English

SBMPTN 2013
Over this decade, employment in jobs requiring education beyond a high school diploma will grow more rapidly
than employment in jobs that do not; of the 30 fastest growing occupations, more than half require post-secondary
education. With the average earnings of college graduates at a level that is twice as high as that of workers with only a
high school diploma, higher education is now the clearest … (1) ... into the middle class.
In higher education, the U.S. has been outpaced internationally. While the United States ranks ninth in the world
in the proportion of young adults enrolled in college, we have fallen to 16th in the world in our share of certificates
and degrees awarded to adults ages 25-34 — lagging behind Korea, Canada, Japan and other nations. While more than
half of college students graduate within six years, the … (2) ... for low-income students is around 25 percent.
Acknowledging these factors early in his administration, president Obama challenged ever American to commit
to at least one year of higher education or post-secondary training. … (3) … that America would once again have the
highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020.
1. The option that best completes (1) is …
a. Effort
b. Position
c. Pathway
d. Advantage
e. Beginning
2. The option that best completes (2) is …
a. Completion rate
b. Academic capacity
c. Logical understanding
d. Learning achievement
e. Intellectual development
3. The option that best completes (3) is …
a. Americans will deserve higher education for their future
b. Middle class Americans are invited to provide financial aids
c. American students are suggested to take entrepreneurial skills
d. The government recommends American for college education
e. The president has set up a new educational goal for the country

Agroecologists do not always agree about what agroecology is or should be in the long-term. Different
definitions of the term agroecology can be distinguished largely by the specificity with which one defines the term
"ecology," as well as the term's potential political connotations. Definitions of agroecology, therefore, may be first
grouped according to the specific contexts within which they situate agriculture. Agroecology is defined as "the study of
the relation of agricultural crops and environment." This definition refers to the "-ecology" part of "agroecology"
narrowly as the natural environment. Following this definition, an agroecologist would study agriculture's various
relationships with soil health, water quality, air quality, meso-and-micro-fauna, surrounding flora, environmental toxins,
and other environmental contexts.
A more common definition of the word can be taken from Dalgaard et al, who refer to agroecology as the study
of the interactions between plants, animals, humans and the environment within agricultural systems. Consequently,
agroecology is inherently multidisciplinary, including factors from agronomy, ecology, sociology, economics and
related disciplines. In this case, the "-ecology" portion of "agroecology is defined broadly to include social, cultural, and
economic contexts as well.
In the global south, the term often carries overtly political connotations. Such political definitions of the term
usually ascribe to it the goals of social and economic justice; special attention, in this case, is often paid to the
traditional farming knowledge of indigenous populations. North American and European uses of the term sometimes
avoid the inclusion of such overtly political goals. In these, agroecology is seen more strictly as a scientific discipline
with less specific social goals. (www.docstoc.com )
4. Ideas in paragraph 2 and 3 define agroecology as shown in the consecutive relation as …
a. Political and interactive approaches
b. General and cross-authoritative sides
c. Muldisciplinary and restricted angels
d. Ecological and socio-economic viewpoints
e. Agricultural and socio-cultural perspective
5. Based on the passage above, if someone is a genuine agroecologist, he/she will likely …
a. Examine social, cultural, and economic aspects
b. Do research on environmental and political loads
c. Include scientific methodology in his/her approach
d. Put aside social aspects in his/her ecological studies

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e. Make use of multidisciplinary analyses in his/her inquiry

6. Regarding the definition of agroecology, the author assumes that it …
a. Tends to denote scientific loads
b. May be understood contextually
c. Can be interpreted differently
d. Has universal underlying values
e. Should be exclusively situated
7. The points provided in paragraph 3 of the passage explain that …
a. Interpreting agroecoloy needs to include political sides
b. Agroecology is associated geographically and politically
c. Different places tent to define agroecology scientifically
d. People‘s aspiration of agroecology differs significantly
e. Nobody can define agroecology with scientific precision
Did you ride your bike to school when you were a kid? A generation ago most kids rode, walked or caught the
bus to school; very few of us were dropped off by our parents at the school gate. These days most of us have
experienced the daily traffic jams around school at drop off and pick up times, as parents‘ drives their children to the
school gate. While there is no national data on the number of children who walk or ride to school, a recent Victorian
survey found nearly half of all children are driven to school every day.
Parents choose to drop their kids at school for a number of reasons - mostly to do with safety and convenience.
But experts say chauffeuring your kids to school every day could mean they are missing out on much needed exercise
and other life skills.
Research suggests at least a third of Australian children aged 9-16 years are not getting the amount of daily
physical activity recommended in national guidelines But this is not because children's participation in leisure or
sporting activities has dropped off, says Dr. Jan Garrard. Participation in these activities has not altered much over the
years, Garrard says but what has changed is the level of incidental activity children do. "When you look at countries
where children are lust active as part of everyday life, they do not have to be sporty. All they have to do is to get around
the way the community gets around by walking and cycling, and they get enough physical activity,‖ she says.
(www.abc.net.au )
8. By writing the sentences ―… chauffeuring your kids to school every day could mean they are missing out on
much-needed exercise and other life skills.‖ (paragraph 2), the author implies that …
a. Kids given a lift to school likely lose vital social and physical advantages
b. Taking kids to school makes them deprived individuals when they grow up
c. Schooling means not only learning in classes but also socializing with others
d. Parents spoil their kids‘ future social and physical life by giving them a lift
e. When a child needs physical and social training, parents should facilitate them
9. Dr. Garrard‘s statement ― … where children are just active as part of everyday life, they do not have to sporty …‖
(paragraph 3) may be best restated that …
a. Children who are active do not
b. Being muscular should not to be the aim of children who are naturally active
c. Children‘s physical fitness is not closely related with their daily activities
d. Activeness in children does not mean to make these children physically fit
e. When naturally active, children need no more scheduled sports activities
10. The part of following the passage above most likely contains information on …
a. Advice to parents for their for their children to have enough physical activities
b. The decreasing trend of children to do physical activities at their will
c. Parental motives behind chauffeuring their children to school
d. Reasons for children not to do fun and incidental activities
e. Effects of having children not to be given a lift to school
11. The author developed some ideas in paragraph 2 by …
a. Explaining reasons for chauffeuring and their advantages
b. Describing parent‘s chauffeuring followed by its effects
c. Discussing the function of chauffeuring and the impacts
d. Arguing for chauffeuring practices for children‘s safety
e. Exposing how parents chauffeur and its drawbacks
Passages A
People still collect books as valuable antiques or for a hobby, but you get virtually all the information you need
from the view-screen of your home computer system The computer is linked to a library not a library of books but an
electronic library whore information on every subjects is stored in computer memory banks.
Having this service at your fingertips is like having a huge brand-new encyclopedia in your homes at all times.
The computer can tell you anything you want to know, and the information is always the very latest available. There

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need be only one central library to which computers in homes, offices, schools and colleges are connected. At the
library experts are constantly busy, feeding in the very latest information as they receive it. In theory one huge
electronic library could serve the whole world!
(blogs.smithsonianmag.com)
Passage B
E-books have not spelled the demise of the local library in New York. In fact, according to a new report from the
Center for an Urban Future, 40.5 million people visited the city's public libraries, more than all of the city's professional
sports teams and major cultural institutions combined.
The report "Branches of Opportunity" looks at the changing role of the city's libraries in the digital age. It finds
that while public libraries are serving more New Yorkers than ever, they are "undervalued by policymakers and face
growing threats." New York City's library system is a unique hybrid. Three organizations - the New York Public
Library, along with the Brooklyn and Queens libraries - operate 206 local branches throughout the five boroughs.
(www.wnyc.org)
12. The topic discussed in both passage is … b. Access to information in an e-library requires a
a. The electronic library establishment in the digital good IT system
era c. Libraries provide quick access to free e-book and
b. The number of public library visitors in New newspapers
York d. The role of library change fast due to advanced IT
c. The advanced technology in managing libraries technology
d. The importance of libraries in the computer era e. People still dream of using libraries in spite of
e. The preference of choosing public libraries time and space
13. Which idea in passage B is different from that in 15. Based on the information in both passages, it can be
passage A hypothesized that …
a. E-libraries require sophisticated IT expertise a. Policies should be made to conserve common
b. Access to information in e-libraries is unlimited libraries
c. Collections of e-libraries are regularly updated b. Conventional libraries will continue despite of the
d. In reality most people are still e-library illiterate threats
e. Libraries function as a huge information bank c. Unpopularity of ordinary libraries is obvious
14. The following statements is true according to both d. Electronic libraries will gain much popularity
passages? e. Threats to book publishers becomes more serious
a. People would rather go to the library than watch
sporting events

