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 ‌from‌ ‌42‌ ‌to‌ ‌48.‌ ‌
Nepal‌ ‌has‌ ‌made‌ ‌important‌ ‌progress‌ ‌over‌ ‌the‌ ‌past‌ ‌few‌ ‌years‌ ‌to‌ ‌promote‌ ‌equality,‌ ‌but‌ ‌the‌ ‌country‌ ‌still‌ ‌has‌ ‌one‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌highest‌ ‌rates‌ ‌of‌ ‌child‌ ‌marriage‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌world.‌ ‌41%‌ ‌of‌ ‌Nepalese‌ ‌girls‌ ‌are‌ ‌married‌ ‌before‌ ‌the‌ ‌age‌ ‌of‌ ‌18.‌ ‌
Poverty‌ ‌is‌ ‌both‌ ‌a‌ ‌cause‌ ‌and‌ ‌consequence‌ ‌of‌ ‌child‌ ‌marriage‌ ‌in‌ ‌Nepal.‌ ‌Girls‌ ‌from‌ ‌the‌ ‌wealthiest‌ ‌families‌ ‌marry‌ ‌2‌ ‌years‌ ‌later‌ ‌than‌ ‌‌those‌ ‌from‌ ‌the‌ ‌poorest,‌ ‌who‌ ‌are‌ ‌seen‌ ‌as‌ ‌an‌ ‌economic‌ ‌burden,‌ ‌and‌ ‌who‌ ‌drop‌ ‌out‌ ‌of‌ ‌school‌ ‌and‌ ‌earn‌ ‌little‌ ‌money.‌ ‌
Food‌ ‌insecurity‌ ‌plays‌ ‌an‌ ‌important‌ ‌role‌ ‌too.‌ ‌Nepalese‌ ‌families‌ ‌that‌ ‌do‌ ‌not‌ ‌have‌ ‌enough‌ ‌food‌ ‌to‌ ‌eat‌ ‌are‌ ‌more‌ ‌likely‌ ‌to‌ ‌marry‌ ‌their‌ ‌daughters‌ ‌at‌ ‌a‌ ‌young‌ ‌age‌ ‌to‌ ‌decrease‌ ‌the‌ ‌financial‌ ‌‌burden‌.‌ ‌One‌ ‌study‌ ‌shows‌ ‌that‌ ‌91%‌ ‌of‌ ‌people‌ ‌who‌ ‌had‌ ‌secure‌ ‌access‌ ‌to‌ ‌food‌ ‌married‌ ‌over‌ ‌the‌ ‌age‌ ‌of‌ ‌19.‌ ‌
Dowry‌ ‌is‌ ‌also‌ ‌a‌ ‌common‌ ‌practice‌ ‌in‌ ‌many‌ ‌communities.‌ ‌Parents‌ ‌marry‌ ‌their‌ ‌daughters‌ ‌as‌ ‌soon‌ ‌as‌ ‌possible‌ ‌because‌ ‌the‌ ‌money‌ ‌they‌ ‌have‌ ‌to‌ ‌pay‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌groom's‌ ‌family‌ ‌is‌ ‌higher‌ ‌if‌ ‌their‌ ‌daughter‌ ‌is‌ ‌older.‌ ‌Since‌ ‌2010,‌ ‌the‌ ‌legal‌ ‌age‌ ‌of‌ ‌marriage‌ ‌is‌ ‌20‌ ‌for‌ ‌both‌ ‌men‌ ‌and‌ ‌women,‌ ‌or‌ ‌18‌ ‌with‌ ‌parental‌ ‌consent,‌ ‌according‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌Nepalese‌ ‌Country‌ ‌Code.‌ ‌
The‌ ‌law‌ ‌states‌ ‌that‌ ‌punishment‌ ‌for‌ ‌child‌ ‌marriage‌ ‌is‌ ‌‌imprisonment‌ ‌for‌ ‌up‌ ‌to‌ ‌three‌ ‌years‌ ‌and‌ ‌a‌ ‌fine‌ ‌of‌ ‌up‌ ‌to‌ ‌10,000‌ ‌rupees‌ ‌(£102).‌ ‌But‌ ‌reports‌ ‌suggest‌ ‌that‌ ‌this‌ ‌law‌ ‌is‌ ‌rarely‌ ‌applied.‌ ‌There‌ ‌has‌ ‌been‌ ‌quite‌ ‌a‌ ‌lot‌ ‌of‌ ‌progress‌ ‌in‌ ‌Nepal‌ ‌over‌ ‌the‌ ‌past‌ ‌3‌ ‌years‌ ‌with‌ ‌a‌ ‌clear‌ ‌government‌ ‌commitment‌ ‌to‌ ‌ending‌ ‌child‌ ‌marriage‌ ‌and‌ ‌civil‌ ‌society‌ ‌cooperation.‌ ‌The‌ ‌Ministry‌ ‌of‌ ‌Women,‌ ‌Children‌ ‌and‌ ‌Social‌ ‌Welfare‌ ‌is‌ ‌currently‌ ‌developing‌ ‌Nepal's‌ ‌first‌ ‌national‌ ‌strategy‌ ‌on‌ ‌child‌ ‌marriage‌ ‌in‌ ‌collaboration‌ ‌with‌ ‌UNICEF‌ ‌Nepal‌ ‌and‌ ‌Girls‌ ‌Not‌ ‌Brides‌ ‌Nepal.‌ ‌However,‌ ‌the‌ ‌post-earthquake‌ ‌and‌ ‌post-fuel‌ ‌crisis‌ ‌environment‌ ‌has‌ ‌meant‌ ‌progress‌ ‌is‌ ‌slow‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌national‌ ‌strategy‌ ‌has‌ ‌been‌ ‌delayed.‌ ‌

