true!‌ ‌A‌ ‌new‌ ‌kind‌ ‌of‌ ‌attack‌ ‌is‌ ‌being‌ ‌used‌ ‌by‌ ‌dishonest‌ ‌people‌ ‌to‌ ‌steal‌ ‌IDs‌ ‌and‌ ‌credit‌ ‌card numbers‌ ‌from‌ ‌innocent‌ ‌web‌ ‌surfers.‌ ‌This‌ ‌new‌ ‌kind‌ ‌of‌ ‌attack‌ ‌is‌ ‌called‌ ‌“phishing.” ‌ ‌
‌Phishing‌ ‌sounds‌ ‌the‌ ‌same‌ ‌as‌ ‌the‌ ‌word‌ ‌“fishing,”‌ ‌and‌ ‌it‌ ‌implies‌ ‌that‌ ‌a‌ ‌thief‌ ‌is‌ ‌trying‌ ‌to‌ ‌‌lure‌ ‌‌people into‌ ‌giving‌ ‌away‌ ‌valuable‌ ‌information.‌ ‌Like‌ ‌real‌ ‌fishermen,‌ ‌phishers‌ ‌use‌ ‌bait‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌form‌ ‌of‌ ‌great‌ ‌online‌ ‌deals‌ ‌or‌ ‌
services.‌ ‌For‌ ‌example,‌ ‌phishers‌ ‌might‌ ‌use‌ ‌fake‌ ‌emails‌ ‌and‌ ‌false‌ ‌websites‌ ‌to‌ ‌con‌ ‌people‌ ‌into‌ ‌revealing‌ ‌credit‌ ‌card‌ ‌numbers,‌ ‌account‌ ‌usernames,‌ ‌and‌ ‌passwords.‌ ‌‌They‌ ‌‌imitate‌ ‌well-known‌ ‌banks,‌ ‌online‌ ‌sellers,‌ ‌and‌ ‌credit‌ ‌card‌ ‌companies.‌ ‌Successful‌ ‌phishers‌ ‌may‌ ‌convince‌ ‌as‌ ‌many‌ ‌as‌ ‌five‌ ‌percent‌ ‌of the‌ ‌people‌ ‌they‌ ‌contact‌ ‌to‌ ‌respond‌ ‌and‌ ‌give‌ ‌away‌ ‌their‌ ‌personal‌ ‌financial‌ ‌information.  ‌ ‌
Is‌ ‌this‌ ‌really‌ ‌a‌ ‌big‌ ‌problem?‌ ‌Actually,‌ ‌tricking‌ ‌five‌ ‌percent‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌online‌ ‌population‌ ‌is‌ ‌huge! Currently,‌ ‌more‌ ‌than‌ ‌350‌ ‌million‌ ‌people‌ ‌have‌ ‌access‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌Internet,‌ ‌and‌ ‌seventy-five‌ ‌percent‌ ‌of‌ ‌those‌ ‌Internet‌ ‌users‌ ‌live‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌wealthiest‌ ‌countries‌ ‌on‌ ‌Earth.‌ ‌It‌ ‌has‌ ‌been‌ ‌estimated‌ ‌that‌ ‌phishers‌ ‌send‌ ‌more‌ ‌than‌ ‌three‌ ‌billion‌ ‌scam‌ ‌messages‌ ‌each‌ ‌year.‌ ‌Even‌ ‌by‌ ‌tricking‌ ‌only‌ ‌five‌ ‌percent‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌people,‌ ‌phishers‌ ‌can‌ ‌make‌ ‌a‌ ‌lot‌ ‌of‌ ‌money.  ‌ ‌
