The handling and delivery of mail has always been a serious business, underpinned by the trust of the public in requiring timeliness, safety, and confidentiality. After early beginnings using horseback and stagecoach, and although cars and trucks later replaced stagecoaches and wagons, the Railway Mail Service still stands as one of America’s most resourceful and exciting postal innovations. This service began in 1832, but grew slowly until the Civil War. Then from 1862, by sorting the mail on board moving trains, the Post Office Department was able to decentralize its operations as railroads began to crisscross the nation on a regular basis, and speed up mail delivery. This service lasted until 1974. During peak decades of service, railway mail clerks handled 93% of all non-local mail and by 1905 the service had over 12,000 employees. 
Railway Post Office trains used a system of mail cranes to exchange mail at stations without stopping. As a train approached the crane, a clerk prepared the catcher arm which would then snatch the incoming mailbag in the blink of an eye. The clerk then booted out the outgoing mailbag. Experienced clerks were considered the elite of the Postal Service’s employees, and spoke with pride of making the switch at night with nothing but the curves and feel of the track to warn them of an upcoming catch. They also worked under the greatest pressure and their jobs were considered to be exhausting and dangerous. In addition to regular demands of their jobs they could find themselves the victims of train wrecks and robberies. 
As successful as it was, “mail-on-the-fly” still had its share of glitches. If they hoisted the train’s catcher arm too soon, they risked hitting switch targets, telegraph poles or semaphores, which would rip the catcher arm off the train. Too late, and they would miss an exchange. 

According to the passage, the Railway Mail Service commenced in_________. ' 

In addition to their military role, the forts of the nineteenth century provided numerous other benefits for the American West. The establishment of these posts opened new roads and provided for the protection of daring adventurers and expeditions as well as established settlers. Forts also served as bases where enterprising entrepreneurs could bring commerce to the West, providing supplies and refreshments to soldiers as well as to pioneers. Posts like Fort Laramie provided supplies for wagon trains traveling the natural highways toward new frontiers. Some posts became stations for the pony express; still others, such as Fort Davis, were stagecoach stops for weary travelers. All of these functions, of course, suggest that the contributions of the forts to the civilization and development of the West extended beyond patrol duty.
 Through the establishment of military posts, yet other contributions were made to the development of western culture. Many posts maintained libraries or reading rooms, and some – for example, Fort Davis – had schools. Post chapels provided a setting for religious services and weddings. Throughout the wilderness, post bands provided entertainment and boosted morale. During the last part of the nineteenth century, to reduce expenses, gardening was encouraged at the forts, thus making experimental agriculture another activity of the military. The military stationed at the various forts also played a role in civilian life by assisting in maintaining order, and civilian officials often called on the army for protection.
 Certainly, among other significant contributions the army made to the improvement of the conditions of life was the investigation of the relationships among health, climate, and architecture. From the earliest colonial times throughout the nineteenth century, disease ranked as the foremost problem in defense. It slowed construction of forts and inhibited their military functions. Official documents from many regions contained innumerable reports of sickness that virtually incapacitated entire garrisons. In response to the problems, detailed observations of architecture and climate and their relationships to the frequency of the occurrence of various diseases were recorded at various posts across the nation by military surgeons.

The word “boosted” in line 6 is closest in meaning to _______.

The handling and delivery of mail has always been a serious business, underpinned by the trust of the public in requiring timeliness, safety, and confidentiality. After early beginnings using horseback and stagecoach, and although cars and trucks later replaced stagecoaches and wagons, the Railway Mail Service still stands as one of America’s most resourceful and exciting postal innovations. This service began in 1832, but grew slowly until the Civil War. Then from 1862, by sorting the mail on board moving trains, the Post Office Department was able to decentralize its operations as railroads began to crisscross the nation on a regular basis, and speed up mail delivery. This service lasted until 1974. During peak decades of service, railway mail clerks handled 93% of all non-local mail and by 1905 the service had over 12,000 employees. 
Railway Post Office trains used a system of mail cranes to exchange mail at stations without stopping. As a train approached the crane, a clerk prepared the catcher arm which would then snatch the incoming mailbag in the blink of an eye. The clerk then booted out the outgoing mailbag. Experienced clerks were considered the elite of the Postal Service’s employees, and spoke with pride of making the switch at night with nothing but the curves and feel of the track to warn them of an upcoming catch. They also worked under the greatest pressure and their jobs were considered to be exhausting and dangerous. In addition to regular demands of their jobs they could find themselves the victims of train wrecks and robberies. 
As successful as it was, “mail-on-the-fly” still had its share of glitches. If they hoisted the train’s catcher arm too soon, they risked hitting switch targets, telegraph poles or semaphores, which would rip the catcher arm off the train. Too late, and they would miss an exchange. 

