With its long days, lack of _____ atmosphere, and wide-open spaces, _____ moon would also make an ideal place to put massive solar power plants.

(326)_____

Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, D):
Glenbrook South (GBS) High School is in a suburb of Chicago, lllinois, in the United States. It is an award-winning school with a highly competent teaching staff. It has over 400 Asian Pacific American students-over 17 percent of the students in the school. Of these, the majority are Korean American. This is very unusual in a state where Korean Americans are less than 1 percent of the population. The interactions of the Korean American students at GBS were the subject of an article in Asian Week magazine. Different Korean American students react differently to being in a high school where most students are white. Professor Pyong Gap Min, an expert on Korean life in America, believes that Korean Americans in this situation can sometimes feel inhibited or ashamed of their Korean identity. Asian Week interviewed a number of GBS students, and each had a different attitude. Eighteen-year-old Alice said that she used to spend time only with Korean American friends. Although she felt secure with those friends, she found herself motivated to form closer relationships with non-Koreans, too. She said that she felt she was missing out on new experiences and challenges. Seventeen-year-old John moved in the opposite direction. In junior high school, most of John's friends were white. After coming to GBS, his sense of his Korean American identity was restored, and he decided to have mainly Korean American friends. He feels that he and his Korean American friends understand each other better. For example, they understand about severe parental pressures to succeed at school; John felt his white friends couldn't really understand. Sixteen-year-old Paul has some Korean American friends, but he says he spends most of his time with his white friends. He is often the only Asian American in the group, but he doesn't mind. What Paul likes about the white culture is that he can be more radical - he can be as loud and funny as he wants to be. He says he doesn't see as much of that among the Asian students. Without belittling the importance of what these students had to say, it's important to remember that their opinions at this phase of their lives are bound to change as they grow into adulthood. But these honest opinions can help US better understand issues of cultural relations, and their honesty might help Americans from different cultural groups to get along better in the future. 
1. What does the author probably mean by using the expression "children interrupt their education to go to school"?

Rewrite sentences without changing the meaning
The valley is so dangerous to live in.

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How do you feel when you (1) ______an exam? Do you always succeed in getting all your ideas down on paper, or do you sometimes feel that you’re (2) ______a mess of it? Apart from those lucky few who sail through exams, most secondary school (3) ______find them very stressful. Many teachers are aware of the problems their students face and use a different method for measuring their progress: continuous assessment. With continuous assessment, students are given various (4) ______to do through the year. All their marks are added together to produce a total mark at the end of the year. Students have to take more responsibility for their education because they can’t rely on doing well on just one day. Also, they have more time to (5) ______ over their work, meaning that they are able to do their best.

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The Most Powerful Force in Space
A black hole is a spot in space that has incredibly powerful gravity. A hole’s gravity is so strong that it pulls everything nearby into it. It can pull stars, planets, and other things. Nothing can escape a black hole. In fact, they are so powerful that even light cannot escape them. Scientists first started talking about black holes in the year 1783. That year, one scientist said that in the universe, there might be places with gravity strong enough to trap light. However, that scientist didn’t use the term “black hole”. The term “black hole” was invented in 1967. Black holes are formed when a star dies. When a star dies, it collapses. When that happens, a huge amount of matter crowds into a very small space. The matter becomes very, very dense. How much matter are we talking about? Imagine a star that is the size of ten suns. Imagine fitting that amount of matter into New York City. That is what a black hole is like. Its gravity is so powerful because it has so much matter. However, not all black holes are huge. Scientists believe that some black holes are the size of atoms. Although these black holes are tiny, they might have the same amount of matter that a mountain has. We can’t see black holes because they don’t have any light. They are completely invisible. Scientists can guess where black holes are by studying nearby stars and planets. If gravity seems to be pulling the stars and planets to one spot, then scientists believe that the spot is a black hole. Some people wonder if a black hole could ever destroy the Earth. We do not need to worry about that. There is no black hole that is close enough to destroy the Earth. The closest black hole is about 7,800 light years away. In addition, the sun is not big enough to create a black hole.
6. The word “collapses” in paragraph 3 is closest in meaning to _________

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It’s in Your Genes
Every human being has about 25,000 genes. Your genes are part of your DNA. They give your body instructions on how to develop. For example, if your genes tell your body to build long, thin fingers, then you will have long, thin fingers. Your genes come from your parents, and they decide everything about you. They decide your hair colour, your eye colour, your height, and so on. Genes are still a bit of a mystery to scientists, but they are learning new things about them all the time. One issue that people often debate is this: Do our genes influence our personalities? These days, most people agree that the answer to this question is yes. Recent studies have shown that genes especially influence our self-control and our sense of purpose. Your sense of purpose is your desire to have goals in your life. If a person really wants to accomplish something and do well in life, he or she has a sense of purpose. A person who does not care about goals has no sense of purpose. Although scientists agree that our genes influence our personalities, there is another question. How much do they influence us? Can we control ourselves, or do our genes control us? People everywhere are still debating this issue. So far, we don’t really have an answer. Genes also affect your health. If a gene has a problem, it is called a mutated gene. Some mutated genes can cause diseases. That is why if a person has a certain health problem, his or her child is more likely to have that same problem. The child also has the mutated gene. As scientists and doctors learn more about genes, they are also developing a new kind of medicine: gene therapy. Therapy is help for a mental or a physical problem. Gene therapy means fixing or replacing mutated genes. Scientists are still experimenting on gene therapy. It is possible that in the future, gene therapy will help doctors prevent and cure diseases that are caused by mutated genes.
5. What might a person with a strong sense of purpose do?

