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. 
      An A level is an Advanced level GCE qualification. This exam is (1) ____ taken after two years of A level study, following the O level/IGCSE exams. Students can take any number of A level exams; in the UK, most college students take three or four A level exams for their final two years of study. The (2) ____ of A levels to be taken will often depend on the qualifications that the university chosen requires. A level results can open doors to undergraduate studies at some of the best higher educational institutions in the world, and to a wide range of professional and vocational courses (3) _______ can help build skills for an exciting and rewarding career. In many countries round the world, some schools follow the GCE syllabus to prepare their pupils for taking A level exams. Students at these schools should enquire at their school about how they can register and sit (4) ____ the exams. Students who do not attend a school that follows the GCE syllabus can still take A level exams and can register as a private individual with the British Council. 
      In order to register for an A level exam one will need to complete an entry form which will become available at the British Council offices. Forms usually become (5) ____ for January examinations in early August of the preceding year. For May/June examinations, they are available in early December of the preceding year. 

and to a wide range of professional and vocational courses (3) _______ can help build skills for an exciting and rewarding career

 

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.

   Mandatory volunteering made many members of Maryland's high school class of 97 grumble with indignation. They didn't like a new requirement that made them take part in the school's community service program. Future seniors, however, probably won't be as resistant now that the program has broken in. Some, like John Maloney, already have completed their required hours of approved community service. The Bowie High School sophomore earned his hours in eighth grade by volunteering two nights a week at the Larkin-Chase Nursing and Restorative Center in Bowie.He played shuffle board, cards, and other games with the senior citizens. He also helped plan parties for them and visited their rooms to keep them company.

   John, fifteen, is not finished volunteering. Once a week he videotapes animals at the Prince George's County animal shelter in Forestville. His footage is shown on the Bowie public access television channel in hopes of finding homes for the animals. "Volunteering is better than just sitting around," says John, "and I like animals; I don't want to see them put to sleep." He's not the only volunteer in his family. His sister, Melissa, an eighth grader, has completed her hours also volunteering at Larkin-Chase.

   "It is a good idea to have kids go out into the community, but it's frustrating to have to write essays about the works," she said. It makes you feel like you're doing it for the requirement and not for yourself." The high school's service learning office, run by Beth Ansley, provides information on organizations seeking volunteers so that students will have an easier time fulfilling their hours.

   "It's ridiculous that people are opposing the requirements," said Amy Rouse, who this summer has worked at the Ronald McDonald House and has helped to rebuild a church in Clinton.

   "So many people won't do the service unless it's mandatory," Rouse said, "but once they start doing it, they'll really like it and hopefully it will become a part of their lives - like it has become a part of mine."

The best title of the passage could be ______.

Read the text below and decide which answer (A,B,C, or D) best fits each space. 
BICYCLES
Why don’t the British cycles? Only a quarter of the estimated twenty million bicycles in the country are thought to be in (58) …….. use. In Denmark, which is flatter but no darker  or  rainier  than  Britain,  twenty  percent  of  all  journeys  are  made  by  bicycles, while in Britain the (59) …….. is only 5%. The government are trying to (60) …….. this. It is hoped that a grant of millions of pounds from the National Lottery will (61)…….. more people to use their bikes. The money will be used to (62) …….. for a 6,500 mile national network of cycle tracks. Britain needs to (63) …….. environmentally friendly scheme such as this. The southern third of the country is one of the most (64)…….. areas of the world. Environmentalists make it (65) …….. to build new roads, and (66)  ……..  roads  are  overcrowded.  One  official  committee  described  the  growth  of motor transport as “possibly the (67) ……. environmental threat to the UK”. The (68)…….. of building the cycles tracks is to motivate people to use their bicycles instead of their cars. However, the new tracks are being built (69) …….. cities and not through them. This (70) …….. that only long distance journeys may be easier and safer. Those cyclists who want to (71) …….. inside cities will still be in danger of (72) …….. their lives on busy roads every time they use their bicycles.

68...............