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SBMPTN 2014 (612)

Parents send their children to school with the best of intentions, believing that formal education is what kids need
to become productive, happy adults. Many parents do have qualms about how well schools are performing, but the
conventional wisdom is that these issues can be resolved with more money, better teachers, more challenging
curricula, or more rigorous tests. But what if the real problem is school itself? The unfortunate fact is that one of our
most cherished institutions is, by its very nature, failing our children and our society.
Children are required to be in school, where their freedom is greatly restricted, far more than most adults would
tolerate in their workspaces. In recent decades, we have been compelling them to spend ever more time in this kind of
setting, and there is strong evidence that this is causing psychological damage to many of them. And as scientists have
investigated how children naturally learn, they have realized that kids do so most deeply and fully, and with greatest
enthusiasm, in conditions that are almost opposite to those of school.
Compulsory education has been a fixture of our culture now for several generations. President Obama and
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan are so enamored of it that they want even longer school days and years. Most
people assume that the basic design of today's schools emerged from scientific evidence about how children learn. But
nothing could be further from the truth.
Schools as we know them today are a product of history, not of research. The blueprint for them was developed
during the Protestant Reformation, when schools were created to teach children to read the Bible, to believe Scripture
without questioning it, and to obey authority figures without questioning them. When schools were taken over by the
state, made compulsory, and directed toward secular ends, the basic structure and methods of teaching remained
unchanged. Subsequent attempts at reform have failed because they have not altered the basic blueprint. The top
down, teach-and-test method, in which learning is motivated by a system of rewards and punishments rather than by
curiosity or by any real desire to know, is well designed for indoctrination and obedience training but not much else. It
is no wonder that many of the world's greatest entrepreneurs and innovators either left school early (like Thomas
Edison) or said they hated school and learned despite it, not because of it (like Albert Einstein).
Adapted from:/www.rd.com/advice/parenting/American-school-system-damaging-kids/#ixzz2q3SLk4Hn. Accesed
February 12,2014)
1. What is the purpose of the text?
a. To review how compulsory education in the USA has met parents‘ expectation
b. To remind American parents that the formal school is basically a product of culture
c. To tell the readers that formal schools in the USA have been constantly developed for a long time
d. To discuss if the American system is truly effective to educate children
e. To describe how American children learn at school and in the real-life settings
2. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word ―qualms‖?
a. Beliefs
b. Request
c. Remarks
d. Views
e. Doubts
3. What is the topic of the text above?
a. Restrictive in children‘s freedom at the US schools
b. Parents‘ expectation on reformation in American school system
c. Doubts on the effectiveness of American school systems
d. Regulations for American children to stay longer at schools
e. Absence of research-based school system in the USA
Ecotourism is defined as purposeful travel that creates an understanding of cultural and natural history. while
safe guarding the integrity of the ecosystem and producing economic benefits that encourage conservation' The
definition recognizes that ecotourism is an important educational tool, Real life exposure to a natural situation in the
accompaniment of an experienced guide leads a greater increase, in knowledge than real life exposure without a guide,
or exposure to a knowledge able guide in an artificial setting.
More than 50 years ago, Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget studied the development of human cognitive capability
and its dynamic relationship with the physical world. He viewed cognitive development as an interaction between
physical maturation of the brain and environmentally induced changes in learning. He observed that, as children grow,
they proceed through a series of increasingly abstract thinking styles. Piaget demonstrated that a primary motivation for
learning is resolution of cognitive conflict, which he described as 'disequilibrium'.
Borrowing upon principles of cognitive psychology, my colleagues and I have developed an interpreted mode
for presenting information about marine mammals and their ocean environment during whale-watch in Hawaii and
Australia. The model has more recently been extended to include snorkeling excursions to coral reef areas near Maui,
Hawaii.
Its application can be examined in the context of a typical 2.5 h commercial whale-watch trip aboard a Pacific
Whale Foundation passenger vessel to observe humpback whales in Hawaii. Each whale-watch trip is a different

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venture, controlled by such variable factors as the number and type of passengers, weather conditions, what the whales
choose to do (or not to do, as the case may be), the type of vessel, and the experience of the captain Nonetheless, it is
possible to view the trip as a structured experience, and to guide participants through an education sequence that has
very clear goals and objectives that can be monitored and monitored and evaluated over time.
(Adapted from Ocean & Coastal management 20, 1993, p. 267-282)
4. The purpose of the text is to …
a. Describe the development of an interpretive model of ecotourism
b. Explain the influence of Piaget‘s cognitive theory of learning on ecotourism
c. Show that ecotourism can be interpreted contextually as excursions
d. Discuss the relevance of a learning theory with ecotourism as education
e. Define ecotourism from theories of learning and their application
5. The word ―its‖ (paragraph 4) refers to …
a. Interpretive model
b. Extended model
c. Marine mammal trip
d. Whale-watch program
e. Environment-based model
6. Which of the following can best replace word ―venture‖ paragraph 4?
a. Effort
b. Course
c. Activity
d. Pleasure
e. Experience
7. What is the topic of the text?
a. Definition of ecotourism
b. Learning through excursions
c. Ecotourism ad learning resource
d. Influences of environment in learning induction
e. Learning controlled by environmental variables
8. Paragraph 4 implies that …
a. An education is for fun
b. The guide is the instructor
c. The captain organizes the trip
d. Learning is through experiencing
e. Participants are evaluated at the end of the trip
9. The text mentions all of the following, EXCEPT …
a. Additional important benefits of ecotourism
b. Impact of ecotourism on environment understanding
c. Excursions because of various independent variables
d. Brain and environment interaction influencing cognitive growth
e. The interpretive model covering both waters and terrestrial excursion

Population growth occurs because there are currently three births, for every death. In the past the crude birthrates
were only slightly higher than crude death rates but with improvements in medicine and economic growth, the death
rate fell more than birth rates. Much of the world‘s population growth is occurring in less-developed countries, which
are unable to support such growth. The causal effect between poverty arid population growths can be looked at in two
ways. First, population growth causes poverty as, the limited resources are depleted and there are too many people for
the available goods, resulting in poverty The other view is that poverty causes high population growth because lack of
education, lack of health care, and lack of a reasonable standard of living cause high population growth. Also parents
believe that having many children will ensure that several of them will survive to take care of them in their old age.
Cultures in which children are a form of security encourage high population growth, as children reach reproductive age
and have large families.
Much of the growth is happening disproportionately in urban areas. Cities are environmentally, harmful because
they import many resources for the people that live there and they export their wastes. They also have an impact on the
local and regional meteorology and are centers for social problems such as crime, homelessness, and unemployment to
name a few. Cities do offer many amenities such as cultural opportunities, jobs, and education. There are some good
environmental aspects to cities, such as the promotion of efficiency in transportation, housing, utilities, the provision of
necessary goods and services, and the accommodation of large numbers of people within a relatively small space. The
biggest problem with cities is that people want the benefits of city while still living in the country. This leads to urban
sprawl and suburban.
(Adapted from hhp://www.preservearticies.com20110330404817. Accessed February 22.2014)

10. The purpose of the text is to …

a. Show negative impacts of population growth
b. Describe factors contributing to poverty in cities

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c. Analyze causes of economic growth to population

d. Compare population growth in the past and the present
e. Discuss population problems in urban areas of developing countries
11. In which lines does the author assume people‘s expectation of village life with city convenience?
a. 4-6
b. 8-9
c. 11-12
d. 12-14
e. 17-18
12. The pronoun ―they‖ in line 12 refers to …
a. People
b. Areas
c. Resource
d. Cities
e. Families
13. It can be inferred from the text that …
a. Life quality of cities is worse than that of suburban
b. Poverty in a country is linked to its rapid birthrates
c. The less developed a country is the worse its economic growth is
d. Less developed countries tend to show a higher rate of population growth
e. The more children parents have, the better their economy will be
14. The writer organizes the ideas in the text by …
a. Showing the causes of population growth and their effect
b. Defining population growth followed with several examples
c. Arguing against population growth, followed with a case in urban places
d. Describing a historical account of population growth in the past and the present
e. Comparing effects of population growth in countries od different development
15. Which of the following is true according to the text?
a. High population growth result in a problem where cities cannot provide enough jobs
b. Parents now tend to have few children in less-developed and developed countries
c. Large families are tolerated in less-developed countries due to their predominant belief
d. Economic growth gives little contribution to population growth
e. In the past three were births for every death in less-developed countries