The word “elite” in the second paragraph is closest in meaning to___________. 

As many as one thousand years ago in the Southwest, the Hopi and Zuni Indians of North America were building with adobe-sun-baked brick plastered with mud.  Their homes looked remarkably like modern apartment houses. Some were four stories high and contained quarters for perhaps a thousand people, along with storerooms for grain and other goods. These buildings were usually put up against cliffs, both to make construction easier and for defense against enemies. They were really villages in themselves, as later Spanish explorers must have realised since they called them "pueblos", which is Spanish for towns. The people of the pueblos raised what are called "the three sisters" - corn,  beans, and squash. They made excellent pottery and wove marvelous baskets, some so fine that they could hold water. The Southwest has always been a dry country, where water is scarce. The Hopi and Zuni brought water from streams to their fields and gardens through irrigation ditches. Water was so important that it played a major role in their religion. They developed elaborate ceremonies and religious rituals to bring rain. The way of life of less - settled groups was simpler and more strongly influenced by nature.
Small tribes such as the Shoshone and Ute wandered the dry and mountainous lands between the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. They gathered seeds and hunted small animals such as rabbits and snakes.
In the Far North, the ancestors of today's Inuit hunted seals, walruses, and the great whales. They lived right on the frozen season shelters called igloos built of blocks of packed snow. When summer came, they fished for salmon and hunted the lordly caribou.
The Cheyenne, Pawnee and Sioux tribes, known as the Plains Indians, lived on the grasslands between the Rocky Mountains and the Mississippi River. They hunted bison, commonly called the buffalo. Its meat was the chief food of these tribes, and its hide was used to make their clothing and the covering of their tents and tepees.

According to the passage, which of the following tribes lived in the grasslands?

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

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

2. (2)….. the 1980s women could vote virtually everywhere in the world, except for a few Muslim countries. 

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

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

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

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

Which form other than oral speech would be most commonly used among the blind people?

Read the passage and the questions or unfinished sentences. Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet that you think fits best.
Computers have led to a greater change in our society in recent decades than any other force and are likely to continue to do so until the next century. The industry surrounding computers is growing quickly, providing employment for many but meanwhile making others redundant. Jobs that computers can do much more reliably, faster and cheaper are lost. The redeployment of labour and the prospect of increased leisure are causing social upheavals which require new ideas and significant changes of attitude.

According to the  passage, the impact computers have had on society ___________.

Fill in each numbered blank with one suitable word or phrase. In  the  1960s  the  women's  liberation  movement  (1)  _____  suddenly  into  the  public  consciousness  and  quickly  grew  into  (2)  _____ largest  social movement  in the history  of  the  United  States.  Women's  liberation movement  was  a  continuation  of  the  19-century  women's rights movement. The movement's major (3) _____ has included not only legal, economic, and political gains (4) _____ also has changed the  ways  in  which  people  live,  dress,  dream  of  their  future,  and  (5)  ___  a  living.  About  health,  for  example,  many  male  physicians and hospital  have  made  major  improvements  in  the  (6)  _____  of  women;  more  and  more  women  have  become  doctors  and  succeeded  (7) _____  their  medical  research;  and  diseases  such  as  breast  cancer,  which  affects  many  women,  now  receive  better funding  and  treatment, thanks to women's (8) ___. Feminists have insisted that violence against women become a political issue. The women's liberation movement has also made changes in education: curricula and (9) _____ have been written to promote equal opportunity for girls and women; more and more female students are admitted to universities and professional schools.The  women's  liberation  movement  brought  about  a  radical  change  in  society  (10)  _____  it  took  a  decade  for  the  movement  to  reach women's awareness.