The‌ ‌word‌ ‌“‌burden‌”‌ ‌in‌ ‌paragraph‌ ‌3‌ ‌is‌ ‌closest‌ ‌in‌ ‌meaning‌ ‌to‌ ‌_______.‌ ‌ ‌

A pioneering study by Donald Appleyard made the astounding discovery that a sudden increase in the volume of traffic through an area affects people in the way that a sudden increase in crime does. Appleyard observed this by finding three blocks of houses in San Francisco that looked much alike and had the same kind of middle-class and working-class residents, with approximately the same ethnic mix. The difference was that only 2,000 cars a day ran down Octavia Street (LIGHT street, in Appleyard’s terminology) while Gough Street (MEDIUM street) was used by 8,000 cars daily, and Franklin Street (HEAVY street) had around 16,000 cars a day. Franklin Street often had as many cars in an hour as Octavia had in a day.
Heavy traffic brought with it danger, noise, fumes and soot, directly, and trash secondarily. That is, the cars didn’t bring in much trash, but when trash accumulated, residents seldom picked it up. The cars, Appleyard determined, reduced the amount of territory residents felt responsible for. Noise was a constant intrusion into their homes. Many Franklin Street residents covered their doors and windows and spent most of their time in the rear of their houses. Most families with children had already left.
Conditions on Octavia Street were much different. Residents picked up trash. They sat on their front steps and chatted with neighbors. They had three times as many friends and twice as many acquaintances as the people on Franklin.
On Gough Street, residents said that the old feeling of community was disappearing as traffic increaseD. People were becoming more and more preoccupied with their own lives. A number of families had recently moved and more were considering. Those who were staying expressed deep regret at the destruction of their community.

Which of the following is NOT a statement you would expect from a resident of Gough Street?