Today we take electricity for granted and perhaps we do not realize just how useful this discovery has been. Steam was the first invention that replaced wind power. It was used to drive engines and was passed through pipes and radiators to warm rooms. Petrol mixed with air was the next invention that provided power. Exploded in a cylinder, it drove a motor engine, Beyond these simple and direct uses, those forms have not much adaptability.
On the other hand, we make use of electricity in thousands of ways. From the powerful voltages that drive our electric trains to the tiny current needed to work a simple calculator,   and from the huge electric magnet in steel works that can lift 10 tons to the tiny electric magnet in a doorbell, all are powered by electricity. An electric current can be made with equal ease to heat a huge mass of molten metal in a furnace, or to boil a jug for a  cup of coffee. Other than atomic energy, which has not as yet been harnessed to the full, electricity is the greatest power in the world. It is flexible, and so adaptable for any task for which it is wanted. It travels so easily and with incredible speed along wires or conductors that it can be supplied instantly over vast distances.
To generate electricity, huge turbines or generators must be turned. In  Australia they use coal or water to drive this machinery. When dams are built, falling water is used to drive the turbines without polluting the atmosphere with smoke from coal. Atomic power is used in several countries but there is always the fear of an accident. A tragedy once occurred at Chernobyl, in Ukraine, at an atomic power plant used to make electricity. The reactor leaked, which caused many deaths through radiation.
Now scientists are examining new ways of creating electricity without harmful effects to the environment. They may harness the tides as they flow in and out of bays. Most importantly, they hope to trap sunlight more efficiently. We do use solar heaters for swimming pools but as yet improvement in the capacity of the solar cells to create more current is necessary. When this happens, electric cars will be viable and the world will rid itself of the toxic gases given off by trucks and cars that burn fossil fuels.

Which of the following power sources causes pollution by emitting harmful gases?

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

"The 22nd Southeast Asian Games were held in Hanoi, Vietnam from 5 December to 13 December, 2003. The Games were opened by Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai in the newly constructed My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi. The Games torch was lit by Nguyen Thuy Hien of Wushu. It was the First time in the SEA Games history that the Games venues were assigned into two cities namely Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
 The 22nd SEA Games logo designed by painter Nguyen Chi Long is based on a legendary bird named “Chim Lac”. The bird decorated the Ngoe Lu bronze drum, a typical antiquity of the ancient Dong Son Vietnamese culture. The Emblem is composed of harmonious and vigorous curves, creating a feeling of movement and strength which conforms to the Olympic Spirit: “Faster. Higher and Stronger The colorful whirls represent the tough competitiveness in sports.
 The Games’ hymn was “For the World of Tomorrow” composed by Nguyen Quang Vinh. Painter Nguyen Thai Hung chose “Trau Vang”, the golden water buffalo as the mascot for the 22nd SEA Games. With a gentle and harmonious nature, the clever Buffalo has become synonymous with the water and rice civilization that is so important in Vietnam as well as in other Southeast Asian countries. To Vietnamese people, the Golden Buffalo symbolizes a golden harvest, prosperity, happiness, power and the Vietnamese martial spirit."

3. What is the effect of harmonious and vigorous curves of the emblem?

Choose the letter A, B, C or D to answer these following questions

Games and sports are an important and essential part of a person's life. Along with the study, games, and sports are also important. Hence, most schools conducts various games competitions and sports. Along with the mental development of every person, physical development is also which needs to be taken into consideration. Sports is an important part of a student’s life as well. So, what is the importance of sports and games?

Sports gives us a good exercise which makes us physically strong and increases our stamina and strength. Regular sports activities make us active and lead to good health. Playing Games makes us aware of our environment i.e. Makes us mentally awake and increases our concentration power. Various Games needs good strategies for better performance and teamwork, so it increases our thinking ability and teaches us the power of teamwork and to find a way out of difficult situations. Games and sports also need a lot of energy. It makes us energetic. Games and Sports needs a lot of cooperation between the players. Hence it increases cooperation with each other.

And at last, all of the games have their own rules and regulations which if not followed, leads to negative points. Hence, we can say that it teaches us the importance of following rules in life.

