Synchronized swimming is a hybrid of swimming, gymnastics, and dance, consisting of swimmers (either individuals, duets, trios, teams or combos) performing a synchronized routine of elaborate and dramatic moves in the water, accompanied by music. 
Synchronized swimming demands proficient water skills, and requires strength, endurance, flexibility, grace, artistry and precise timing, not to mention exceptional breath control while upside down underwater. Developed in the early 1900 s in Canada, it is a sport performed almost exclusively by women, although there is some participation by men. In its early form it was some-times known as 'water ballet". 
It is a Summer Olympic Games sport. First demonstrated in 1952, it has been an official event since 1984. Olympic and World Championship competition is not currently open to men; but other international and national competitions allow male competitors: Both USA Synchro and Synchro Canada allow men to compete with women. 
Competitors show off their strength, flexibility, and aerobic endurance required to perform difficult routines. Swimmers perform two routines for the judges, one technical and one free.
Synchronized Swimming is governed internationally by FINA (Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur).

Which of the following is not required in Synchronized Swimming?

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.

   Most languages have several levels of vocabulary that may be used by the same speakers. In English, at least three have been identified and described.

   Standard usage includes those words and expressions understood, used, and accepted by a majority of the speakers of a language in any situation regardless of the levels of formality. As such, these words and expressions are well defined and listed in standard dictionaries. Colloquialisms, on the other hand, are familiar words and idioms that are understood by almost all speakers of a language and used in informal speech or writing, but not considered acceptable for more formal situations. Almost all idiomatic expressions are colloquial language. Slang, however, refers to words and expressions understood by a large number of speakers but not accepted as appropriate formal usage by the majority. Colloquial expressions and even slang may be found in standard dictionaries but will be so identified. Both Colloquial usage and slang are more common in speech than in writing. Colloquial speech often passes into standard speech. Some slang also passes into standard speech, but other slang expressions enjoy momentary popularity followed by obscurity. In some cases, the majority never accepts certain slang phrases but nevertheless retains them in their collective memories. Every generation seems to require its own set of words to describe familiar objects and events.

   It has been pointed out by a number of linguists that three cultural conditions are necessary for the creation of a large body of slang expressions. First, the introduction and acceptance of new objects and situations in the society; second, a diverse population with a large number of subgroups; third, association among the subgroups and the majority population.

   Finally, it is worth noting that the terms "standard", "colloquial" and "slang" exist only as abstract labels for scholars who study language. Only a tiny number of the speakers of any language will be aware that they are using colloquial or slang expressions. Most speakers of English will, during appropriate situations, select and use all three types of expressions.

The word "them" 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.

   Most languages have several levels of vocabulary that may be used by the same speakers. In English, at least three have been identified and described.

   Standard usage includes those words and expressions understood, used, and accepted by a majority of the speakers of a language in any situation regardless of the levels of formality. As such, these words and expressions are well defined and listed in standard dictionaries. Colloquialisms, on the other hand, are familiar words and idioms that are understood by almost all speakers of a language and used in informal speech or writing, but not considered acceptable for more formal situations. Almost all idiomatic expressions are colloquial language. Slang, however, refers to words and expressions understood by a large number of speakers but not accepted as appropriate formal usage by the majority. Colloquial expressions and even slang may be found in standard dictionaries but will be so identified. Both Colloquial usage and slang are more common in speech than in writing. Colloquial speech often passes into standard speech. Some slang also passes into standard speech, but other slang expressions enjoy momentary popularity followed by obscurity. In some cases, the majority never accepts certain slang phrases but nevertheless retains them in their collective memories. Every generation seems to require its own set of words to describe familiar objects and events.

   It has been pointed out by a number of linguists that three cultural conditions are necessary for the creation of a large body of slang expressions. First, the introduction and acceptance of new objects and situations in the society; second, a diverse population with a large number of subgroups; third, association among the subgroups and the majority population.

   Finally, it is worth noting that the terms "standard", "colloquial" and "slang" exist only as abstract labels for scholars who study language. Only a tiny number of the speakers of any language will be aware that they are using colloquial or slang expressions. Most speakers of English will, during appropriate situations, select and use all three types of expressions.

How is slang defined by the author?

