Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

Although most families in the United States enjoy a high living standard, many American women have to work (23) __________ at home and in their offices. Despite their husbands’ (24) __________ of the housework, women have to do most of the housekeeping tasks. In single-parent families, the mothers may not have (25) __________ I children to take care of, but they have to raise their families alone and have to provide for all the housekeeping money. Therefore, the (26) __________ mothers have to work very hard to earn their living. Moreover, in spite of the fact that the single mothers If have all the (27) __________ conveniences at their homes, they find that bringing up their teenage children alone is not easy.

23 _______________

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

Reasons why I would buy an iWatch

As a principal and a teacher, my days are incredibly busy. I often don’t have the time to check messages (1) _______ my phone or computer during the day because there is rarely a free moment during my workday. This has often (2) _______ to my missing important email messages, phone calls, or text messages from my family members or schoolchildren’s parents.

I too often (3) _______ to feel the buzzing of my phone in my (4) _______ , or if I am incredibly busy, I am not able to pull it out to look at the reason for the alert. I would love the ability to have alerts right on my (5) _______ to glance at really quickly. This would help me, even during the busiest parts of the day, to quickly know (6) _______ there is an important message or phone call that I need to attend to.

One of my least favorite parts of the day is sorting through my email box at the end of a busy school day of all the messages that backed up during my day of eaching. How (7) _______ would it be to be able to (8) ______ email and other messages with a quick flick of a button on the iWatch as they arrive during the day? I imagine the iWatch buzzing with an incoming email and then offering buttons to quickly archive, delete, or send the message to a specific (9) _______. Being able to (10) _______ incoming messages as they arrive in split seconds throughout the day would save me from having to spend the time sorting through all alerts and messages at the end of the day.

(3) __________

New York City is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, and with good reason. NYC is the mecca of business in the United States, and as a melting pot of American culture, there is something for every style, taste and budget in New York City. With so much to see and do in NYC, it's important for NYC tourists to do their research ahead of time before their vacation in New York City.

New York is America’s safest large city, but visitors should still use common sense to protect themselves and their property. Be aware of your surroundings, and make sure to always use licensed, reputable businesses for any services you need. For example, don’t hail livery cabs (as opposed to taxis) at the airport, and don’t rent bikes from companies that seem suspicious. If you’re not sure where to find legitimate businesses, the listings at nycgo.com are a good place to start, as are those published by the Better Business Bureau. Your hotel concierge should be able to answer questions on this topic and will be helpful if you need more information about neighborhoods in the five boroughs. Another useful resource is 311, the City’s official government services and information hotline.

New York City is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.

Choose the letter A, B, C or D to complete the sentences

The books ___________ have been read by the students should be put on the shelf.

 Read the following passage carefully, and then select the best option A, B, C or D to complete it:

"London is the capital of the United Kingdom and the home of its queen, Elizabeth II. It’s also the largest city in Europe. About 7 million people call London home.
LONDON LANDMARKS
Millions of people visit London every year from all (1) _______ the world. If you travel there, you’ll find many (2) _______ things to see and do.
During August and September, you can visit Buckingham (3) _______. That’s where the queen lives most of the year. It has about 600 (4) _______, but you’ll see only state rooms where the queen entertains guests. In the morning, a colorful ceremony (5) _______ “changing of the guard” takes place in the palace courtyard. One group of palace guards (6) _______ off duty, and another troop arrives to replace them.
You can (7) _______ the Tower of London, a historic fortress that was once a royal palace. It was also used as a (8) _______ for hundreds of years. Two of the wives of King Henry VIII—Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard—were put (9) _______ death here. The Crown Jewels are a popular attraction at the Tower. This (10) _______ of jeweled crowns, swords, scepters, and other royal objects is only used on (11) _______ occasions, such as the crowning of a new ruler.
Be (12) _______ to visit Westminster Abbey, one of Britain’s famous (13) _______. The nation’s kings and queens are crowned here. Many rulers and famous citizens are (14) _______ here.
There are also monuments to political figures and poets.
The (15) _______ of Parliament are along the Thames River, near Westminster Abbey. This is where the government meets. Look (16) _______ to see the clock tower with Big Ben, London’s famous (17) _______ that rings every hour. You can get on a boat (18) _______ for a ride on the Thames.
Other places you might want to see are Scotland Yard, Madame Tussaud’s, (19) _______ the British Museum. You can find out about London’s famous criminals in the (20) _______ Museum at Scotland Yard, the home of London’s Metropolitan Police. At Madame Tussaud’s, you’ll see eerily(21) _______, life-size wax figures of pop idols and historic figures. A great thing to see at the British Museum is the collection of mummies, tomb (22) _______, and gold jewelry from ancient Egypt. The museum’s Egyptian collection is (23) _______ of the largest in the world.
For a good (24) _______ of London, take a ride in the London Eye. This enormous wheel takes you 443 feet (135 meters) above the London skyline. Unlike a traditional Ferris wheel, the (25) _______ carries its passengers in enclosed compartments."