‌Since‌ ‌there‌ ‌is‌ ‌so‌ ‌much‌ ‌money‌ ‌to‌ ‌make‌ ‌through‌ ‌this‌ ‌kind‌ ‌of‌ ‌scam,‌ ‌it‌ ‌has‌ ‌caught‌ ‌the‌ ‌interest‌ ‌of‌ ‌more than‌ ‌just‌ ‌small-time‌ ‌crooks.‌ ‌Recently,‌ ‌police‌ ‌tracked‌ ‌down‌ ‌members‌ ‌of‌ ‌an‌ ‌organized‌ ‌phishing‌ ‌group‌ ‌in‌ ‌Eastern‌ ‌Europe,‌ ‌who‌ ‌had‌ ‌stolen‌ ‌hundreds‌ ‌of‌ ‌thousands‌ ‌of‌ ‌dollars‌ ‌from‌ ‌people‌ ‌online.‌ ‌The‌ ‌group‌ ‌created official-looking‌ ‌email‌ ‌messages‌ ‌requesting‌ ‌people‌ ‌to‌ ‌update‌ ‌their‌ ‌personal‌ ‌information‌ ‌at‌ ‌an‌ ‌international‌ ‌bank’s‌ ‌website.‌ ‌However,‌ ‌the‌ ‌link‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌bank‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌message‌ ‌actually‌ ‌sent‌ ‌people‌ ‌to‌ ‌the phishers’‌ ‌fake‌ ‌website.‌ ‌To‌ ‌make‌ ‌matters‌ ‌worse,‌ ‌further‌ ‌investigation‌ ‌‌revealed‌‌ ‌‌that‌ ‌this‌ ‌group‌ ‌had connections‌ ‌to‌ ‌a‌ ‌major‌ ‌crime‌ ‌gang‌ ‌in‌ ‌Russia.  ‌ ‌
‌How‌ ‌can‌ ‌innocent‌ ‌people‌ ‌protect‌ ‌themselves?‌ ‌Above‌ ‌all,‌ ‌they‌ ‌have‌ ‌to‌ ‌learn‌ ‌to‌ ‌recognize‌ ‌email‌ ‌that‌ ‌has‌ ‌been‌ sent‌ ‌by‌ ‌a‌ ‌phisher.‌ ‌Always‌ ‌be‌ ‌wary‌ ‌of‌ ‌any‌ ‌email‌ ‌with‌ ‌urgent‌ ‌requests‌ ‌for‌ ‌personal‌ ‌financial information.‌ ‌Phishers‌ ‌typically‌ ‌write‌ ‌upsetting‌ ‌or‌ ‌exciting,‌ ‌but‌ ‌fake,‌ ‌statements‌ ‌in‌ ‌their‌ ‌emails‌ ‌so‌ ‌that people‌ ‌will‌ ‌reply‌ ‌right‌ ‌away.‌ ‌
Also,‌ ‌messages‌ ‌from‌ ‌phishers‌ ‌will‌ ‌not‌ ‌address‌ ‌recipients‌ ‌by‌ ‌name‌ ‌because they‌ ‌really‌ ‌don’t‌ ‌know‌ ‌who‌ ‌the‌ ‌recipients‌ ‌are‌ ‌yet.‌ ‌On‌ ‌the‌ ‌other‌ ‌hand,‌ ‌valid‌ ‌messages‌ ‌from‌ ‌your‌ ‌bank‌ ‌or other‌ ‌companies‌ ‌you‌ ‌normally‌ ‌deal‌ ‌with‌ ‌will‌ ‌typically‌ ‌include‌ ‌your‌ ‌personal‌ ‌name. ‌ ‌

