TRANSPORT IN THE CITY
Transport plays an important role in our daily lives and in the quality of life in our city. Moreover, the individual decisions we make when we choose how to (38)_______our destination can have an impact (39) _____other people – longer traffic queues, worsening air quality, greater number of accidents and health problems. Providing more transport options will create a transport system that is safe, clean and fair.
Increasing use of the car has led to greater (40) ____ of the impact it has and the real cost to us – for our health, for the economy and for the environment. We want our city to become a successful, cosmopolitan city by the sea, (41) _______people can enjoy a high quality of life in a pleasant environment. To (42)_______this we need to make sure everyone has access to the services and facilities they need, through a choice of as many different means of transport as possible.
(41)....................................

 

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

   In Science, a theory is a reasonable explanation of observed events that are related. A theory often involves an imaginary model that helps scientists picture the way an observed event could be produced. A good example of this is found in the kinetic molecular theory, in which gases are pictured as being made up of many small particles that are in constant motion.

   After a theory has been publicized, scientists design experiments to test the theory. If observations confirm the scientists’ predictions, the theory is supported. If observations do not confirm the predictions, the scientists must search further. There may be a fault in the experiment, or the theory may have to be revised or rejected.

   Science involves imagination and creative thinking as well as collecting information and performing experiments. Facts by themselves arc not science. As the mathematician Jules Henri Poincare said: "Science is built with facts just as a house is built with bricks, but a collection of facts cannot be called science any more than a pile of bricks can be called a house."

   Most scientists start an investigation by finding out what other scientists have learned about a particular problem. After known facts have been gathered, the scientist comes to the part of the investigation that requires considerable imagination. Possible solutions to the problem are formulated. These possible solutions are called hypotheses. In a way, any hypothesis is a leap into the unknown. It extends the scientist's thinking beyond the known facts. The scientist plans experiments, performs calculations, and makes observations to test hypotheses. For without hypotheses, further investigation lacks purpose and direction. When hypotheses are confirmed, they are incorporated into theories.

Which of the following is the main subject of the passage?

Mark the letter to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.

Some shops advertise their products and services in the newspaper to ______ customers.

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:
AN UNWELCOME GUEST
Of the one in seven people in the UK who claim to have seen a ghost, the majority are women. This may be because women have far more association with the spirit world. Women trust their emotions and are generally better able than men to cope with the unexpected.
Housewife Fiona Blair describes herself as very practical and down-to-earth, and never believed in the idea that a house could be haunted. That all changed when she and her family moved into a manor house in the Midlands. Although the surveyor reckoned that the house required a lot of attention and was somewhat damp, they thought it was stunning. They could just afford it and it would be a good investment, so they took the plunge and decided to buy it.
Nonetheless, right from the start, Fiona had a strange sense that they were not alone in the house. One of her teenage daughters had left a towel over the back of a chair in the kitchen. Fiona was in the garden, and when she returned to the house, the towel was over the kitchen table like a tablecloth. On other occasions the family would find that objects such as glasses and vases had been turned upside-down.
This was only the start of the peculiar happenings. A particularly strange incident happened on Fiona's birthday. Fiona's husband, Mark, came home from work and went into the living room. He immediately came rushing out to ask who had bought her the beautiful flowers - but nobody had given Fiona flowers and her daughters had not put the flowers there. It remained a mystery how they had miraculously appeared.
Fiona was curious and decided to find out about the history of the house. What she discovered was rather alarming. Apparently a young girl, servant to a previous generation of owners, had been found dead in peculiar circumstances in the attic. Fiona and her family inevitably began to feel claustrophobic and trapped in the house, and eventually decided that they would have to move.
Unfortunately, things were not as simple as that. Each time they attempted to show the house to potential buyers, Fiona would of course ensure beforehand that everything was neat and tidy in order to make a good impression. But by the time anyone arrived, the entire house would be in a complete mess, and visitors complained of an unpleasant atmosphere. Eventually, after many months, an American couple viewed the house, and decided it had a certain attraction. For some reason, the ghost did not play its usual tricks, and Fiona was able to sell what had been her dream home.
Now living in a spacious modern apartment in London, Fiona wants to forget it all and move on with her life. 'At one point I thought I might be going out of my mind, it was all so frightening. We can almost laugh about it all now, but I hope we never experience anything like that again.