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SBMPTN 2015
The present study sought to document the word reading and comprehension levels attained by children who were
implanted by 5 year of age. It was hypothesized that the improved speech perception abilities acquired with cochlear
implantation would promote phonological coding skills. … (1) ...
Three subtests of diagnostic reading assessment batteries standardized on hearing children were administered to
181 children between 8 year 0 month and 9 year 11 month of age who had 4 to 6 years of implant experience. … (2)
... It included a lexical decision task, a rhyme task, and the digit span subtest of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for
Children.
Over half of the children scored within the average range for their age compared with the normative data for
hearing children. … (3) ... They were higher nonverbal intelligence, higher family socio-economic status, and later
onset of deafness between birth and 36 months.
(Adapted from Journal of ear and Hearing)

1. Which option best complete (1)?

a. The finding showed that the hypothesis was accepted
b. The implantation was eventually shown to be successful
c. The following paragraph would discuss the findings of the study
d. The objective of the study was to see the subjects reading skills
e. It would also facilitate the acquisition of beginning reading skills
2. Which option best completes (2)?
a. Likewise, the children were obliged to take a reading test
b. In addition a battery of processing measures was administered
c. However, standard measurement was applied to test the subjects
d. Consequently, the assessment was used to evaluate the reading skills
e. Instead, an interview consisting of many different tasks was conducted
3. Which option best completes (3)?
a. The results were categorized based on the subject‘s status
b. Data were collected on the basis of several different items
c. Reading competence was associated with three aspects
d. The subjects consisted of different age children
e. Findings showed various levels of reading skills
These are amazing advances but while all this scientific back-slapping is going on, the dark cloud on the horizon
is the emerging, Ebola epidemic in West Africa and the warning undercurrent that comes with it. At the time writing at
least 7000 people have been infected and half of those have died. The CDC in America also estimate that, because the
level of reporting is so poor the numbers can, in all likelihood, be doubled or even tripled. And because the rates of
infection appear to growing exponentially tens of thousands, or even millions, might ultimately be affected.
To put the scale of the present situation into perspective since the first recorded case of Ebola in the Democratic
Republic of Congo 38 years ago there have been fewer than 2.500 deaths documented in total. So this single present
outbreak is already three times larger than the entire Ebola death toll ever. It‘s also no longer just an African problem
The West has had its own wake-up call this week as the US and Spain, countries previously regarded as immune to the
threat thanks to modern medicine, have reported imported cases of the condition and despite strict infection-control
guidelines and practices, onward transmissions of Ebola on their home soil.
What is remarkable though is that, while Ebola is terrifying and dramatic in its impact when it causes an
outbreak, it appears to be a relatively easy agent to fight. Experimental vaccines tested so far on animals have been
impressively effective, protecting against even injection of the live Ebola virus. But because they are at a test stage,
these agents, which will be critical if we're to nip this outbreak in the bud, are nowhere near ready for mass production.
Trials are only now getting underway of human versions of the vaccines in Oxford, UK, and the US. "Way too late,"
many are saying, to prevent the inevitable.
So why is it that, nearly 40 years after Ebola first surfaced, the world finds itself in a state of panic, and up to ten
thousand people are dead, owing to a bug that's probably preventable - thanks to scientific research done decades ago?
The answer is that Ebola was regarded as someone else's problem. It was a tropical disease of low importance and
(presumed to be) constrained by geography and climate to a part' of the world that held little economic interest to the
rest of us. But therein lies a salutary lesson: because if even a tiny fraction - less than 1% -of what the present outbreak
is now costing the world in terms of lost productivity, humanitarian aid and human lives lost had been spent 20 years
ago to develop an Ebola vaccine, we probably wouldn't be in this position now. It's easy to dismiss tropical diseases as
an issue that won't affect the West, but the present situation is a warning shot across our bows that we ignore at our
peril. (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/ )

4. How are the ideas in paragraphs 1 and 2 related?

a. Paragraph 1 and 2 highlight the horror of the Ebola outbreak
b. Paragraph 1 contradicts the explanation of Ebola in paragraph 2
c. Paragraph 1 and 2 argue Ebola can be prevented with the latest vaccines
d. Paragraph 1 states the causes of Ebola and paragraph 2 explain the effects
e. Paragraph 1 defines an epidemic disease and paragraph 2 gives the examples

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5. Which of the following is most relevant with the idea of Ebola outbreak described in the passage?
a. Scientists are developing a new drug, but they are running out of fund
b. A mother does not comfort her crying son who merely wants her attention
c. A diabetic man ignored a slight wound on his toe, the he got infected horribly
d. Students choose not to study for an upcoming test was book open
e. A recently launched book has caused a problem due to its controversial content
6. The assumption the author has about the West is …
a. They act fast to prevent a disease only if it is important for them
b. Tropical disease are considered exotic and dangerous by the people
c. It is difficult to convince them that they need to send medical help to Africa
d. They are really interested in developing Ebola vaccines for mass production
e. They intentionally postpone developing Ebola vaccines because it is expensive
7. Which sentences most effectively illustrate the current Ebola prevalence?
a. 2-4 paragraph 1
b. 1-2 paragraph 2
c. 2-3 paragraph 3
d. 1-2 paragraph 4
e. 4-5 paragraph 5
8. Paragraph 3 implies that …
a. Ebola vaccines are very complex and time consuming to create
b. Ebola vaccines should have been tested on human much earlier
c. It is inappropriate for Ebola vaccines to be safely tested on humans
d. The UK and US are countries that are in urgent needs of Ebola viruses
e. Testing Ebola vaccines on animals takes many years before their use on human
9. Which of the following best relates ideas of paragraph 4?
a. Ebola has been a major problem for 40 years, so it will be over soon
b. Ebola only affects the countries with little economic and political power
c. The number of patients dying from Ebola will likely remain the same
d. Scientists are developing vaccines that can be used for animals and humans
e. Had its vaccines been seriously created earlier, Ebola could have been cured
As spring arrives, albeit quite late this year for many of us, we notice the changing of seasons not only by the
weather, but also by a host of natural events. Depending on where you live, the crocuses may poke through the snow,
the killdeer may be back, or the cherry trees may bloom. There is an orderly sequence of events that seem to occur, with
various spring flowers appearing in order, red maple buds bursting into new leaves, or the old lilac by the barn scenting
the air. This seasonal cycle of natural phenomena is called phenology. Global climate change appears to be interfering
with the phenology of the species, at the very heart of species interaction.
In the temperate regions like the northern half of the United States, there is comparatively little biological activity
in winter. Most plants are dormant, and so are the insects feeding on them. In turn, animals that rely on these insects,
such as bats and birds, are hibernating or spending the cold months in more southerly locations. Ectotherms like reptiles
and amphibians, which take their body warmth from their environment, also have active phases tied to the seasons. This
long winter period constrains all the growing, breeding, and dispersing activities that plants and animals do to a short
favorable window. That is what makes spring so vibrant, with plants flowering and putting on new growth, insects
emerging and breeding, and birds flying back to take advantage of this short-lived bounty. The onsets of each of these
activities add up to so many phenological markers.
Different organisms respond to different cues to initiate seasonal activities. Many plants will start growing leaves
again after a set period of dormancy, which very roughly dictates the leaf-out window. Cue that more precisely
determine when the buds break can be soil temperature, air temperature, or water availability. Similarly, temperature
cues can promote the beginning of insect activity. Day length itself can be the operative trigger for some seasonal
events. It is only when there are a sufficient number of daylight hours that reproductive hormones will be produced in
many bird species.
The most energy-demanding period in the life of most animals is when they reproduce. For that reason, it is to
their advantage to coincide breeding (and for many the raising of young) during a period when food is most abundant.
Caterpillars should hatch just as the young tender leaves of oak tree emerge, before they harden and become less
nutritious .breeding songbirds need to time the hatching of their young just during that peak in caterpillar activity, so
they can take advantage of this rich source of protein to feed their offspring. Many species have evolved to exploit
peaks in resource availability, so all these seemingly independent phonological events are indeed part of a complex web
of precise interactions. Disturbances in seasonal events can have profound effects on ecosystems.
(http://environtment.about.com/)