19. Other places you might want to see are Scotland Yard, Madame Tussaud’s, (19) _______ the British Museum. 

Choose the word or phrase (a, b, c or d) that best fits the blank space in the following passage.

One of the greatest advances in modern technology has been the (61)__________ of computers. They are already (62)______ used in industry and in universities and the time may come when it will be common for (63)________ people to use them as well. Computers are capable of doing extremely complicated work in all (64)_________ of learning. They can (65)______ the most complex mathematical problem and put thousands of unrelated facts (66)______ order. Because they work accurately and at high speeds they (67)______ research workers years of hard work. (68)____ is a mistake to believe that these machines could “think”. There is no (69)_____ that human beings will be controlled by machines. Though computers are capable of (70)______ from their mistakes and improving on their performance, they need detailed (71)_______ from human beings in order to be able to operate. They can never, as it were, (72)________ independent lives or rule the world by making decisions of their (73)___________. Computers are the most efficient (74)____ man has ever had and there is no limit to the ways they can be used to (75)_____ our lives.

66__________

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

Living in a city has a number of drawbacks. Firstly, there is the problem of traffic (23)________ and traffic accidents. The increase in population and the increasing number of vehicles have (24)_________ many accidents to happen every day. Secondly, air pollution (25) __________ affects people’s health, and it also has a bad (26)__________ on the environment More and more city dwellers suffer from coughing or breathing problems. Thirdly, the city is noisy, even at night. Noise pollution comes from the traffic and from construction sites. Buildings are always being knocked down and rebuilt. These factors contribute to making city life (27)________ difficult for its residents.

27_________

Choose the word or phrase that best fits each blank in the following passage. (1.5 pts)

On a yearly (1)______, the USA is afflicted by hurricanes on the east coast, flooding in the Midwest, forest fires, earthquakes, and any number of tornadoes, blizzards, and storms. Historically, the weather has (2)_________ as harsh a chord in people’s lives as any we feel today. Historians list the four major events to wreak devastation (3)________ the country as the Chicago fire in 1871, the Johnstown flood and the Galveston hurricane of 1900, and the San Francisco earthquake in 1906. These (4)_______ provide a flavor of the havoc that natures storms have wrecked on humanity and our reactions to them. Galveston, Texas, (5) _______ on the island of Galveston in the Gulf of New Mexico, (6)_________ on industry and exports. It's over 30,000 citizens in the early 1900s were generally economically successful and comfortable with existing conditions. (7)___________ the ill-fated morning of Sept. 7, 1900, the people of Galveston enjoyed their life on the remote island. (8)______ weather watchers had been following a (9)_______ storm* in the Atlantic for several days and were warning of the (10)_____________ danger of a hurricane. Unfortunately, people (11)_________ the warnings. A day after the hurricane had hit the island, all that (12)____________ of the beautiful city was, a mass of crumbled buildings, debris, and hopeless survivors (13)___________ aimlessly with the stench of rotting flesh all around. However, a few days later, that the city was beginning to heal became (14) ______________  everywhere – soon new buildings were (15) _______ the burned, and the lifeblood of the ravaged city was returning.

10___________

Read the following passage and answer the questions.

Healthy foods are good for you! They help your body grow. They also give you the energy to work and play.

How do you know which foods to eat? Follow the food pyramid. Use it to make good choices.

Grains: The grains group gives you energy. Make sure at least half the grains you eat are whole grains. Eat brown rice, oatmeal, and popcorn. Try whole-wheat bread instead of white bread.

Vegetables: Color your plate with all kinds of veggies. They help your heart, eyes, skin, and teeth. Experts say to eat a rainbow of colors. Each color helps the body in a different way. Munch on carrots, corn, and broccoli.

Meat and Beans: The meat and bean group is high in protein. That helps build strong muscles. Eat fish, chicken, lima beans, and nuts.

Fruits: Fruits are nature’s treats. They are sweet and tasty. They help your heart, eyes, skin, and teeth too. Eat a variety of colors. Try an apple or a banana. You can also mix pieces of different fruits to make a salad.

