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.
                   THANKS A MILLION
Percy Ross was bom in 1916 in Michigan. His parents has come to the USA from Latvia and Russia  and  the  family  were  poor.  But  Percy  soon  showed  a  talent  (1)...... business and made a (2)......... in the fur trade and auction business. Then disaster struck and he lost all his money. But he soon made a fortune again - this time by manufacturing plastic bags. In 1969, he sold his plastic bag company for millions of dollars.
 Ross started giving away in 1977: he gave $50,000 to 50 Vietnamese refugees so that they could make a new home in the USA. (3) ........ he held a Christmas party tor 1,050 poor children in the American town of Minneapolis. Ross bought a bike for every one of the 1,050 children at the party.
After these first experiences of giving money away, Ross decided to do it on a (4) ............ basis. He started  a  newspaper  column  called  “Thanks  a  Million”,  and  later  a  radio  show,  in  order  to (5)...... his money. It took years, but Ross finally succeeded in giving away his entire fortune.
(4)....................

Population in big cities

A United Nations report on world population trends has provided some interesting information for thought on the future demographics of our planet. The world’s population is currently 6.5 billion and is set (1) ________ and level off to about 9 billion people. The report says population explosions will occur in Africa and Asia, but not in the (2) _________ of the world, “Considerable diversity exists in the expected population growth of countries. The population of many countries, (3) __________ in Africa and Asia, will increase greatly in the coming decades.”  (4)___________, population levels in developed countries are expected to fall, because of decreased fertility rates caused by increased contraceptive use. The report also indicates half of the world’s population will be city (5) _________ by 2007. That is a huge jump from the figure of 30% urbanization in 1993. The five most populated cities today are Tokyo (35 million people), Mexico City (19 million), New York (18.5 million), Bombay (18.3 million) and Sao Paulo (18.3 million). In 1950 only Tokyo and New York had populations of more (6) _________ 10 million people. By 2050 there will be 22 cities of that size. The report concludes, “the current population picture is one of dynamic population changes, reflected in new and diverse patterns of childbearing, mortality, migration, urbanization and ageing. The (7) ___________ and consequences of these population trends present opportunities as well as (8) __________for all societies in the twenty-first century.”

(4) ________

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Education is more important today than ever before. It helps people acquire the skills they need for such everyday (13)_______ as reading a newspaper or managing their money. It also gives them the specialized training they may need to (14)_______ for a job or career. For example, a person must meet certain educational requirements and obtain a (15)_______ or certificate before he can practice law or medicine. Many fields, like computer operation or police work, (16)_______ satisfactory completion of special training courses. Education is also important (17)_______ it helps people get more out of life. It increases their knowledge and understanding of the world. It helps them acquire the skills that make life more interesting and enjoyable, (18)_______ the skills needed to participate in a sport, paint a picture, or play a musical (19)_______ . Such education becomes (20)_______ important as people gain more and more leisure time. Education also helps people adjust to change. This habit has become necessary because social changes today take place with increasing speed and (21)_______ the lives of more and more people. Education can help a person understand these changes and provide him (22)_______ the skills for adjusting to them

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Artist Kit Williams was always interested in trying new things, so when it was suggested that he should (1) _______ a book, he preferred to write his own story rather than work with someone else's. He hit (2) _______ a new idea . What better way to attract people's (3) _______ to his work than to give his readers the chance to take part in a treasure hunt? So Kit made a golden pendant in the (4) _______ of a hare and buried it underground at a secret location. The words and pictures in his book, Masquerade, (5) _______ clues as to where the hare was buried. Almost two million readers from all over the world joined in the rush to solve the puzzle. The race was open to all, and no one had any advantage - the treasure was as likely to be found by a clever child of ten as it was by a university professor. After more than two years, the golden hare was found by a businessman who called himself Ken Thomas, although this was actually a (6) _______ name. It appears that "Thomas" subsequently sold the hare for a large (7) _______ of money. Afterwards some people (8) _______ that the discovery of the hare was not based purely on the information in the book, but was the result of a complex (9) _______ in which "Thomas" was helped by a former girlfriend of Kit Williams. However, "Thomas" has always firmly (10) _______ these claims.