10. The author‘s bias regarding spring phenology is that d. Birds are flying back to take advantage of short-
… lived bounty
a. Spring arrives late e. Many species have evolved to exploit peaks in
b. Spring is so enthusiastic resource availability
c. Various spring flowers appear in order 11. In presenting the ideas, the author starts by …

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a. Showing evidence of why scientists are d. The seasonal cycle of natural phenomena
concerned with phenology e. Factors triggering phonological events
b. Describing the natural characteristics and 14. The ideas in the passage may be best summarized
definition of phenology that …
c. Stating the needs for triggering phonological a. In winter plants are dormant and animals are
events hibernating
d. Arguing how climate change is affecting b. Seasons change as the natural events do
phenology following them
e. Referring to global climate change c. Winter constrains plants and animals from
12. The author‘s attitude towards sensational cycle of growing and breeding
natural events is … d. Different organism respond to different cues for
a. Assertive seasonal activities
b. Objective e. Phonological events represent a complex chain
c. Optimistic of natural interactions
d. Supportive 15. Based on the passage, it can be hypothesized, that
e. Sympathetic reproductive hormones in many birds‘ species will
13. The paragraph following the passage most likely not be produced if …
deals with … a. There is an inadequate number of daylight
a. The interference of global climate change to hours
species phenology b. Seasons as well as local weather change a bit
b. Reasons for scientists to be concerned with c. Those feeding on insects are hibernating
phenology d. No orderly sequence of event occur
c. Processes in climate change to affect phenology e. Global climate change happens

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SBMPTN 2016
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are a group of highly inheritable behavioral disorders that pose major
personal and public health concerns. Patients with ASDs have mild to severe communication difficulties, repetitive
behavior and social challenges. Such disorders significantly challenge an individual's ability to conduct daily activities
and function normally in society. Currently there are very few medication options that effectively treat ASDs.
Recognizing a need to better understand the biology that produces ASD symptoms, scientists at Duke-NUS and
NNI, Singapore, have identified a novel mechanism that potentially links abnormal brain development to the cause of
ASDs. This new knowledge will help to improve the diagnosis and development of therapeutic interventions for ASDs.
The study has shown how one brain-specific microRNA (rniR-128) plays a key role in causing abnormal brain
development. MicroRNAs are small molecules that regulate gene expression in the human body to ensure proper
cellular functions. Although it was known that mat-128 is misregulated in some patients with autism, what that meant
and how it functioned was not known.
The research team showed that miR-128 targets a protein called PCM1 that is critical to the cell division of neural
precursor cells (NPCs). NPCs during early brain development have two fates — they either stay as NPCs and undergo
self-renewal or become neurons through differentiation. The dysfunctional regulation of PCM1 by misregulated miR-
128 impairs brain development, which may underlie brain size changes in people with ASDs.
For the first time, the researchers have managed to show that miR-128 is a mechanism that regulates early
neuronal behavior during brain development. They believe that targeting this mechanism may be the answer to diagnose
and treat ASDs that are caused by abnormal brain development.
This important study suggests a link between a key neurological disease gene and regulation of microRNAs in the
brain. However, the researchers are just starting to understand how misregulated miR-128 expression can damage our
brain activities. Much more works needs to be done in this area.
(Adapted from: https//www.duke-nus.edu.sg/news/explaining-autism-study-identifies-novel-mechanism-causes-
abnoral-brain-development)
1. What is the topic of the passage?
a. A new mechanism that could links abnormal brain development to the cause of ASDs
b. The better understanding of biology that produce symptoms of ASD
c. Improving the diagnosis and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders
d. The activities of the joint research team Duke-NUS and NNI Singapore
e. The link between a key neurological disease gene and microRNAs regulation in the brain
2. The word impairs in paragraph 4 means …
a. Puts together
b. Harms
c. Slow down
d. Drops
e. Enhances
3. What do the researchers expect to be able to do as a result of their findings?
a. Cure people who have ASDs
b. Identify people who have ASDs
c. Develop new medications for ASDs
d. Stop abnormal brain development
e. Reverse brain size changes in people with ASDs

Over the last two decades, the use of ICT has been an important topic in education. On the one hand, studies have
shown that ICT can enhance teaching and learning outcomes. For example, in science and mathematics education,
scholars have documented that the use of ICT can improve students' conceptual understanding, problem solving, and
team working skills. Consequently, most curriculum documents state the importance of ICT and encourage school
teachers to use them. However, teachers need to be specifically trained in order to integrate ICT in their teaching.
Schools are known to be resistant to innovation and change. However, the spread of ICT is beginning to affect
how teachers teach. One of the current issues about the use of ICT is how it is integrated into the curriculum. The
curriculum documents provide arguments for introducing ICT in the school setting. Therefore, schools expect that
graduates from teacher education programs have a reasonable knowledge of how to use ICT. However, this may not be
the case because most current teachers' pre-service preparation and subsequent in-service courses were designed by
using traditional educational technology and settings. Thus, the participants in these courses are not familiar with the
processes, interaction patterns, features and possibilities of teaching learning processes based on ICT.
This issue becomes complicated because the students' thinking skills are often weak. Also, they typically lack
information literacy skills although they were born in or after 1982. In addition, they belong to the "Next Generation".

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Furthermore, they are accustomed to operating in a digital environment for communication, information gathering, and
analysis. The problem is that students do not have to understand how their use of technology affects their habits of
learning.
Effective development of pre-service teachers' ICT proficiency does not seem to be a direct process, but is the one
asking for a careful, complex approach. First, a needs assessment is important to find out what ICT skills and
knowledge teachers need at schools. Second, designers of teacher education programs should know the pre-service
teachers' perceptions of ICT and their attitudes toward ICT integration into curriculum. Third, teacher education
programs need to consider the two typical arguments that support the ICT use in schools.
(Adapted from: http://www.cjlt.ca/index.php/cjlt/article/view/498/229)
4. With the statement ―one of the current issues about the use of ICT is how it is integrated into the curriculum.‖ In
paragraph 2, the author intends to …
a. Emphasize the need for teachers with good literacy in technology
b. Explore the reasons for including ICT in the curriculum document
c. Explain the curriculum documents for ICT introduction in education
d. Argue that current teachers already have good knowledge of using ICT
e. Show that teacher education programs have been running expected ICT curriculum
5. The author‘s idea of the relationship between the use of ICT and learning outcome is analogous with …
a. Vitamin – health
b. Speed – aero plane
c. Harvest – irrigation
d. Cellphone – crime
e. Books – intelligence
6. The assumption the author has about teacher education programs is that …
a. The programs have introduced a reasonable knowledge of how to use ICT
b. The programs have found out what ICT skill and knowledge the teachers need
c. The programs have given materials related to the pre-services teachers‘ perceptions of ICT
d. The programs were still designed in reference to traditional educational technology and setting
e. The programs have participants who are familiar with the processes of technology mediated educational
transactions
7. Which lines of the passage illustrate the ideal ICT teacher education programs most effectively?
a. 7
b. 9-11
c. 16-17
d. 17-19
e. 20-21
Climate change is changing our economy, health, and communities in diverse ways. Scientists warn that if we do
not aggressively curb climate change now, the results will likely be disastrous.
Carbon dioxide and other global warming pollutants are collecting in the atmosphere like a thickening blanket,
trapping the sun's heat and causing the planet to warm up.
Although local temperatures fluctuate naturally, over the past 50 years the average global temperature has
increased at the fastest rate in recorded history. Scientists say that unless we curb the emissions that cause climate
change, average U.S. temperatures could be 3 to 9 degrees higher by the end of the century.
Climate change is a complex phenomenon, and its full-scale impacts are hard to predict far in advance. But each
year scientists learn more about how climate change is affecting the planet and our communities, and most agree that
certain consequences are likely to occur if current trends continue.
In addition to impacting our water resources, energy supply, transportation, agriculture, and ecosystems, the
United States Global Change Research Program concludes that climate change also poses unique challenges to human
health, for example, significant increases in the risk of illness and death related to extreme heat and heat waves are very
likely. Some diseases transmitted by food, water, and insects are likely to increase. Certain groups, including children,
the elderly, and the poor, are most vulnerable to a range of climate-related health effects. These impacts will result in
significant costs to our families and the economy.
Here is the good news: technologies exist today to make cars that run cleaner and burn less gas, modernize power
plants and generate electricity from nonpolluting sources, and cut our electricity use through energy efficiency. The
challenge is to be sure these solutions are put to use.
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is tackling global warming on two main fronts — cutting pollution
and expanding clean energy. Transitioning to a clean energy economy will bring new jobs and reduce air pollution. We
cannot afford to wait.
(Adapted from https://group.axa.com/en/newsroorn/news/global-warming)

