Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
Left-handers are the odd ones out. Sure, lefties (1) ______up about 10 percent of the population but, frankly, it seems like society has forgotten about them. Just consider all of the right-handed gadgets, awkwardly designed desks, and cooking tools that fit comfortably only in your right hand. What (2)______someone to become a lefthand? Scientists aren’t exactly sure, but research points to a complex (3)______between genes and environment.  While no exact set of “leftie genes” have been discovered, people who dominantly use their left hands do have more left-handed family members. And researchers have found different brain wirings in righties vs. lefties. But no matter (4) ______it is that drives someone to use their antipodal paw, science has also uncovered a particular set of personality traits that left-handed people tend to have. So for all of you lefties, leftie-loving righties, and ambidextrous folks out there - it’s time to brush up on your left-handed knowledge and help (5) ______an end to leftie discrimination once and for all

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In Vietnam, Tet is the grandest and most important ………… in the year

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My father is taller than my brother.

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:
On the fourth Thursday in November, in houses around the United States, families get together for a feast, or a large meal. Almost all families eat turkey and cranberry sauce for this meal, and have pumpkin pie for dessert. This feast is part of a very special day, the holiday of Thanksgiving.
In 1620 the Pilgrims made a difficult trip across the ocean from England. They landed in what is now Massachusetts. In England the Pilgrims had not been allowed to freely practice their religion. So they went to the New World in search of religious freedom.
The Pilgrims' first winter was very hard. Almost half the group died of cold, hunger and disease. But the Indians of Massachusetts taught the Pilgrims to plant corn, to hunt and to fish. When the next fall came, the Pilgrims had plenty of food. They were thankful to God and the Indians and had a feast to give thanks. They invited the Indians to join them. This was the first Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving became a national holiday many years later because of the effort of a woman named Sarah Hale. For forty years Sarah Hale wrote to each president and asked for a holiday of Thanksgiving. At last she was successful. In 1863 President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a holiday.
How much is Thanksgiving today like the Pilgrims’ Thanksgiving? In many ways they are different. For example, historians think that the Pilgrims ate deer, not turkey. The idea of Thanksgiving, though, is very much the same: Thanksgiving is a day on which we celebrate and give thanks.

Which of the following is NOT true about Thanksgiving?

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They are building a bridge in this area.

She went on crying, with her head sunk into a pillow, and cried and cried _____ the pillow was wet through.

(513)______

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Glenbrook South (GBS) High School is in a suburb of Chicago, lllinois, in the United States. It is an award-winning school with a highly competent teaching staff. It has over 400 Asian Pacific American students-over 17 percent of the students in the school. Of these, the majority are Korean American. This is very unusual in a state where Korean Americans are less than 1 percent of the population. The interactions of the Korean American students at GBS were the subject of an article in Asian Week magazine. Different Korean American students react differently to being in a high school where most students are white. Professor Pyong Gap Min, an expert on Korean life in America, believes that Korean Americans in this situation can sometimes feel inhibited or ashamed of their Korean identity. Asian Week interviewed a number of GBS students, and each had a different attitude. Eighteen-year-old Alice said that she used to spend time only with Korean American friends. Although she felt secure with those friends, she found herself motivated to form closer relationships with non-Koreans, too. She said that she felt she was missing out on new experiences and challenges. Seventeen-year-old John moved in the opposite direction. In junior high school, most of John's friends were white. After coming to GBS, his sense of his Korean American identity was restored, and he decided to have mainly Korean American friends. He feels that he and his Korean American friends understand each other better. For example, they understand about severe parental pressures to succeed at school; John felt his white friends couldn't really understand. Sixteen-year-old Paul has some Korean American friends, but he says he spends most of his time with his white friends. He is often the only Asian American in the group, but he doesn't mind. What Paul likes about the white culture is that he can be more radical - he can be as loud and funny as he wants to be. He says he doesn't see as much of that among the Asian students. Without belittling the importance of what these students had to say, it's important to remember that their opinions at this phase of their lives are bound to change as they grow into adulthood. But these honest opinions can help US better understand issues of cultural relations, and their honesty might help Americans from different cultural groups to get along better in the future. 
8. Which of the following is NOT true about the passage?