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

"Synchronized swimming, water sport in which contestants perform choreographed maneuvers set to music. Synchronized swimming requires agility, grace, timing, musical interpretation, and overall body strength.
 Three competitive synchronized swimming events are recognized internationally: solo, duet, and team (consisting of eight swimmers), although all three events are not always held at each competition. In each event, synchronized swimmers compete in three categories: figures, technical routine, and free routine. All three categories are also not always held at each competition.
 In the figures competition, swimmers perform 4 of a possible 20 figures, or combinations of movements. A panel of judges awards points from 0 to 10 based on the accuracy of the performance and the timing, height, stability, and control of the figures. In the technical routine, the swimmers must perform a set list of elements, or combinations of figures and swimming strokes, in a prescribed order. In the free routine, swimmers can create their own choreography of figures and strokes. In the technical and free routines, which can last from two to five minutes each, depending on whether they are in solo, duet, or team competition, a panel of judges awards points from 0 to 10 in the categories of technical merit and artistic impression. Technical merit encompasses the execution, synchronization, and difficulty of the elements. Artistic impression includes the choreography, musical interpretation, and manner of presentation of the performance. Routines are enhanced by swimmers use of original and expressive movements, patterns, and rhythms. The scores for the figures and the routines are weighted according to a formula and combined for each competitor to determine the winner."

5. What does the manner of presentation of the performance belong to?

Read the text below and decide which answer (A,B,C, or D) best fits each space.
THE HISTORY OF FOOTBALL

Football, or soccer, which is so popular all over the world, dates back to the Middle Ages.  At  that  (58)  ……..  it  was  very  different   from  the  game  we  play  today.  Any number of players could (59) …….. part and the matches usually developed into a free- for-all. In its modern (60) …….. , football is less than two hundred years old.

In 1846, the  first  rules  to  govern  the  game were  drawn (61) …….. at  Cambridge University. The number of players was (62) …….. to 11 per side, which made things much more (63) …….. than before. Later, in 1863, the Football Association was (64)…….. up to help promote the game in Britain.

The game is played on a grass or artificial (65) …….. with a goal net at each end. The (66) …….. is to move the ball around the field, (67) …….. the feet or head, until a player is in a (68) …….. to put the ball into the net and score a goal.

Professional football is not only the most popular (69) …….. sport in the world, (70)…….. also more people actually play football themselves than any other team sport. In 1904 FIFA, the world governing (71) …….. of football, was founded. It organizes the World Cup tournament every four years. Other kinds of football are popular, but less (72) …….. , for example American Football and Australian Rules Football.

69...................

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

"A water polo team consists (1)…… seven players - a goalkeeper and six field players. The goalkeeper must defend the goal without hanging onto the goal or using the side of the pool. Each team also may have six (2)…..  players. With the exception of the goalkeeper, each player may use only one hand at a time in (3) …… the ball. Players wear caps of different colors for team (4)…. ; the official rules stipulate white for one team, blue for the other, and red caps for the goalies.
 A match requires two referees, two goal judges, two timekeepers, and two recorders. Games are divided (5) …..four periods of 7 minutes each, with a 2-minute interval between periods. Play begins when the (6)….. , with each team spread out along its own goal line, throws the ball into play at a line halfway between the two teams. The players race toward the ball, and the team that gains (7)…… then attempts to advance it toward the opponent's goal by (8)….. it from teammate to teammate. Players can also swim with the ball by pushing it along the water surface with their bodies as they swim.
 Players may not use more than one hand at a time and may not (9)…. clenched fists. No players - except the goalie, when defending a goal in a pool with a shallow end - may walk on or use the bottom of the pool, (10)….. may they take the ball beneath the surface of the water. Players may not impede the free-limb movement of another player unless that player holds the ball."

2. Each team also may have six (2)…..  players.

Read the text below and decide which answer (A,B,C, or D) best fits each space.
Health and fitness are not just for young people. They are for anyone willing to accept the (1) _______ for a good diet and (2) _______ exercise. With age, there is a tendency to feel that  the body is no longer able to (3) _______. Aches and pains are (4) _______ normal. Instead of  pushing the body to do (5) _______, activities become limited. Yet examples after examples  have shown us that older people can – and should – be (6) 
_______. Men and women in their sixties have run in marathons, races of more than twenty six miles. Some professional athletes stay (7) _______ into their forties and fifties. For most  people, simple activities like walking and swimming are all that is needed to stay in (8)  _______. It’s important to include exercise in your daily routine. In the winter, (9) _______  push-ups, sit-ups, and other indoor exercises. Of course, such exercises will be of little use  (10) _______ you follow them with soda and chips. 