The‌ ‌word‌ ‌“‌revealed‌”‌ ‌in‌ ‌paragraph‌ ‌4‌ ‌mostly‌ ‌means‌ ‌___________. ‌ ‌

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 survey is a study generally in the form of an interview or a questionnaire that provides information concerning how people think and act. In the United States, the best-known surveys are the Gallup poll and the Harris poll As anyone who watches the news during campaigns presidential knows, these polls have become an important part of political life in the United States.
North Americans are familiar with the many "person on the street" interviews on local television news shows. While such interviews can be highly entertaining, they are not necessarily an accurate indication of public opinion. First, they reflect the opinions of only those people who appear at a certain location. Thus, such examples can be biased in favor of commuters, middle-class shoppers, or factory workers, depending on which area the news people select. Second, television interviews tend to attract outgoing people who are willing to appear on the air, while they frighten away others who may feel intimidated by a camera. A survey must be based on a precise, representative sampling if it is to genuinely reflect a broad range of the population.
In preparing to conduct a survey, sociologists must exercise great care in the wording of questions. An effective survey question must be simple and clear enough for people to understand it. It must also be specific enough so that there are no problems in interpreting the results. Even questions that are less structured must be carefully phrased in order to elicit the type of information desired. Surveys can be indispensable sources of information, but only if the sampling is done properly and the questions are worded accurately.
There are two main forms of surveys: the interview and the questionnaire. Each of these forms of survey research has its advantages. An interview can obtain a high response rate because people find it more difficult to turn down a personal request for an interview than to throw away a written questionnaire. In addition, an interviewer can go beyond written questions and probe for a subject's underlying feelings and reasons. However, questionnaires have the advantage of being cheaper and more consistent.

As can be inferred from the passage, sociologists can be frustrated when.......

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:
The brain of the average human weighs approximately 1.4 kilograms and consists of three main parts: the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the brain stem. The cerebrum is by far the largest of the three parts, taking up 85% of the brain by weight. The outside layer of the cerebrum, the cerebral cortex, is a grooved and bumpy surface covering the nerve cells beneath. The various sections of the cerebrum are the sensory cortex, which is responsible for receiving and decoding sensory messages from throughout the body: the motor cortex, which sends action instructions to the skeletal muscles: and the association cortex, which receives, monitor and processes information. It is in the association cortex that the processes that allow humans to think take place. The cerebellum, located below the cerebrum in the back part of the skull, the section of the brain that controls balance and posture. The brain stem connects the cerebrum and the spinal cord. It control various body processes such as breathing and heartbeat.

What is the author's main purpose?

Milpa Alta is a region of twelve villages and towns to the south of Mexico City. In Milpa Alta, traditions are still very important and one of the most famous traditional events is a community meal. It takes place every Christmas and is called La Rejunta. More than a meal, it’s a feast, where about sixty thousand tamales and fifteen thousand litres of hot chocolate are made and consumed. Tamales are made from corn. They are typical of the region: the name Milpa Alta means ‘High cornfield’. The feast is offered to the people who go on the long walk to El Señor de Chalma about 80 kilometers away. It’s an important event on the religious calendar for local people and as many as 20,000 people take part.

The planning and organisation of La Rejunta takes the whole year. Every year, different people are given the job of majordomo, which means they’re responsible for organising the meal. There’s a waiting list for the opportunity to do this and currently the next available year is 2046. This year’s majordomos are Virginia Meza Torres and her husband Fermín Lara Jiménez, who put their names on the list 14 years ago.

One year before the meal, men go to the forest and collect wood that they store near the home of the majordomo. It has to be dry when it’s used to make the cooking fires. Local farmers grow most of the corn, meat and vegetables that are needed as ingredients. In the week before the feast, hundreds of volunteers arrive to help with the preparation and the cooking. No instant or ready-made foods are allowed. Amazingly, everyone seems to know what they have to do. On the day of the feast, the majordomos and others have stayed up all night cooking. Fermin is in charge of the numbers – making sure there are enough tamales for everyone.

For the people of Milpa Alta, eating together is one of their most important traditions. One woman, Josefina García Jiménez, explains that sitting together at the table is like a glue that keeps people together. ‘It feels like I am passing down a tradition, and when they are adults, they will remember what I have done. Here we have time to cook, time to think about the ingredients, time to show our kids through cooking that we love them.’ The time that everybody stays at the table after the meal has finished is just as important as the food.