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
The need for a surgical operation, especially an emergency operation, almost always comes as a severe shock to the patient and his family. Despite modern advances, most people still have an irrational fear of hospitals and anaesthetics. Patients do riot often believe they really need surgery- cutting into a part of the body as opposed to treatment with drugs.
In the early year of the 20th century, there was little specialization in surgery. A good surgeon was capable of performing almost every operation that had been advised up to that time. Today the situation is different. Operations are now being carried out that were not even dreamed of fifty years ago. The heart can be safely opened and its valves repaired. Cloyed blood vessels can be clean out, and broken ones mended and replaced. A lung, the whole stomach, or even part of the brain can be removed and still permit the patient to live a comfortable and satisfactory life. However, not every surgeon wants to, or is qualified to carry out every type of modern operation.
The scope of surgery has increase remarkable in the past decades. Its safety has increased, too. Deaths from most operations are about 20% of what they were in 1910 and surgery has been extended in many directions, for example, to certain types of birth defects in new born babies, and at the other end of the scale, to life-saving operation for the octogenarian .The hospital stay after surgery has been shortened to as little as a week for most major operations. Most patients are out of bed on the day after an operation and may be back at work in two or three weeks.
One of the most revolutionary areas of modern surgery is that of organ transplants. Until a few decades ago, no person, except an identical twins, was able to accept into his body the tissues of another person without reacting against them and eventually killing them. Recently, however, it has been discovered that with the use of X-rays and special drugs, it is possible to graft tissues from one person to another which will survive for periods of a year or more. Kidneys have been successfully transplanted between non-identical twins. Heart and lung transplants have also been reasonably successful.
“Spare parts” surgery, the simple routine replacement of all worn-out organs by new ones, is still a dream of the future but surgery is ready for such miracles. In the meantime, you can be happy if the doctors say to you: “Yes, l think it is possible to operate on you for this condition”.

The main difficulty with organ transplants is     .

Choose the best answer:
Minor illnesses have a nasty habit of striking (1)______ the wrong time, don‘t they ? (2) ______ you have a pile of things to do at work and even more on your plate at home, the last thing you want is a (3) _______ throat or a tension headache to drag you down. (4) _______ this summer, when you‘re feeling (5)_______ the weather, remember that a visit to your (6) ______ pharmacy (7)_______ be a real bonus in helping you get the right remedy to ease your symptoms. But it‘s not (8) ______ the medication that assists the cure – only at a pharmacy will you find expert (9)________ from a highly trained health professional. Just try asking a supermarket shelf what it (10) _______ for family heath problems !

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.
                A MORE COMMERCIAL TUNE
 Roger Press, 40, has changed his career. After spending five years (1)...... a concert pianist, he has gone into business, recently setting up his own company.
After leaving university I decided to (2)....... myself to a career in music. I loved performing, but it was hard work. I played at concerts in Europe and America, made recordings and got reviews. But after a while I felt I had gone as far as I could. Unless you’re one of the world’s top 20 pianists, it’s difficult to earn a good living and I wasn’t one of the greatest.
When I gave up my performing career, people around me were more sad and disappointed than I was. But I felt free  and (3).... I knew I was getting serious about life. After getting a qualification in business administration I joined the recording company EMI and started their classical video division, producing programmes about famous artists. A year ago I left EMI and formed a new company, New Media Systems, which (4)............ in multimedia programs.
(5)........... I run my own business, I’m in control of my life and I feel proud of my achievements. Although the stress is high and I work long hours, the stress involved in piano playing was much worse. It took physical, emotional and mental skills. I prefer the pressures I live with now.

(4)..........................

Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer.

In the past, both men and women were expected to be married at quite young ages. Marriages were generally arranged by parents and family, with their children having little chance to say no in the matter. In the past it was not surprising to find that a bride and groom had only just met on the day of their engagement or marriage.

In modern Vietnam, this has changed completely as people choose their own marriage-partners based on love, and in consideration primarily to their own needs and wants. Moreover early marriage is quite illegal.

The traditional Vietnamese wedding is one of the most important of traditional Vietnamese occasions. Regardless of westernization, many of the age-old customs practiced in a traditional Vietnamese wedding continue to be celebrated by both Vietnamese in Vietnam and overseas, often combining both western and eastern elements. Besides the wedding ceremony, there is also an engagement ceremony which takes place usually half a year or so before the wedding. Due to the spiritual nature of the occasion, the date and time of the marriage ceremony are decided in advance by a fortune teller. The traditional Vietnamese wedding consists of an extensive array of ceremonies: the first is the ceremony to ask permission to receive the bride, the second is the procession to receive the bride (along with the ancestor ceremony at her house), the third is to bring the bride to the groom's house for another ancestor ceremony and to welcome her into the family, then the last is a wedding banquet. The number of guests in attendance at these banquets is huge, usually in the hundreds. Several special dishes are served. Guests are expected to bring gifts, often money, which the groom and bride at one point in the banquet will go from table to table collecting.