Câu 8................

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

As well as being a necessary life-saving skill, swimming also (26)________us with a source of great pleasure and relaxation. Swimming, as well as other water sports like diving, surfing or just floating on your back, are some of the best ways to have (27)________and keep fit at the same time. Water sports are enjoyable for people of (28)________ages and even babies can learn to swim.

For elderly people or (29)________with physical handicaps, swimming provides gentle, yet effective exercise. Swimming for fitness and recreation has been popular (30) ________the earliest times, for instance in ancient Egypt, Greece and Roma. Swimming competitions developed in the nineteenth century and swimming races were (31)_______ in the first of the modern Olympic Games in 1896. Now water sports are (32)________ all over the world and most towns have at least one swimming pool.

Most water sports - swimming, surfing and water-skiing, etc, take (33)________on the surface of the water, but scuba divers explore deep below the waves.

There they can find fascinating sea creatures and strange rockformations. Some archaeologists are divers. (34)________search the seabed for wrecks of ships sunk hundreds of years ago which (35)________ objects that show how people lived in ancient times.

(29)________

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

There is very little documentation about the origins of water polo. It is known, however, that the sport originated in the rivers and lakes of mid-19th century England as an aquatic version of rugby. Early games used an inflated rubber ball that came from India known as a "pulu" (the single Indian word for all "balls"). Pronounced "polo" by the English, both the game and the ball became known as "water polo". To attract more spectators to swimming exhibitions, the London Swimming Association designed a set of water polo rules for indoor swimming pools in 1870. At first, players scored by planting the ball on the end of the pool with both hands. A favorite trick of the players was to place the five-to-nine inch rubber ball inside their swimming suit and dive under the murky water, they would then appear again as close to the goal as possible. The introduction of the rules by Scottish players changed the nature of water polo. It became a game that emphasized swimming, speed and passing. Scottish rules moved from a rugby variant to a soccer style of play. Goals became a cage of 10x 3 feet and a goal could be scored by being thrown. Players could only be tackled when they "held" the ball and the ball could no longer be taken under water. The small rubber ball was replaced by a leather soccer ball. If the player came up too near the goal, he was promptly jumped on by the goalie, who was permitted to stand on the pool deck. Games were often nothing more than gang fights in the water as players ignored the ball, preferring underwater wrestling matches that usually ended with one man floating to the surface unconscious. Water polo was first played in the USA in 1888. The game featured the old rugby style of play which resembled American football in the water. "American style" water polo became very popular and by the late 1890s was played in such venues as Madison Square Garden and Boston's Mechanics Hall, attracting 14,000 spectators to national championship games.

The present water polo ball is made of _______.

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 26 to 30.
The Best Students
According to most professors, mature students are ideal students because they are hard-working and become actively involved in all aspects of the learning process. The majority of mature students have a poor educational (26) ________ but they manage to do exceptionally well at tertiary level. (27) _______ many of them have a job and children to raise, they are always present at seminars and lectures and always hand in essays on time. They like studying and writing essays and they enjoy the class discussions (28) _______ take place. Consequently, they achieve excellent results. In fact, as they have experienced many of life's pleasures, they are content with their lives and this has a positive effect on their attitude, making them eager to learn.
On the other hand, despite their enthusiasm and commitment, mature students suffer from anxiety. The fact that they have made (29) ______ sacrifices to get into university puts extra pressure on them to succeed. Nevertheless, completing a degree gives mature students a sense of achievement, (30) ______ their confidence and improves their job prospects.

Question 28:................

Read the passage and choose the best answer:

Synchronized swimming is a hybrid form of swimming, dance and figure skating which consists of swimmers (either individuals, duets, trios, teams or combos) performing a synchronized routine of elaborate and dramatic moves in the water, accompanied by music. Synchronized swimming demands advanced water skills, and requires strength, endurance, flexibility, grace, artistry and precise timing, not to mention exceptional breath control while upside down underwater.