Milk: Have milk and foods made with milk? Those foods are high in calcium. Calcium builds strong bones. Foods made with milk can be high in fat. Try low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese.

Oils: Your body needs only a little oil to keep it healthy. Some foods that have oils are nuts, tuna fish, and salad dressing.

What food group mentioned in the article builds muscles?

Choose the word or phrase that best fits each blank in the following passage. (1.5 pts)

On a yearly (1)______, the USA is afflicted by hurricanes on the east coast, flooding in the Midwest, forest fires, earthquakes, and any number of tornadoes, blizzards, and storms. Historically, the weather has (2)_________ as harsh a chord in people’s lives as any we feel today. Historians list the four major events to wreak devastation (3)________ the country as the Chicago fire in 1871, the Johnstown flood and the Galveston hurricane of 1900, and the San Francisco earthquake in 1906. These (4)_______ provide a flavor of the havoc that natures storms have wrecked on humanity and our reactions to them. Galveston, Texas, (5) _______ on the island of Galveston in the Gulf of New Mexico, (6)_________ on industry and exports. It's over 30,000 citizens in the early 1900s were generally economically successful and comfortable with existing conditions. (7)___________ the ill-fated morning of Sept. 7, 1900, the people of Galveston enjoyed their life on the remote island. (8)______ weather watchers had been following a (9)_______ storm* in the Atlantic for several days and were warning of the (10)_____________ danger of a hurricane. Unfortunately, people (11)_________ the warnings. A day after the hurricane had hit the island, all that (12)____________ of the beautiful city was, a mass of crumbled buildings, debris, and hopeless survivors (13)___________ aimlessly with the stench of rotting flesh all around. However, a few days later, that the city was beginning to heal became (14) ______________  everywhere – soon new buildings were (15) _______ the burned, and the lifeblood of the ravaged city was returning.

8__________

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.

If you are invited to an American friend’s home for dinner, remember these general rules for polite behavior. First of all, arrive approximately on time but not early. Americans expect promptness. It will be all right to be 10 or 15 minutes late but not 45 minutes late. Dinner might be overcooked and ruined by then. When you are invited to someone’s home for a meal, it is polite to bring a small gift. Flowers or candy are always appropriate. If you have an attractive thing made in your native country, your host or hostess will certainly enjoy receiving that gift. What will you do if you are served some food that you cannot eat or you do not like? Do not make a fuss about it. Simply eat what you can and hope that no one notices it. Be sure to compliment the cook on the food that you are enjoying. Do not leave immediately after dinner, but do not overstay your welcome, either. The next day, call or write a thank-you note to say how much you enjoyed the evening.

If there is some food that you cannot eat, ___________.

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

"Antonio Meucci, an Italian immigrant, began developing the design of a talking telegraph or telephone __________ (1) 1849. In 1871, he filed a caveat (an announcement of an invention) for his design of a talking telegraph. Due to hardships, Meucci could not renew his caveat. His role in the invention of the telephone was overlooked until the United States House of Representatives __________ (2) a Resolution on June 11, 2002, honoring Meucci's contributions and work. You can read the resolution (107th Congress, H Res 269) on Congress.gov."

1. Antonio Meucci, an Italian immigrant, began developing the design of a talking telegraph or telephone __________ (1) 1849.

Read the following passage and choose the best answer for each question.

What Is It Like Being a Teenager in Britain?

School

British teenagers spend most of their time at school. Students in Britain can leave school at sixteen (grade 11). This is also the age when most students take their first important exams, the GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education). Most teens take between 5-10 subjects, which means a lot of studying. They are spending more time on homework than teenagers ever before. Forget watching TV, teenagers in Britain now spend 2-3 hours on homework after school.

School uniform

Visit almost any school in Britain and the first thing you’ll notice is the school uniform. Although school uniform has its advantages, when they are 15 or 16 most teenagers are tired of wearing it. When there is more than one school in a town, school uniforms can highlight differences between schools. In London, there are many cases of bullying and fighting between pupils from different schools.

Clothes and looks

In Britain, some teens judge you by the shirt or trainers you are wearing. 40% of British teenagers believe it’s important to wear designer labels. If you want to follow the crowd, you need to wear trendy labels. Teenage feet in Britain wear fashionable trainers and the more expensive, the better.

Most students in Britain take the GCSE when ____________.