Which sentence is referred Vietnamese modern marriage?

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From the seeds themselves to the machinery, fertilizers and pesticides –The Green Revolution regimen depends heavily on technology. One (1)_____, however , depends much (2)_________on technology – organic farming . Many organic farmers use machinery, but (3)_____chemical fertilizers or pesticides .(4)______chemical soil enriches , they use animal manure and plant part not used as food – natural , organic fertilizers that are clearly a renewable (5)_____.Organic farmers also use alternatives (6)_____pesticides ; for example they many rely on natural predators of certain insect pets.(7)___ the need arises ; they can buy the eggs and larvae of these natural predators and introduce them into their crop fields . They use(8)_____techniques to control pests as well , like planting certain crops together because one crop repels the other‘s pests . Organic farmers do not need a lot of land ; (9)_____, organic farming is perfectly (10)_____to small farm and is relatively inexpensive .Finally , many organic farmers‘ average yields compare favorably with other farmers‘ yields

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Around 200 million people are employed in tourism worldwide, making it the largest industry in the modern global economy. It is estimated that three-quarters of a billion people (35)___________ on holiday each year, and industry planners expect this figure to double by 2020. Some of the biggest beneficiaries are less developed countries, (36)___________it is often their main source of income. (37)_________________, along with the economic benefits, this mass movement of people has resulted in threats (38)_____________ the environment. People often forget the damage caused by carbon dioxide emissions from aircraft, which (39) ______________ directly to global warming. Deforestation has cleared land in order to build hotels, airport and roads, and this has destroyed wildlife. In some areas, water shortages are now common (40)_____________of the need to fill swimming pools and water golf courses for tourists. By pushing up prices for goods and services, tourism can also be (41)______________ to the people who live in tourist destinations. In response to these concerns, some travel operators now offer environmental friendly holidays. Many of these aim to reduce the negative (42)____________ of tourism by promoting only hotels that have invested equipment to recycle waste and use energy and water efficiently. Increasingly, tourists are also being reminded to show respect (43)______________ the customs of the people (44) ______________countries they are going to visit, and to support local businesses, such as restaurants and shops, which depend on tourism for their main income

Choose the best answer:
It is now extremely popular to take a gap year between school and university or university and work, and tospend it travelling. There are plenty of reasons to recommend it - travel (1) ______ the mind, you‟re only youngonce,lifeisn't a rehearsal and so on.And if you don't do it, you may always regret that you didn't take the (2) ______. In the end, there's only one response: well, why not? The idea may have its (3) _____ from the 18thcentury. Grand Tour once undertaken by the young, rich and noble, but it the middle classes who have (4) ____ it into something that 200.000 British youngsters do every year. (5) ______ has never been so easy and cheap, with more places open to tourists than ever. Also, the gap year is now (6) ______ by many employers and universities. The States, the Far East and Australia were among the original (7) _______ and although these remain in the (8) ________ five, young explorers are now going (9) _______ farther. The most far-flung comers of the world are (10) _______ in popularity year by year

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
May 7, 1840 was the birthday of one of the most famous Russian composers of the nineteenth century Peter Illich Tchaikovsky. The son of a mining inspector, Tchaikovsky studied music as a child and later studied composition at the St.Pertersburg Conservatory. His greatest period of productivity occurred between 1876 and 1890, during which time he enjoyed the patronage of Madame von Meck, a woman he never met, who gave him a living stipend of about $1,000.00 a year. Madame von Meck later terminated her friendship with Tchaikovsky, as well as his living allowance, when she, herself, was facing financial difficulties. It was during the time of Madame von Meck’s patronage, however, that Tchaikovsky created the music for which he is most famous, including the music for the ballets of Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty.
Tchaikovsky’s music, well known for its rich melodic and sometimes melancholy passages, was one of the first that brought serious dramatic music to dance. Before this, little attention had been given to the music behind the dance. Tchaikovsky died on November 6,1893, ostensibly of cholera, though there are now some scholars who argue that he committed suicide.

Which of the following could best replace the word “terminated”?