After they moved in, they................

The Census Counts!
Every ten years there is a national census to count the number of people. The census counts the number of people in each area, the number of men and women, their ages, their profession, their family size and status. The census is the only way to count everyone. Its results are used by a great many people and are available to everyone. The census is useful; it helps to work out present and future needs for housing by seeing how many people are housed now, or the sizes and ages of their families. In addition, the size of annual grants made by the Government to public services depends largely on the numbers and needs of people in the area provided by the census. Furthermore, the census shows how many people have moved from one area to another and how the number of the local work force is changing.
The census is taken in order to provide the figures about the nation as a whole. It does not give information about any named person, family or household. Therefore, names and addresses are needed on the forms but they are not fed into the computer. After the census, the forms with the names on are locked away and will not be released to anyone outside the Census Office for 100 years. The answers people give on their census forms will be treated in strict confidence. Everyone working on the census is sworn to secrecy and can be sued if he or she improperly reveals information.

Which of the following statement is NOT true?

Read the following text and circle the best answer among A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet for the questions from 44 to 50 
HISTORY LESSONS
“History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon"
Naponeon Bonapart 
Think of three historical figures. What do you know about them? Where did you get your information from? The chances are that you either read it somewhere or someone who read it somewhere told you about it. Did you ever think about who wrote down these facts? How can you be sure that they are true? The thing is, many historical “truths” are historical myths. 
Let's take some examples. In America, 4th July is Independence Day, the most important day in the American Calendar, which Americans celebrate with parades and fireworks. It was on 4th July, 1776 that Congress approved the Declaration of Independence. It was a good start. However, the struggle continued for another seven years after this, with some of the most brutal fighting in the whole war, as King George III was not willing to grant America total Independence, which was the only arrangement that the American leaders would accept. So the fighting continued. The first draft on a Treaty of Peace was signed in November 1782 and in February 1783 the King officially announced that the war would soon be over. This led to the signing of the Treaty of Paris on 3rd September that same year. 
Think about the discovery of America. What's the first name that comes to mind? More than likely it's Christopher Colombus.Was America really discovered by him? He had set out to reach Asia and that's where he thought he was when he came to America. But there were many people there before him. The first ones were certainly the Native Americans, thousands years before 1492. Where had they come from? Even the Vikings had made a number of expeditions, with Leif Eriksson landing there in around 1000 A.D. Perhaps Amerigo Vespucci was the discover of America. After all, unlike Columbus before him, he was the first fifteen - century explorer to realise where has was, or rather, where he definitely wasn't. so, maybe the word “re-discover” is more accurate when it comes to Columbus, if history is to give him any credit at all. 
Everyone believes such historical "facts” because, like you, they got them from what they thought was a reliable source. But how can such things be written down in the first place? One of the reasons must be that history is seldom “cut - and - dried”. The events are often complicated and messy. The achieving of American independence was a lengthy affair. Presumably 4th July was chosen as the date to celebrate because it was seen as more significant than the date of the actual end of the war. Another reason is that such myths always contain a grain of truth. Columbus was not the first person to travel to America, but he was the first fifteenth-century explorer to go there. His “re-discovery” was, from a historical point of view, extremely significant for Europe since his voyages opened up large-scale commerce between Europe and America. 
History has traditionally been written by the winners. If the conquered indigenous peoples had written the history of the discovery of the New World, it would most probably have been very different, but not necessarily objective: the point of view of the conquered can be just as biased as the point of view of the conqueror. But that is not the whole story. The writing of history depends not only on the "side” the writer is on, but also on the culture and attitudes of the era it is written in. 
History is always subjective. So, remember: when you read history, take it with a pinch of salt. 