Find mistakes:
Should you mind telling me the way to the nearest restaurant?

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What is the longest river __________ the world?

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Today, the menu on the ISS includes more than 100 items …….. astronauts can choose their daily meals before they fly into space.

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There are three valid arguments to support the preservation of endangered species. Aesthetic justification contends that biodiversity contributes to the quality of life because many of the endangered plants and animals are particularly appreciated for their unique physical beauty. The aesthetic role of nature in all its diverse forms is reflected in the art and literature of every culture attaining symbolic status in the spiritual life of many groups. According to the proponents of the aesthetic argument, people need nature in all its diverse and beautiful forms as part of the experience of the world. Another argument that has been put forward, especially by groups in the medical and pharmacological fields, is that of ecological self-interest. By preserving all species, we retain a balance of nature that is ultimately beneficial to humankind. Recent research on global ecosystems has been cited as evidence that every species contributes important or even essential functions that may be necessary to the survival of our own species. Some advocates of the ecological argument contend that important chemical compounds derived from rare plants may contain the key to a cure for one of the diseases currently threatening human beings. If we do not protect other species, then they cannot protect us. Apart from human advantage in both the aesthetic and ecological arguments, the proponents of a moral justification contend that all species have the right to exist, a viewpoint stated in the United Nations World Charter for Nature, created in 1982. Furthermore, if humankind views itself as the stewards of all the creatures on Earth, then it is incumbent upon human beings to protect them, and to ensure the continued existence of all species. Moral justification has been extended by a movement called “deep ecology,” the members of which rank the biosphere higher than people because the continuation of life depends on this larger perspective. To carry their argument to its logical conclusion, all choices must be made for the biosphere, not for people.
8. It can be infered from the passage that the author: 

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

"The nuclear family, consisting of a mother, father, and their children, may be more an American ideal than an American reality. Of course, the so-called traditional American family was always more varied than we had been led to believe, reflecting the very different racial, ethnic, class, and religious customs among American groups.
 The most recent government statistics reveal that only about one third of all current American families fit the traditional mold and another third consists of married couples who either have no children or have none still living at home. Of the final one, about 20 percent of the total number of American households are single people, usually women over sixty-five years old. A small percentage, about 3 percent of the total, consists of unmarried people who choose to live together, and the rest, about 7 percent, are single, usually divorced parents, with at least one child. Today, these varied family types are typical, and therefore, normal. Apparently, many Americans are achieving supportive relationships in family forms other than the traditional one."

5. Who generally constitutes a one-person household?

Choose the best answer:
Charlie said, "Tom had an accident last week but he wasn't injured".

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

Rapid urbanization can hold long-term economic, social and environmental promise for developing countries (23) ____ investments made now in infrastructure, housing and public services are efficient and sustainable, the World Bank says in a new report.

In the next two decades, cities are (24) ____ to expand by another two billion residents, as people move in unprecedented numbers from rural areas to pursue hopes and aspirations in cities. More than 90% of this urban population growth is expected to occur in the developing world, (25) ____ many cities are already struggling to provide basic needs such as water, electricity, transport, health services and education.

Report authors note that most new urban growth will not take (26) ____ in the “megacities” of the world e.g. Rio de Janeiro, Jakarta or New Delhi but rather in less commonly recognized “secondary” cities - places like Fushun in China, and Surat in India.

To help policymakers prepare for and manage growth, the report distills lessons learned from 12 countries across all geographic regions and stages of urbanization. It then translates these global lessons (27) ____ practical policy advice.

25................

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If you want to be a telephonist, you should _________ your communication skills.

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There is a special fund for the severely ....................... .

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions.
Together, the thousands of scientists and conservation organizations that contribute to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and other systems of assessment provide the world's largest knowledge base on the global status of species. The aim of these systems is to provide the general public, conservationists, nongovernmental organizations, the media, decision makers, and policy makers with comprehensive and scientifically rigorous information on the conservation status of the world's species and the threats that drive the observed patterns of population decline. Scientists in conservation and protected area management agencies use data on species status in the development of conservation planning and prioritization, the identification of important sites and species for dedicated conservation action and recovery planning, and educational programs. Although the IUCN Red List and other similar species-assessment tools do not prescribe the action to be taken, the data within the list are often used to inform legislation and policy and to determine conservation priorities at regional, national, and international levels. In contrast, the listing criteria of other categorization systems (such as the United States Endangered Species Act, the CITES) are prescriptive; they often require that landowners and various governmental agencies take specific mandatory steps to protect species falling within particular categories of threat It is likely that many undescribed or unassessed species of plants, animals, and other organisms have become or are in the process of becoming extinct. To maintain healthy populations of both known and unknown species, assessments and reassessments are valuable tools. Such monitoring work must continue so that the most current knowledge can be applied to effective environmental monitoring and management efforts. For many threatened species, large well-protected conservation areas (biological reserves) often play major roles in curbing population declines. Such reserves are often cited by conservation biologists and other authorities as the best way to protect individual species as well as the ecosystems they inhabit. In addition, large biological reserves may harbor several undescribed and unassessed species. Despite the creation of several large reserves around the world, poaching and illegal trafficking plague many areas. Consequently, even species in those areas require continued monitored and periodic assessment.
8. The word "cited" in paragraph 2 mostly means ____.