(5)  _____

Read‌ ‌the‌ ‌following‌ ‌passage‌ ‌and‌ ‌mark‌ ‌the‌ ‌letter‌ ‌A,‌ ‌B,‌ ‌C,‌ ‌or‌ ‌D‌ ‌on‌ ‌your‌ ‌answer‌ ‌sheer‌ ‌to‌ ‌indicate‌ ‌the‌ ‌correct‌ ‌answer‌ ‌to‌ ‌each‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌questions‌ ‌from‌ ‌35‌ ‌to‌ ‌39.‌ ‌
As‌ ‌customers‌ ‌choose‌ ‌brands‌ ‌based‌ ‌on‌ ‌how‌ ‌they‌ ‌make‌ ‌‌them‌ ‌feel,‌ ‌rather‌ ‌than‌ ‌their‌ ‌actual‌ ‌products‌ ‌or‌ ‌services,‌ ‌there‌ ‌is‌ ‌an‌ ‌intrinsic‌ ‌advantage‌ ‌to‌ ‌those‌ ‌organizations‌ ‌who‌ ‌use‌ ‌designed‌ ‌experiences‌ ‌as‌ ‌a‌ ‌weapon‌ ‌to‌ ‌cut‌ ‌through‌ ‌the‌ ‌most‌ ‌competitive‌ ‌of‌ ‌markets.‌ ‌Those‌ ‌that‌ ‌don't,‌ ‌operate‌ ‌in‌ ‌what‌ ‌we‌ ‌call‌ ‌the‌ ‌“experience‌ ‌gap”,‌ ‌the‌ ‌space‌ ‌between‌ ‌them‌ ‌and‌ ‌their‌ ‌customer's‌ ‌expectation‌ ‌of‌ ‌them.‌ ‌Make‌ ‌no‌ ‌mistake,‌ ‌in‌ ‌our‌ ‌high‌ ‌paced‌ ‌and‌ ‌digitally‌ ‌connected‌ ‌economies,‌ ‌the‌ ‌experience‌ ‌gap‌ ‌is‌ ‌driving‌ ‌markets,‌ ‌fast.‌ ‌
For‌ ‌example,‌ ‌take‌ ‌Instagram‌ ‌and‌ ‌Twitter.‌ ‌These‌ ‌brands‌ ‌filled‌ ‌the‌ ‌demand‌ ‌for‌ ‌a‌ ‌whole‌ ‌new‌ ‌human‌ ‌experience‌ ‌that‌ ‌did‌ ‌not‌ ‌exist‌ ‌before‌ ‌the‌ ‌evolution‌ ‌of‌ ‌digital‌ ‌technologies‌ ‌enabled‌ ‌that.‌ ‌They‌ ‌were‌ ‌pioneers,‌ ‌and‌ ‌there‌ ‌were‌ ‌no‌ ‌established‌ ‌players‌ ‌to‌ ‌unseat.‌ ‌But‌ ‌we‌ ‌are‌ ‌also‌ ‌seeing‌ ‌a‌ ‌similar‌ ‌dynamic‌ ‌in‌ ‌existing‌ ‌industries.‌ ‌New‌ ‌entrants‌ ‌are‌ ‌coming‌ ‌in‌ ‌and‌ ‌taking‌ ‌the‌ ‌space,‌ ‌also‌ ‌using‌ ‌whole‌ ‌new‌ ‌experiences,‌ ‌purely‌ ‌because‌ ‌the‌ ‌incumbents‌ ‌left‌ ‌the‌ ‌door‌ ‌open.‌ ‌
Closer‌ ‌to‌ ‌home,‌ ‌this‌ ‌can‌ ‌be‌ ‌seen‌ ‌with‌ ‌Australian‌ ‌neobanks‌ ‌who‌ ‌are‌ ‌giving‌ ‌customers‌ ‌a‌ ‌better‌ ‌experience‌ ‌than‌ ‌the‌ ‌incumbents.‌ ‌Robert‌ ‌Bell‌ ‌is‌ ‌the‌ ‌CEO‌ ‌at‌ ‌neobank‌ ‌86400.‌ ‌He‌ ‌says‌ ‌banking‌ ‌has‌ ‌already‌ ‌become‌ ‌quite‌ ‌complicated‌ ‌and‌ ‌he‌ ‌wanted‌ ‌to‌ ‌make‌ ‌a‌ ‌change.‌ ‌His‌ ‌neobank‌ ‌is‌ ‌working‌ ‌to‌ ‌solve‌ ‌customers’‌ ‌problems‌ ‌more‌ ‌holistically.‌ ‌Bell‌ ‌said,‌ ‌“It's‌ ‌significantly‌ ‌harder‌ ‌work‌ ‌and‌ ‌takes‌ ‌more‌ ‌time‌ ‌to‌ ‌become‌ ‌a‌ ‌bank,‌ ‌but‌ ‌having‌ ‌done‌ ‌that‌ ‌we‌ ‌can‌ ‌have‌ ‌a‌ ‌much‌ ‌better‌ ‌relationship‌ ‌with‌ ‌our‌ ‌customers‌ ‌and‌ ‌we‌ ‌can‌ ‌offer‌ ‌them‌ ‌a‌ ‌lot‌ ‌more‌ ‌products‌ ‌and‌ ‌services.”‌ ‌
Think‌ ‌about‌ ‌that‌ ‌for‌ ‌a‌ ‌moment.‌ ‌Do‌ ‌you‌ ‌notice‌ ‌how‌ ‌better‌ ‌experiences,‌ ‌leads‌ ‌to‌ ‌better‌ ‌relationships,‌ ‌which‌ ‌is‌ ‌then‌ ‌the‌ ‌‌stepping‌ ‌stone‌ ‌for‌ ‌more‌ ‌offerings?‌ ‌Many‌ ‌brands‌ ‌still‌ ‌jump‌ ‌straight‌ ‌to‌ ‌modified‌ ‌offerings,‌ ‌without‌ ‌gaining‌ ‌that‌ ‌customer‌ ‌connection‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌necessary‌ ‌foundation‌ ‌of‌ ‌trust‌ ‌first.‌ ‌