What might be a suitable alternative title for this text? 

When we moved to our new house near the sea, I was eight years old. Even before that I had spent every summer messing about on boats. My dad had taught me to sail before I learnt to ride a bike so I knew how I wanted to spend my time at the new house- I was going to get my own boat and sail it everyday. The house was only a few meters from the water's edge, and in rough weather the waves would come crashing into the front garden. I used to sit with my nose pressed to the glass, fascinated by the power of the ocean. I grew up watching the skies to see if it was going to rain; would I be going sailing that afternoon or not?
Of course I sometimes wished I could live in the town like my friends. I used to get angry with my parents, who had taken early retirement because they seemed incapable of getting anywhere on time. Dad drove me the eight miles to school everyday, but I was often late because he had been walking on the cliffs earlier in the morning and had lost track of time. When I was taking my university entrance exams, I used to stay over at a friend's in town, just in case. All in all, I was lucky to grow up by the sea and I still love to sail.

The writer learnt to sail ___________.

Traditionally, Americans and Asians have very(20) _____ideas about love and marriage. Americans believe in ‘romantic’ marriage – a boy and a girl are(21) ____ to each other, fall in love, and decide to marry each other. Asians, on the other hand, believe in contractual marriage – the parents of the bride and the groom decide on the marriage; and love – if it ever develops – is supposed to follow(22) _____, not precede it.
To show the differences, a (23)______was conducted among American, Chinese and Indian students to determine their attitudes (24)_____ love and marriage.
(21)...........................

Beads were probably the first durable ornaments humans possessed, and the intimate relationship they had with their owners is reflected in the fact that beads are among the most common items found in ancient archaeological sites. In the past, as today, men, women, and children adorned themselves with beads. In some cultures still, certain beads are often worn from birth until death, and then are buried with their owners for the afterlife. Abrasion due to daily wear alters the surface features of beads, and if they are buried for long, the effects of corrosion can further change their appearance. Thus, interest is imparted to the bead both by use and the effects of time. 
Besides their wearability, either as jewelry or incorporated into articles of attire, beads possess the desirable characteristics of every collectible, they are durable, portable, available in infinite variety, and often valuable in their original cultural context as well as in today's market. Pleasing to look at and touch, beads come in shapes, colors, and materials that almost compel one to handle them and to sort them. 
Beads are miniature bundles of secrets waiting to be revealed: their history, manufacture, cultural context, economic role, and ornamental use are all points of information one hopes to unravel. Even the most mundane beads may have traveled great distances and been exposed to many human experiences. The bead researcher must gather information from many diverse fields. In addition to having to be a generalist while specializing in what may seem to be a narrow field, the researcher is faced with the problem of primary materials that have little or no documentation. Many ancient beads that are of ethnographic interest have often been separated from their original cultural context. 
The special attractions of beads contribute to the uniqueness of bead research. While often regarded as the "small change of civilizations", beads are a part of every culture, and they can often be used to date archaeological sites and to designate the degree of mercantile, technological, and cultural sophistication.

The word "adorned" in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to____________.

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

More __________ (1) 13,000 staff work with UNICEF, with approximately 85 per located in the field in 190 countries. Seven regional offices and over 124 country offices worldwide, 34 national committees, a research centre in Florence, a supply division in Copenhagen, a shared services centre in Budapest and offices in Berlin, Brussels, Seoul and Tokyo, and UNICEF headquarters __________ (2) New York and Geneva work on helping children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence.

We employ committed professional __________ (3) in our five focus areas: Child Survival and Development, Basic Education and Gender Equality, HIV/AIDS, Child Protection and Policy Advocacy and Partnerships. We __________ (4) employ staff with expertise in administration and finance, human resources, information technology, supply and logistics as well as external relations and communication. UNICEF’s presence in humanitarian crises means that we also seek experts __________ (5) emergency preparedness and response.