Developed in the early 1900s in Canada, it is a sport performed almost exclusively by women, although there is some participation by men. In its early form it was sometimes known as “water ballet”.

It is a Summer Olympic Games sport. First demonstrated in 1952, it has been an official event since 1984. Olympic and World Championship competition is not currently open to men, but other international and national competitions allow male competitors. Both USA Synchro and Synchro Canada allow men to compete with women. In competition, competitors show off their strength, flexibility, and aerobic endurance required to perform difficult routines. Swimmers perform two routines for the judges, one technical and one free.

It is a kind of sport that is only spent for female.

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

"A water polo team consists (1)…… seven players - a goalkeeper and six field players. The goalkeeper must defend the goal without hanging onto the goal or using the side of the pool. Each team also may have six (2)…..  players. With the exception of the goalkeeper, each player may use only one hand at a time in (3) …… the ball. Players wear caps of different colors for team (4)…. ; the official rules stipulate white for one team, blue for the other, and red caps for the goalies.
 A match requires two referees, two goal judges, two timekeepers, and two recorders. Games are divided (5) …..four periods of 7 minutes each, with a 2-minute interval between periods. Play begins when the (6)….. , with each team spread out along its own goal line, throws the ball into play at a line halfway between the two teams. The players race toward the ball, and the team that gains (7)…… then attempts to advance it toward the opponent's goal by (8)….. it from teammate to teammate. Players can also swim with the ball by pushing it along the water surface with their bodies as they swim.
 Players may not use more than one hand at a time and may not (9)…. clenched fists. No players - except the goalie, when defending a goal in a pool with a shallow end - may walk on or use the bottom of the pool, (10)….. may they take the ball beneath the surface of the water. Players may not impede the free-limb movement of another player unless that player holds the ball."

3. With the exception of the goalkeeper, each player may use only one hand at a time in (3) …… the ball. 

Scientists have discovered the bones of what may be the largest meat-eating dinosaur ever to walk the earth. The discovery was made by a team of researchers from Argentina and North America in Patagonia, a desert on the eastern slopes of the Andes in South America. Besides the interesting fact that the dinosaur was huge and horrifying, it is even more astounding that the bones of a number of the dinosaurs were found together. This discovery challenges the prior theory that the biggest meat-eaters lived as loners and instead indicates that they may have lived and hunted in packs. The Tyrannosaurus Rex lived in North America and was believed to hunt and live alone.

The newly discovered meat-eater appears to be related to the Giganotosaurus family, being as closely related to it as a fox would be to a dog. It is actually not of the same family at all as the Tyrannosaurus Rex, being as different from it as a cat is from a dog.

The fossilized remains indicate that the animals lived about 100 million years ago. With needle-shaped noses and razor sharp teeth, they were larger than the Tyrannosaurus Rex, although their legs were slightly shorter, and their jaws were designed to be better able to dissect their prey quickly and precisely.

The author states that the newly discovered dinosaur remains are evidence that it was the largest ________.

Read the text below and decide which answer (A,B,C, or D) best fits each space.
The next generation of telephone users will probably laugh (1) _______ we explain how we  used to stand next to a wall in the kitchen to (2) _______ a phone call. Mobile  communications, already highly advanced compared with a decade ago, will completely  change communications in the next few years. (3) _______ there are millions of people using  mobile phones, most people know (4) _______ about the mobile telecommunications industry  and its technology. 
There are three types of mobile phone. These are hand portables, pocket-sized hand portables and transportables. The smallest and most popular are the pocket-sized hand portables. These  work on rechargeable batteries, which allow an (5) _______ of up to 80 minutes'  conversation. Mobiles that are fitted permanently in a vehicle do not (6) _______ on separate  batteries. They require an external aerial on the vehicle. This can mean a stronger signal with  clearer (7) _______. Transportables have a high power capability and can be used (8)  _______ anywhere. They come with powerful battery packs for longer, continuous use and  may also be put (9) _______ a vehicle, using its electrics. They (10) _______ to be bulkier  than hand portables. 

Câu 3.....................