Rock carvings suggest that Stone Age people were hunting whales for food as early as 2,200 B.C. Such (31)______ hunting is still practised today in a number of societies including the Inuit people of Greenland and North America. Whaling became big (32)_____________ from the seventeenth century as the demand for whale bone and whale oil rose, and the humpback and sperm whales were hunted in increasing large number. (33)_________ just as stocks of these species began to fall, the explosive harpoon gun was invented. This weapon, together with the development of steam-powered ships, enable the whaler to hunt the fast moving fin and blue whales. In 1905, the whaling (34)____________ moved the water of Antarctica. The introduction of massive factory ships enabled the whales to be processed at sea. As a result, the blue whale had virtually disappeared by the 1950s. In 1946, The International Whaling Commision was established to maintain the declining whale populations. Quotas were set but these were often ignored and the numbers continued to fall. Hunting of many species continued until 1986 when the IWC finally responded to international (35)____________ and a band on commercial whaling was introduced.
(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 ‌16‌ ‌to‌ ‌20.‌ ‌
Dressing‌ ‌up‌ ‌in‌ ‌costumes‌ ‌and‌ ‌trick-or-treating‌ ‌are‌ ‌popular‌ ‌Halloween‌ ‌activities,‌ ‌but‌ ‌few‌ ‌probably‌ ‌(‌16‌)‌ ‌______‌ ‌these‌ ‌lighthearted‌ ‌fall‌ ‌traditions‌ ‌with‌ ‌their‌ ‌origins‌ ‌in‌ ‌Samhain,‌ ‌a‌ ‌three-day‌ ‌ancient‌ ‌Celtic‌ ‌pagan‌ ‌festival.‌ ‌
For‌ ‌the‌ ‌Celts,‌ ‌who‌ ‌lived‌ ‌during‌ ‌the‌ ‌Iron‌ ‌Age‌ ‌in‌ ‌what‌ ‌is‌ ‌now‌ ‌Ireland,‌ ‌Scotland,‌ ‌the‌ ‌U.K.‌ ‌and‌ ‌(‌17‌)‌ ‌______‌ ‌parts‌ ‌of‌ ‌Northern‌ ‌Europe,‌ ‌Samhain‌ ‌(meaning‌ ‌literally,‌ ‌in‌ ‌modern‌ ‌Irish,‌ ‌“summer's‌ ‌end”)‌ ‌marked‌ ‌the‌ ‌end‌ ‌of‌ ‌summer‌ ‌and‌ ‌kicked‌ ‌off‌ ‌the‌ ‌Celtic‌ ‌new‌ ‌year.‌ ‌Ushering‌ ‌in‌ ‌a‌ ‌new‌ ‌year‌ ‌signaled‌ ‌a‌ ‌time‌ ‌of‌ ‌both‌ ‌death‌ ‌and‌ ‌rebirth,‌ ‌something‌ ‌that‌ ‌was‌ ‌doubly‌ ‌symbolic‌ ‌because‌ ‌it‌ ‌(‌18‌)‌ ‌______‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌ ‌end‌ ‌of‌ ‌a‌ ‌bountiful‌ ‌harvest‌ ‌season‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌beginning‌ ‌of‌ ‌a‌ ‌cold‌ ‌and‌ ‌dark‌ ‌winter‌ ‌season‌ ‌that‌ ‌would‌ ‌present‌ ‌plenty‌ ‌of‌ ‌challenges.‌ ‌
Eventually,‌ ‌Halloween‌ ‌became‌ ‌more‌ ‌popular‌ ‌in‌ ‌secular‌ ‌culture‌ ‌than‌ ‌All‌ ‌Saints'‌ ‌Day.‌ ‌The‌ ‌pagan-turned-‌ ‌Christian‌ ‌practices‌ ‌of‌ ‌dressing‌ ‌up‌ ‌in‌ ‌costumes,‌ ‌playing‌ ‌pranks‌ ‌and‌ ‌handing‌ ‌out‌ ‌offerings‌ ‌have‌ ‌evolved‌ ‌into‌ ‌popular‌ ‌traditions‌ ‌even‌ ‌for‌ ‌those‌ ‌(‌19‌)‌ ‌______‌ ‌may‌ ‌not‌ ‌believe‌ ‌in‌ ‌otherworldly‌ ‌spirits‌ ‌or‌ ‌saints.‌ ‌(‌20‌)‌ ‌______,‌ ‌whether‌ ‌Halloween‌ ‌celebrants‌ ‌know‌ ‌it‌ ‌or‌ ‌not,‌ ‌they’re‌ ‌following‌ ‌the‌ ‌legacy‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌ancient‌ ‌Celts‌ ‌who,‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌ ‌festival‌ ‌of‌ ‌Samhain,‌ ‌celebrated‌ ‌the‌ ‌inevitability‌ ‌of‌ ‌death‌ ‌and‌ ‌rebirth.‌ ‌

Question‌ ‌19‌‌ ‌‌(TH):‌....................

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: 
Until recently, most American entrepreneurs were men. Discrimination against women in business, the demands of caring for families, and lack of business training had kept the number of women entrepreneurs small. Now, however, businesses owned by women account for more than $40 billion in annual revenues, and this figure is likely to continue rising throughout the 1990s. As Carolyn Doppelt Gray, an official of the Small Business Administration, has noted, “The 1970s was the decade of women entering management, and the 1980s turned out to be the decade of the woman entrepreneur". What are some of the factors behind this trend? For one thing, as more women earn advanced degrees in business and enter the corporateworld, they are finding obstacles. Women are still excluded from most executive suites. Charlotte Taylor, a management consultant, had noted, "In the 1970s women believed if they got an MBA and worked hard they could become chairman of the board. Now they've found out that isn't going to happen, so they go out on their own".
In the past, most women entrepreneurs worked in "women's" fields: cosmetics and clothing, for example. But this is changing. Consider ASK Computer Systems, a $22-million-a-year computer software business, it was founded in 1973 by Sandra Kurtzig, who was then a housewife with degrees in math and engineering. When Kurtzig founded the business, her first product was software that let weekly newspapers keep tabs on their newspaper carriers-and her office was a bedroom at home, with a shoebox under the bed to hold the company's cash, After she succeeded with the newspaper software system, she hired several bright computer-science graduates to develop additional programs. When these were marketed and sold, ASK began to grow. It now has 200 employees, and Sandra Kurtzig owns $66.9 million of stock.
Of course, many women who start their own businesses fail, just as men often do. They still face hurdles in the business world, especially problems in raising money; the banking and finance world is still dominated by men, and old attitudes die hard. Most businesses owned by women are still quite small But the situation is changing; there are likely to be many more Sandra Kurtzigs in the years ahead.