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Sam is ....... responsible than Tom.

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Is it possible for you to _________ me a favor?

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Getting Curious about Curiosity’s Mission to Mars
The topic of space exploration reached a high point during the 1960s, as Soviets and Americans competed for dominance. Yet after the Soviets put the first man in space and Americans landed the first men on the moon, many people lost interest as nothing else could compare to these groundbreaking accomplishments. Recently, a robotic rover on a mission to Mars has generated massive interest the public. Curiosity is a robotic car-sized rover that is part of NASA’s long-term plan to learn more about the terrain and conditions on the Red Planet. One of its main goals was to determine whether or not it was possible for life to develop on Mars. Using mechanical arms, Curiosity can gather soil and rock samples from the ground and analyze them to determine their chemical composition. Since transporting around Mars was vital to the success of the mission, a lot of effort was put into Curiosity’s transportation abilities. Mars’ terrain is not smooth, so designers enabled Curiosity to roll over bumpy areas. Once Curiosity left the Earth, there would be no opportunities to repair it, so engineers also had to be spot on about Curiosity’s power solution. Therefore, they devised a system that can generate power internally from a radioisotope generator. Finally, to capture stunning pictures of Mars, Curiosity was equipped with several state-of-the-art cameras. The cameras also help the rover avoid hazards, navigate, and detect information about the atmosphere. After a 350-million-mile journey, Curiosity landed on Mars in 2012, an impressive 1.5 miles away from its initial target. Upon arrival, NASA’s website crashed due to an overload of visitors. People just couldn’t seem to get enough information on the mission. But the real thrills came in the weeks and months that followed, as people got their first real glimpse about what life was really like on Mars. The mission was originally supposed to last for two years, but scientists are now optimistic that it could continue for up to 15 years, depending on Curiosity’s condition. No matter what happens at this point, it is safe to say that Curiosity’s mission to Mars has been a smashing success.
4. All of the following are the difficulties that Curiosity had to overcome EXCEPT that __________.

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It was so relaxing to be ________ old friends.

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The Life of a Food Critic
You’ve seen restaurant reviews in newspapers, or perhaps in magazines or on the Internet. People read these reviews when they want to know about the quality and price of the food at a restaurant. Or maybe they’re looking for a restaurant with a distinctive atmosphere – dark and romantic, bright and cheerful, or modern and sophisticated. But who writes the articles? Who gets paid to eat? Those lucky people are food critics. Food critics are journalists who eat at restaurants and write reviews that give readers the feeling that they have visited the restaurant themselves. The articles almost always include a description of the restaurant, for example, whether it is nicely decorated or has a beautiful view of the ocean. The menu, prices, and service are generally described as well, but a food critic’s main task is to write about their opinion of the food. For “foodies” – people who love and study food and cooking – dining is a feast for the senses, not just for the stomach. Food critics may tell readers about the colours of fresh vegetables, the silky texture of a soup, or the rich aroma of a perfectly cooked chicken. They will mention whether they were listening to soft music while they ate, or the noises of pots and pans being washed in the restaurant’s kitchen and ending with the dessert. Every detail of the meal is important. All of this may sound easy enough, but food critics do face some challenges. First, food critics must be excellent writers. Their job is to give accurate information in an entertaining way because newspapers and other publications want the restaurant review to be an enjoyable feature. It is also important for food critics to be very observant by nature, and to have an excellent memory, since taking notes at the table is not something typical customers do. Looking like a typical customer is essential for remaining anonymous, but is perhaps the most difficult challenge. Food critic Ruth Reichl, former editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine, used to go to restaurants wearing disguises so that she received the same food and service as any other diner. Despite the challenges, a career as a food critic appeals to many people. Anyone who is thinking about becoming a food critic should start by developing strong writing skills and learning as much about food and cooking as possible. 
5. The word “_this_” in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to_________.

