Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
If you see someone who’s looking blue, just reach out and offer a kind word, a smile, a hug. Sometimes people just feel (1) ____ they need someone to care. Maybe they’re confused and not sure what’s going on just in the moment, or in a bigger picture such as where their lives are (2) ____. The purpose of our lives is to love, laugh, be happy and to grow together, sharing with one another. If we are all too busy (3) ____ someone who is in emotional need, it can leave the person wondering what’s the real point of everything. By reaching out and smiling, showing compassion, listening, offering a (4) ____ of gentle advice, you remind both yourself and the (5) ____ what the bigger picture is, and bring a little burst of more light and happiness into the world. Enough of those bursts and lights contribute to the tipping point towards a more compassionate and joyful world

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A scientist said robots will be more (1) ____ than humans by 2029. The scientist’s  name is Ray Kurzweil. He works for Google as Director of Engineering. He is one of the world’s leading experts on artificial intelligence (A.I.). Mr Kurzweil believes computers will be able to learn from experiences, just like humans. He also thinks they will be able to (2) ____ jokes and stories, and even flirt. Kurzweil’s 2029 prediction is a lot sooner than many people thought. The scientist said that in 1999, many A.I. experts said it would be hundreds of years before a computer was more intelligent than a human. He said that it would not be (3) ____ before computer intelligence is one billion times more powerful than the human brain.  Mr Kurzweil joked that many years ago, people thought he was a little crazy for predicting computers would be as intelligent as humans. His thinking has stayed the same but everyone else has changed the way they think. He said: “My views are not radical any more. I’ve actually stayed consistent. It’s the rest of the world that’s changing its view.” He highlighted examples of (4) ____ -tech things we use, see or read about every day. These things make us believe that computers have intelligence. He said people think (5) ____ now: “Because the public has seen things like Siri (the iPhone’s voice recognition technology) where you talk to a computer, they’ve seen the Google self-driving cars

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Practical experience is a must-have for today’s job seekers. According to Brazen Life’s Huffington Post article titled “Why Gaining Work Experience Is More Important Than Your Education,” many colleges and universities report that students who have completed an internship or gained work experience during their studies have higher rates of getting hired. For example, at Iowa State University, of all students who completed a co-op program to earn a BS in engineering, an astounding 90 percent got jobs after graduation. Why is practical experience so important? There are a number of reasons why you need practical work experience. First, it’s simply the smart thing to do when you’re preparing for a career in a specific field. Let’s say it’s your dream to work as a consultant for an international corporate relocation company because you love international travel and you like organizing things. So you get a part-time job working as an office assistant at a corporate relocation company… and you find out it’s very different from what you expected. In short, you realize this isn’t the job for you-and you can concentrate on finding another job where you can put your passion and skills to work, for example in the tourism industry. Alternatively, you might find out that you enjoy the corporate relocation business. That means you’re gaining invaluable industry experience that will look great on your resumé when you apply for a full-time job.  Second, practical work experience teaches valuable soft skills, such as discipline, perseverance, teamwork, leadership skills, communication skills and problem solving. Employers will look for these in candidates and they’ll want to see proof. If you’ve spent a month as a team leader at Homes for Heroes, the leadership skills, teamwork experience and problem-solving abilities you developed there can add significant value to your candidacy. Third, working helps you build your network and can provide you with contacts in your chosen field. These contacts can be extremely useful when it comes to hearing about job leads and interesting opportunities. In addition, if you’ve impressed someone, he or she might be willing to write you a letter of recommendation for a job or a place in a graduate program.  Finally, the company you’re working for might offer you a position after you’ve graduated. Your employer already knows your skills and abilities, and you’re already acquainted with the company-so it’s a win-win situation! 
8. Which of the following can be inferred from the passage?

 Choose the best answer:
He was furious with himself for letting things get out of control.