Which sentence is NOT TRUE, according to 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. 
In our connected globalized world, the languages which dominate communications and business, Mandarin, Hindi, English, Spanish and Russian amongst others, are placing small languages spoken in remote places under increasing pressure. Fewer and fewer people speak languages such as Liki, Taushiro and Dumi as their children shift away from the language of their ancestors towards languages which promise education, success and the chance of a better life. While to many parents, this may appear a reasonable choice, giving their offspring the opportunity to achieve the sort of prosperity they see on television, the children themselves often lose touch with their roots. However, in many places the more reasonable option of bilingualism, where children learn to speak both a local and a national language, is being promoted. This gives hope that many endangered languages will survive, allowing people to combine their links to local tradition with access to wider world culture. 
While individuals are free to choose if they wish to speak a minority language, national governments should be under no obligation to provide education in an economically unproductive language, especially in times of budget constraints. It is generally accepted that national languages unite and help to create wealth while minority regional languages divide. Furthermore, governments have a duty to ensure that young people can fulfil their full potential, meaning that state education must provide them with the ability to speak and work in their national language and so equip them to participate responsibly in national affairs. People whose language competence does not extend beyond the use of a regional tongue have limited prospects. This means that while many people may feel a sentimental attachment to their local language, their government’s position should be one of benign neglect, allowing people to speak the language, but not acting to prevent its eventual disappearance.
Many PhD students studying minority languages lack the resources to develop their language skills, with the result that they have to rely on interpreters and translators to communicate with speakers of the language they are studying. This has a detrimental effect on the quality of their research. At the same time, they have to struggle against the frequently expressed opinion that minority languages serve no useful purpose and should be allowed to die a natural death. Such a view fails to take into account the fact that a unique body of knowledge and culture, built up over thousands of years, is contained in a language and that language extinction and species extinction are different facets of the same process. They are part of an impending global catastrophe which is beginning to look unavoidable.

What can be inferred from the sentence “their government’s position should be one of benign neglect” in paragraph 2?

American music, in most of its various forms, can be traced back to the music of the  earliest African- Americans. Even though these Americans came here under the worst of  circumstances, they still brought with them traditions, and developed new traditions of their own, that have grown into what is recognized around the world today as American music. 

Musicians, like other artists, are usually quick to give credit where credit is due. Just as a  writer quotes his sources, a musician credits those musicians who inspired him. In the case of the  early African-Americans, that is not always easy. Many of the slaves who brought musical  traditions from Africa will never be known by name. No one wrote their history. Many of the slaves who sang work songs in the fields will never be known by name. No one wrote their history either. 

However, there is a lot that we do know. 

The first well-recognized form of African-American music was spirituals. Spirituals are religious songs. They are songs that tell a story or express emotions. Spirituals have a strong  rhythm. They are often sung by a group, sometimes with a leader who sings a line or two alone and a chorus that sings the refrain. Spirituals originated in the Southern United States. Spirituals sung by slaves often expressed the hope for freedom that was so important in their lives. Well know spirituals include "Go Down Moses," "Deep River," and "Swing Low SweetChariot." After slavery ended, spirituals began to spread to other parts of the United States. Harry  Thacker Burleigh was one of the first singers to perform spirituals on stage in a concert. Marian Anderson, well known for her classical singing, helped spirituals to gain a wider audience too.  Spirituals influenced the development of another well-known form of American music - the blues. The blues were a more individual style of music than spirituals. Blues were often sung  solo, and sometimes they were accompanied by guitar music. As the name suggests, the blues were often about sadness and facing troubles. However, the blues could also be funny, positive, and  even defiant. One blues singer, loved for her strong, beautiful voice, was Bessie Smith. Another  early blues musician was W. C. Handy. Handy was not only a musician, he also wrote music,  promoted concerts, and published bluessongs. 

During the time that the blues were spreading across the country, another style of music  was also quickly gaining in popularity. Ragtime was energetic music with a complicated,  syncopated beat. Often played on the piano, ragtime was the latest and most sophisticated in American popular music. The best-known  ragtime musician was probably Scott Joplin, who wrote many hit ragtime pieces for the piano  including "Maple Leaf Rag." 