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She said to me that she______that car the following day.

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India’s Classical Jewel
If you are looking for a refreshing break from the standard pop songs on the radio and you have an open mind, give Indian classical music a try. It dates back to thousands of years to when the Vedas, India’s sacred holy texts were written. This makes it one of the oldest unbroken musical traditions in the world. In fact, the music itself is closely linked to Hinduism. The songs and chants were originally parts of devotional rituals performed to please the gods. The music features several instruments that are uniquely Indian, but two in particular are featured prominently. The first is the sitar, a stringed instrument with an extremely long neck. The sitar is a far more complex instrument than the guitar, as it can have as many as 20 strings. When played, it lets off a buzzing vibration that has a relaxing effect on listeners. The other instrument which is essential for classical Indian music is the tabla. Tablas are a special kind of hand drum that provides the tempo and rhythm. Tabla players sit on the floor and keep the drum in place by locking it between their knees. Unlike Western drummers, tabla players use their hands and fingers to play the instrument. The player’s fingers keep the beat, while a sudden flick of the wrist and a slide of the palm can change the pitch of the drum. Instead of songs, classical Indian music revolves around the concept of ragas, which are more accurately defined as musical themes. Players take these ideas and begin to improvise their own melodies around them. Ragas tend to be a bit longer than typical songs, and in some cases they can go for several hours. Each raga is expected to have a wide range of tempos to help viewers experience different emotions during the performance. One of the most influential classical Indian musicians was a sitar player named Ravi Shankar. After training for years to master his craft, he travelled to the US and Europe during the 1950s to perform for Western audiences. He would eventually become close friends with Beaties’ guitarist George Harrison, and his music would influence several of the band’s songs. Although he passed away in 2012, his music continues to inspire both Eastern and Western musicians alike.
2. According to the passage, how does the sitar compare to the guitar?

We have lost touch since we________ school three years ago.
(129)_______

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The Rise of E-books
Over the past decade, e-books have revolutionized the way people consume written formation. It will probably come as no surprise the total global sales number continues to rise each year. There are several reasons why readers are buying more e-books. For starters, reading a lengths e-book in front of your computer isn't the most comfortable thing to do. But since tablet sales have exploded, readers can now relax and read their favourite e-books in bed from the beach. Many e-books are often sold at lower prices than traditional books. Since there is almost zero cost for producing e-books, some authors are offering their novels at lower prices. Another factor is convenience. In the past, keeping a large book collection meant setting aside a lot of extra space in one's home. With e-books, it is now possible for readers to carry a portable library, which contains thousands of books. To really understand e-book market though, it is important to keep up with national trends. Recent data suggests that the e-book market in the US and the UK have matured. In both of these countries, e-book sales account for roughly 20 percent of overall book sales. Although that percentage continues to increase, it is going up at a slower rate than in the past. The popularity of e-books has exploded in Russia. In one poll, 70 percent of Russians claim to have read at least one e-book. However, publishers are not too pleased with this new because approximately 92 percent of e-books in Russia are acquired illegally. In France, consumers don't appear to be loo keen on e-books at this time. Although in 2012, e-book sales comprised about 3 percent of the market, it is predicted that this number will increase at a very slow pace. Some French people believe that reading e-books on small screens is uncomfortable. Others say that the French are a cultural exception, as they like the feeling of holding a dusty old physical book. This demonstrates that no matter how popular e- books get, it is unlikely that traditional books will disappear any time soon.
2. Which of the following is NOT a reason why e-books became popular worldwide?

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 :
How can a person offend people just because they cross their legs? In Thailand, it is rude for a person to show other people the bottom of their feet. This is considered unclean, and Thais can (1) ………….. serious offense at it. Another thing people do in the West is to touch people on the head especially children. It is very normal to see an old woman walking up to a young boy and (2) …………… his hair tenderly while saying what a handsome young man he is.      In Thailand, touching a person’s head is strictly taboo because that is the (3) …………… part of the body, and it is where the (4) ……………. is thought to reside in a person. Although very close family members might touch a child on the head, even this is considered rude after a child grows up.      In the Middle East and some parts of Asia, the left hand is used to wash oneself after using a toilet. (5) ………….., the left hand can never offered to another person or used to eat with. Food must always be passed with the right hand, and it is considered polite to always use the right hand for social interactions.