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Like the revolutions that preceded it, the Fourth Industrial Revolution has the potential to raise global income levels and improve the quality of life for populations around the world. To date, those who have gained the most from it have been consumers able to afford and access the digital world; technology has made possible new products and services that increase the efficiency and pleasure of our personal lives. Ordering a cab, booking a flight, buying a product, making a payment, listening to music, watching a film or playing a game — any of these can now be done remotely. In the future, technological innovation will also lead to a supply-side miracle, with long-term gains in efficiency and productivity. Transportation and communication costs will drop, logistics and global supply chains will become more effective and the cost of trade will diminish, all of which will open new markets and drive economic growth. At the same time, as the economists Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee have pointed out, the revolution could yield greater inequality, particularly in its potential to disrupt labor markets. As automation substitutes for labor across the entire economy, the net displacement of workers by machines might exacerbate the gap between returns to capital  and returns to labor. On the other hand, it is also possible that the displacement of workers by technology will, in aggregate, result in a net increase in safe and rewarding jobs. We cannot foresee at this point which scenario is likely to emerge, and history suggests that the outcome is likely to be some combination of the two. However, I am convinced of one thing — that in the future, talent, more than capital, will represent the critical factor of production. This will give rise to a job market increasingly segregated into “low-skill/low-pay” and “highskill/high-pay” segments, which in turn will lead to an increase in social tensions. In addition to being a key economic concern, inequality represents the greatest societal concern associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The largest beneficiaries of innovation tend to be the providers of intellectual and physical capital — the innovators, shareholders and investors — which explains the rising gap in wealth between those dependent on capital versus labor. Technology is therefore one of the main reasons why incomes have stagnated, or even decreased, for a majority of the population in high-income countries: the demand for highly skilled workers has increased while the demand for workers with less education and lower skills has decreased. The result is a job market with a strong demand at the high and low ends, but a hollowing out of the middle. This helps explain why so many workers are disillusioned and fearful that their own real incomes and those of their children will continue to stagnate. It also helps explain why middle classes around the world are increasingly experiencing a pervasive sense of dissatisfaction and unfairness. A winnertakes-all economy that offers only limited access to the middle class is a recipe for democratic malaise and dereliction.  
1. Which of the following could be the best title of the passage?

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At a time when the younger generation, hooked to the mobiles, TV and internet, is fast-moving away from books, Sundargarh Collector Nikhil Pasan Kalyan has taken it upon himself this particular sacred responsibility. Kalyan on Thursday launched a campaign ‘Sundargarh Bahi Padha’ to promote reading by distributing books among the people in Sundargarh town. He reached out to the people at roadside stalls and engaged with them over cups of tea. While motivating them to read, he gifted books to them. The district administration plans to extend the initiative to schools and villages in the coming six months with focus on improving school and public libraries, and equipping all offices and waiting rooms with books. Further, reading sessions have been scheduled to be conducted every week at the Collector’s residence campus and other places involving people of all ages including students. “Books are the best teachers. To improve morality and openness in the society, everyone has to read. They could be in any genre. Reading is the starting point,” said Kalyan. Chief District Medical and Public Health Officer (CDM-PHO) Dr SK Mishra commented on the present situation: “Youths and students confine themselves to prescribed courses of study and refuse to go beyond that,” he said. Undoubtedly, internet connection and electronic gadgets like computers, laptops and mobile phones provide a sea of information and ready-made knowledge but simultaneously decrease the creativity in individuals, Mishra added. “Social media kills time, creativity and the urge to pick up a book. It may be noted that people with reading habits have lesser chances of suffering from Alzheimer’s,” he said. Presently, of the four Government-run public libraries in the district three are functional, albeit with few readers. Kalyan has sought collective participation to make the initiative a success  
1. What is the main topic of the passage?

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A hydroelectric dam ______________ in this area now.

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Long life expectancy can be attributed to a person’s diet - a healthy, balanced diet has been proven to improve longevity. Experts recommend eating at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day, basing meals on higher starchy foods like potatoes, bread and rice, having some dairy or dairy alternatives, eating some protein, choosing unsaturated oils and spreads, and drinking plenty of fluids. But new research, published this week, has found the times of day a person eats holds the most benefits. Dr Mark Mattson, a professor of neuroscience at John Hopkins University School of Medicine, in the US, has said “intermittent fasting could be part of a healthy lifestyle.” Intermittent fasting diets usually involve daily time-restricted feeding, which narrows eating times to six to eight hours per day and so-called 5:2 intermittent fasting, in which people limit themselves to one moderate-sized meal two days each week. A range of human and animal studies have shown that alternating between times of fasting and eating supports cellular health, probably by triggering an age-old adaptation to periods of food scarcity called metabolic switching. Such a switch occurs when cells use up their stores of rapidly accessible, sugar-based fuel, and begin converting fat into energy in a slower metabolic process. Dr Mattson says studies have shown that this switch improves blood sugar regulation, increases resistance to stress and suppresses inflammation. Because most Americans eat three meals plus snacks each day, they do not experience the switch, or the suggested benefits. In an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, Dr Mattson said four studies in both animals and people found intermittent fasting also decreased blood pressure, blood lipid levels and resting heart rates.  
4. The word “they” in paragraph 3 refers to _______