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

"Many outdoor (1)….. enjoy canoeing or kayaking (2) ….. recreation on ponds, lakes, and rivers. Some people use canoes and kayaks to travel across bodies of water to remote camping locations. They (3)…. Their supplies, such as tents, sleeping bags, and food, in their boats. The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Voyageurs National Park, both (4)…..  along the border between Minnesota and Ontario, Canada, are two of the most popular canoeing areas in North America.
 Whitewater canoeing and kayaking on fast-flowing rivers is another popular activity. The (5)….. whitewater refers (6)........ the burbling foam created when fast-moving water spills over and around rocks or other (7)….. Whitewater enthusiasts maneuver their boats around rocks, logjams and other natural obstacles. If the current and obstacles (8)…… a passage (9)…. difficult to navigate, a canoeist might make a portage, or carry the canoe (10)…..  land for a short distance, thereby avoiding the danger."

6.  refers (6)........ the burbling foam created when fast-moving water spills over

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 36 to 42.
A study was set up to examine the old marriage advice about whether it's more important to be happy or to be right. Couples therapists sometimes suggest that in an attempt to avoid constant arguments, spouses weigh up whether pressing the point is worth the misery of marital discord. The researchers from the University of Auckland noticed that many of their patients were adding stress to their lives by insisting on being right, even when it worked against their well-being.
The researchers then found a couple who were willing to record their quality of life on a scale of 1 to 10. They told the man, who wanted to be happy more than right, about the purpose of the study and asked him to agree with every opinion and request his wife had without complaint, even when he profoundly didn't agree. The wife was not informed of the purpose of the study and just asked to record her quality of life.
Things went rapidly downhill for the couple. The man's quality-of-life scores fell, from 7 to 3, over the course of the experiment. The wife's scores rose modestly, from 8 to 8.5, before she became hostile to the idea of recording the scores. Rather than creating harmony, the husband's agreeableness led to the wife becoming increasingly critical of what he did and said (in the husband's opinion). After 12 days he broke down, and the study was called off because of severe adverse outcomes."
The researchers concluded, shockingly, that humans need to be right and acknowledged as right, at least some of the time, to be happy. They also noted this was further proof that if given too much power, humans tend to "assume the alpha position and, as with chimpanzees, they become very aggressive and dangerous." It is often said that there can be no peace without justice, and that's true of domestic sphere.
Obviously the results are to be taken with extreme caution, since this was just one couple with who-knows-what underlying issues beforehand. But the study's chief author, Dr. Bruce Arroll, maintains that the question of happiness vs. rightness, theoretically, could be settled by scientific inquiry with a wider sample. "This would include a randomized controlled trial,” he says. "However, we would be reluctant to do the definitive study because of the concern about divorce."

The word "discord" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to _________ 

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

   Millions of people are using cellphones today. In many places, it is actually considered unusual not to use one. In many countries, cellphones are very popular with young people. They find that the phones are more than a means of communication – having a mobile phone shows that they are cool and connected.

   The explosion in mobile phone use around the world has made some health professionals worried. Some doctors are concerned that in the future many people may suffer health problems from the use of mobile phones. In England, there has been a serious debate about this issue. Mobile phone companies are worried about the negative publicity of such ideas. They say that there is no proof that mobile phones are bad for your health.

   On the other hand, medical studies have shown changes in the brain cells of some people who use mobile phones. Signs of change in the tissues of the brain and head can be detected with modern scanning equipment. In one case, a traveling salesman had to retire at young age because of serious memory loss. He couldn’t remember even simple tasks. He would often forget the name of his own son. This man used to talk on his mobile phone for about six hours a day, every day of his working week, for a couple of years. His family doctor blamed his mobile phone use, but his employer’s doctor didn’t agree.

   What is it that makes mobile phones potentially harmful? The answer is radiation. High-tech machines can detect very small amounts of radiation from mobile phones. Mobile phone companies agree that there is some radiation, but they say the amount is too small to worry about.

   As the discussion about their safety continues, it appears that it’s best to use mobile phones less often. Use your regular phone if you want to talk for a long time. Use your mobile phone only when you really need it. Mobile phones can be very useful and convenient, especially in emergencies. In the future, mobile phones may have a warning label that says they are bad for your health. So for now, it’s wise not to use your mobile phone too often.

According to the passage, what makes mobile phones potentially harmful is ______.