They talk, tell stories and laugh together. At Christmas, La Rejunta is a giant version of a family meal.

What is the article about?

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

"The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) encourages and coordinates sound environmental practices throughout the world. It grapples with ways to approach environmental problems on an international level, provides expertise to member countries, monitors environmental conditions worldwide, develops environmental standards, and recommends alternative energy sources.
 UNEP‘s work is guided by principles adopted at the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development, also known as the Earth Summit. The summit, which took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was the largest such conference ever held, attracting with more than 100 national leaders.
 The major theme of the 1992 Earth Summit was sustainable economic development, meaning development that does not use up or destroy so many of the world’s natural resources that it cannot be sustained over time. The meeting produced an overall plan, called Agenda 21, in which large developing countries promised to develop their Industries with an eye to protecting the environment. Industrialized countries pledged to help them do that. The Earth Summit also produced major treaties on biodiversity and global warming, although the latter treaty lacked enforcement provisions.
 In 2002, UNEP sponsored the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa. This conference sought to help developing countries, undergo industrialization without harming the environment. But progress on environmental issues is slow because proposed Solutions continue to pit the interests of poorer developing countries against those of richer industrialized nations. Most developing countries cannot afford to build an environmentally sound industrial base, while industrialized countries are unwilling to absorb the entire cost of environmental reform."

2. In the Earth Summit in 1992, what was passed?

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

"United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) organization was (1)  ……. by the United Nations in 1946 to provide food, clothing, and rehabilitative programs (2)…. European children brutalized by World War II (1939- 1945). In 1950 the United Nations made UNICEF (3)……  for improving the welfare of all children worldwide. The organization’s mission is threefold: (I) to ensure that basic nutrition, health, and education needs of children are (4)….. , (II) to give children the opportunity to (5) ….. their potential, and (III) to create an international ethical Standard of behavior toward children.
 Since 1950 UNICEF has focused primarily (6)…… promoting “sustainable development” in more than 150 (7)…… nations. By providing community-based Services to teach community leaders to build wells and sewage-disposal Systems, UNICEF has helped (8)…..  millions of children with clean drinking water and sanitary living conditions. By training educators to develop effective school programs, the (9)….. has enabled children around the world to benefit (10)…..  a primary school education. In recognition of its efforts, UNICEF received the 1965 Nobel Peace Prize."

5. to give children the opportunity to (5) ….. their potential, 

1.Not so long ago almost any student who successfully completed a university degree or diploma course could find a good career quite easily. Companies toured the academic institutions, competing with each other to recruit graduates. However, those days are gone, even in Hong Kong, and nowadays graduates often face strong competition in the search for jobs.
    2.Most careers organizations highlight three stages for graduates to follow in the process of securing a suitable career: recognizing abilities, matching these to available vacancies and presenting them well to prospective employers.
    3.Job seekers have to make a careful assessment of their own abilities. One area of assessment should be of their academic qualifications, which would include special skills within their subject area. Graduates should also consider their own personal values and attitudes, or the relative importance to themselves of such matters as money, security, leadership and caring for others. An honest assessment of personal interests and abilities such as creative or scientific skills, or skills acquired from work experience, should also be given careful thought.
    4.The second stage is to study the opportunities available for employment and to think about how the general employment situation is likely to develop in the future. To do this, graduates can study job vacancies and information in newspapers or they can visit a careers office, write to possible employers for information or contact friends or relatives who may already be involved in a particular profession. After studying all the various options, they should be in a position to make informed comparisons between various careers.
    5.Good personal presentation is essential in the search for a good career. Job application forms and letters should, of course, be filled in carefully and correctly, without grammar or spelling errors. Where additional information is asked for, job seekers should describe their abilities and work experience in more depth, with examples if possible. They should try to balance their own abilities with the employer's needs, explain why they are interested in a career with the particular company and try to show that they already know something about the company and its activities.
    6.When graduates are asked to attend for interview, they should prepare properly by finding out all they can about the prospective employer. Dressing suitably and arriving for the interview on time are also obviously important. Interviewees should try to give positive and helpful answers and should not be afraid to ask questions about anything they are unsure about. This is much better than pretending to understand a question and giving an unsuitable answer.
    7.There will always be good career opportunities for people with ability, skills and determination; the secret to securing a good job is to be one of them

The word “prospective” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ______.