 Read the following passage carefully, and then select the best option A, B, C or D to complete it:

"London is the capital of the United Kingdom and the home of its queen, Elizabeth II. It’s also the largest city in Europe. About 7 million people call London home.
LONDON LANDMARKS
Millions of people visit London every year from all (1) _______ the world. If you travel there, you’ll find many (2) _______ things to see and do.
During August and September, you can visit Buckingham (3) _______. That’s where the queen lives most of the year. It has about 600 (4) _______, but you’ll see only state rooms where the queen entertains guests. In the morning, a colorful ceremony (5) _______ “changing of the guard” takes place in the palace courtyard. One group of palace guards (6) _______ off duty, and another troop arrives to replace them.
You can (7) _______ the Tower of London, a historic fortress that was once a royal palace. It was also used as a (8) _______ for hundreds of years. Two of the wives of King Henry VIII—Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard—were put (9) _______ death here. The Crown Jewels are a popular attraction at the Tower. This (10) _______ of jeweled crowns, swords, scepters, and other royal objects is only used on (11) _______ occasions, such as the crowning of a new ruler.
Be (12) _______ to visit Westminster Abbey, one of Britain’s famous (13) _______. The nation’s kings and queens are crowned here. Many rulers and famous citizens are (14) _______ here.
There are also monuments to political figures and poets.
The (15) _______ of Parliament are along the Thames River, near Westminster Abbey. This is where the government meets. Look (16) _______ to see the clock tower with Big Ben, London’s famous (17) _______ that rings every hour. You can get on a boat (18) _______ for a ride on the Thames.
Other places you might want to see are Scotland Yard, Madame Tussaud’s, (19) _______ the British Museum. You can find out about London’s famous criminals in the (20) _______ Museum at Scotland Yard, the home of London’s Metropolitan Police. At Madame Tussaud’s, you’ll see eerily(21) _______, life-size wax figures of pop idols and historic figures. A great thing to see at the British Museum is the collection of mummies, tomb (22) _______, and gold jewelry from ancient Egypt. The museum’s Egyptian collection is (23) _______ of the largest in the world.
For a good (24) _______ of London, take a ride in the London Eye. This enormous wheel takes you 443 feet (135 meters) above the London skyline. Unlike a traditional Ferris wheel, the (25) _______ carries its passengers in enclosed compartments."

6. One group of palace guards (6) _______ off duty, and another troop arrives to replace them.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

At 16, Paul decided he was (23)____ for full-time work, and left school. At first, his parents did not agree with him and wanted him to stay (24)____ his studies. In fact, they were very angry with him. “We’re worried (25)____ your future!” his father told him. “How can you ever get a good job (26)____ you leave school and sit in the café, drinking coffee with your friends? His parents strongly (27)____ of Paul’s friends.

26___________

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

Living in a city has a number of drawbacks. Firstly, there is the problem of traffic (23)________ and traffic accidents. The increase in population and the increasing number of vehicles have (24)_________ many accidents to happen every day. Secondly, air pollution (25) __________ affects people’s health, and it also has a bad (26)__________ on the environment More and more city dwellers suffer from coughing or breathing problems. Thirdly, the city is noisy, even at night. Noise pollution comes from the traffic and from construction sites. Buildings are always being knocked down and rebuilt. These factors contribute to making city life (27)________ difficult for its residents.

23__________

Read the passage and choose the best answers to the question. 

In the early days of the United States, postal charges were paid by the recipient, and charges varied with the distance carried. In 1825, the United States Congress permitted local postmasters to give letters to mail carriers for home delivery, but these carriers received no government salary and their entire compensation depended on what they were paid by the recipients of individual letters.

In 1847 the United States Post Office Department adopted the idea of a postage stamp, which of course simplified the payment for postal service but caused grumbling by those who did not like to prepay. Besides, the stamp covered only delivery to the post office and did not include carrying it to a private address. In Philadelphia, for example, with a population of 150,000, people still had to go to the post office to get their mail. The confusion and congestion of individual citizens looking for their letters were itself enough to discourage the use of the mail. It is no wonder that during the years of these cumbersome arrangements, private letter-carrying, and express businesses developed. Although their activities were only simi-legal, they thrived and actually advertised that between Boston and Philadelphia there were a half-day speedier than the government mail. The government postal service lost volume to private competition and was not able to handle efficiently even the business it had. 

Finally, in 1863, Congress provided that the mail carriers who delivered the mail from the post offices to private addresses should receive a government salary and that there should be no extra charge for that delivery. But this delivery service was at first confined to cities, and free home delivery became a mark of urbanism. As late as 1887, a town had to have 10,000 people to be eligible for free home delivery. In 1890, of the 75 million people in the United States, fewer than 20 million had mail delivered free to their doors. The rest, nearly three-quarters of the population, still received no mail unless they went to their post office

The private postal services of the 19th century claimed that they could do which of the following better than the government?