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

Choosing a career may be one of the hardest jobs you ever have, and it must be done with care. View a career as an opportunity to do something you love, not simply as a way to earn a living. Investing the time and effort to thoroughly explore your options can mean the difference between finding a stimulating and rewarding career and move from job to unsatisfying job in an attempt to find the right one. Work influences virtually every aspect of your life, from your choice of friends to where you live. Here are just a few of the factors to consider.
Deciding what matters most to you is essential to making the right decision. You may want to begin by assessing your likes, dislikes, strengths, and weaknesses. Think about the classes, hobbies, and surroundings that you find most appealing. Ask yourself questions, such as “Would you like to travel? Do you want to work with children? Are you more suited to solitary or cooperative work?” There are no right or wrong answers; only you know what is important to you. Determine which job features you require, which ones you would prefer, and which ones you cannot accept. Then rank them in order of importance to you.
The setting of the job is one factor to take into account. You may not want to sit at a desk all day. If not, there are diversity occupation – building inspector, supervisor, real estate agent – that involve a great deal of time away from the office. Geographical location may be a concern, and employment in some fields in concentrated in certain regions. Advertising job can generally be found only in large cities. On the other hand, many industries such as hospitality, law education, and retail sales are found in all regions of the country.
If a high salary is important to you, do not judge a career by its starting wages. Many jobs, such as insurance sales, offers relatively low starting salaries; however, pay substantially increases along with your experience, additional training, promotions and commission.
Don’t rule out any occupation without learning more about it. Some industries evoke positive or negative associations. The traveling life of a flight attendant appears glamorous, while that of a plumber does not. Remember that many jobs are not what they appear to be at first, and may have merits or demerits that are less obvious. Flight attendants must work long, grueling hours without sleeps, whereas plumbers can be as highly paid as some doctors.
Another point to consider is that as you mature, you will likely develop new interests and skills that may point the way to new opportunities. The choice you make today need not be your final one

According to paragraph 3, which of the following fields is NOT suitable for a person who does not want to live in a big city?

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.

   Although speech is the most advanced form of communication, there are many ways of communicating without using speech. Signals, signs, symbols, and gestures may be found in every known culture. The basic function of signal is to impinge upon the environment in such a way that it attracts attention, as, for example, the dots and dashes of a telegraph circuit. Coded to refer to speech, the potential for communication is very great. Less adaptable to the codification of words, signs also contain meaning in and of themselves. A stop sign or a barber pole conveys meaning quickly and conveniently.

   Symbols are more difficult to describe than either signals or signs because of their intricate relationship with the receiver’s cultural perceptions. In some cultures, applauding in a theater provides performers with an auditory symbol of approval. Gestures such as waving and handshaking also communicate certain cultural messages.

   Although signals, signs, symbols, and gestures are very useful, they do have a major disadvantage in communication. They usually do not allow ideas to be shared without the sender being directly adjacent to the receiver. Without an exchange of ideas, interaction comes to a halt. As a result, means of communication intended to be used for long distances and extended periods must be based upon speech. To radio, television, and the telephone, one must add fax, paging systems, electronic mail, and the Internet, and no one doubts but that there are more means of communication on the horizon.

It may be concluded from this passage that ____________.

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

More __________ (6) 13,000 staff work with UNICEF, with approximately 85 per located in the field in 190 countries. Seven regional offices and over 124 country offices worldwide, 34 national committees, a research centre in Florence, a supply division in Copenhagen, a shared services centre in Budapest and offices in Berlin, Brussels, Seoul and Tokyo, and UNICEF headquarters __________ (7) New York and Geneva work on helping children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence.

We employ committed professional __________ (8) in our five focus areas: Child Survival and Development, Basic Education and Gender Equality, HIV/AIDS, Child Protection and Policy Advocacy and Partnerships. We __________ (9) employ staff with expertise in administration and finance, human resources, information technology, supply and logistics as well as external relations and communication. UNICEF’s presence in humanitarian crises means that we also seek experts __________ (10) emergency preparedness and response.