What‌ ‌does‌ ‌the‌ ‌phrase‌ ‌“‌stepping‌ ‌stone‌”‌ ‌in‌ ‌paragraph‌ ‌4‌ ‌mean?‌ ‌ ‌

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

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

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

Read‌ ‌the‌ ‌following‌ ‌passage‌ ‌and‌ ‌mark‌ ‌the‌ ‌letter‌ ‌A,‌ ‌B,‌ ‌C,‌ ‌or‌ ‌D‌ ‌on‌ ‌your‌ ‌answer‌ ‌sheer‌ ‌to‌ ‌indicate‌ ‌the‌ ‌correct‌ ‌answer‌ ‌to‌ ‌each‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌questions‌ ‌from‌ ‌35‌ ‌to‌ ‌39.‌ ‌
As‌ ‌customers‌ ‌choose‌ ‌brands‌ ‌based‌ ‌on‌ ‌how‌ ‌they‌ ‌make‌ ‌‌them‌ ‌feel,‌ ‌rather‌ ‌than‌ ‌their‌ ‌actual‌ ‌products‌ ‌or‌ ‌services,‌ ‌there‌ ‌is‌ ‌an‌ ‌intrinsic‌ ‌advantage‌ ‌to‌ ‌those‌ ‌organizations‌ ‌who‌ ‌use‌ ‌designed‌ ‌experiences‌ ‌as‌ ‌a‌ ‌weapon‌ ‌to‌ ‌cut‌ ‌through‌ ‌the‌ ‌most‌ ‌competitive‌ ‌of‌ ‌markets.‌ ‌Those‌ ‌that‌ ‌don't,‌ ‌operate‌ ‌in‌ ‌what‌ ‌we‌ ‌call‌ ‌the‌ ‌“experience‌ ‌gap”,‌ ‌the‌ ‌space‌ ‌between‌ ‌them‌ ‌and‌ ‌their‌ ‌customer's‌ ‌expectation‌ ‌of‌ ‌them.‌ ‌Make‌ ‌no‌ ‌mistake,‌ ‌in‌ ‌our‌ ‌high‌ ‌paced‌ ‌and‌ ‌digitally‌ ‌connected‌ ‌economies,‌ ‌the‌ ‌experience‌ ‌gap‌ ‌is‌ ‌driving‌ ‌markets,‌ ‌fast.‌ ‌
For‌ ‌example,‌ ‌take‌ ‌Instagram‌ ‌and‌ ‌Twitter.‌ ‌These‌ ‌brands‌ ‌filled‌ ‌the‌ ‌demand‌ ‌for‌ ‌a‌ ‌whole‌ ‌new‌ ‌human‌ ‌experience‌ ‌that‌ ‌did‌ ‌not‌ ‌exist‌ ‌before‌ ‌the‌ ‌evolution‌ ‌of‌ ‌digital‌ ‌technologies‌ ‌enabled‌ ‌that.‌ ‌They‌ ‌were‌ ‌pioneers,‌ ‌and‌ ‌there‌ ‌were‌ ‌no‌ ‌established‌ ‌players‌ ‌to‌ ‌unseat.‌ ‌But‌ ‌we‌ ‌are‌ ‌also‌ ‌seeing‌ ‌a‌ ‌similar‌ ‌dynamic‌ ‌in‌ ‌existing‌ ‌industries.‌ ‌New‌ ‌entrants‌ ‌are‌ ‌coming‌ ‌in‌ ‌and‌ ‌taking‌ ‌the‌ ‌space,‌ ‌also‌ ‌using‌ ‌whole‌ ‌new‌ ‌experiences,‌ ‌purely‌ ‌because‌ ‌the‌ ‌incumbents‌ ‌left‌ ‌the‌ ‌door‌ ‌open.‌ ‌
Closer‌ ‌to‌ ‌home,‌ ‌this‌ ‌can‌ ‌be‌ ‌seen‌ ‌with‌ ‌Australian‌ ‌neobanks‌ ‌who‌ ‌are‌ ‌giving‌ ‌customers‌ ‌a‌ ‌better‌ ‌experience‌ ‌than‌ ‌the‌ ‌incumbents.‌ ‌Robert‌ ‌Bell‌ ‌is‌ ‌the‌ ‌CEO‌ ‌at‌ ‌neobank‌ ‌86400.‌ ‌He‌ ‌says‌ ‌banking‌ ‌has‌ ‌already‌ ‌become‌ ‌quite‌ ‌complicated‌ ‌and‌ ‌he‌ ‌wanted‌ ‌to‌ ‌make‌ ‌a‌ ‌change.‌ ‌His‌ ‌neobank‌ ‌is‌ ‌working‌ ‌to‌ ‌solve‌ ‌customers’‌ ‌problems‌ ‌more‌ ‌holistically.