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8. It can be inferred from the paragraph 2 that …

a. Carbon dioxide and other pollutants blanket the atmosphere
b. Carbon dioxide and other pollutants collect the sun‘s heat
c. The sun‘s heat blankets the atmosphere
d. Carbon dioxide and other pollutants warm up the atmosphere
e. The atmosphere accumulates carbon dioxide and other pollutants
9. The sentences ―Climates change is a complex phenomenon, and its full scale impacts are hard to predict far in
advance.‖ In paragraph 2, is closest in meaning to …
a. It is impossible to forecast the effects of climate change
b. It is intricate to understand the nature of climate change
c. It is hard to understand the full-scale effects of climate change
d. It is complicated to predict climate change due to its full-scale effect
e. It is difficult to precisely predict the effects of climate change due to its complex nature
10. Which of the following obviously shows the author‘s bias?
a. Climate change is changing our economy, health, and communities in divers ways
b. Climate change is a complex phenomenon, and its full-scale impacts are hard to predict far in advance
c. Significant increases in the risk of illness and death related to extreme heat and heat waves are very likely
d. The challenge is to be sure these solutions are put to use
e. Transitioning to a clean energy economy will bring new jobs and reduce air pollution. We cannot afford to
wait
11. The author presents the unique challenges to human health due to climate change by …
a. Discussing several examples
b. Pointing out several examples
c. Explaining a research program
d. Outlining a research program
e. Making a prediction
Despite its name, heartburn has nothing to do with the heart. Some of the symptoms, however, are similar to those
of a heart attack or heart disease. Heartburn is an irritation of the esophagus that is caused by stomach acid, which can
create a burning discomfort in the upper abdomen or below the breast bone.
With gravity's help, a muscular valve called the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES, keeps stomach acid in the
stomach. The LES is located where the esophagus meets the stomach — below the rib cage and slightly left of center.
Normally it opens to allow food into the stomach or to permit belching, and then closes again. lf, however, the LES
opens too often or does not close tight enough, stomach acid can reflux, or seep, into the esophagus and cause the
burning sensation. Occasional heartburn is not dangerous, but chronic heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease
(GERD) can sometimes lead to serious problems.
The basic cause of heartburn is a lower esophageal sphincter, or LES, that does not tighten as it should. Two
excesses often contribute to this problem: too much food in the stomach (overeating) or too much pressure on the
stomach (frequently from obesity, pregnancy, or constipation). Certain foods commonly relax the LES, including
tomatoes, citrus fruits, garlic, onions, chocolate, coffee, alcohol, caffeinated products, and peppermint. Meals high in
fats and oils (animal or vegetable) often lead to heartburn, as do certain medications. Stress and lack of sleep can
increase acid production and can cause heartburn. Smoking, which relaxes the LES and stimulates stomach acid, is a
major contributor.
How does heartburn happen? When you eat, food goes from your mouth down a tube called the esophagus into
your stomach. In between the esophagus and the stomach is an opening called the lower esophageal sphincter. This
muscular valve acts like a door to let food into your stomach. It normally closes quickly behind the food to keep
stomach acids — which break down the food — from backing up into your esophagus.
If that valve does not close all the way, stomach acid backs up, or refluxes, into the esophagus. Stomach acid
irritates the lining of the esophagus and causes a painful burning sensation. The feeling may be worse after bending
over or when you lie down.
Certain foods and drinks — like tomato products, alcohol, citrus, coffee, and fatty or spicy foods — may be more
likely to irritate the lower esophageal sphincter and make heartburn worse. Being overweight, eating big meals, wearing
clothes that are tight around the waist, and smoking also raise your risk for heartburn. Learning what triggers your
heartburn can help you ease the burn.
(Adapted from http://www.gghospital.in/blog/heartburn-cause-and-cure/)
12. Which of the following reflects the author‘s attitude toward the topic of the passage?
a. Persuasive
b. Indifferent
c. Informative
d. Skeptical

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e. Optimistic
13. The paragraph following the passage most likely discusses …
a. Other factors causing heartburn
b. Kinds of food recommended
c. Overweight related to heartburn
d. Smoking effect on heartburn
e. The best way to cure heartburn
14. The passage can be summarized as follows …
a. Certain food and behaviors can trigger reflux that is the main cause heartburn
b. Stress and lack of sleep can increase acid production and can cause heartburn
c. Understanding causes, symptoms, and how heartburn occurs helps sufferers prepare for its attacks
d. The muscular valve in the abdomen works in a certain way that can lead to heartburn
e. The feeling or heartburn can go from bad to worse when doing some physical activities
15. What will happen when the lower esophageal sphincter does not close after entry of food?
a. The esophagus may close down
b. It may cause the sufferer to vomit
c. It may irritate the lining of the esophagus
d. Stomach acid backs up into esophagus
e. The food it breaks down may open the esophagus

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SBMPTN 2017
A panic attack is a sudden feeling of terror Usually it does not last long, but it many feel forever The cause can be
something as normal as driving over a bridge or flying in an airplane, It can happen even if the person has driven over
many bridges or flown many times before The signs of panic disorder include a fast heartbeat, sweaty hands, difficulty
breathing, and a lightheaded feeling.
At first a person may have no idea what is wrong. The first appearance is between the ages of eighteen and twenty-
four. In some cases, it develops after tragedy, for example, the death a loved one or some other difficult situation. In the
United States, the National Institute of Mental Health says more than two million people are affected in any one-year
period. The American Psychological Association says that it happens more to women than men. It can last anywhere
from a few months to lifetime.
Some people who suffer a panic attack develop a phobia, a deep fear of ever repeating the activity that brought on
the attack. But experts say panic disorder can be treated. Doctors might suggest anti-anxiety or antidepressant
medicines. Talking to a counselor could help a person learn to deal with or avoid a panic attack There are breathing
methods, for example, that might help a person calm down.
Panic disorder is included among what mental health professionals call anxiety disorders A study published last
week reported a link between anxiety disorders and several physical diseases It says these include thyroid disease, lung
and stomach problems, arthritis, migraine headaches, and allergic conditions.
Adapted from: http://manythings.org/voa/health/4027.html
1. What is the topic of the passage/
a. Mental hazards
b. Physical disease
c. Emotional problems
d. Panic disorders
e. Anxiety attacks
2. The word ―lightheaded‖ in paragraph 1 means …
a. Sad
b. Dizzy
c. Excited
d. Sorrowful
e. Distressed
3. Based on paragraph 4, what did the study reveal about anxiety disorders?
a. The need for ant-depressant medicines for those suffering a panic attack
b. The connection between the disorder and some physical diseases
c. The need for talking to a counselor to deal with a panic attack
d. The possibility of developing a panic attack to a phobia
e. The possible treatment of a panic attack
The application, games, and websites that are promoted as 'educational' are not always the best ones for supporting
learning. The fact that they are interactive does not necessarily mean that they are much better than an old-fashioned
workbook with its right and wrong answers. Children may enjoy these products for a while but then get a bit bored, and
we now know that they are not the most appropriate or engaging way to learn.
Treat so-called 'free' application with caution. Some will expose your child to advertisement. Others are designed
to wait until your child is engaged in a game or storyline and then demand payment before they can go any further. This
can lead to frustration as young children do not understand why they cannot continue. Sometimes it is better to make a
small payment in advance if the application promises no further purchases. However, some applications are free to
download and completely free of advertisement or in-app purchases.
Choosing an app needs the same kind of thought and care you would put into buying anything else for your child.
Do not rely only on the star rating. Instead, read the user reviews and check the privacy policy if you are worried about
the personal information that the app might be collecting. If you want your child to enjoy learning, to develop curiosity,
and think about things creatively, provide them with a range of games and apps. Open-ended games have become
progressively more challenging and encourage children to explore and have fun. They are, therefore, more likely to
establish a love of learning and to lay the foundation for their future development.
Physical activity, reading, and other more 'traditional' activities continue to play a very important part in children's
development. But, most parents do rely on screen devices from time to time to engage their child while they are busy
with something else. This is not a problem in itself, just as long as children's time is made up of a balanced range of
activities.
Adapted from: http//www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z3tsyrd