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The reality of an interview is never as bad as your fears. For some (1) ______ people imagine the interviewer is going to jump on every tiny mistake they (2) ______. In fact, the interviewer is as keen for the meeting to go well as you are. It is what (3) ______ his or her job enjoyable. The secret of a good interview is preparing for it. What you wear is always important as it creates the first impression. So (4) ______ neatly, but comfortably. Make (5) ______ that you can deal with anything you are (6) ______. Prepare for questions that are certain to come up, for example: Why do you want to become a nurse? What is the most important quality a good nurse should have? Apart from nursing, what other careers have you considered? What are your interests and hobbies? Answer the questions fully and precisely. For example, if one of your interests is reading, be prepared to (7) ______ about the sort of books you like. (8) ______, do not learn all your answers off (9) ______ heart. The interviewer wants to meet a human being, not a robot. Remember, the interviewer is genuinely interested in you, so the more you relax and are yourself, the more (10) ______ you are to succeed

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
One of the highest honors for formalists, writers, and musical composers is the Pulitzer Prize. First awarded in 1927, the Pulitzer Prize has been won by Ernest Hemingway, Harper Lee, John F. Kennedy, and Rodgers and Hammerstein, among others. As with many famous awards, this prize was named after its founder, Joseph Pulitzer.
Joseph Pulitzer’s story, like that of many immigrants to the United States, is one of hardship, hard work and triumph. Born in Hungary, Joseph Pulitzer moved to United States in 1864. He wanted to be a reporter, but he started his American life by fighting in the American Civil War. After the war, Pulitzer worked for the German - language newspaper, the Westliche Post. His skills as a reporter were wonderful, and he soon became a partial owner of the paper.
In 1978, Pulitzer was able to start a newspaper of his own. Right from the first edition, the newspaper took a controversial approach to new. Pulitzer wanted to appeal to the average reader, so he produced exciting stories of scandal and intrigue. Such an approach is commonplace today, but in Pulitzer’s time it was new and different. The approach led to the discovery of many instances of corruption by influential people. Pulitzer ‘paper became very famous and is still produced today.
The success of Joseph Pulitzer’s newspaper made him a very wealthy man, so he wanted to give something back to his profession. Throughout his later years, he worked to establish university programs for the teaching of journalism, and he funded numerous scholarships to assist journalism students. Finally, he wanted to leave a legacy that would encourage writers to remember the importance of quality. On his death, he gave two million dollars to Columbia University so they could award prizes to great writers.
The Pulitzer Prize recipients are a very select group. For most, winning a Pulitzer Prize is the highlight of their career. If an author, journalist, or composer you know has won a Pulitzer Prize, you can be sure they are at the top of their profession.

The word “partial" in the passage is closest in meaning to_     .

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All relationships go through difficult times. In the past, when married couples had problems they usually didn‘t (11) . They had to either (12) with each other or continue to live together in an unhappy relationship. Getting divorced wasn‘t an option for most people due to economic and social reasons. Some people believe that this wasn‘t such a bad thing. They say that relationships require hard work and (13) . ―If a relationship is going to last a lifetime, you have to keep working at it,‖ says Doreen, who is celebrating her fiftieth wedding anniversary this year. ―It isn‘t all roses and romance. (14) perfect all of the time. These days young people give up when there‘s the (15) argument.‖ Experts agree that communication is key. The most important thing is to (16) talking. How many times have you heard yourself say to (17) , ―If only you‘d listen!‖ or ― I wish you (18) do that!‖ The truth is, the (19) couples talk, the better their relationship (20) be

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the undelined part that needs correction in each of the following questions:
Rachel Carson was born in 1907 in Springsdale, Pennsylvania. She studied biology at college and zoology at Johns Hopkins University, where she received her master’s degree in 1933. In 1936, she was hired by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, where she worked most of her life.
Carson’s first book, Under the Sea Wind, was published in 1941. It received excellent reviews, but sales were poor until it was reissued in 1952. In that year she published The Sea Around Us, which provided a fascinating look beneath the ocean’s surface, emphasizing human history as well as geology and marine biology. Her imagery and language had a poetic quality. Carson consulted no less than 1,000 printed sources. She had voluminous correspondence and frequent discussions with experts in the field. However, she always realized the limitations of her nontechnical readers.
In 1962, Carson published Silent Spring, a book that sparked considerable controversy.
It proved how much harm was done by the uncontrolled, reckless use of insecticides. She detailed how they poison the food supply of animals, kill birds and fish, and contaminate human food. At the time, spokesmen for the chemical industry mounted personal attacks against Carson and issued propaganda to indicate that her findings were flawed. However, her work was proved by a 1963 report of the President’s Science Advisory Committee.