‌ ‌Bell‌ ‌said,‌ ‌“It's‌ ‌significantly‌ ‌harder‌ ‌work‌ ‌and‌ ‌takes‌ ‌more‌ ‌time‌ ‌to‌ ‌become‌ ‌a‌ ‌bank,‌ ‌but‌ ‌having‌ ‌done‌ ‌that‌ ‌we‌ ‌can‌ ‌have‌ ‌a‌ ‌much‌ ‌better‌ ‌relationship‌ ‌with‌ ‌our‌ ‌customers‌ ‌and‌ ‌we‌ ‌can‌ ‌offer‌ ‌them‌ ‌a‌ ‌lot‌ ‌more‌ ‌products‌ ‌and‌ ‌services.”‌ ‌
Think‌ ‌about‌ ‌that‌ ‌for‌ ‌a‌ ‌moment.‌ ‌Do‌ ‌you‌ ‌notice‌ ‌how‌ ‌better‌ ‌experiences,‌ ‌leads‌ ‌to‌ ‌better‌ ‌relationships,‌ ‌which‌ ‌is‌ ‌then‌ ‌the‌ ‌‌stepping‌ ‌stone‌ ‌for‌ ‌more‌ ‌offerings?‌ ‌Many‌ ‌brands‌ ‌still‌ ‌jump‌ ‌straight‌ ‌to‌ ‌modified‌ ‌offerings,‌ ‌without‌ ‌gaining‌ ‌that‌ ‌customer‌ ‌connection‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌necessary‌ ‌foundation‌ ‌of‌ ‌trust‌ ‌first.‌ ‌

‌‌According‌ ‌to‌ ‌paragraph‌ ‌3,‌ ‌what‌ ‌is‌ ‌the‌ ‌attitude‌ ‌of‌ ‌Robert‌ ‌Bell‌ ‌towards‌ ‌the‌ ‌customers?‌ ‌

Rock carvings suggest that Stone Age people were hunting whales for food as early as 2,200 B.C. Such (31)______ hunting is still practised today in a number of societies including the Inuit people of Greenland and North America. Whaling became big (32)_____________ from the seventeenth century as the demand for whale bone and whale oil rose, and the humpback and sperm whales were hunted in increasing large number. (33)_________ just as stocks of these species began to fall, the explosive harpoon gun was invented. This weapon, together with the development of steam-powered ships, enable the whaler to hunt the fast moving fin and blue whales. In 1905, the whaling (34)____________ moved the water of Antarctica. The introduction of massive factory ships enabled the whales to be processed at sea. As a result, the blue whale had virtually disappeared by the 1950s. In 1946, The International Whaling Commision was established to maintain the declining whale populations. Quotas were set but these were often ignored and the numbers continued to fall. Hunting of many species continued until 1986 when the IWC finally responded to international (35)____________ and a band on commercial whaling was introduced.
(31).......................................