What is the main idea of this passage?

Even before the turn of the century, movies began to develop in two major directions: the realistic and the formalistic Realism and formalism are merely general, rather than absolute, terms. When used to suggest a tendency toward either polarity, such labels can be helpful, but in the end they are still just labels. Few films are exclusively formalist in style, and fewer yet are completely realist. There is also an important difference between realism and reality, although this distinction is often forgotten. Realism is a particular style, whereas physical reality is the source of all the raw materials of film, both realistic and formalistic. Virtually all movie directors go to the photographable world for their subject matter, but what they do with this material - how they shape and manipulate it - determines their stylistic emphasis.
Generally speaking, realistic films attempt to reproduce the surface of concrete reality with a minimum of distortion. In photographing objects and events, the filmmaker tries to suggest the copiousness of life itself. Both realist and formalist film directors must select (and hence emphasize) certain details from the chaotic sprawl of reality. But the element of selectivity in realistic films is less obvious. Realists, in short, try to preserve the illusion that their film world is unmanipulated, an objective mirror of the actual world. Formalists, on the other hand, make no such pretense. They deliberately stylize and distort their raw materials so that only the very naive would mistake a manipulated image of an object or event for the real thing.
We rarely notice the style in a realistic movie; the artist tends to be self-effacing. Some filmmakers are more concerned with what is being shown than how it is manipulated. The camera is used conservatively. It is essentially a recording mechanism that reproduces the surface of tangible objects with as little commentary as possible. A high premium is placed on simplicity, spontaneity, and directness. This is not to suggest that these movies lack artistry, however, for at its best the realistic cinema specializes in art that conceals art

Whom does the author say is primarily responsible for the style of a film?

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.

   Ever since humans have inhabited the earth, they have made use of various forms of communication. Generally, this expression of thoughts and feelings has been in the form of oral speech. When there is a language barrier, communication is accomplished through sign language in which motions stand for letters, words and ideas. Tourists, the deaf, and the mute have no resort to this form of expression. Many of these symbols of the whole words are very picturesque and exact and can be used internationally: spelling, however, can not.

   Body language transmits ideas or thoughts by certain actions, either intentionally or unintentionally. A wink can be a way of flirting or indicating that the party is only joking. A nod signifies approval, while shaking the head indicates a negative reaction.

   Other forms of nonlinguistic language can be found in Braille (a system of raised dots read with fingertips), signal flags, Morse code, and smoke signals. Road maps and picture signs also guide, warn and instruct people. While verbalization is the most common form of language, other systems and techniques also express human thoughts and feelings.

The word “these" is the first passage refers to_________.

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

"Women’s Rights, rights that establish the same social, economic, and political (1)…. for women as for men. Women’s rights guarantee that women will not face (2)… on the basis of their sex. Until the second half of the 20th century, women in most societies were denied some of the legal and political rights accorded (3)… men. Although women in much of the world have gained significant legal rights, many people believe that women still do not have (4)….. political, economic, and social equality with men.
 Throughout much of the history of Western civilization, (5) ….. cultural beliefs allowed women only limited roles in society. Many people believed that women’s natural roles were as mothers and wives. These people (6)….. women to be better suited (7)……  childbearing and homemaking rather than for involvement (8)….. the public life of business or politics. Widespread belief that women were intellectually inferior to men led most societies to (9)….. women’s education to learning domestic (10)…. . Well-educated, upper-class men controlled most positions of employment and power in society."

1. Women’s Rights, rights that establish the same social, economic, and political (1)…. for women as for men.

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.

   Ever since humans have inhabited the earth, they have made use of various forms of communication. Generally, this expression of thoughts and feelings has been in the form of oral speech. When there is a language barrier, communication is accomplished through sign language in which motions stand for letters, words and ideas. Tourists, the deaf, and the mute have no resort to this form of expression. Many of these symbols of the whole words are very picturesque and exact and can be used internationally: spelling, however, can not.

   Body language transmits ideas or thoughts by certain actions, either intentionally or unintentionally. A wink can be a way of flirting or indicating that the party is only joking. A nod signifies approval, while shaking the head indicates a negative reaction.

   Other forms of nonlinguistic language can be found in Braille (a system of raised dots read with fingertips), signal flags, Morse code, and smoke signals. Road maps and picture signs also guide, warn and instruct people. While verbalization is the most common form of language, other systems and techniques also express human thoughts and feelings.

Which of the following best summarizes this passage?

Read the passage below and choose one correct answer for each question.

It has been thought that women are the second class in citizen, and men are the first. There is not a real equality of opportunity for men and women. Years ago, people were living in a man-dominated society. Women had to obey their husbands and fathers absolutely. Women's place was in the kitchen and women's work was housework. In many places, women were not even allowed to go to school. Women had no rights, even the right to choose husband for themselves. Men usually occupied high positions in society so they thought they were more intelligent than women. Men often considered women as their property. Sometimes, they were mistreated by their husbands and suffered the problem as a fate. Many parents did not even want to daughters.