Eventually, elements from all of these forms of music and more came back together. In  their own kind of melting pot, African rhythms, slave work songs, spirituals, blues, ragtime, and  other influences recombined to form the beginnings of that truly American art form - jazz. In the late 1800’s jazz was just beginning, but not long after the turn of the century, it would be the most popular American music. It would go on from there to worldwide popularity. Jazz would branch  out into many forms, and it would influence future styles of Americanmusic. 

Many musicians today credit earlier musicians such as Scott Joplin or Bessie Smith with inspiring their music. It’s a shame that they can’t also name the earliest African-Americans who  really began the traditions that led to the American music of today.

According to the passage, who introduced the early form of American music?

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

"The 22nd SEA Games were launched by an impressive opening ceremony at Hanoi’s My Dinh National Stadium, in front of over 40,000 awed spectators. Divided into two parts, rites and festivals, the ceremony (1)…. At 19:00 with the song, “Vietnam - Our Fatherland”. The (2)….. appearance of parachutists, carrying the 11 national flags of the competing Southeast Asian countries, was greeted (3) …. thunderous applause from the audience.
 All the stadium’s lights suddenly came on, (4)…. the start of the procession of Vietnam’s flag and the 22nd SEA Games' Symbol. The 11 sporting delegations then marched past the reviewing stand to excite applause from officials and spectators.
 The sacred torch, which symbolises the (5)….. of the Games and (6)… to compete with burning intensity, was taken from the Ho Chi Minh Museum and passed by Truong Quoc Thang (cyclist), Bui Thi Nhung (runner), Vu Kim Anh (karate artist) and athletes from 10 regional countries to Nguyên Thuy Hien (wushu artist) (7)….. gave it to the Prime Minister, who in tum passed it to an athlete dressed like national hero Giong.
 From this athlete’s hand, the official flame was lit at My Dinh National Stadium and will bum (8) …… the course of the Games. (9)……  at the opening ceremony, Minister-Chairman of the Physical Training and Sports Committee Nguyen Danh Thai, who is also the head of the 22nd SEA Games Organising Board, warmly welcomed Party and State leaders, delegates, domestic and international guests, and 11 sports delegations from Southeast Asian countries to the 22nd SEA Games.
 (10)…….  behalf of the host country, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai declared the 22nd SEA Games open."

2. The (2)….. appearance of parachutists, carrying the 11 national flags of the competing Southeast Asian countries, 

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 developing countries, where three fourths of the world's population live, sixty percent of the people who can’t read and write are women. Being illiterate doesn’t mean they are not intelligent. It does mean it is difficult for them to change their lives. They produce more than half of the food. In Africa eighty percent of all agricultural work is done by women. There are many programs to help poor countries develop their agriculture. However, for years, these programs provided money and training for men.

   In parts of Africa, this is a typical day for a village woman. At 4:45 a.m, she gets up, washes and eats. It takes her a half hour to walk to the fields, and she works there until 3:00 p.m. She collects firewood and gets home at 4:00. She spends the next hour and a half preparing food to cook. Then she collects water for another hour. From 6:30 to 8:30 she cooks. After dinner, she spends an hour washing the dishes and her children. She goes to bed at 9:30 p.m.

   International organizations and programs run by developed nations are starting to help women, as well as men, improve their agricultural production. Governments have already passed some laws affecting women because of the UN Decade for Women. The UN report will affect the changes now happening in the family and society.

Why do people say that African women’s lives are hard?

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

That is a program of Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union to (1) _____ individuals, domestic and foreign organizations buy and use bicycles during the time (2) _____ they enjoy the SEA Games 22 in Ho Chi Minh City then donate the bicycles to poor children. Preparing (3) _____ this program, the Organizing Committee has signed a (4) _____ with Martin- a bicycle-making firm - to purchase 1,000 bicycles, at prices from 850,000 to 1,000,000 VND per bicycle -10% (5) _____ than market prices, with nearly 20 different models. In the mid of November, The Organizing Committee will announce, promote, and (6) _____ the program "SEA Games Iron Horses - For Poor Children" through (7) _____ at airport, on buses, taxis, at information desks, posters, banners, newspapers, and websites of city Youth Union. Besides 1,200 volunteers (8) _____ the SEA Games 22, the Organizing Committee also recruits 100 active volunteers for this program to handle the handover and receiving bikes, instructing participating tourists, giving (9) _____ to questions through hot lines. This program both conveys practical significance and helps international friends to understand further the nation and people of Viet, Nam as well as strengthen the friendship and (10) _____ among nations.