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

The word "shape" 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 from 21 to 25.

 
Every four years people all over the world watch the Olympic Games. It is a time for all kinds of people to unite in peace. Some of them join together to compete for gold medals. Millions of other people watch them on television.

Why do we have the Olympic? How did they begin?

The first Olympic Games were in Greece in 776 B.C. There was only one event. People ran a nice the length of the stadium. The Games lasted one day.

Slowly people added more events. The Games were only for men, and women could not even watch them. Only Greeks competed. They came from all parts of the Greek world. The time of the Games way; a time of peace, and government let everyone travel safely. The winners became national heroes.

The first modem Games were in 1896 in Athens. The Greeks built a new stadium for the competition. Athletes from several countries competed. Then there were Olympics every four years in different cities in Europe and the United States until 1952. After that they were in Melbourne, Tokyo, Mexico City, and Montreal besides in European cities. Each year there were athletes from more nations. The first Winter Olympics were in 1924. The athletes compete in skiing and other winter sports.

Which sport is competed in the Winter Olympic?

Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer

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

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

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

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

What did women have to suffer?

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

Read the following passage and choose the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the best answer to each of the following question.

Music can move the soul. It can be a very strong influence. Some music can calm us down but other music can make us wild! How does music affect us? Music is used in a variety of ways. It is used in the medical field as a source of research and as a sort of treatments as well. Music has been used as treatment to lower blood pressure, help ill children recover quickly, treat mental illness, treat depression, aid in healing, and reduce stress and insomnia and premature infants. Julius Portnoy, a musicolo­gist, found that it can change heart rates, increase or decrease blood pressure, effect energy levels, and digestion, positively or negatively, depending on the type of music. Calming music, such as classical musk, was found to have a very calming effect on the body, and cause the increase of endorphins, thirty minutes of such music was equal to the effect of a dose of valium. Both hemispheres of the brain are involved in processing music. The music in these studies is not the lyrics, but the music itself, the melody, the tones, the tunes, the rhythm, and the chords. Conversely music has also been documented to cause sickness. The right, or wrong music, can be like a poison to the body. Studies had been done on plants and the results were that loud hard rock music killed plants and soft classical music made the plants grow faster. Music is very pow­erful, like a drug and can even be an addiction. According to Patty Hearst, a researcher on music, it was documented that music was used in the aid of brainwashing some people. In the book, "Elevator Music" by Joseph Lanza, it is stated that certain types of strong music over prolonged periods in certain conditions were shown to cause seizures.

The talked about the effect of music on __________.

Why is it that flying to New York from London will leave you feeling less tired than flying to London from New York? The answer may be a clear case of biology not being able to keep up with technology.
Deep inside the brain there is a "clock" that governs every aspect of the body's functioning: sleep and wake cycles, levels of alertness, performance, mood, hormone levels, digestion, body temperature and so on. It regulates all of these functions on a 24-hour basis and is called the circadian clock (from the Latin, circa "about" + dies "day"). This body clock programmes us to be sleepy twice a day, between 3-5 a.m and again between 3-5 p.m.
Afternoon tea and siesta times are all cultural responses to our natural biological sleepiness in the afternoon.
One of the major causes of the travelers' malady known as jet lag is the non-alignment of a person's internal body clock with clocks in the external world. Crossing different time zones confuses the circadian clock, which then has to adjust to the new time and patterns of light and activity. To make matters more complex, not all internal body functions adjust at the same rate. So your sleep/wake may adjust to a new time zone at one rate, while your temperature adjusts at a different pace. Your digestion may be on a different schedule altogether.
Though we live in a 24-hour day, the natural tendency of the body clock is to extend our day beyond 24 hours. It is contrary to our biological programming to shrink our day. That is why traveling in a westward direction is more body-clock friendly than flying east. NASA studies of long haul pilots showed that westward travel was associated with significantly better sleep quantity and quality than eastward flights.
When flying west, you are "extending" your day, thus traveling in the natural direction of your internal clock. Flying eastward will involve "shrinking" or reducing your day and is in direct opposition to your internal clock's natural tendency. One of the more common complaints of travelers is that their sleep becomes disrupted. There are many reasons for this: Changing time zones and schedules, changing light and activity levels, trying to sleep when your body clock is programmed to be awake, disruption of the internal circadian clock and working longer hours.
Sleep loss, jet lag and fatigue can seriously affect our ability to function well. Judgment and decision-making can be reduced by 50%, attention by 75 percent, memory by 20 percent and communication by 30 percent.
It is often suggested that you adjust your watch as soon as you board a plane, supposedly to try to help you adjust to your destination's schedule as soon as you arrive. But it can take the body clock several days to several weeks to fully adjust to a new time zone.