Despite the progress, there remain outdated beliefs about women's roles, traditionally passed down from generation to generation. Men are commonly seen as the strong bodies, bread-winners in the family and key leaders in society, while women are restricted to being housewives and child bearing and care, and housework such as washing and cooking.

According to social surveys, many women in the 21st century still have to work over 12 hours a day including working in offices and doing countless household chores without any help from their husbands. In some regions, the labor of women is not recognized despite the hardships they endure to support the whole family. Moreover, women are the direct victims of family violence, especially in rural areas.

Thanks to the women's liberation movement, nowadays women have proved that they are equal to men in every aspect. An average woman has weaker muscles than an average man but she may be as intelligent as he is. Women can do everything that men can, and women can do one thing that no man can: they produce children.

Years ago, woman were not allowed ______

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

"Until the 19thcentury, the denial of equal rights to women met with only occasional protest and drew little attention from most people. Because most women lacked the educational and economic resources that would enable them to challenge the prevailing social order, women generally accepted their inferior status as their only option. At this time, women shared these disadvantages with the majority of working class men, as many social, economic, and political rights were restricted to the wealthy elite. In the 19th century, as governments in Europe and North America began to draft new laws guaranteeing equality among men, significant numbers of women - and some men - began to demand that women be accorded equal rights as well.
 At the same time, the Industrial Revolution in Europe and North America further divided the roles of men and women. Before the Industrial Revolution most people worked in farming or crafts-making, both of which took place in or near the home. Men and women usually divided the numerous tasks among themselves and their children. Industrialization led male workers to seek employment outside of the home in factories and other large-scale enterprises. The growing split between home and work reinforced the idea that women’s “rightful place” was in the home, while men belonged in the public world of employment and politics.
 Organized efforts by women to achieve greater rights occurred in two major waves. The first wave began around the mid-19th century, when women in the United States and elsewhere campaigned to gain suffrage - that is, the right to vote. This wave lasted until the 1920s, when several countries granted women suffrage."