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.
The  United  Nations  Children’s  Fund  (UNICEF),  originally  known  (1)........... the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, was created by the United Nations General Assembly on December 11th , 1946 to provide emergency food and healthcare to children and mothers in countries that had been devastated by World War II. The Polish physician Ludwik Rajchman is widely regarded as the (2).............. of UNICEF and served as its first chairman from 1946 to 1950, when he had to flee the United States in the wake of McCarthyism. Rajchman is to this day the only person that served as UNICEF’s Chairman for longer than 2 years. On Rajchman’s suggestion, the American Maurice Pate was appointed its first executive director, serving from 1947 until his death in 1965. In 1950, UNICEF’s mandate was extended to address the long-term needs of children and women in developing countries everywhere. In 1953, it (3).......... a permanent part of the United Nations System, and the words "international" and "emergency" were dropped from the organization's name, though it retained the original acronym, "UNICEF".
UNICEF (4).................. on contributions from governments and private donors. UNICEF’s total income for 2015 was more than five billion dollars. Governments contribute two-thirds of the organization’s resources. Private groups and individuals contribute the rest through national committees. It is estimated that 92 per cent of UNICEF revenue is distributed to program services. UNICEF’s programs emphasize developing community-level services  to (5)................. the health and well-being of children. UNICEF was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1965 and the Prince of Asturias Award of Concord in 2006.

(3)............................

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the best option for each of the blanks.
Our classes take place for three hours every morning from Monday to Friday. The (1)................ class size is twelve and the average is ten. We use modern methods (2)....................... teaching and learning, and the school has a language laboratory, a video camera and recorders. You will only be successful in improving your English; however, if you work hard and practise speaking English as much as you can. You will take a  short (3)....................... in English  as soon as  you arrive.  In this way, we can put you  in a (4)..........................at the most suitable level.
The emphasis is on oral communication practice in a wide (5)............. of situations at the advanced knowledge. You will learn how to use language correctly and appropriately when you talk to native speakers. In addition, you will develop such study skills as reading efficiently, writing articles and reports, and note-taking from books and lectures.

(3)...............................

Read the passage below carefully, and then choose the best answer:
Strengthening Your Core
If there is one indication that someone is fit, it is a tight and lean stomach. Men and women alike hope that eating right and putting in hard work at the gym will earn them a perfect six-patch. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true. The rising popularity of fast food has led to an increase of obesity rates and waistlines around the globe. If someone is out of shape, you will notice the extra weight around their midsection. In both cases, a person’s core muscles seem to tell a lot about their fitness and eating habits. Many people associate the core with just the stomach area, but science actually defines it as our body without arms and legs. Although many people want a solid core to look good, the development of these muscles affects many areas of our lives. In athletics and general life for that matter, we all rely on our core muscles heavily to get things done. Studies have shown that athletes who build a powerful core foundation aren’t injured as much. Meanwhile, the benefits of your average Joe may be even greater. Ordinary people use their core muscles for nearly every task they do. This includes picking things up, sitting in a chair, or tying your shoes. Our core muscles provide stability, so we can keep our balance and easily move in any direction. If we neglect them, life can become much more difficult. As a result, we should always consider our core muscles when designing our workouts. However, if you have been sedentary for years, performing thousands of repetitions will probably get you injured. Instead, start off slowly and gradually build up your numbers. An excellent exercise for both beginners and advanced exercisers is the plank. You simply get in an extended pushup position as if you have just finished a rep. Maintain this position, but place the weight on your forearms instead of your hands. Then, hold the position as long as you can. You should feel your core muscles working hard to help your hands and support the weight of your body. In the beginning, you may only be able to hold it for a few seconds, but keep at it. The Guinness World Record for abdominal planking is three hours and seven minutes.
1. What does the passage suggest about looking at a person’s stomach muscles?