(9) _____

Choose the letter A, B, C or D to answer these following questions:
Games and sports are an important and essential part of a person's life. Along with the study, games, and sports are also important. Hence, most schools conducts various games competitions and sports. Along with the mental development of every person, physical development is also which needs to be taken into consideration. Sports is an important part of a student’s life as well. So, what is the importance of sports and games? 
Sports gives us a good exercise which makes us physically strong and increases our stamina and strength. Regular sports activities make us active and lead to good health. Playing Games makes us aware of our environment i.e. Makes us mentally awake and increases our concentration power. Various Games needs good strategies for better performance and teamwork, so it increases our thinking ability and teaches us the power of teamwork and to find a way out of difficult situations. Games and sports also need a lot of energy. It makes us energetic. Games and Sports needs a lot of cooperation between the players. Hence it increases cooperation with each other.
And at last, all of the games have their own rules and regulations which if not followed, leads to negative points. Hence, we can say that it teaches us the importance of following rules in life.

Which sentence is NOT TRUE, according to the passage?

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

"The 22nd SEA Games were launched by an impressive opening ceremony at Hanoi’s My Dinh National Stadium, in front of over 40,000 awed spectators. Divided into two parts, rites and festivals, the ceremony (1)…. At 19:00 with the song, “Vietnam - Our Fatherland”. The (2)….. appearance of parachutists, carrying the 11 national flags of the competing Southeast Asian countries, was greeted (3) …. thunderous applause from the audience.
 All the stadium’s lights suddenly came on, (4)…. the start of the procession of Vietnam’s flag and the 22nd SEA Games' Symbol. The 11 sporting delegations then marched past the reviewing stand to excite applause from officials and spectators.
 The sacred torch, which symbolises the (5)….. of the Games and (6)… to compete with burning intensity, was taken from the Ho Chi Minh Museum and passed by Truong Quoc Thang (cyclist), Bui Thi Nhung (runner), Vu Kim Anh (karate artist) and athletes from 10 regional countries to Nguyên Thuy Hien (wushu artist) (7)….. gave it to the Prime Minister, who in tum passed it to an athlete dressed like national hero Giong.
 From this athlete’s hand, the official flame was lit at My Dinh National Stadium and will bum (8) …… the course of the Games. (9)……  at the opening ceremony, Minister-Chairman of the Physical Training and Sports Committee Nguyen Danh Thai, who is also the head of the 22nd SEA Games Organising Board, warmly welcomed Party and State leaders, delegates, domestic and international guests, and 11 sports delegations from Southeast Asian countries to the 22nd SEA Games.
 (10)…….  behalf of the host country, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai declared the 22nd SEA Games open."

5. The sacred torch, which symbolises the (5)….. of the Games

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

"The 22nd Southeast Asian Games (22nd SEA Games) successfully closed in Ha Noi. Prominent among 40,000 spectators at the closing (1)…. at My Dinh National Stadium were Party Secretary General Nong Duc Manh, Vice President Truong My Hoa and leaders of the Asian Sport Federation.
 A spectacular art (2)…… programme with the participation of 300 musicians and 500 artists was (3)…….  to welcome the success of the Games. Singaporean swimmer Yeojoscelin who won six gold medals and Vietnamese marksman Nguyên Manh Tuong who owned five gold medals during the Games were awarded the most (4)…… athlete title.
 Nguyen Danh Thai, Minister-Chairman of the State Committee for Physical Training and Sports, President of the 22nd SEA Games Council and Head of the 22nd SEA Games Organising Committee, (5)……. that the Games have successfully concluded after boisterous competition days. All activities took place(6)……  scheduled in an (7)…..  of solidarity and friendship among Southeast Asian people.
With the Vietnamese Government and people's efforts and international support, the 22nd SEA Games have become a festival that impressed people  (8)…. the spirit of “solidarity. cooperation for peace and development”.
 The 22nd SEA Games are not only a song of honesty and nobility in competition and organising competition but (9)….. a sign of a bright future for the development of regional sports. After Vietnamese singer My Linh and a Philippine singer sang the song “For the World of Tomorrow”, Minister Nguven Danh Thai and Chairman of the Ha Noi People's Committee Hoang Van Nghiên handed over the SEA Games Flag to the Chairman of the Olympic Committee and the Head of the Philippine sport team, (10)…… the host country of the 23rd SEA Games - the Philippines 2005."