2. Until the 19th century, what was the status of the working class men in the society?

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 ‌from‌ ‌42‌ ‌to‌ ‌48.‌ ‌
Nepal‌ ‌has‌ ‌made‌ ‌important‌ ‌progress‌ ‌over‌ ‌the‌ ‌past‌ ‌few‌ ‌years‌ ‌to‌ ‌promote‌ ‌equality,‌ ‌but‌ ‌the‌ ‌country‌ ‌still‌ ‌has‌ ‌one‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌highest‌ ‌rates‌ ‌of‌ ‌child‌ ‌marriage‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌world.‌ ‌41%‌ ‌of‌ ‌Nepalese‌ ‌girls‌ ‌are‌ ‌married‌ ‌before‌ ‌the‌ ‌age‌ ‌of‌ ‌18.‌ ‌
Poverty‌ ‌is‌ ‌both‌ ‌a‌ ‌cause‌ ‌and‌ ‌consequence‌ ‌of‌ ‌child‌ ‌marriage‌ ‌in‌ ‌Nepal.‌ ‌Girls‌ ‌from‌ ‌the‌ ‌wealthiest‌ ‌families‌ ‌marry‌ ‌2‌ ‌years‌ ‌later‌ ‌than‌ ‌‌those‌ ‌from‌ ‌the‌ ‌poorest,‌ ‌who‌ ‌are‌ ‌seen‌ ‌as‌ ‌an‌ ‌economic‌ ‌burden,‌ ‌and‌ ‌who‌ ‌drop‌ ‌out‌ ‌of‌ ‌school‌ ‌and‌ ‌earn‌ ‌little‌ ‌money.‌ ‌
Food‌ ‌insecurity‌ ‌plays‌ ‌an‌ ‌important‌ ‌role‌ ‌too.‌ ‌Nepalese‌ ‌families‌ ‌that‌ ‌do‌ ‌not‌ ‌have‌ ‌enough‌ ‌food‌ ‌to‌ ‌eat‌ ‌are‌ ‌more‌ ‌likely‌ ‌to‌ ‌marry‌ ‌their‌ ‌daughters‌ ‌at‌ ‌a‌ ‌young‌ ‌age‌ ‌to‌ ‌decrease‌ ‌the‌ ‌financial‌ ‌‌burden‌.‌ ‌One‌ ‌study‌ ‌shows‌ ‌that‌ ‌91%‌ ‌of‌ ‌people‌ ‌who‌ ‌had‌ ‌secure‌ ‌access‌ ‌to‌ ‌food‌ ‌married‌ ‌over‌ ‌the‌ ‌age‌ ‌of‌ ‌19.‌ ‌
Dowry‌ ‌is‌ ‌also‌ ‌a‌ ‌common‌ ‌practice‌ ‌in‌ ‌many‌ ‌communities.‌ ‌Parents‌ ‌marry‌ ‌their‌ ‌daughters‌ ‌as‌ ‌soon‌ ‌as‌ ‌possible‌ ‌because‌ ‌the‌ ‌money‌ ‌they‌ ‌have‌ ‌to‌ ‌pay‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌groom's‌ ‌family‌ ‌is‌ ‌higher‌ ‌if‌ ‌their‌ ‌daughter‌ ‌is‌ ‌older.‌ ‌Since‌ ‌2010,‌ ‌the‌ ‌legal‌ ‌age‌ ‌of‌ ‌marriage‌ ‌is‌ ‌20‌ ‌for‌ ‌both‌ ‌men‌ ‌and‌ ‌women,‌ ‌or‌ ‌18‌ ‌with‌ ‌parental‌ ‌consent,‌ ‌according‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌Nepalese‌ ‌Country‌ ‌Code.‌ ‌
The‌ ‌law‌ ‌states‌ ‌that‌ ‌punishment‌ ‌for‌ ‌child‌ ‌marriage‌ ‌is‌ ‌‌imprisonment‌ ‌for‌ ‌up‌ ‌to‌ ‌three‌ ‌years‌ ‌and‌ ‌a‌ ‌fine‌ ‌of‌ ‌up‌ ‌to‌ ‌10,000‌ ‌rupees‌ ‌(£102).‌ ‌But‌ ‌reports‌ ‌suggest‌ ‌that‌ ‌this‌ ‌law‌ ‌is‌ ‌rarely‌ ‌applied.‌ ‌There‌ ‌has‌ ‌been‌ ‌quite‌ ‌a‌ ‌lot‌ ‌of‌ ‌progress‌ ‌in‌ ‌Nepal‌ ‌over‌ ‌the‌ ‌past‌ ‌3‌ ‌years‌ ‌with‌ ‌a‌ ‌clear‌ ‌government‌ ‌commitment‌ ‌to‌ ‌ending‌ ‌child‌ ‌marriage‌ ‌and‌ ‌civil‌ ‌society‌ ‌cooperation.‌ ‌The‌ ‌Ministry‌ ‌of‌ ‌Women,‌ ‌Children‌ ‌and‌ ‌Social‌ ‌Welfare‌ ‌is‌ ‌currently‌ ‌developing‌ ‌Nepal's‌ ‌first‌ ‌national‌ ‌strategy‌ ‌on‌ ‌child‌ ‌marriage‌ ‌in‌ ‌collaboration‌ ‌with‌ ‌UNICEF‌ ‌Nepal‌ ‌and‌ ‌Girls‌ ‌Not‌ ‌Brides‌ ‌Nepal.‌ ‌However,‌ ‌the‌ ‌post-earthquake‌ ‌and‌ ‌post-fuel‌ ‌crisis‌ ‌environment‌ ‌has‌ ‌meant‌ ‌progress‌ ‌is‌ ‌slow‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌national‌ ‌strategy‌ ‌has‌ ‌been‌ ‌delayed.‌ ‌

Which‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌following‌ ‌best‌ ‌serves‌ ‌as‌ ‌the‌ ‌title‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌passage?‌ ‌

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: 
Any list of the greatest thinkers in history contains the name of the brilliant German physicist Albert Einstein. His theories of relativity led to entirely new ways of thinking about time, space, matter, energy, and gravity. Einstein's work led to such scientific advances as the control of atomic energy, even television as a practical application of Einstein's work. In 1902 Einstein became an examiner in the Swiss patent office at Bern. In 1905, at age 26, he published the first of five major research papers. The first one provided a theory explaining Brownian movement, the zig-zag motion of microscopic particles in suspension. The second paper laid the foundation for the photon, or quantum, theory of light. In it he proposed that light is composed of separate packets of energy, called quanta or photons, that have some of the properties of particles and some of the properties of waves. A third paper contained the "special theory of relativity" which showed that time and motion are relative to the observer, if the speed of light is constant and the natural laws are the same everywhere in the universe. The fourth paper was a mathematical addition to the special theory of relativity. Here Einstein presented his famous formula, E = m(cc), known as the energy mass equivalence. In 1916, Einstein published his general theory of relativity. In it he proposed that gravity is not a force, but a curve in the space-time continuum, created by the presence of mass. Einstein spoke out frequently against nationalism, the exalting of one nation above all others. He opposed war and violence and supported Zionism, the movement to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine. When the Nazis came to power in 1933, they denounced his ideas. He then moved to the United States. In 1939 Einstein learned that two German chemists had split the uranium atom. Einstein wrote to President Franklin D. Roosevelt warning him that this scientific knowledge could lead to Germany developing an atomic bomb. He suggested the United States begin its own atomic bomb research.