Environmental Concerns

Earth is the only place we know of in the universe that can support human life. (1) ........ human activities are making the planet less fit to live on. The western world (2) ........ on consuming two-thirds of the world's resources while half of the world's population do so (3) ........ to stay alive. We are rapidly destroying the very resource we have by which all people can survive and prosper. Everywhere fertile soil is (4) ........ built on or washed into the sea. Renewable resources are exploited so much that they will never be able to recover completely. We discharge pollutants into the atmosphere without any thought of the consequences. As a (5) ........ the planet's ability to support people is being reduced at the very time when rising human numbers and consumption are (6) ........ increasingly heavy demands on it. The Earth's natural resources are there for us to use. We need food, water, air, energy, medicines, warmth, shelter and minerals to keep us fed, comfortable, healthy and (7) ……... If we are sensible in how we use the resources they will (8) ........ indefinitely. But if we use them wastefully and excessively they will soon run out and everyone will suffer.

(5) ........

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
Families can function well if everyone is able to communicate their needs and wants to communicate with each other in a respectful way. This can be hard if you are feeling frustrated, angry, hurt or sad. Sometimes it can be better to wait until intense feelings have (1)_____ , so that you can more calmly communicate what is going on for you and what you need and want. You may not always get what you want straight away and you might have to be patient and/ or learn the (2)______of negotiation and compromise. Learning to negotiate is a great way to (3)_____things out so everyone come out winning. For example, you might agree to help with chores around the house so you can go to the movies. It’s important to stick to your side of the agreement - this builds trust and respect. Talking things (4)_______can be really helpful, particularly if you are worried about your family relationships. It’s important to identify someone in your family who you feel is understanding and supportive. This could be a parent, brother, sister, cousin, aunty, uncle, a grandparent or a (5) ______family friend.

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):

Scott Newman wouldn’t be without his pocket-size TV, which he mainly watches in bed. “I only watch programmes which last about half an hour, as any longer (1)_______ my eyes. I use the set for general entertainment though it is also really good for (2)_______ up with current affairs. The main problem with the set is that it’s not loud enough even when you use headphones. The (3)_______ is all right as long as nothing moves in front of the aerial.” Scott admits to being a gadget man, but doesn’t regret buying the set since he uses it nearly every day. Retired engineer Paul Hardcastle, has owned a pocket TV for a number of years. “I use it mostly in the bathroom. I wanted to use it outdoors, but the trouble is that in bright light you can’t see the picture. I use rechargeable batteries as (4)_______ ones would cost too much. Paul believes that this sort of TV could be improved if the screen was slightly bigger and it didn’t (5)_______ up batteries so quickly: he can only get half an hour’s viewing before the batteries go flat

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When it comes to carnivals, few can rival the world famous Notting Hill Carnival. The carnival is the undoubted highlight for much of the West London community, attracting more than one million people every year. (1) ___________ becoming an annual event in 19665, the Notting Hill Carnival has grown to become the second biggest street festival in the world – bettered only by the Rio Carnival in Brazil. The event is led by members of the West Indian community to (2) ________ the entire community of Notting Hill and beyond together in celebration of music, dancing, colour and food. First held in 1959, just a year after the Notting Hill riots, the carnival has been transformed from a small indoor event into one that generates (3) __________ estimated £93m for the London economy. But what brings more than a million people to the Notting Hill carnival? Well, there is the attraction of more than 20 miles of some of the most vibrant, (4) ___________ and outlandish costumes that you will ever see, as well as some fantastic food stalls and cool Caribbean (5) ___________ but the 40,000 volunteers work hard to make this an event for people from all walks of life

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
The number of people accessing the State’s and community’s priority policies and  programmes is increasing, said Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung. Vietnam has around 6.2 million people over the age of two with disabilities, making up 7.06 per cent of the country’s population. Of those, 28 per cent are severely disabled, 58 per cent female, 28 per cent children and 10 per cent living in poverty. Most live in rural areas and many are victims of Agent Orange.  Minister Dung said in the past, the State, the Party and Vietnamese people had paid much care to people with disability. Vietnam ratified the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of People with Disability in 2014. In March this year, the country ratified the International Labour Organisation’s Convention 159 about jobs for people with disability. It strongly confirmed Vietnam’s commitment ensuring the disabled would not be discriminated at work.  Last month, the Secretariat Committee issued the Instruction 39 about the Party’s leading work on affairs related to people with disability. The National Assembly later ratified the amended Law on Labour with many adjustments relating to disabled people. Dung said that every year, millions of disabled people receive an allowance from the State and all of provinces and cities had rehabilitation centres. Attending the event, Truong Thi Mai, head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for Mass Mobilisation, said besides the achievements, Vietnam still sees many obstacles. Infrastructure is still limited demand for people with disability and many live below the poverty line depending heavily on their families.  Mai asked organisations to improve education to raise people’s awareness of the meaning of supportive work to people with disability. This year, more than VNĐ17 trillion (US$735.4 million) from the State budget was allocated to provinces and cities to implement policies for people with disability, according to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.  The Ministry of Planning and Investment on Thursday launched the programme “White stick for Vietnamese visual impaired people”. Its aim is to present one million white sticks to visually impaired people across the country. Training to use the device will also be provided. Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said the ministry will listen to disabled people’s demands and wishes and put them into its policies. Deputy chairwoman of the National Assembly Tong Thi Phong said Vietnam has committed to developing socioeconomy, taking care of social equality and improving social management ability.  
7. Which of the following statements is TRUE, according to the passage?