3. programme with the participation of 300 musicians and 500 artists was (3)…….  to welcome the success of the Games. 

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

"The 22nd Southeast Asian Games (22nd SEA Games) successfully closed in Ha Noi. Prominent among 40,000 spectators at the closing (1)…. at My Dinh National Stadium were Party Secretary General Nong Duc Manh, Vice President Truong My Hoa and leaders of the Asian Sport Federation.
 A spectacular art (2)…… programme with the participation of 300 musicians and 500 artists was (3)…….  to welcome the success of the Games. Singaporean swimmer Yeojoscelin who won six gold medals and Vietnamese marksman Nguyên Manh Tuong who owned five gold medals during the Games were awarded the most (4)…… athlete title.
 Nguyen Danh Thai, Minister-Chairman of the State Committee for Physical Training and Sports, President of the 22nd SEA Games Council and Head of the 22nd SEA Games Organising Committee, (5)……. that the Games have successfully concluded after boisterous competition days. All activities took place(6)……  scheduled in an (7)…..  of solidarity and friendship among Southeast Asian people.
With the Vietnamese Government and people's efforts and international support, the 22nd SEA Games have become a festival that impressed people  (8)…. the spirit of “solidarity. cooperation for peace and development”.
 The 22nd SEA Games are not only a song of honesty and nobility in competition and organising competition but (9)….. a sign of a bright future for the development of regional sports. After Vietnamese singer My Linh and a Philippine singer sang the song “For the World of Tomorrow”, Minister Nguven Danh Thai and Chairman of the Ha Noi People's Committee Hoang Van Nghiên handed over the SEA Games Flag to the Chairman of the Olympic Committee and the Head of the Philippine sport team, (10)…… the host country of the 23rd SEA Games - the Philippines 2005."

1. Prominent among 40,000 spectators at the closing (1)…. at My Dinh National Stadium were Party Secretary General Nong Duc Manh, 

An idea came to me, and I turned off the lights in the studio. In the dark ness, I put the  cello's spike into a loose spot on the carpet, tightened the bow and drew it across the open strings.  I took off my shirt and tried it again; it was the first time in my life I'd felt the instrument against  my bare chest. I could fell the vibration of the strings travel through the body of the instrument to  my own body. I'd never thought about that; music scholars always talk about the resonating properties of various instruments, but surely the performer's own body must have some effect on the sound. As I dug into the notes I imagined that my own chest and lung were extensions of the sound box; I seemed to be able to alter the sound by the way I sat, and by varying the muscular tension in my upper body. 
After improvising for a while, I started playing the D minor Bach suite, still in the  darkness. Strangely freed of the task of finding the right phrasing, the right intonation, the right bowing, I heard the music through my skin. For the first time I didn't think about how it would sound to anyone else, and slowly, joyfully, gratefully, I started to hear again. The note sang out,  first like a trickle, then like a fountain of cool water bubbling up from a hole in the middle of the desert. After an hour or so I looked up, and in the darkness saw the outline of the cat sitting on the floor in front of me, cleaning her paws and purring loudly. I had an audience again, humble as it was. 
So that's what I do now with the cello. At least once a day I find time to tune it, close my eyes, and listen. It’s probably not going to lead to the kind of come back I'd fantasized about for so long – years of playing badly have left scars on my technique, and, practically speaking, classical  musicians returning from obscurity are almost impossible to promote – but might eventually try giving a recital if I feel up to it. Or better yet, I may pay for Dr. Polk if our date at the concert goes well. Occasionally I fell a stab of longing, and I wish I could give just one more concert on the  great stage before my lights blink off, but that longing passes more quickly now. I take solace on the fact that, unlike the way I felt before, I can enjoy playing for myself now. I fell relaxed and expansive when I play, as if I could stretch out my arms and reach from one end of the apartment to the other. A feeling of the completeness and dignity surrounds me and lifts me up.