According to Einstein's special theory of relativity,    .................

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.
In recent years there have (31)_________many articles on air polution in newspapers and magazines. Scientists all over the world have warned that our atmosphere is becoming more and more contaminated, and that Man, through his carelessness, may run (32)_________of pure air to breathe.
Automobiles and industries mainly account (33)_________air pollution in most cities. They pour into the air such gases as carbon monoxide, sulphur and nitrogen oxides, which are very harmful (34)_________humans. Worrse still, these gases, a series of chemical changes, turn into toxic acids. They fall down in "acid rains", raising the acidity in the air, soil and water to dangerous levels and affecting not only tress but also fish and other wildlife. Many industrial countries in Europe and North America have suffered bad effects (35) ________  those "rains”.
(34).................

Choose the letter A, B, C or D to complete the passage below

When people think of domestic abuse, they often focus __________ (1) domestic violence. But domestic abuse includes any attempt by one person in __________ (2) intimate relationship or marriage to dominate and control the other. Domestic violence and abuse are used for one purpose and one purpose only: __________ (3) and maintain total control over you. An abuser doesn’t “play fair.” Abusers use fear, guilt, shame, and intimidation to wear you down and keep you under __________ (4) thumb.

__________ (5) violence and abuse can happen to anyone; it does not discriminate. Abuse happens within heterosexual relationships and in same-sex partnerships. It __________ (6) within all age ranges, ethnic backgrounds, and economic levels. And __________ (7) women are more often victimized, men also experience abuse—especially verbal and emotional. The bottom line is that abusive behavior is never __________ (8), whether from a man, woman, teenager, or an older adult. You deserve to feel valued, respected, and safe.

Domestic abuse often escalates __________ (9) threats and verbal assault to violence. And while physical injury may pose the most obvious danger, the emotional and psychological consequences of domestic abuse are also severe. Emotionally abusive relationships can destroy your self-worth, __________ (10) to anxiety and depression, and make you feel helpless and alone. No one should have to endure this kind of pain—and your first step to breaking free is recognizing that your relationship is abusive.

(2).........................

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

"Women’s Rights, rights that establish the same social, economic, and political (1)…. for women as for men. Women’s rights guarantee that women will not face (2)… on the basis of their sex. Until the second half of the 20th century, women in most societies were denied some of the legal and political rights accorded (3)… men. Although women in much of the world have gained significant legal rights, many people believe that women still do not have (4)….. political, economic, and social equality with men.
 Throughout much of the history of Western civilization, (5) ….. cultural beliefs allowed women only limited roles in society. Many people believed that women’s natural roles were as mothers and wives. These people (6)….. women to be better suited (7)……  childbearing and homemaking rather than for involvement (8)….. the public life of business or politics. Widespread belief that women were intellectually inferior to men led most societies to (9)….. women’s education to learning domestic (10)…. . Well-educated, upper-class men controlled most positions of employment and power in society."

5. Throughout much of the history of Western civilization, (5) ….. cultural beliefs allowed women only limited roles in society

DISAPPEARING ALASKAN SEALS
On a winter afternoon, a dozen male Northern fur seals are on an island off south-western Alaska. To look at them, fighting for territory on the rocks, it’s hard to imagine that they are at the (27)____________of a baffling scientific mystery: why is this species beginning to disappear? These seals- which can weigh up to 270 kilograms-have an important and symbolic (28)_________in Alaska’s history. Their soft and luxurious fur, the coveted prize during the huge commercial sea harvests that were legal here in the Bering Sea through the early 20th century, was once so valuable it (29)_________Alaska’s economy. Starting in the 1950s, for reasons that are (30)_______because the harvests by then tended to be fairly small, the seal population began a slow decline . But lately it has been falling drastically, declining at an alarming (31)________of 6 per cent a year since 1998. From a (32)_________ of more than 2 million in Alaska in 1948, their numbers have fallen to about 1 million.
So (33)________, no one has been able to establish a precise cause for this, although theories (34)___________. The seals' food supply may be (35)________, or another species may be (36)________on the seals- perhaps killer whales, which no longer have as many great whales to eat because of harvesting of those mammals. Some people have suggested that the decline can be (37)______to entanglement in fishing nets ,but scientists say they doubt that this alone could (38)_________the recent population decline.
(27)....................................