Although people drive in all countries, the rules can be quite different between nations and areas. For this reason, you should always learn the laws before you decide to drive in a foreign country. If you are not careful, you can get into trouble since the rules might be very different from what you are used to. For example, you can find some big differences in laws related to the minimum driving age, the appropriate side of the road to drive on, and mobile phone use while driving.
In the U.S., people who live in Alaska may obtain a learner’s permit (legal permission to drive while being supervised) at the age of fourteen. This is quite different from the driving laws of Niger, where a person must be at least twenty-three years old to drive. If you are inquisitive to know the minimum driving age in most countries, the answer is eighteen. It may also surprise you to learn that not every country allows its citizens to drive, although most of them do. For example, women are not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia no matter how old they are. Instead, they must have a male family member or hired male driver to travel by car.
Driving on the right or left side of the road also varies. For instance, in Great Britain, Cyprus, Australia, India, and Malaysia people drive on the left. However, in the U.S., Mexico, France, and Canada people are required to drive on the right. As a matter of fact, one country can have different driving rules for different areas. People in Hong Kong drive on the left, while drivers in other parts of China use the right side of the road.
Other driving laws that are different between countries include those related to using mobile phones. In Japan, using any kind of mobile phone device is illegal, even if you do not need to hold the phone with your hands. However, in Argentina and Australia, drivers are allowed to talk on their mobile phones as long as they do not use their hands. 
You might also find it interesting to learn that some countries have very unusual laws. For example, in the country of Cyprus, it is against the law to eat or drink anything while driving. Even more interesting is that in Germany, there is a famous road called the Autobahn, where certain parts have no speed limit at all!

The word “inquisitive” in paragraph 2 can be best replaced by _______.

Read the passage carefully, then choose the correct answer.
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a forum for 21 Pacific Rim countries or regions (styled 'member economies') to discuss the regional economy, cooperation, trade and investment. The membership is claimed to account for approximately 41% of the world's population, approximately 56% of world GDP and about 49% of world trade. The activities, including year-round meetings of the members' ministers, are coordinated by the APEC Secretariat. The organization conducts the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM), an annual summit attended by the heads of government of all APEC members except Taiwan under the name Chinese Taipei, which is represented by a ministerial-level official due to China's insistence. The location of the summit rotates annually among the member economies, and a famous tradition involves the attending leaders dressing in a national costume of the host member. The first APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting occurred in 1993 when US president Bill Clinton,' after discussions with Australian prime minister Paul Keating, invited the heads of government from member economies to a summit on Blake Island. He believed it would help bring the stalled Uruguay Round of trade talks on track. At the summit, some leaders called for continued reduction of barriers to trade and investment, envisioning a community in the Asia-Pacific region that might promote prosperity, through cooperation. The APEC Secretariat, based in Singapore, was established to coordinate the activities of the organization. In the summit of 1994 in Bogor, APEC adopted the Bogor Goals that aimed to reduce trade tariffs to below five percent in the Asia-Pacific region, by 2010 for industrialized economies and by 2020 for developing economies. In 1995, APEC established a business advisory body named the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), comprised of three business executives from each member economy.

