(6 - 1) Practice Test 2
(6 - 1) Practice Test 2
(6 - 1) Practice Test 2
II. PHRASAL VERBS AND PREPOSITIONS (5 PTS) Choose the best options to complete the
following sentences.
11. She was very appreciative all the support she got from her friends.
A. of B. for C. on D. with
12. Her latest novel is coming in paperback soon.
A. across B. off C. out D. about
13. As you’ve arrived late, you’ll have to the time you have lost.
A. make up to B. do up to C. do up for D. make up for
14. Mary is jealous her sister because she is much more popular.
A. on B. of C. for D. with
15. Your skirt needs taking ; it's too large.
A. up B. on C. over D. in
16. Can you make the meaning of this passage?
A. out B. for C. up D. into
17. He’s such a hard man to as he’s always flitting from one site to another.
A. pin in B. lock in C. narrow down D. nail down
18. Don't be put by his manner. He always acts that way.
A. on B. away C. off D. down
19. His proposal met total opposition from the committee.
A. about B. by C. for D. with
20. You ought to stand your little brother when the others tease him.
A. over with B. by for C. about with D. up for
III. VOCABULARY (10 PTS): Choose the best options to complete the following sentences.
21. It is possible to out of the pension scheme if you do not wish to participate.
A. back B. charge C. opt D. break
22. She always gets what she wants because she knows how to the rules.
A. circumvent B. desert C. slack D. elicit
23. Anthropologists have spent years studying the social system of this .
A. breed B. caste C. tribe D. sect
24. I tried to catch the mouse, but it was too .
A. intentional B. obsolete C. uncommon D. elusive
25. I have no appetite and I am lethargic. I've been feeling under for ages.
A. pair B. stress C. par D. threat
26. Peter does everything himself because he doesn’t like to control.
A. extinguish B. relinquish C. vanish D. elicit
27. I don't know how I can up the courage to tell him the awful news.
A. pick B. pluck C. store D. set
28. I need to study more for the test. I don’t have a very good of the material.
A. abstract B. grasp C. hint D. gist
29. The weekend is over, so tomorrow morning it's back to the .
A. grind B. labour C. drudgery D. toil
30. We could hear the monkey long before we reached their cage.
A. chatting B. chattering C. prattling D. babbling
31. Bob is so short-tempered; he should try to his anger.
A. monitor B curb C temper D stunt
32. The police the woods looking for the lost child.
A. scoured B. integrated C. traced D. encountered
33. Don't mention work to Ray, as it's a sore with him at the moment.
A. finger B. point C. place D. nail
34. The couple under the umbrella to keep dry.
A. enclosed B. muffled C. huddled D. augmented
35. A long, green snake through the grass and disappeared.
A. strutted B. slunk C. slithered D. scampered
36. This schedule isn’t final. It’s only .
A. tentative B. sporadic C. contemporary D. subsequent
37. My new pullover to half its previous size when I washed it.
A. shrank B. reduced C. diminished D. dwindled
38. The new accounting system all my work useless.
A. transformed B. rendered C. transposed D. converted
39. Martin just loves to his teeth into a really challenging crossword.
A. grind B. get C. put D. sink
40. The doctor said that sweets should be eaten in .
A. compulsion B. restriction C. moderation D. qualification
IV. GUIDED CLOZE (10 PTS): Read the texts below and decide which answer best fits each
space.
Passage A:
The case of food storage in tin cans illustrates how an invention can be successful even when it (41)
a new problem for the one it solves. In 1810, Peter Durand (42) tremendous progress in food
preservation with his invention of the tin can. The cans were ideal for transporting food and for (43)
spoilage for extended periods. But consumers of canned food had to (44) their own ingenuity to
open the solidly constructed cans, which sometimes outweighed the foodstuffs inside. Durand’s solution had
created a new problem, (45) opening the cans. In the early days, the (46) most favored was
the brute force of a hammer and chisel. In 1858, Ezra Warner designed a crude and somewhat (47)
can opener. Finally (48) 1930, the safe design that underlies today’s common kitchen utensils had
been invented. From the (49) of their introduction, however, the problem of opening the cans
(50) not detract from their wide acceptance as a solution to the problem of food preservation.
41. A. substitutes B. becomes C. causes D. is
42. A. provided B. invented C. made D. discovered
43. A. storing B. preserving C. keeping D. preventing
44. A. create B. know C. use D. make
45. A. easily B. especially C. hardly D. namely
46. A. consumer’s B. method C. can D. food
47. A. called B. dangerous C. safer D. sophisticated
48. A. in B. beyond C. prior D. by
49. A. latest B. way C. time D. first
50. A. did B. does C. could D. will
Passage B:
Two eyes help us to see in three dimensions; and two ears allow us to hear in stereo. If recent research
findings are (51) , two nostrils function in (52) the same way. In the olfactory system, each
nostril conveys to the brain a slightly different olfactory (53) upon smelling an odor. What is
perceived in combination is (54) used by the brain to get a precise (55) of what the odor is.
The slight difference (56) the olfactory images seems to occur (57) the air flows at a
different rate through each nostril, one of (58) has a low flow-rate and the other a high one. Odors
that dissolve slowly have their maximum effect in the (59) that has a slow movement of air.
Conversely, those that dissolve quickly have their (60) effect when the air stream is moving rapidly.
Thus, air drawn into the nose will give different responses in each nostril. Not yet well understood is how
the brain processes the disparate olfactory images as a single recognizable aroma. Future studies will be
needed to completely explain this phenomenon.