Jet lag.........................

Read‌ ‌the‌ ‌following‌ ‌passage‌ ‌and‌ ‌mark‌ ‌the‌ ‌letter‌ ‌A,‌ ‌B,‌ ‌C,‌ ‌or‌ ‌D‌ ‌on‌ ‌your‌ ‌answer‌ ‌sheer‌ ‌to‌ ‌indicate‌ ‌the‌ ‌correct‌ ‌answer‌ ‌to‌ ‌each‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌questions‌ ‌from‌ ‌35‌ ‌to‌ ‌39.‌ ‌
As‌ ‌customers‌ ‌choose‌ ‌brands‌ ‌based‌ ‌on‌ ‌how‌ ‌they‌ ‌make‌ ‌‌them‌ ‌feel,‌ ‌rather‌ ‌than‌ ‌their‌ ‌actual‌ ‌products‌ ‌or‌ ‌services,‌ ‌there‌ ‌is‌ ‌an‌ ‌intrinsic‌ ‌advantage‌ ‌to‌ ‌those‌ ‌organizations‌ ‌who‌ ‌use‌ ‌designed‌ ‌experiences‌ ‌as‌ ‌a‌ ‌weapon‌ ‌to‌ ‌cut‌ ‌through‌ ‌the‌ ‌most‌ ‌competitive‌ ‌of‌ ‌markets.‌ ‌Those‌ ‌that‌ ‌don't,‌ ‌operate‌ ‌in‌ ‌what‌ ‌we‌ ‌call‌ ‌the‌ ‌“experience‌ ‌gap”,‌ ‌the‌ ‌space‌ ‌between‌ ‌them‌ ‌and‌ ‌their‌ ‌customer's‌ ‌expectation‌ ‌of‌ ‌them.‌ ‌Make‌ ‌no‌ ‌mistake,‌ ‌in‌ ‌our‌ ‌high‌ ‌paced‌ ‌and‌ ‌digitally‌ ‌connected‌ ‌economies,‌ ‌the‌ ‌experience‌ ‌gap‌ ‌is‌ ‌driving‌ ‌markets,‌ ‌fast.‌ ‌
For‌ ‌example,‌ ‌take‌ ‌Instagram‌ ‌and‌ ‌Twitter.‌ ‌These‌ ‌brands‌ ‌filled‌ ‌the‌ ‌demand‌ ‌for‌ ‌a‌ ‌whole‌ ‌new‌ ‌human‌ ‌experience‌ ‌that‌ ‌did‌ ‌not‌ ‌exist‌ ‌before‌ ‌the‌ ‌evolution‌ ‌of‌ ‌digital‌ ‌technologies‌ ‌enabled‌ ‌that.‌ ‌They‌ ‌were‌ ‌pioneers,‌ ‌and‌ ‌there‌ ‌were‌ ‌no‌ ‌established‌ ‌players‌ ‌to‌ ‌unseat.‌ ‌But‌ ‌we‌ ‌are‌ ‌also‌ ‌seeing‌ ‌a‌ ‌similar‌ ‌dynamic‌ ‌in‌ ‌existing‌ ‌industries.‌ ‌New‌ ‌entrants‌ ‌are‌ ‌coming‌ ‌in‌ ‌and‌ ‌taking‌ ‌the‌ ‌space,‌ ‌also‌ ‌using‌ ‌whole‌ ‌new‌ ‌experiences,‌ ‌purely‌ ‌because‌ ‌the‌ ‌incumbents‌ ‌left‌ ‌the‌ ‌door‌ ‌open.‌ ‌
Closer‌ ‌to‌ ‌home,‌ ‌this‌ ‌can‌ ‌be‌ ‌seen‌ ‌with‌ ‌Australian‌ ‌neobanks‌ ‌who‌ ‌are‌ ‌giving‌ ‌customers‌ ‌a‌ ‌better‌ ‌experience‌ ‌than‌ ‌the‌ ‌incumbents.‌ ‌Robert‌ ‌Bell‌ ‌is‌ ‌the‌ ‌CEO‌ ‌at‌ ‌neobank‌ ‌86400.‌ ‌He‌ ‌says‌ ‌banking‌ ‌has‌ ‌already‌ ‌become‌ ‌quite‌ ‌complicated‌ ‌and‌ ‌he‌ ‌wanted‌ ‌to‌ ‌make‌ ‌a‌ ‌change.‌ ‌His‌ ‌neobank‌ ‌is‌ ‌working‌ ‌to‌ ‌solve‌ ‌customers’‌ ‌problems‌ ‌more‌ ‌holistically.‌ ‌Bell‌ ‌said,‌ ‌“It's‌ ‌significantly‌ ‌harder‌ ‌work‌ ‌and‌ ‌takes‌ ‌more‌ ‌time‌ ‌to‌ ‌become‌ ‌a‌ ‌bank,‌ ‌but‌ ‌having‌ ‌done‌ ‌that‌ ‌we‌ ‌can‌ ‌have‌ ‌a‌ ‌much‌ ‌better‌ ‌relationship‌ ‌with‌ ‌our‌ ‌customers‌ ‌and‌ ‌we‌ ‌can‌ ‌offer‌ ‌them‌ ‌a‌ ‌lot‌ ‌more‌ ‌products‌ ‌and‌ ‌services.”‌ ‌
Think‌ ‌about‌ ‌that‌ ‌for‌ ‌a‌ ‌moment.‌ ‌Do‌ ‌you‌ ‌notice‌ ‌how‌ ‌better‌ ‌experiences,‌ ‌leads‌ ‌to‌ ‌better‌ ‌relationships,‌ ‌which‌ ‌is‌ ‌then‌ ‌the‌ ‌‌stepping‌ ‌stone‌ ‌for‌ ‌more‌ ‌offerings?‌ ‌Many‌ ‌brands‌ ‌still‌ ‌jump‌ ‌straight‌ ‌to‌ ‌modified‌ ‌offerings,‌ ‌without‌ ‌gaining‌ ‌that‌ ‌customer‌ ‌connection‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌necessary‌ ‌foundation‌ ‌of‌ ‌trust‌ ‌first.‌ ‌