The first APEC summit______

Read‌ ‌the‌ ‌following‌ ‌passage‌ ‌and‌ ‌mark‌ ‌the‌ ‌letter‌ ‌A,‌ ‌B,‌ ‌C‌ ‌or‌ ‌D‌ ‌on‌ ‌you‌ ‌answer‌ ‌sheet‌ ‌to‌ ‌indicate‌ ‌the‌ ‌correct‌ ‌answer‌ ‌to‌ ‌each‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌questions. ‌ ‌
 ‌‌The‌ ‌UK‌ ‌has‌ ‌a‌ ‌vast‌ ‌variety‌ ‌of‌ ‌higher‌ ‌education‌ ‌opportunities‌ ‌to‌ ‌offer‌ ‌students‌ ‌with‌ ‌over‌ ‌100 universities‌ ‌offering‌ ‌various‌ ‌degree‌ ‌programs‌ ‌for‌ ‌students‌ ‌from‌ ‌the‌ ‌UK‌ ‌and‌ ‌around‌ ‌the‌ ‌world.‌ ‌In‌ ‌the‌ ‌UK‌ ‌about‌ ‌one-third‌ ‌of‌ ‌all‌ ‌students‌ ‌go‌ ‌on‌ ‌to‌ ‌some‌ ‌form‌ ‌of‌ ‌higher‌ ‌education‌ ‌and‌ ‌this‌ ‌number‌ ‌is‌ ‌well‌ ‌over‌ ‌50%‌ ‌for‌ ‌students‌ ‌from‌ ‌Scotland.‌ ‌This‌ ‌makes‌ ‌competition‌ ‌for‌ ‌places‌ ‌very‌ ‌‌fierce‌‌ ‌‌and‌ ‌so‌ ‌it‌ ‌is‌ ‌advised‌ ‌to‌ ‌apply early‌ ‌for‌ ‌courses.  ‌ ‌
 In‌ ‌the‌ ‌UK‌ ‌most‌ ‌undergraduate‌ ‌degree‌ ‌programs‌ ‌take‌ ‌three‌ ‌years‌ ‌to‌ ‌finish;‌ ‌however,‌ ‌the‌ ‌"sandwich‌ ‌course"‌ ‌is‌ ‌increasing‌ ‌in‌ ‌popularity,‌ ‌‌which‌ ‌‌is‌ ‌four‌ ‌years‌ ‌and‌ ‌involves‌ ‌one‌ ‌year‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌workplace‌ ‌(normally‌ ‌in‌ ‌your‌ ‌third‌ ‌year).‌ ‌In‌ ‌Scotland,‌ ‌the‌ ‌courses‌ ‌are‌ ‌four‌ ‌years‌ ‌in‌ ‌length‌ ‌for‌ ‌undergraduate programs.  ‌ ‌
 ‌For‌ ‌graduate‌ ‌or‌ ‌masters‌ ‌programs,‌ ‌they‌ ‌are‌ ‌generally‌ ‌shorter‌ ‌in‌ ‌length‌ ‌and‌ ‌undertaken‌ ‌after graduation‌ ‌of‌ ‌your‌ ‌undergraduate‌ ‌program.‌ ‌Some‌ ‌professional‌ ‌degrees‌ ‌like‌ ‌medicine,‌ ‌veterinary,‌ ‌law, etc.‌ ‌have‌ ‌longer‌ ‌programs‌ ‌that‌ ‌can‌ ‌be‌ ‌as‌ ‌much‌ ‌as‌ ‌five‌ ‌years.  ‌ ‌
From‌ ‌2007,‌ ‌universities‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌UK‌ ‌are‌ ‌allowed‌ ‌to‌ ‌charge‌ ‌students‌ ‌from‌ ‌the‌ ‌UK‌ ‌up‌ ‌to‌ ‌£3,070‌ ‌per year‌ ‌(depending‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌school‌ ‌and‌ ‌location).‌ ‌For‌ ‌students‌ ‌from‌ ‌the‌ ‌EU,‌ ‌you‌ ‌will‌ ‌also‌ ‌only‌ ‌have‌ ‌the‌ ‌pay the‌ ‌same‌ ‌fees‌ ‌as‌ ‌students‌ ‌from‌ ‌the‌ ‌UK,‌ ‌but‌ ‌international‌ ‌students‌ ‌from‌ ‌the‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌world‌ ‌will‌ ‌have‌ ‌to‌ ‌pay‌ ‌the‌ ‌full‌ ‌school‌ ‌fees‌ ‌which‌ ‌will‌ ‌vary‌ ‌depending‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌school.‌ ‌These‌ ‌fees‌ ‌for‌ ‌international‌ ‌students‌ ‌can‌ ‌range‌ ‌anywhere‌ ‌from‌ ‌£4,000‌ ‌per‌ ‌year‌ ‌right‌ ‌up‌ ‌to‌ ‌£18,000‌ ‌per‌ ‌year‌ ‌or‌ ‌more.  ‌ ‌
Choosing‌ ‌the‌ ‌right‌ ‌school‌ ‌is‌ ‌dependent‌ ‌on‌ ‌a‌ ‌large‌ ‌number‌ ‌of‌ ‌factors‌ ‌such‌ ‌as:  ‌ ‌
•‌ ‌Location‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌school?  ‌ ‌
•‌ ‌How‌ ‌much‌ ‌it‌ ‌costs?  ‌ ‌
•‌ ‌Size‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌school?  ‌ ‌
•‌ ‌Access‌ ‌to‌ ‌home‌ ‌comforts?‌ ‌Place‌ ‌of‌ ‌worship,‌ ‌home‌ ‌foods?  ‌ ‌
•‌ ‌Courses‌ ‌available?  ‌ ‌