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

Computers are widely used nowadays and have _________ (1) benefits. First of all, they are used in various aspects _________ (2) our life such as science, industry, airline, military and so on. Computers are also the tool with which we are able _________ (3) the internet, watch animated television shows and other entertainment programs. Moreover, industrialization could not make its miracle jump without the support of computers. Computers, as well as advances in information technology, _________ (4) our life modern, convenient and civilized. Besides, computers and the internet bring us a great means of communication. Distance is no longer a matter of concern _________ (5) we can send emails within a few seconds or make cheap internet phone calls. In short, computers have become an indispensable device and are of vital use in the life of the human being.

Choose the word or phrase that best fits each blank in the following passage. (1.5 pts)

On a yearly (1)______, the USA is afflicted by hurricanes on the east coast, flooding in the Midwest, forest fires, earthquakes, and any number of tornadoes, blizzards, and storms. Historically, the weather has (2)_________ as harsh a chord in people’s lives as any we feel today. Historians list the four major events to wreak devastation (3)________ the country as the Chicago fire in 1871, the Johnstown flood and the Galveston hurricane of 1900, and the San Francisco earthquake in 1906. These (4)_______ provide a flavor of the havoc that natures storms have wrecked on humanity and our reactions to them. Galveston, Texas, (5) _______ on the island of Galveston in the Gulf of New Mexico, (6)_________ on industry and exports. It's over 30,000 citizens in the early 1900s were generally economically successful and comfortable with existing conditions. (7)___________ the ill-fated morning of Sept. 7, 1900, the people of Galveston enjoyed their life on the remote island. (8)______ weather watchers had been following a (9)_______ storm* in the Atlantic for several days and were warning of the (10)_____________ danger of a hurricane. Unfortunately, people (11)_________ the warnings. A day after the hurricane had hit the island, all that (12)____________ of the beautiful city was, a mass of crumbled buildings, debris, and hopeless survivors (13)___________ aimlessly with the stench of rotting flesh all around. However, a few days later, that the city was beginning to heal became (14) ______________  everywhere – soon new buildings were (15) _______ the burned, and the lifeblood of the ravaged city was returning.

6.____________

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

Computers are widely used nowadays and have _________ (1) benefits. First of all, they are used in various aspects _________ (2) our life such as science, industry, airline, military and so on. Computers are also the tool with which we are able _________ (3) the internet, watch animated television shows and other entertainment programs. Moreover, industrialization could not make its miracle jump without the support of computers. Computers, as well as advances in information technology, _________ (4) our life modern, convenient and civilized. Besides, computers and the internet bring us a great means of communication. Distance is no longer a matter of concern _________ (5) we can send emails within a few seconds or make cheap internet phone calls. In short, computers have become an indispensable device and are of vital use in the life of the human being.

Read the passage and choose the best answers to the questions that follow, (1 pts)

Television’s contribution to family life in the United States has been an equivocal one. For while it has, indeed, kept the members of the family from dispersing, it has not served to bring them together. By dominating the time families spend together, it destroys the special quality that distinguishes one family from another, a quality that depends to a great extent on what a family does, what special rituals, games, recurrent jokes, familiar songs, and shared activities it accumulates.

“Like the sorcerer of old,” writes Urie Bronfenbrenner, “the television set casts its magic spell, freezing speech and action, turning the living into silent statues so long as the enchantment lasts. The primary danger of the television screen lies not so much in the behavior it produces – although there is danger there – as in the behavior it prevents: the talks, games, the family festivities, and arguments through which much of the child’s learning takes place and through which character is formed. Turning on the television set can turn off the process that transforms children into people.”

Of course, families today still do special things together at times: go camping in the summer, go to the zoo on a nice Sunday, take various trips and expeditions. But the ordinary daily life together is diminished – that sitting around at the dinner table, that spontaneous taking up of activity, those little games invented by children on the spur of the moment when there is nothing else to do, the scribbling, the chatting, the quarreling, all the things that form the fabric of a family, that define childhood.

Instead, the children have their regular schedule of television programs and bedtime, and the parents have their peaceful dinner together. But surely the needs of adults are being better met than the needs of children, who are effectively shunted away and rendered untroublesome.

If the family does not accumulate its backlog of shared experiences, shared everyday experiences that occur and recur and change and develop, then it is not likely to survive as anything other than a caretaking institution.

According to the author, what distinguishes one family from another?