Seven regional offices and over 124 country offices worldwide, 34 national committees, a research centre in Florence, a supply division in Copenhagen, a shared services centre in Budapest and offices in Berlin, Brussels, Seoul and Tokyo, and UNICEF headquarters __________ (7) New York and Geneva work on helping children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence.

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 31 to 35.
Easter is a holiday in late March or early April, the first Sunday after the first full moon after 21 March. Many people (31)_________it with their family or have a short holiday/ vacation. It is also an important Christian festival. Easter Sunday, the day of the Resurrection, is the end of Lent (32) ________  the most important date in the Christian year. Many people who do not go to church at other times go on Easter Sunday. It was once (33)_________for people to wear new clothes to church on this day. Women (34)_________new hats, called Easter bonnets. Today, people sometimes make elaborately decorated Easter bonnets for fun. A few people send Easter cards with religious symbols on them or pictures of small chickens, lambs, rabbits and spring flowers, all traditionally associated (35)_________Easter.
(32)................................

Milpa Alta is a region of twelve villages and towns to the south of Mexico City. In Milpa Alta, traditions are still very important and one of the most famous traditional events is a community meal. It takes place every Christmas and is called La Rejunta. More than a meal, it’s a feast, where about sixty thousand tamales and fifteen thousand litres of hot chocolate are made and consumed. Tamales are made from corn. They are typical of the region: the name Milpa Alta means ‘High cornfield’. The feast is offered to the people who go on the long walk to El Señor de Chalma about 80 kilometers away. It’s an important event on the religious calendar for local people and as many as 20,000 people take part.

The planning and organisation of La Rejunta takes the whole year. Every year, different people are given the job of majordomo, which means they’re responsible for organising the meal. There’s a waiting list for the opportunity to do this and currently the next available year is 2046. This year’s majordomos are Virginia Meza Torres and her husband Fermín Lara Jiménez, who put their names on the list 14 years ago.

One year before the meal, men go to the forest and collect wood that they store near the home of the majordomo. It has to be dry when it’s used to make the cooking fires. Local farmers grow most of the corn, meat and vegetables that are needed as ingredients. In the week before the feast, hundreds of volunteers arrive to help with the preparation and the cooking. No instant or ready-made foods are allowed. Amazingly, everyone seems to know what they have to do. On the day of the feast, the majordomos and others have stayed up all night cooking. Fermin is in charge of the numbers – making sure there are enough tamales for everyone.

For the people of Milpa Alta, eating together is one of their most important traditions. One woman, Josefina García Jiménez, explains that sitting together at the table is like a glue that keeps people together. ‘It feels like I am passing down a tradition, and when they are adults, they will remember what I have done. Here we have time to cook, time to think about the ingredients, time to show our kids through cooking that we love them.’ The time that everybody stays at the table after the meal has finished is just as important as the food.

They talk, tell stories and laugh together. At Christmas, La Rejunta is a giant version of a family meal.

What is the article about?

Milpa Alta is a region of twelve villages and towns to the south of Mexico City. In Milpa Alta, traditions are still very important and one of the most famous traditional events is a community meal. It takes place every Christmas and is called La Rejunta. More than a meal, it’s a feast, where about sixty thousand tamales and fifteen thousand litres of hot chocolate are made and consumed. Tamales are made from corn. They are typical of the region: the name Milpa Alta means ‘High cornfield’. The feast is offered to the people who go on the long walk to El Señor de Chalma about 80 kilometers away. It’s an important event on the religious calendar for local people and as many as 20,000 people take part. 
The planning and organisation of La Rejunta takes the whole year. Every year, different people are given the job of majordomo, which means they’re responsible for organising the meal. There’s a waiting list for the opportunity to do this and currently the next available year is 2046. This year’s majordomos are Virginia Meza Torres and her husband Fermín Lara Jiménez, who put their names on the list 14 years ago. 
One year before the meal, men go to the forest and collect wood that they store near the home of the majordomo. It has to be dry when it’s used to make the cooking fires. Local farmers grow most of the corn, meat and vegetables that are needed as ingredients. In the week before the feast, hundreds of volunteers arrive to help with the preparation and the cooking. No instant or ready-made foods are allowed. Amazingly, everyone seems to know what they have to do. On the day of the feast, the majordomos and others have stayed up all night cooking. Fermin is in charge of the numbers – making sure there are enough tamales for everyone. 
For the people of Milpa Alta, eating together is one of their most important traditions. One woman, Josefina García Jiménez, explains that sitting together at the table is like a glue that keeps people together. ‘It feels like I am passing down a tradition, and when they are adults, they will remember what I have done. Here we have time to cook, time to think about the ingredients, time to show our kids through cooking that we love them.’ The time that everybody stays at the table after the meal has finished is just as important as the food. 
They talk, tell stories and laugh together. At Christmas, La Rejunta is a giant version of a family meal.