Read the reading below carefully, and then complete it with the best option A, B, C or D given below:
In addition to the challenge to be excellent, American schools have been facing novel problems. They must (1)________with an influx of immigrant children, many of whom speak little or no English. They must respond to demands that the curriculum reflect the various cultures of all children. Schools must make sure that students develop (2)________skills for the job market, and they must consider the needs of nontraditional students, such as teenage mothers. Schools are addressing these problems in ways that reflect the diversity of the US educational system. They are opening (3)________the traditional European-centered curriculum to embrace material from American, Asian, and other cultures. Schools are also teaching cognitive skills to the nearly 40 percent of American students who do not go on to higher education. In the (4)________of a recent report by the Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills, “A strong back, the willingness to work, and a high school diploma were once all that was necessary to (5)________a start in America.”

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:
In ancient times, some of the first celebrities were Roman gladiators. Rather like today’s TV talent-show contestants, these men fought each other for the audience’s entertainment. Fast forward to the 18th century, it was politicians and preachers who were able to become celebrities through public (1)__________. George Whitefield, for example, a preacher from England, (2)___________ a crowd of 30,000 when he visited the US city of Boston. It’s no wonder he was called ‘Anglo-America’s first modern celebrity’. In the 19th century, the arrival of cheap newspapers created a sudden (3)___________ for exciting stories. All kinds of people began to get their 15 minutes of fame, including the legendary American outlaw and bank robber, Jesse James, and one of the world’s first media celebrities, Sam Patch. Patch became famous for jumping into rivers from high places, and he became a (4)___________ name by leaping into Niagara Falls. He survived every jump, except the last one into the Genesee River in New York. In the same way that the media is held (5)___________ for celebrity problems today, people blamed the pressure of the media for Patch’s sudden end.

 "______" Andy suggested.

I am going to speak with the boss when the meeting ______.

(507)_____

No one can predict the future exactly. Things may happen ____

(309)______

Read the passage below carefully, and then choose the best answer:
India’s Classical Jewel
If you are looking for a refreshing break from the standard pop songs on the radio and you have an open mind, give Indian classical music a try. It dates back to thousands of years to when the Vedas, India’s sacred holy texts were written. This makes it one of the oldest unbroken musical traditions in the world. In fact, the music itself is closely linked to Hinduism. The songs and chants were originally parts of devotional rituals performed to please the gods. The music features several instruments that are uniquely Indian, but two in particular are featured prominently. The first is the sitar, a stringed instrument with an extremely long neck. The sitar is a far more complex instrument than the guitar, as it can have as many as 20 strings. When played, it lets off a buzzing vibration that has a relaxing effect on listeners. The other instrument which is essential for classical Indian music is the tabla. Tablas are a special kind of hand drum that provides the tempo and rhythm. Tabla players sit on the floor and keep the drum in place by locking it between their knees. Unlike Western drummers, tabla players use their hands and fingers to play the instrument. The player’s fingers keep the beat, while a sudden flick of the wrist and a slide of the palm can change the pitch of the drum. Instead of songs, classical Indian music revolves around the concept of ragas, which are more accurately defined as musical themes. Players take these ideas and begin to improvise their own melodies around them. Ragas tend to be a bit longer than typical songs, and in some cases they can go for several hours. Each raga is expected to have a wide range of tempos to help viewers experience different emotions during the performance. One of the most influential classical Indian musicians was a sitar player named Ravi Shankar. After training for years to master his craft, he travelled to the US and Europe during the 1950s to perform for Western audiences. He would eventually become close friends with Beaties’ guitarist George Harrison, and his music would influence several of the band’s songs. Although he passed away in 2012, his music continues to inspire both Eastern and Western musicians alike.
7. Who would probably enjoy classical Indian music the most?