When she published her first book, Carson was closest to the age of

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Work should be a meaningful and (1)___ part of one‘s life. The (2)____ of a career is, therefore, one of the most serious decision anyone can (3)___. It is important to take in consideration your (4)___ and personal preferences. For instance, adventurous people who enjoy an outdoor life shouldn‘t choose a (5)___ in an office. If you like to work alone, you shouldn‘t look for employment which requires working with the public. If you enjoy working with people, you may like a career in a (6)___ such as human resources. You should (7)____ about finding out as much as possible about intended career before you finish your education. It may take time to (8)____ for the career you want. Don‘t accept a job if you haven‘t got a clue what your working conditions will be or how much you can expect to (9)____. Future disappointment can be avoided by talking to professionals with (10)____ in the career you are interested in as well as visiting different companies and institutions.

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The well-being of America's rural people and places depends upon many things - the availability of goodpaying jobs; (1)______ to critical services such as education, health care, and communication; strong communities; and a healthy natural environment. And, (2)______ urban America is equally dependent upon these things, the challenges to well-being look very different in rural areas than in urban areas. Small-scale, low-density settlement (3)______ make it more costly for communities and businesses to provide critical services. Declining jobs and income in the natural resource-based industries that many rural areas depend on (4)______ workers in those industries to find new ways to make a living. Low-skill, low-wage rural manufacturing industries must find new ways to challenge the increasing number of (5)______ competitors. Distance and remoteness impede many rural areas from being connected to the urban centers of economic activity. Finally, changes in the availability and use of natural resources located in rural areas (6)______ the people who earn a living from those resources and those who (7)______ recreational and other benefits from them. Some rural areas have met these challenges successfully, achieved some level of prosperity, and are ready (8)______ the challenges of the future. Others have neither met the current challenges nor positioned themselves for the future. Thus, concern for rural America is real. And, while rural America is a producer of critical goods and services, the (9)______ goes beyond economics. Rural America is also home to a fifth of the Nation's people, keeper of natural amenities and national treasures, and safeguard of a/an (10)______ part of American culture, tradition, and history

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Mobile phones emit microwave radio emissions. Researchers are questioning whether exposure to these radio waves might (36) _______ to brain cancer. So far, the data are not conclusive. The scientific evidence does not (37) _______ us to say with certainly that mobile phones are categorically (38) _______. On the other hand, current research has not yet (39) _______ clear adverse effect associated with the prolonged use of mobile phones Numerous studies are now going (40) _______ in various countries. Some of the results are contradictory but others have shown an association between mobile phone use and cancer. (41) _______, these studies are preliminary and the issue needs further, long - term investigation. (42) _______ the scientific data is more definite, it is prudent for people to try not to use mobile phone for long (43) _______ of time. Don't think that hands free phones are any safer either. At the moment, research is in fact showing the (44) _______ and they may be just as dangerous. It is also thought that young people (45) _______ bodies are still growing may be at particular risk

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The Thames is the longest and best-known river in Britain. It is 210 miles/338 kilometres ___(1)___ and flows from the Cotswolds in central England to the North Sea after through London. Other famous towns on the river ___(2)___ Oxford, Windsor 1, Henley and Greenwich. ___(3)___ bridges across the Thames in London are London Bridge, Tower Bridge and Westminster Bridge. Large ships can sail ___(4)___ the Thames ___(5)___ London and smaller ones a further 86 miles/138 kilometres. A large area in the east of London was formerly a major port on the river, but in recent times this Docklands area has been___(6)___. The Thames Barrier is a large barrier ___(7)___ across the River Thames at Woolwich, east of London, to prevent London from being flooded. It was completed in 1982 and ___(8) ___ opened in 1984. It consists of ten gates, which ___(9)___ on the bottom of the river when the barrier is not required. If there is a danger of flooding, the gates rise to form a solid ___(10)___ 50 feet/15 metres high.

Choose the best answer:
Higher Education in the UK Students who have successfully completed an A-level course may go to university to do (1)_____ three- or four-year course leading to a first degree such as Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BSc), etc. They apply to several universities which then (2)_____ an offer of a place specifying the minimum grades the student needs to obtain in the A level subjects studied. Higher education is not (3)_____. In principle, students have to pay a contribution to the cost of teaching (tuition fees) and have also to pay their living costs (maintenance). The government provides (4)_____ to help them pay for university education which have to be paid back from earnings once their income reaches a certain (5)_____. In recent years government policy has been to (6)_____ the percentage of 18-year olds (7)_____ go to university, which is now, at 40%, double the 1990 figure, but this growth has been at the (8)______ of the amount of financial support given to individual students. Universities receive money (9)_____ the state for each student and are responsible for employing staff and deciding which courses to offer. The head of a university, who is (10)_____ for its management, is called a vice-chancellor