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4. The author reminds readers to be more careful with commercialism in free applications in paragraph(s)?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 1 and 4
e. 2 and 3ow
5. Does the idea in sentence 6 relate to the other ideas in paragraph 2?
a. Sentence 6 elaborates the other ideas in paragraph 2
b. Sentence 6 is the result of the other ideas in paragraph 2
c. Sentence 6 strongly contradicts the other ideas in paragraph 2
d. Sentence 6 is the implementation of the theory discussed in paragraph 2
e. Sentence 6 provides another type of free applications discussed in paragraph 2
6. The author would apparently agree that …
a. Open-ended games can stimulate children‘s love for learning
b. Some games and applications are boring because they are too easy
c. There is no convincing prediction for the future of the games and apps
d. It is better to pay for games in advance so that children can learn freely
e. Apps star rating provides users with reviews on the good things of games and apps
7. Regarding busy parents‘ reliance on screen devices to help keep their children entertained, the author assumes that
…
a. It is parents‘ responsibility to make their children less engaged with screen devices
b. Children whose parents are busy with their activities must use screen devices less
c. Parent need to be aware of their children‘s need for varied activities
d. Such parent‘s reliance is acceptable as long as the children are given the right proportion of other activities
e. It is not tolerable as their children need to have more physical activities
Light pollution is the change of natural light levels in the night environment produced by introduction of artificial
light. Because of the continuous growth of nighttime artificial lighting, this problem is increasingly debated. In fact,
many localities have developed regulations to restrict the wasteful loss of light into the sky and environment.
The expanding use of light at night is because humans are diurnal animals. They are trying to extend activities into
the usually dark hours. This increasing use is driven by what seems common sense, and by the lighting industry with
justifications that at first may seem correct. With few exceptions, everything we build is lit at night. This includes street,
roads, bridges, airports, commercial and industrial buildings, parking lots, sport centers and homes. Outdoor lighting
continues to expend as more infrastructure are built. Lighting levels in public areas are often set high with one more
secondary objectives in mind. For instance, building exteriors are often lit for a merely beautiful effect. Shopping
centers are typically lit to attract shoppers. They also create a lively environment to stimulate spending. Lighting levels
in public areas often set high to prevent crime, even though studies have not proven this to have any effect on crime
rates. Indeed, the cores of our urban centers are bathed in light. The resulting light pollution can extend more than a
hundred kilometers out from the city's edge.
Reliable evidence shows that this artificial of the day produce serious and risky consequences to human health and
environment. Cinzano, Falchi and Elvidge (2001) have studied the impact of light pollution on the night sky. The result
indicates that more than 60% of world population lives under light polluted skies (99% of the population of USA and
Europe) and almost one-fifth of world terrain is under light polluted skies. In regards to human, there are no doubts that
exposure to light at night (LAN) decreases pineal melatonin (a kind of hormone) production and secretion and is not
only a source for phase shift in daily rhythms.
(Adapted from: www.elsevier.com/locate/jenvman, 2011)
8. Which of the following best restates the sentence ― … humans are diurnal animals‖ in paragraph 1/
a. Humans are daylight active creatures
b. Humans require light to live like animals
c. Humans and animals equally need light to live
d. Both human and animals are active during the day
e. Humans and animals try to prolog their activities at night
9. The author introduces the problems of light pollution followed by …
a. Research evidence indicating the danger of light pollution on human health
b. Further explanation about why and how people use more light
c. More examples of light and cause that might happen
d. The use of regulation to ,minimize the effect of light
e. Details on areas requiring light for business center
10. What does the author imply in the second paragraph?
a. Providing light could increase economic activities
b. Both humans and animals rely on light for survival
c. Using more light may mean increasing light pollution
d. Light should be provided according to people‘s needs

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e. Building infrastructure in mainly used for public facilities

11. Which of the following obviously shows the author‘s bias in the passage?
a. The artificial extension of the day produces serious and risky consequence to human
b. Many localities have developed regulation to restrictive the wasteful loss of light
c. Exposure to light at night decreases pineal melatonin production and secretion
d. More than 60% of world population lives under light polluted skies
e. Building exteriors are often lit for a merely beautiful effect
The second advantage of herbal medicine is the absence of long term effect. Repeated and long-term use of
herbal remedies does no result in long-term effects on the body. Certain pharmaceutical drugs like Paracetamol when
used for long periods result in permanent body damage and long-term ill effects. Herbal remedies on the other hand
are not harmful to the body in the long term. One can use most herbal remedies repeatedly and regularly without any
worries.
Another benefit of using herbal remedies is that they are completely natural. They do not have chemical
composition or drugs. Due to their natural nature they can be consumed regularly. These natural remedies also result
in a better immune system.
Furthermore, herbal remedies have multipurpose benefits. For instance, ginger is usually used as an herbal
remedy for colds and digestive disorders, but one can also use it in their tea, beverages, and daily home cooked food
for flavoring. Similarly, herbal extracts for peppermint can not only add spice and flavor to your kitchen recipe, but
can also be used as anti-depressant. Herbal remedies are absolutely inexpensive and sometimes even absolutely free of
cost. Unlike pharmaceutical drugs,
Herbal remedies have no manufacturing costs, making them far cheaper. Some herbal remedies like ginseng,
peppermint and ginger can even be grown in your backyard. Herbal remedies are easily accessible. Certain herbal
remedies like ginger, peppermint and basil leaves can be acquired anywhere in the world. One can even visit any local
drug store and purchase herbal remedies without any trouble. Besides this you can even grow some of the remedies in
your garden.
Another excellent benefit of herbal remedies is that can be used to cure people of all ages. Children, adults and
even elderly people can resort to herbal remedies to get rid of their ailment.
Due to their natural nature, herbal remedies most often do not cause an allergic reaction in the body. Several
people are allergic to certain chemicals that are parts of pharmaceutical drugs. Herbal remedies on the other hand
create no allergic reaction.
(Adapted from: http://www.homeremediescare,com )
12. The paragraph preceding the passage most likely discusses …
a. Disadvantages of long term treatment using herbal medicines
b. The use of herbal medication for a long term treatment
c. Long term effect of herbal remedies on the body
d. Herbal medication and its advantages
e. One advantage of herbal as medicines
13. What is the author‘s attitude toward the topic of the passage?
a. Neutral
b. Negative
c. Concerned
d. Approving
e. Uninterested
14. Based on the passage, the more complicated the manufacturing process, the …
a. Better the drug quality
b. More effective the drugs
c. Cheaper the price of drugs
d. Higher the price of medicines
e. Less frequent the allergic reaction
15. What is the best summary of the passage?
a. Some advantages can be enjoyed when someone uses herbal medicines. They do not result in long term
effects and allergic reaction. They are natural and are useful for many purposes. They can be obtained easily
at a low price, or even for free. Herbal remedies can be used by people of different age groups
b. One of the advantages of using herbal medication is its use for several purpose. Ginger can be used for health
treatment as well as for meal flavoring. Similarly, peppermint gives fresh taste on your food and serves as an
anti-depressant. It is then very useful to grow herbs in your garden.

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c. Being useful for some purposes simultaneously make herbs great choices. People can use them, not only for
flavoring food but also for medication. They are cheap or even free of charge. People can grow them easily at
home.
d. The best positive side of herbal medicine is its natural nature. It is not only useful for adults, but also for
young people. The price is affordable. Moreover, they can be used for several purposes simultaneously.
e. Herbal remedies are useful for some reasons. The main reason is its low price. People can even have it
without payment. Some are useful for multiple purposes.