Choose the best answer:
My father is the __________ of my family and my mother is the homemaker.

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:
After two decades of growing student enrollments and economic prosperity, business schools in the United States have started to face harder times. Only Harvard's MBA School has shown a substantial increase in enrollment in recent years. Both Princeton and Stanford have seen decreases in their enrollments. Since 1990, the number of people receiving Masters in Business Administration (MBA) degrees, has dropped about 3 percent to 75,000, and the trend of lower enrollment rates is expected to continue.
There are two factors causing this decrease in students seeking an MBA degree. The first one is that many graduates of four-year colleges are finding that an MBA degree does not guarantee a plush job on Wall Street, or in other financial districts of major American cities. Many of the entry-level management jobs are going to students graduating with Master of Arts degrees in English and the humanities as well as those holding MBA degrees. Students have asked the question, "Is an MBA degree really what I need to be best prepared for getting a good job?" The second major factor has been the cutting of American payrolls and the lower number of entry-level jobs being offered. Business needs are changing, and MBA schools are struggling to meet the new demands.

The word "prosperity" in line 1 could be best replaced by which of the following?

A. B.     C. D. 

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During the past half-century, our species has embarked on a remarkable social  experiment. For the first time in human history, great numbers of people – at all ages, in all places, of every political persuasion – have begun settling down as singletons. Until the second half of the last century, most of us married young and parted only at death. If death came early, we remarried quickly; if late, we moved in with family, or they with us. Now we marry later. We divorce, and stay single for years or decades.  The rise of living alone has produced significant social benefits, too. Young and middle-aged solos have helped to revitalise cities, because they are more likely to spend money, socialise and participate in public life. Contemporary solo dwellers in the US are primarily women: about 18 million, compared with 14 million men. The majority, more than 16 million, are middle-aged adults between the ages of 35 and 64. The elderly account for about 11 million of the total. Young adults between 18 and 34 number increased more than 5 million, compared with 500,000 in 1950, making them the fastest-growing segment of the solo-dwelling population.  Despite fears that living alone may be environmentally unsustainable, solos tend to live in apartments rather than in big houses, and in relatively green cities rather than in cardependent suburbs. There’s good reason to believe that people who live alone in cities consume less energy than if they coupled up and decamped to pursue a single-family home.
4. In the 2rd paragraph, the writer suggests that __________

Rewrite the sentence:
The program about the campaign drew the participation of 25 companies and sponsors in the city. It was broadcast live on HTV9 channel last night.

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Facebook users spend an average of more than 15 hours a month on the social  networking site. While there are plenty who caution against such intensive use — and there are a number of studies detailing the harm Facebook could potentially cause — there also are lots of reports extolling the site’s virtues. As the social media giant prepares for its upcoming initial public offering, here are some ways Facebook just might be good for you.  Spending time on Facebook can help people relax, slow down their heart rate and decrease stress levels, according to researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Milan. In a study published earlier this year, researchers studied 30 students and found that a natural high was sparked when they were on the social media network that led to the relaxed heart rates and lower levels of stress and tension. In the study, the students were monitored in three situations: looking at panoramic landscapes, performing complicated mathematical equations and using Facebook. While the first situation was the most relaxing to students and the math problems were the most stressful, the time on Facebook uncovered high levels of attractiveness and arousal. The findings support the researchers’ hypothesis that Facebook’s success, as well as that of other social media networks, correlates to the specific positive mental and physical state users experience.  While many may argue that social media networks only distract employees, research shows the opposite may be true. Research from Keas.com found that a 10-minute Facebook break makes employees happier, healthier and more productive. The study examined workers in three groups: one that was allowed no breaks, one that was allowed to do anything but use the Internet and one that was allowed 10 minutes to use the Internet and Facebook. The Facebook group was found to be 16 percent more productive than the group that was not allowed to use the Internet and nearly 40 percent more productive than the group that was allowed no breaks. “Short and unobtrusive breaks, such as a quick surf on the Internet, enables the mind to rest itself, leading to a higher net total concentration for a day’s work, and as a result, increased productivity,” said Brent Coker of the department of management and marketing at the University of Melbourne in Australia.  Facebook is also in the business of matchmaking. Research shows that nearly 60 percent of singles will friend someone new on Facebook after meeting them in person. If they like what they see, 25 percent are likely to contact their new love interest via Facebook. Once the courting is over, nearly 40 percent of those social networking adults will update their relationship status on Facebook, with just 24 percent telling their friends first. Facebook use between couples will continue through the dating process, the research shows. Throughout the day, 79 percent of couples said they send partners Facebook messages or chat on the social network. In addition, more than 60 percent would post romantic messages on their significant other’s Facebook wall. When the relationship ends, more than half of those surveyed immediately update their status to single, which automatically sends out a notification to their friend list to start the dating cycle over again
7. Which of the following is NOT correct about the impact of Facebook on users’\ relationship?