According‌ ‌to‌ ‌paragraph‌ ‌2,‌ ‌what‌ ‌is‌ ‌true‌ ‌about‌ ‌Instagram‌ ‌and‌ ‌Twitter‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌stated‌ ‌instance?‌ ‌

In the last third of the nineteenth century a new housing form was quietly being developed.   In 1869 the Stuyvesant, considered New York's first apartment house was built on East Eighteenth Street. The building was financed by the developer Rutherfurd Stuyvesant and designed by Richard Morris Hunt, the first American architect to graduate from the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. Each man had lived in Paris, and each understood the economics and social potential of this Parisian housing form. But the Stuyvesant was at best a limited success.  In spite of  Hunt's  inviting façade, the living space was awkwardly arranged. Those who could afford them  were  quite  content  to remain in the more sumptuous, single-family homes, leaving the Stuyvesant to newly  married  couples and bachelors.
The fundamental problem with the Stuyvesant and the other early apartment buildings that quickly followed, in the 1870's and early 1880's was that they were confined to the typical New   York building lot. That lot was a rectangular area 25 feet wide by 100 feet deep-a shape perfectly suited for a row house The lot could also accommodate a rectangular tenement, though it could not yield the square, well-lighted, and logically arranged rooms that great apartment buildings require. Put even with the awkward interior configurations of the early apartment buildings, the idea caught on. It met the needs of a large and growing population that wanted something better than tenements but could not afford or did not want row  houses.
So while the city's newly emerging social leadership  commissioned  their  mansions, apartment houses and hotels began to sprout in multiple lots, thus breaking the initial space  constraints. In the closing decades of the nineteenth century,  large apartment houses  began dotting  the developed portions of New York City, and by the opening decades of the twentieth century, spacious buildings, such as the Dakota and the Ansoniafinally transcended the tight confinement of row house building lots. From there it was only a small step to building luxury apartment houses on  the newly created Park Avenue, right next to the fashionable Fifth Avenue   shopping area.

The word "yield" is closest in meaning to...............