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SBMPTN 2018

Social norms are the implicit social rules that govern behavior within a community. Norms are not directly
established; instead, they develop over time as people go about their daily behaviors, sense people's reactions to those
behaviors, and observe what other people are doing. Social norms differ, depending on the group of people, community,
or culture. What is considered fully normal, even admirable, in one group may be met with disapproval in another (e.g.,
offices where casual dress is normal vs. offices where everyone must wear a suit). According to psychologist Robert
Cialdini, people are constantly looking for "social proof" to guide their own behavior. They look for clues to what other
people are doing in order to understand the appropriate behavior in a given situation. Social proof of what is acceptable
is a particularly powerful guide to behavior when the situation is ambiguous or new.

In relation to social norms, one of the big challenges we face is creating a sustainable culture where so many
unsustainable actions are considered perfectly normal and even something to strive for: driving alone, living in a very
large home, eating foods that have traveled long distances, eating meat at every meal, having a weed-free green grass
lawn, and continuously shopping for new consumer goods. Sustainable behaviors, such as buying second-hand or taking
short showers, on the other hand, are often seen as lower or undesirable in status.

Social norms create opportunities for change; for one thing, they are dynamic and constantly shifting (just think
about fashion trends). The goal for those of us who want to bring about a more sustainable society is to quickly bring
sustainable behaviors into the realm of normal, acceptable one, and something people aspire to. How do we accomplish
this? We need to give people evidence, social proof, that sustainable behavior is acceptable and desirable. (Adapted
from: https://www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/p-eel-01.pdf)

1. The passage is mainly concerned with …

a. Social proof
b. Social disorder
c. Daily behavior
d. Sustainable behavior
e. Acceptable culture
2. Based on the text, the word disapproval in paragraph 1 means …
a. A bad feeling
b. An unacceptable feeling
c. An unsustainable behavior
d. A different opinion
e. A negative opinion
3. According to the author, how is sustainable behavior acceptable and desirable?
a. By aspiring people
b. By making it dynamic
c. By establishing norms
d. By providing proofs to the society
e. By giving opportunities for change
Technology tools can help educators make and strengthen home – school connections. With technology as a
means of sharing information and communicating with one another, early childhood educators have an opportunity to
build stronger relationships with parents. Early childhood educators always have had a responsibility to support parents
and families by sharing knowledge about child development and learning.
Technology tools such as smartphones, mobile devices, and apps offer affordable ways for i busy family
members to communicate with their child's teachers and caregivers. Internet-based communication tools offer new
opportunities for video calling and conferencing when face-to-face meetings are not possible; it can connect children to
other family members who live at a distance. Educators have a responsibility to parents and families to model effective
uses of technology, media, and social media that are safe, responsible, and ethical.
Teachers can use digital portfolios that include photographs as well as audio and video recordings to archive a
child's accomplishments and developmental progression with families in face-to-face conferences, or through social
media tools. Displaying photos in the classroom of children's drawings or block buildings can help families understand
the critical role of play in early childhood development. Sending weekly, monthly, or even daily updates through social
media or e-mail can help families feel more connected. Inviting children to take a picture of something they have done
and helping them upload the photo to a file that can be e-mailed also contribute to their learning more about the
functions of reading and writing.
Most educators understand the value of writing down by using e-mail, educational texting, or other
communication tools. This activity demonstrates the concept about communication and helps to build digital literacy
skills at the same time. If information is stored on a computer, the photos and notes can be printed and given to families.
Modeling the effective use of technology and interactive media for parent communication and family engagement also
creates opportunities to help parents themselves become better informed, empowers them to make responsible choices

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about technology use and screen time at home, engages them as teachers encourage co-viewing, co-participation, and
joint media engagement.
(Adapted from: http://www.naeyc.org/sites/default/files/globally-
shared/downloads/PDFs/resources/topics/PS_technology_WEB.pdf

4. How are ideas in paragraph 1 and 2 related?

a. Paragraph 2 explains further the idea presented in paragraph 1
b. Paragraph 2 contradicts the idea in paragraph 1
c. Paragraph 2 is an introduction to the idea in paragraph 1
d. Paragraph 2 provides examples of comparison presented in paragraph 1
e. Paragraph 2 explains the effects of the idea stated in paragraph 1
5. The author will apparently agree that …
a. Busy family members may afford smartphones and mobile devices to stay in touch with their colleagues
b. Educators have a responsibility to demonstrate the effective use of technology and interactive media in
parent-teacher communities
c. Technology tools are necessary to connect children to other family members who are separated thousands
mile away
d. Educators have no responsibility to guarantee that technology tools they use are safe, secure, health, and
responsible.
e. The effectiveness of technology and media use in class by educators is the only factor determining the success
of parent-teacher communication
6. The author holds assumption that …
a. All technology tools are capable of measuring and recording children‘s learning activities
b. All parents have accesses to technology tools to help build good communications between parents and
educators
c. Displaying photos of children‘s drawing and block buildings can help parents understand why children should
play a lot in schools
d. Sending weekly or monthly emails to parents to share the development of a child is quite difficult to be done
by educators
e. Taking a picture of a child may not contribute to tha success of a learning process if it is not shared with
parents
7. Which paragraph(s) illustrate(s) the effective use of technology and media to provide parents with information of
what is going on in a class?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 1 and 2
d. 3
e. 3 and 4
The green movement is catching on in many pockets of the world. This is especially true in the n industry.
Today's buzz words, which include global warming and zero emission, are causing everyday people to look for ways to
reduce their carbon footprint. Purchasing environmentally-friendly property is a good investment for those who are
concerned about their -health and the well-being of the earth. Based on this trend, entire districts are known as eco-
communities. Its goal is to become the world's first zero-emissions neighborhood.
Builders of Dockside Green have the environment in mind with every choice they make. They ensure proper
ventilation, and guarantee residents 100% fresh indoor air. Interior and exterior building materials, such as paints and
wood, are natural and non-toxic. Eco-conscious builders use bamboo wherever possible because it is durable and does
not require pesticides to grow.
Energy efficiency is one of the top priorities in eco-communities, such as Dockside Green. Not only do energy-
efficient appliances and light fixtures reduce the environmental impact of heating and hot water, they also save residents
and business owners money. Dockside Green, claim that home owners will use 55% less energy than average residents
in Canada. Though they are sharing space by investing in condo-style living, residents will have individual utility
meters. Studies show that people use approximately 20% less energy when they are billed for exactly what they use in
addition; water is treated at Dockside Green and reused on site for flushing toilets.
Planners of eco-communities such as Dockside Green must take the future into account. Dockside Green will
reuse 90% of its construction waste. They also plan to continue using local suppliers for all of their transport and
maintenance needs. This is a great way to reduce emissions. Dockside residents will be encouraged to make use of a
mini transit system and buy into the community's car share program. Finally, plans are in the works for a high-tech
heating system that will use renewable biomass instead of fossil fuels.
(Adapted from: https://tx.english-ch.com/eacher/lyn/level-c/ecocommunities-green/)