Question‌ ‌41.‌ ‌‌Which‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌following‌ ‌is‌ ‌mostly‌ ‌likely‌ ‌the‌ ‌reason‌ ‌why‌ ‌sandwich‌ ‌courses‌ ‌are‌ ‌increasingly popular?  ‌ ‌

TRANSPORT IN THE CITY
Transport plays an important role in our daily lives and in the quality of life in our city. Moreover, the individual decisions we make when we choose how to (38)_______our destination can have an impact (39) _____other people – longer traffic queues, worsening air quality, greater number of accidents and health problems. Providing more transport options will create a transport system that is safe, clean and fair.
Increasing use of the car has led to greater (40) ____ of the impact it has and the real cost to us – for our health, for the economy and for the environment. We want our city to become a successful, cosmopolitan city by the sea, (41) _______people can enjoy a high quality of life in a pleasant environment. To (42)_______this we need to make sure everyone has access to the services and facilities they need, through a choice of as many different means of transport as possible.
(42)....................................

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 31 to 35.
Easter is a holiday in late March or early April, the first Sunday after the first full moon after 21 March. Many people (31)_________it with their family or have a short holiday/ vacation. It is also an important Christian festival. Easter Sunday, the day of the Resurrection, is the end of Lent (32) ________  the most important date in the Christian year. Many people who do not go to church at other times go on Easter Sunday. It was once (33)_________for people to wear new clothes to church on this day. Women (34)_________new hats, called Easter bonnets. Today, people sometimes make elaborately decorated Easter bonnets for fun. A few people send Easter cards with religious symbols on them or pictures of small chickens, lambs, rabbits and spring flowers, all traditionally associated (35)_________Easter.
(33)................................

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 31 to 35.
Beatrix Potter was a story writer whose books about animals have been translated into many languages and read by both children and adults. (31)_________being an author, she was also regarded as a very successful farmer. Born in London in 1866, Beatrix was (32)_________for at home by various servants. Every year she (33)_________the days to her annual holiday in the countryside. She would take to her London home small animals which she (34)_________and drew. As she grew up, she entertained other children with drawings and stories about these animals. In 1901, she printed a book at her own (35)_________called 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit'. So many copies were sold that she bought a farm, where over the next eight years she wrote many other stories. They all sold very well and readers liked their detailed color drawings.
(31).......................