Choose the option among A, B, C or D that best fits the blank space in the following passage: 

"The status of women’s rights today (1)….. dramatically in different countries and, in some cases, am ong groups within the same country, such as ethnic groups or economic classes.
 In recent decades women around the world have made strides in political participation. (2)….. the 1980s women could vote virtually everywhere in the world, except for a few Muslim countries. As of mid-2005, when women in Kuwait won suffrage, women could vote in all countries (3)…. Men could vote except Saudi Arabia. The right to vote usually included the right to (4)….. for elected office. In 2005 there were 12 female national leaders in the world, including 8 heads of (5)…… (3 monarchs and 5 presidents) and 4 heads of government (prime ministers). In 2005 women made (6)….. almost 16 percent of legislative bodies worldwide, compared to 11 percent in 1999 and 9 percent in 1987. Despite these advancements, women’s role in governmental decision-making remains (7) …...
 Many disparities persist between women’s legal rights and their economic status. Women today constitute nearly 70 percent of the world’s poor, (8) …..  international efforts to compensate women and men (9)…..  in the workplace. While women made up about 32 percent of the world’s labor force in 1990, the percentage of women in positions to make important decisions was far lower. In 2002 women held only 15.7 percent of corporate (10)…… positions in the 500 largest companies in the United States - an increase of 7 percentage points since 1995. In the mid-1990s women comprised only 1 percent of executives in the 1,000 largest corporations outside the United States."

6. In 2005 women made (6)….. almost 16 percent of legislative bodies worldwide, 

DISAPPEARING ALASKAN SEALS
On a winter afternoon, a dozen male Northern fur seals are on an island off south-western Alaska. To look at them, fighting for territory on the rocks, it’s hard to imagine that they are at the (27)____________of a baffling scientific mystery: why is this species beginning to disappear? These seals- which can weigh up to 270 kilograms-have an important and symbolic (28)_________in Alaska’s history. Their soft and luxurious fur, the coveted prize during the huge commercial sea harvests that were legal here in the Bering Sea through the early 20th century, was once so valuable it (29)_________Alaska’s economy. Starting in the 1950s, for reasons that are (30)_______because the harvests by then tended to be fairly small, the seal population began a slow decline . But lately it has been falling drastically, declining at an alarming (31)________of 6 per cent a year since 1998. From a (32)_________ of more than 2 million in Alaska in 1948, their numbers have fallen to about 1 million.
So (33)________, no one has been able to establish a precise cause for this, although theories (34)___________. The seals' food supply may be (35)________, or another species may be (36)________on the seals- perhaps killer whales, which no longer have as many great whales to eat because of harvesting of those mammals. Some people have suggested that the decline can be (37)______to entanglement in fishing nets ,but scientists say they doubt that this alone could (38)_________the recent population decline.
(28)....................................

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.

   Over the past 600 years, English has grown from a language of few speakers to become the dominant language of international communication. English as we know it today emerged around 1350, after having incorporated many elements of French that were introduced following the Norman invasion of 1066. Until the 1600s, English was, for the most part, spoken only in England and had not extended even as far as two centuries, English began to spread around the globe as a result of exploration, trade (including slave trade), colonization, and missionary work. Thus, small enclaves of English speakers became established and grew in various parts of the world. As these communities proliferated, English gradually became the primary language of international business, banking and diplomacy.

   Currently, about 80 percent of the information stored on computer systems worldwide is English. Two thirds of the world’s science writing is in English, and English is the main language of technology, advertising, media, international airports, and air traffic controllers. Today there are more than 700 million English users in the world, and over half of these are nonnative speakers, constituting the largest number of non-native users than any other language in the world..

According to the passage, approximately how many non-native users of English are there in the world today?

Just as optical fibers have transformed communication, they are also revolutionizing medicine. These ultrathin, flexible fibers have opened a window into the living tissues of the body. By inserting optical fibers through natural openings or small incisions and threading  them along the body's established pathways, physicians can look into the lungs, intestines,  heart and other areas that were formerly inaccessible to   them.
The basic fiber-optics system is called fiberscope, which consists of  two  bundles  of fibers. One, the illuminating bundle, carries light to the tissues. Is is coupled to  a  high- intensity light source. Light enters the cores of the high-purity silicon glass and travels along the fibers. A lens at the end of the bundle collects the light and  focuses  it into the other  bundle, the imaging bundle. Each fiber in the bundle transmits only a tiny fraction of the total image. The reconstructed image can be viewed through an eyepiece or displayed on a television screen.
During the last five years, improved methods of fabricating optical fibers have led to a reduction in fiberscope diameter and an increase in the number of fibers, which in turn has increased resolution. Optical fibers can also be used to deliver laser light. By use of laser beams, physicians can perform surgery inside the body, sometimes eliminating the need for invasive procedures in which healthy tissue must be cut through to reach the site of disease. Many of these procedures do not require anesthesia and can be performed in a physician's office. These techniques have reduced the risk and the cost of medical care.

Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word cores?