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 following questions:
If you were going to choose a job that involves travel, what would be your first choice? There are many jobs available today that give people opportunities to travel. Although may traveling careers sound fantastic, they also have disadvantages.
Being an au pair is an excellent way to not only go to different countries, but to live in different places around the world and really get a feel for the culture. Au pairs lives with the families they are placed with and take of children. Many parents include au pairs in family events and vacations, so they experience many aspects of the new culture while on the job. However, many of the activities are centered around the children, so they may not get to experience many things that interest adults.
For people who want a bit more freedom working abroad, being an English teacher maybe a good choice. There are English teaching jobs in almost countries in the world. People teaching English in other countries often have a chance to travel on the weekends around the country. One drawback is that many teachers often wind up hanging out with other English teachers, and they don’t have time to learn the country’s language.
The nickname “roadie” implies that this job involves life on the road. Roadies are people who work and travel with bands and provide technical support. Roadies can be lighting and stage crew who set up the stage and break it down before and after events. They can also be technicians helping band members with their instruments. International tours take a band’s crew to cities around the world, often requiring air travel. However, the crew doesn’t get much time off, so they may travel to several countries without seeing much besides concert venues and hotels.
Similarly, flight attendants often travel to cities around the world, but they don’t see much besides the inside of airplanes and hotels. However, when they do have time off, they can often fly at no cost, and family member can sometimes fly free as well. Its is widely thought that a flight attendant job is
glamorous, but flight attendants must deal with travel hassles, as well as security issues.
All jobs gave advantages and disadvantages whether or not you travel for work, so if you have the travel bug, keep these jobs in mind for the future.

Which of the following is something a roadie might do?

Find synonym:
The doctor warned his patient not to take too much sugar.

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:
Music can bring us to tears or to our feet, drive us into battle or lull us to sleep. Music is indeed remarkable in its power over all humankind, and perhaps for that very reason, no human culture on earth has ever lived without it. From discoveries made in France and Slovenia, even Neanderthal man, as long as 53,000 years ago, had developed surprisingly sophisticated, sweet- sounding flutes carved from animal bones. It is perhaps then, no accident that music should strike such a chord with the limbic system – an ancient part of our brain, evolutionarily speaking, and one that we share with much of the animal kingdom. Some researchers even propose that music came into this world long before the human race ever did. For example, the fact that whale and human music have so much in common even though our evolutionary paths have not intersected for nearly 60 million years suggests that music may predate humans. They assert that rather than being the inventors of music, we are latecomers to the musical scene.
Humpback whale composers employ many of the same tricks that human songwriters do. In addition to using similar rhythms, humpbacks keep musical phrases to a few seconds, creating themes out of several phrases before singing the next one. Whale songs in general are no longer than symphony movements, perhaps because they have a similar attention span. Even though they can sing over a range of seven octaves, the whales typically sing in key, spreading adjacent notes no farther apart than a scale. They mix percussive and pure tones in pretty much the same ratios as human composers – and follow their ABA form, in which a theme is presented, elaborated on and then revisited in a slightly modified form. Perhaps most amazing, humpback whale songs include repeating refrains that rhyme. It has been suggested that whales might use rhymes for exactly the same reasons that we do: as devices to help them remember. Whale songs can also be

rather catchy. When a few humpbacks from the Indian Ocean strayed into the Pacific, some of the whales they met there quickly changed their tunes – singing the new whales’ songs within three short years. Some scientists are even tempted to speculate that a universal music awaits discovery.

Which of the following concepts is defined in the passage?