How long did it take the author to play music with his shirt off in the darkness for  the first time? 

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 best explainer videos are realized by great background score. When was the last time you watched a silent movie? Never? Not for a while? A long while? Even if you remember watching one, it would still have had a background score, or you’ve accidentally pressed the mute button!
The importance of background music and sound effects for your explainer video, therefore, cannot be overstated. You may not need a full blown orchestra or classy jazz tones to create the mood, but whether going for a subtle effect, a professional demonstration or simply trying to attract customers, music is a must. Explainer videos have the emotional quotient working for them and music is just going to add more to make the viewers relate to the pain points you are highlighting in your video. Imagine if your favorite video game has no background music or sound effects to back the amazing graphics? Would you play it with the same feel and excitement? Nah! Same is the case with your explainer videos. They need to and should have apt sound effects to make them worth your viewer’s time.
While the focus of explainer videos production is more on passing the desired information and explaining technical and complex procedures easily, it doesn’t mean you’ll be distracting your viewers with the background music. The sound effects and music is not going to take the message away from your explainer, it’s just going to enhance it and turn it more watchable and share-able. Even if your video doesn’t require a background score, it must include some sound effects or else it would be not so good an experience for those who choose to watch it

The word “it” in paragraph 3 refers to _______.

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 mineral particles found in soil range in size from microscopic clay particles to large boulders. The most abundant particles - sand, silt, and clay - are the focus of examination in studies of soil texture. Texture is the term used to describe the line composite sizes of particles in a soil sample, typically several representative handfuls . To measure soil texture, the sand, silt, and clay particles are sorted out by size and weight. The weights of each size are then expressed as a percentage of the sample weight.

   In the field, soil texture can be estimated by extracting a handful of sod and squeezing the damp soil into three basic shapes; (1) cast, a lump formed by squeezing a sample in a clenched fist; (2) thread, a pencil shape formed by rolling soil between the palms; and (3) ribbon, a flatfish shape formed by squeezing a small sample between the thumb and index finger. The behavioral characteristics of the soil when molded into each of these shapes, if they can be formed at all, provides the basis for a general textural classification. The behavior of the soil in the hand test is determined by the amount of clay in the sample. Clay particles are highly cohesive, and when dampened , behave as a plastic. Therefore the higher the clay content in a sample, the more refined and durable the shapes into which it can be molded.

   Another method of determining soil texture involves the use of devices called sediment sieves, screens built with a specified mesh size. When the soil is filtered through a group of sieves, each with a different mesh size, the particles become grouped in corresponding size categories. Each category can be weighed to make a textural determination. Although sieves work well for silt, sand, and larger particles, they are not appropriate for clay particles. Clay is far too small to sieve accurately; therefore, in soils with a high proportion of clay, the fine particles are measured on the basis of their settling velocity when suspended in water. Since clays settle so slowly, they are easily segregated from sand and silt. The water can be drawn off and evaporated, leaving a residue of clay, which can be weighed.

It can be inferred from the passage that a soil sample with little or no clay in it ______.