Fermin _________.

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

Orbis is an organisation which helps blind people everywhere. It has built an eye hospital inside an aeroplane and flown it all over the world with an international medical team. Samantha Graham, a fourteen-year-old schoolgirl from England, went with the plane to Mongolia. Samantha tells the story of Eukhtuul, a young Mongolian girl. 'Last year, when Eukhtuul was walking home from school, she was attacked by boys with sticks and her eyes were badly damaged.  Dr Duffey, an Orbis doctor, said that without an operation she would never see again. I thought about all the everyday things I do that she couldn't, things like reading schoolbooks, watching television, seeing friends, and I realised how lucky I am.' 'The Orbis team agreed to operate on Eukhtuul and I was allowed to watch, together with some Mongolian medical students. I prayed the operation would be successful. The next day I waited nervously with Eukhtuul while Dr Duffey removed her bandages. "In six months your sight ·will be back to normal, he said.  Eukhtuul smiled, her mother cried, and I had to wipe away some tears, too!" "Now Eukhtuul wants to study hard to become a doctor. Her whole future has changed; thanks to a simple operation. We should all think more about how much our sight means to us."

What can a reader learn about in this text?

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

"The United Nations (UN), international organization of countries created to promote world peace and cooperation. The UN was founded after World War II ended in 1945. Its mission is to maintain world peace, develop good relations between countries, promote cooperation in solving the world’s problems, and encourage respect for human rights.
 The UN is an organization of countries that agree to cooperate with one another. It brings together countries that are rich and poor, large and small, and have different social and political Systems. Member nations pledge to settle their disputes peacefully, to refrain from using force or the threat of force against other countries, and to refuse help to any country that opposes UN actions.
 UN membership is open to any country willing to further the UN mission and abide by its rules. Each country, no matter how large or small, has an equal voice and vote. Each country is also expected to pay dues to support the UN. As of 2004 the UN had 191 members, including nearly every country in the world.
 The UN’s influence in world affairs has fluctuated over the years, but the organization gained new prominence beginning in the 1990s. It was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001. Still, the UN faces constant challenges. It must continually secure the cooperation of its member nations because the organization has little independent power or authority. But getting that support is noi always easy. Many nations are reluctant to defer their own authority and follow the dictates of the UN."

4. Why does the UN face constant challenges?

Read the following passage and indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each blank.

In the past, elephants in Thailand were taken from the wild when they were very young. They (18) _____ to work for the people cutting down the large trees of the forests. They became “work machine” – they were not free, wild animal (19) ______ more. Some of the elephants became depressed and some even cried. Elephants can be unhappy too. Boualoi was one of these elephants, (20) _______ with the help of Thailand’s Royal Family and the World Wildlife Fund, she is soon going back (21) _______ her natural environment, the forest. First, she is going to live at the Doi Pa Muang Wildlife Sanctuary. There, she will learn (22) _______ free again, and she will meet other free elephants for the first time.

Question 21:......................