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8. By saying ―Today buzz words, which include global warming and zero/emissions, are causing everyday people to
look for ways to reduce their carbon footprint.‖ In lines 2-3, the author implies that …
a. Environmental issues have made people more cautious of their actions
b. Global warming and zero emissions become everyone‘s concern
c. People have to take care of their greenhouse carefully
d. Eco-friendly environmental programs should be strongly enforced
e. All people around the world are aware of global warming
9. Which of the following best restates the sentence ―the green movement is catching on in many pockets of the
world.‖ In line 1?
a. Many people consider it crucial to have eco-friendly environments
b. People who are aware of environmental issues love save and healthy surroundings
c. House designers should consider the importance of green materials
d. Everyone should understand the effect of global warming and zero emissions well
e. Environmentalists are concerned with the green environment
10. The false idea that the author may hold about Dockside Green is that …
a. It provides all eco-friendly properties
b. It is a good asset to buy a property in it
c. It encourages all houses to utilize efficient energy
d. It reduce global warming and emissions
e. It is where more natural livings can exist
11. The author organizes the ideas in the passage by …
a. Describing a new housing trend and providing e detailed example
b. Discussing an environmental issue and providing ways to solve the issues
c. Identifying a community problem and discussing possible solutions to the problems
d. Explaining an environmentally friendly initiative and discussing the impacts of the initiative
e. Establishing a new community initiative that is eco-friendly and explaining the ideas behind the initiative
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it m have an adverse
effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems. Body mass index (BMI), a
measurement which compares weight and height, defines people as overweight (pre-obese) when their BMI is between
25 kg/m2 and 30 kg/m2, and obese when it is greater than 30 kg/m2.
Obesity increases the likelihood of various diseases, particularly heart disease, type 2 diabetes, breathing
difficulties during sleep, certain types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. Obesity is most commonly caused by a combination
of excessive dietary calories, lack of physical activity, and genetic susceptibility although a few cases are caused
primarily by genes, endocrine disorders, mediations or psychiatric illness. Evidence to support the view that some obese
people eat little yet gain weight due to a slow metabolism is limited. On average obese people have a greater energy
expenditure than their thin counterparts due to the energy required to maintain an increased body mass.
The primary treatment for obesity is dieting and physical exercise. To supplement this, or in case of failure, anti-
obesity drugs may be taken to reduce appetite or inhibit fat absorption. In severe cases, surgery is performed or an intra-
gastric balloon is placed to reduce stomach volume and/or bowel length, leading to earlier satiation and reduced ability
to absorb nutrients from food.
Obesity is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide, with increasing prevalence in adults and children,
and authorities view it as one of the most serious public health problems of the 21st century. Obesity is stigmatized in
much of the modern world (particularly in the Western world), though it was widely perceived as a symbol of wealth
and fertility at other times in history, and still is in some parts of the world.
(Adapted from: http://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/reading_obesity.php)

12. The author‘s attitude regarding obesity in the passage is …

a. Pessimistic
b. Assertive
c. Objective
d. concerned
e. reactive
13. what topic does the paragraph following the passage above most likely discuss?
a. How obese people are related
b. How obesity is perceived in general
c. How obesity is successfully reduced
d. How people are made aware of obesity
e. How the causes of obesity are minimized
14. What is the best summary of the passage?

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a. Obesity that is the main preventable cause of death can cause various diseases. Dieting and physical exercise
can prevent obesity
b. Obese people tend to have health problems. The problems are considered as the 21st century problems.
c. Obesity leads to a shorter life because of the increased health problems. Therefore, people are advised to have
a surgery
d. Obesity is widely considered as a symbol of wealth. Therefore, many people who are obese tend to be
reluctant to do a diet
e. Obese people eat little but easily gain weight. To reduce their weight, they actually do a lot of physical
exercise
15. It can be hypothesized from the passage that …
a. The more varied food we eat, the more health risks we will suffer from
b. The more energy we have, the more food we consume
c. The wealthier we are, the more likely we will be obese
d. The more disease due to obesity we suffer from, the more treatments we need
e. The less physical exercise we do, the more likely we will be obese

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UTBK 2019 (PREDIKSI)

Forests have the ability to regulate water systems, prevent erosion and flood, and maintain soil fertility. The ability of
forests is inseparable from the existence of millions and even billions of trees in a forest area. Trees only store water for their
own needs, and the land saves water.

Billions of trees with their wide canopies will hold back rain. In this position, rain water does not directly hit the soil
surface, but will fall slowly through the leaves and flow through the tree trunk. Then, the soil surface filled with tree
trunks will produce quite a lot of litter originating from organic materials in the forms of leaf and dry twigs.
Dramatically, littering is heading towards the decay process. The organic materials are collected on the soil surface.

Litter blocks the water falling from the canopy so it does not directly hit the soil. Litter also functions as a place to live for
millions of organisms (e.g. worms). This organism punctures the land as a home and place of life. This organism’s
behavior causes the soil surface to become loose and porous. When rain drops from the canopy fall onto the litter, the water
slowly flows to the soil surface. The loose and porous top layer of soil will absorb the water and then the water will be
stored in the aquifer, the underground river.

The soil surface in the forest has high capacity to absorb rainwater. As a result, most of the rainwater seeps into the soil; only
a little becomes running water. Running water is the water that cannot be absorbed by the soil surface. This water will go
down to a lower area. If running water exceeds the carrying capacity of the river, it can certainly cause flood.
Most of the rainwater that falls in the forest area will be absorbed by the soil and stored in the aquifer.

Furthermore, the water stored in the aquifer will come out regularly through springs. From these springs, water flows
through rivers that are mostly found in the forest area. In addition, there is also underground water that comes out as a spring in
the resident wells.

1. The word ‘dramatically‘ in paragraph 2 is best replaced by ....

a. Gradually
b. Naturally
c. Amazingly
d. Surprisingly
e. simultaneously
2. What is the main idea of the passage?
a. Water guarantees millions of organisms to survive in forest areas.
b. Land stores and releases water through various processes.
c. Litter gradually flows water to the soil surface.
d. Trees store water to fulfill human daily needs.
e. Forests have various benefits for human life.
3. With the sentence ‗This organism's behavior causes the soil surface to become loose and porous‘ in paragraph 3, the writer
intends to ....
a. describe the organism and its behavior against loose soil
b. confirm the behavior of organisms in loose soil
c. compare the loose soil with the porous soil
d. uncover natural processes at soil erosion
e. explain the causes of soil erosion
4. What most likely motivates the writer in writing the passage?
a. There is an unresolved flood problem.
b. People‘s awareness towards reforestation is low.
c. Not many people understand the benefits of water for forests.
d. There is the fallacious concept that trees store large amount of water.
e. The information about the importance of trees in storing water is not available.

Indentifying ingredients in old paintings can help curators decide how best to maintain, display and restore them. The 17th-
century Dutch artist, Rembrandt, was found to use wheat, according to new advanced analysis of two of his works. It is the first
study to identify wheat starch in any of Rembrandt's work, even though scientists have performed numerous analyses on more
than 150 of his.

In Rembrandt's time, artists mixed their own paints, which they then spread onto canvas in layers. Often, individual layers of
the same piece of art contained different binding agents, pigments, varnishes and other ingredients. Besides color, each layer
was mixed to just the right level of thickness, glossiness, texture, evenness on the surface, drying time and more.

However, paint layers are tough to analyze because they are spread so incredibly thin. The thinness ones raise just a thousandth
of a millimeter above the layer below them. Using a variety of chemical and physical analytical methods, along with old written

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records, scientists have been able to identify pigments and other inorganic materials in many ancient paintings.

For the new study, the scientist used some of the most high-tech equipment around to look at the "Portrait of Nicolaes Van
Bambeeck," which Rembrandt van Rijn painted in 1641. First they took a cross-section from a miniscule section of the
painting. Then they used a variety of methods to probe the layers, including a technique called Time of Fly — Secondary Ion
Mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). This technique involves sending a focused, high-energy beam of ions at the layered sample,
then observing the ions that bounce back. By analyzing the energy and chemical nature of the ejected ions, scientists can
deduce detailed information about the types of elements and chemical bonds held within.

For the second greyish layer of paint on the "Portrait of Nicolaes van Bambeeck," the scan showed, Rembrandt mixed oil and a
small amount of lead with wheat flour. It's not clear yet whether Rembrandt used wheat earlier or continued to use ingredient
after painting the "Portrait of Nicolaed van Bambeeck," who was a rich wool merchant. But the researchers also found wheat in
the "Portrait of Agatha Bas," the merchant's wife.

5. What would the paragraph following the passage be likely to discuss?

a.
The ToF-SIMS
Paintings of other 17th century artist
b.
c.
Written evidence of the use of wheat flour
d.
The painting "Portrait of Agatha Bas"
e.
Other technique used in the research
6. What is the main idea of paragraph 3?
a. There are some advantages of using paint layers.
b. Scientists have found the thinnest layer of painting.
c. There are inorganic materials in ancient paintings.
d. There are some methods to crack layer painting mystery.
e. The chemical ingredients for layer painting contain different pigments.
7. According to paragraph 1, which of the following words can best describe scientists effort to identify ingredients
in Rembrandt's paintings?
a. Glorious
b. Effortless
c. Involuntary
d. Lenghty
e. Laborious
8. How does the author organize the ideas in the passage?
a. By arguing other theories of old painting's ingredients.
b. By comparing one Rembrandt's works to his other works.
c. By arguing other theories of old painting's ingredients.
d. By presenting the research's findings and describing its process.
e. By discussing the importance of knowing what ingredients Rembrandt used.

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