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. 
      New research shows that long-term changes in diseases in ocean species coincides with decades of widespread environmental change. The paper, "Increases and decreases in marine disease reports in an era of global change," was published Oct. 9 in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
      Understanding oceanic trends is important for evaluating today's threats to marine systems, and disease is an important sentinel of change, according to senior author Drew Harvell, professor of marine biology at Cornell University. "Disease increases and decreases can both be bad news," said lead author Allison Tracy, who studied with Harvell. "The long-term changes in disease that we see here may result from anthropogenic pressure on plants and animals in the ocean." The researchers examined marine infectious disease reports from 1970 to 2013, which transcend short-term fluctuations and regional variation. They examined records of corals, urchins, mammals, decapods, fish, mollusks, sharks, rays, seagrass and turtles.
       For corals and urchins, reports of infectious disease increased over the 44-year period. In the Caribbean, increasing coral disease reports correlated with warming events. It is widely known that coral bleaching increases with warming, but Harvell said they have established a long-term connection between warming and coral disease. "We've finally linked a coral killer like infectious disease to repeated warming bouts over four decades of change," she said. "Our study shows that infectious disease reports are associated with warm temperature anomalies in corals on a multi-decadal scale." These results improve understanding of how changing environments alter species interactions, and they provide a solid baseline for health of marine life in the period studied.

According to paragraph 2, what role does the marine disease play in the oceanic analysis?

Today we take electricity for granted and perhaps we do not realize just how useful this discovery has been. Steam was the first invention that replaced wind power. It was used to drive engines and was passed through pipes and radiators to warm rooms. Petrol mixed with air was the next invention that provided power. Exploded in a cylinder, it drove a motor engine, Beyond these simple and direct uses, those forms have not much adaptability.
On the other hand, we make use of electricity in thousands of ways. From the powerful voltages that drive our electric trains to the tiny current needed to work a simple calculator,   and from the huge electric magnet in steel works that can lift 10 tons to the tiny electric magnet in a doorbell, all are powered by electricity. An electric current can be made with equal ease to heat a huge mass of molten metal in a furnace, or to boil a jug for a  cup of coffee. Other than atomic energy, which has not as yet been harnessed to the full, electricity is the greatest power in the world. It is flexible, and so adaptable for any task for which it is wanted. It travels so easily and with incredible speed along wires or conductors that it can be supplied instantly over vast distances.
To generate electricity, huge turbines or generators must be turned. In  Australia they use coal or water to drive this machinery. When dams are built, falling water is used to drive the turbines without polluting the atmosphere with smoke from coal. Atomic power is used in several countries but there is always the fear of an accident. A tragedy once occurred at Chernobyl, in Ukraine, at an atomic power plant used to make electricity. The reactor leaked, which caused many deaths through radiation.
Now scientists are examining new ways of creating electricity without harmful effects to the environment. They may harness the tides as they flow in and out of bays. Most importantly, they hope to trap sunlight more efficiently. We do use solar heaters for swimming pools but as yet improvement in the capacity of the solar cells to create more current is necessary. When this happens, electric cars will be viable and the world will rid itself of the toxic gases given off by trucks and cars that burn fossil fuels.

What does the author mean by saying that electricity is flexible?

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 rather surprising geographical feature of Antarctica is that a huge freshwater lake, one of the world’s largest and deepest, lies hidden there under four kilometers of ice. Now known as Lake Vostok, this huge body of water is located under the ice block that comprises Antarctica. The lake is able to exist in its unfrozen state beneath this block of ice because its waters are warmed by geothermal heat from the earth’s core. The thick glacier above Lake Vostok actually insulates it from the frigid temperatures on the surface.

   The lake was first discovered in the 1970s while a research team was conducting an aerial survey of the area. Radio waves from the survey equipment penetrated the ice and revealed a body of water of indeterminate size. It was not until much more recently that data collected by satellite made scientists aware of the tremendous size of the lake; the satellite-borne radar detected an extremely flat region where the ice remains level because it is floating on the water of the lake.

   The discovery of such a huge freshwater lake trapped under Antarctica is of interest to the scientific community because of the potential that the lake contains ancient microbes that have survived for thousands of years, unaffected by factors such as nuclear fallout and elevated ultraviolet light that have affected organisms in more exposed areas. The downside of the discovery, however, lies in the difficulty of conducting research on the lake in such a harsh climate and in the problems associated with obtaining uncontaminated samples from the lake without actually exposing the lake to contamination. Scientists are looking for possible ways to accomplish this.

What is true of Lake Vostok?