Read the text below and decide which answer (A,B,C, or D) best fits each space.
The well-being of America's rural people and places depends upon many things - the availability of good-paying 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 ruralAmerica is a producer of critical goods and services, the (9) goes beyond economics. Rural America is also home to a fifth of the Nation'speople, keeper of natural  amenities and national treasures, and safeguard of a/an (10) part of American culture,  tradition, and history. 

Câu 1......................

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

"A water polo team consists (1)…… seven players - a goalkeeper and six field players. The goalkeeper must defend the goal without hanging onto the goal or using the side of the pool. Each team also may have six (2)…..  players. With the exception of the goalkeeper, each player may use only one hand at a time in (3) …… the ball. Players wear caps of different colors for team (4)…. ; the official rules stipulate white for one team, blue for the other, and red caps for the goalies.
 A match requires two referees, two goal judges, two timekeepers, and two recorders. Games are divided (5) …..four periods of 7 minutes each, with a 2-minute interval between periods. Play begins when the (6)….. , with each team spread out along its own goal line, throws the ball into play at a line halfway between the two teams. The players race toward the ball, and the team that gains (7)…… then attempts to advance it toward the opponent's goal by (8)….. it from teammate to teammate. Players can also swim with the ball by pushing it along the water surface with their bodies as they swim.
 Players may not use more than one hand at a time and may not (9)…. clenched fists. No players - except the goalie, when defending a goal in a pool with a shallow end - may walk on or use the bottom of the pool, (10)….. may they take the ball beneath the surface of the water. Players may not impede the free-limb movement of another player unless that player holds the ball."

7. The players race toward the ball, and the team that gains (7)…… then attempts

Scientists have discovered the bones of what may be the largest meat-eating dinosaur ever to walk the earth. The discovery was made by a team of researchers from Argentina and North America in Patagonia, a desert on the eastern slopes of the Andes in South America. Besides the interesting fact that the dinosaur was huge and horrifying, it is even more astounding that the bones of a number of the dinosaurs were found together. This discovery challenges the prior theory that the biggest meat-eaters lived as loners and instead indicates that they may have lived and hunted in packs. The Tyrannosaurus Rex lived in North America and was believed to hunt and live alone.
The newly discovered meat-eater appears to be related to the Giganotosaurus family, being as closely related to it as a fox would be to a dog. It is actually not of the same family at all as the Tyrannosaurus Rex, being as different from it as a cat is from a dog.
The fossilized remains indicate that the animals lived about 100 million years ago. With needle-shaped noses and razor sharp teeth, they were larger than the Tyrannosaurus Rex, although their legs were slightly shorter, and their jaws were designed to be better able to dissect their prey quickly and precisely.

The word astounding in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to ________.

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

   Traditionally in America, helping the poor was a matter for private charities or local governments. Arriving immigrants depended mainly on predecessors from their homeland to help them start a new life. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, several European nations instituted public-welfare programs. But such a movement was slow to take hold in the United States because the rapid pace of industrialization and the ready availability of farmland seemed to confirm the belief that anyone who was willing to work could find a job.

   Most of the programs started during the Depression era were temporary relief measures, but one of the programs Social Security – has become an American institution. Paid for by deductions from the paychecks of working people, Social Security ensures that retired persons receive a modest monthly income and also provides unemployment insurance, disability insurance, and other assistance to those who need it. Social Security payments to retired persons can start at age 62, but many wait until age 65, when the payments are slightly higher. Recently, there has been concern that the Social Security fund may not have enough money to fulfill its obligations in the 21st century, when the population of elderly Americans is expected to increase dramatically. Policy makers have proposed various ways to make up the anticipated deficit, but a long-term solution is still being debated. In the years since Roosevelt, other American presidents have established assistance programs. These include Medicaid and Medicare; food stamps, certificates that people can use to purchase food; and public housing which is built at federal expense and made available to persons on low incomes. Needy Americans can also turn to sources other than the government for help. A broad spectrum of private charities and voluntary organizations is available. Volunteerism is on the rise in the United States, especially among retired persons. It is estimated that almost 50 percent of Americans over age 18 do volunteer work, and nearly 75 percent of U.S. households contribute money to charity.

Persons on low incomes can access public housing through ______.