Read the following text and circle the best answer among A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet for the questions from 44 to 50 
HISTORY LESSONS
“History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon"
Naponeon Bonapart 
Think of three historical figures. What do you know about them? Where did you get your information from? The chances are that you either read it somewhere or someone who read it somewhere told you about it. Did you ever think about who wrote down these facts? How can you be sure that they are true? The thing is, many historical “truths” are historical myths. 
Let's take some examples. In America, 4th July is Independence Day, the most important day in the American Calendar, which Americans celebrate with parades and fireworks. It was on 4th July, 1776 that Congress approved the Declaration of Independence. It was a good start. However, the struggle continued for another seven years after this, with some of the most brutal fighting in the whole war, as King George III was not willing to grant America total Independence, which was the only arrangement that the American leaders would accept. So the fighting continued. The first draft on a Treaty of Peace was signed in November 1782 and in February 1783 the King officially announced that the war would soon be over. This led to the signing of the Treaty of Paris on 3rd September that same year. 
Think about the discovery of America. What's the first name that comes to mind? More than likely it's Christopher Colombus.Was America really discovered by him? He had set out to reach Asia and that's where he thought he was when he came to America. But there were many people there before him. The first ones were certainly the Native Americans, thousands years before 1492. Where had they come from? Even the Vikings had made a number of expeditions, with Leif Eriksson landing there in around 1000 A.D. Perhaps Amerigo Vespucci was the discover of America. After all, unlike Columbus before him, he was the first fifteen - century explorer to realise where has was, or rather, where he definitely wasn't. so, maybe the word “re-discover” is more accurate when it comes to Columbus, if history is to give him any credit at all. 
Everyone believes such historical "facts” because, like you, they got them from what they thought was a reliable source. But how can such things be written down in the first place? One of the reasons must be that history is seldom “cut - and - dried”. The events are often complicated and messy. The achieving of American independence was a lengthy affair. Presumably 4th July was chosen as the date to celebrate because it was seen as more significant than the date of the actual end of the war. Another reason is that such myths always contain a grain of truth. Columbus was not the first person to travel to America, but he was the first fifteenth-century explorer to go there. His “re-discovery” was, from a historical point of view, extremely significant for Europe since his voyages opened up large-scale commerce between Europe and America. 
History has traditionally been written by the winners. If the conquered indigenous peoples had written the history of the discovery of the New World, it would most probably have been very different, but not necessarily objective: the point of view of the conquered can be just as biased as the point of view of the conqueror. But that is not the whole story. The writing of history depends not only on the "side” the writer is on, but also on the culture and attitudes of the era it is written in. 
History is always subjective. So, remember: when you read history, take it with a pinch of salt. 

America was not actually free from British rule until __________.

Southern Thailand was hit Thursday by the most severe haze from forest fires in Indonesia, forcing all schools in a province to close and disrupting flights in a popular tourist area, officially said.
The haze that has shrouded parts of Malaysia and Singapore for nearly two months reached hazardous levels in the southern Thai city of Songkhla, with the pollution index hitting a record-high reading of 365. A reading of 101-200 is unhealthy, 201-300 is very unhealthy and above 300 is hazardous.
“This is a crisis,” said Halem Jemarican, head of the Southern Environment Office. He said the pollution index in southern Thailand has never exceeded 300 before.
Halem said his office has worked with other authorities to have all schools in Songkhla province send students home and all outdoor sports stadiums to close temporarily. Warnings have been issued to vulnerable people such as children, the elderly and people with illnesses not to go out of their homes.
“The wind speed is very low this year in the south, causing haze to stay in our skies longer,” Halem said by telephone.
An airport official in Hat Yai, a popular tourist area, said three flights bound for Bangkok were delayed Thursday morning because of the haze. A flight from Bangkok to Hat Yai was diverted to Surat Thani on Wednesday evening. The official declined to be identified because of working rules.
Local media reported that cloud seeding has been discussed as a way to dispel the haze in southern Thailand, which is hundreds of kilometers (miles) from the forest fires in Indonesia's Sumatra island.
Southern Thailand boasts tropical beaches popular among tourists in Surat Thani and Phuket, two of the seven provinces suffering from the haze.

What is the main idea of paragraph 2?