51. A. incorrect B. reported C. accurate D. similar
52. A. so B. as C. much D. such
53. A. process B. image C. where D. once
54. A. which B. earlier C. strongly D. then
55. A. meaning B. measurement C. location D. sense
56. A. in B. about C. to D. when
57. A. before B. then C. however D. because
58. A. those B. which C. each D. such
59. A. nostril B. chemical C. flow D. other
60. A. personal B. strongest C. negative D. slowest
V. READING COMPREHENSION (10 PTS): Read the texts below and choose the best answer
to each question.
Passage A
Recently, researchers conducted a survey to investigate what motivates young adults to exercise. The study
might shed light on why so few college students exercise and why many stop their exercise workouts after
they graduate. Researchers analyzed responses from 937 randomly selected college students at a leading
U.S. university. What the research team found was that 39% of the male students and 26% of the female
students exercised at least three days a week for 20 minutes at a time. These exercise patterns were fairly
similar to those in surveys at other universities. The survey also revealed some critical factors which
motivate college students to exercise.
Men who exercised regularly reported that their friends provided considerable support for them to do so.
Those who exercised only occasionally had moderate support from their friends, while those who did not
exercise at all had little or no support from friends. For women, however, the crucial motivating factor
seemed to come from family members rather than from friends. Women who exercised regularly had a great
deal of positive support to do so from their families. However, women who exercised only occasionally
received moderate levels of encouragement from their families, while those who did not work out at all
received little or no support from their families. Since college students often live far from home, women
students are likely to have a weaker support system than do their male counterparts.
A medical professor, upon seeing the results of the study, remarked that generally there is not so much
emphasis on body performance among girls and young women. “It’s a macho thing to be able to run faster
or lift weights,” he said. “However,” he continued, “for the younger generation, this gender gap appears to
be getting smaller.”
61. What is the main purpose of the study presented in this passage?
A. to investigate college students’ attitudes towards good health and exercise
B. to find out why young women don’t like to exercise
C. to learn what makes college students exercise
D. to find the best type of exercise workout for college students
62. What research method was used in this study?
A. College students reported on their friends’ exercise workouts.
B. College students reported on their families’ exercise patterns.
C. College professors answered questions about their students.
D. College students answered questions about themselves.
63. What similarity between men and women did the study find?
A. The more friends they have, the more they exercise.
B. The more support they have to exercise, the more they exercise.
C. The closer they live to their families, the more they exercise.
D. The more health-conscious they are, the more they exercise.
64. In comparison to the general college population, students at this university exercise .
A. less often than average
B. about the same amount as average
C. more often than average
D. for longer at a time than average
65. Why does the passage mention that some college students live far from home?
A. to emphasize that they do not see their families every day
B. to criticize their life styles
C. to show how independent they are
D. to explain why they depend on their friends so much
Passage B
It has long been known that underweight, premature babies develop into children who perform worse at
school than children who had normal birth weight and were full-term. A recent study examining the effects
of birth weight on intelligence suggests that even among full-term babies the heavier ones have an
advantage. The study has been following 3,900 British men and women since their birth in 1946. Birth
weight was correlated with scores on tests of reading and arithmetic skills, non-verbal reasoning, memory,
speed, and concentration. These tests were conducted when the participants were 8, 11, 15, 26, and 43
years old. Generally speaking, the heavier children performed better on the tests. The relationship was
strongest at age 8 and then weakened over time. By age 43, the relationship was negligible. The results
were not affected by birth order, gender, father’s social class, or mother’s education and age.
These findings must be interpreted with caution. First, the results were based on averages. Second, birth
weight is only one of numerous factors influencing cognitive function. Parental interest in education - such
as volunteering at school or helping with homework - may offset the effect of birth weight. Furthermore,
poor environmental conditions, such as living in an overcrowded home, breathing polluted air, or being
caught in a bitter divorce can diminish the early advantages enjoyed by heavier babies.
Although no one knows exactly what makes a newborn baby heavy, it is known that healthy, well-nourished
mothers tend to have heavier babies, while those who eat poorly, smoke, and are heavy drinkers tend to
produce smaller ones. There are probably several other variables that affect birth weight, but if and how
those are connected to intelligence is not known.
66. In this study, the researchers examined the relationship between .
A. maternal nutrition and birth weight
B. home environment and intelligence
C. age and intelligence
D. intelligence and birth weight
67. What did the researchers find out about the relationship they were studying?
A. It increased up to age 26, then decreased.
B. It remained steady until age 26, then decreased.
C. It decreased as the subjects grew older.
D. It remained steady throughout the study.
68. Which children have an advantage at school?
A. Those who were full-term, lighter weight babies.
B. Those who were premature but normal weight babies.
C. Those who were full-term, heavier babies.
D. Those who were premature babies who gained weight quickly.
69. According to the passage, what is one possible reason to question the conclusions of the study?
A. The study did not consider some environmental factors.
B. The study was done too long ago.
C. The study was done on premature babies, not full term ones.
D. The study tested different children at different ages.
70. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Premature babies are disadvantaged throughout their lives.
B. Parents’ educational level affects intelligence.
C. No one knows the exact relationship between test scores and intelligence.
D. Bigger babies may be more intelligent than smaller ones.
Passage C
Diving deep into the ocean is difficult for humans, although whales do it easily. The deepest a human has
dived into the ocean without scuba gear is to 450 feet below the surface, which required him to hold his
breath for about two minutes. Humans are unable to go much deeper because at a certain point the
external pressure becomes so great it crushes the ribcage and lungs. Furthermore, lack of oxygen also
prevents humans from staying under water for long periods. It is amazing, then, that whales can dive to
depths of up to 10,000 feet and remain there for as long as two hours. Several adaptations enable the
whale to do this, among them the construction of its ribcage. Unlike humans, whales have fewer “true” ribs,
ribs joined directly to the breastbone, and more “floating” ribs, which are attached only to the preceding rib
by cartilage. This flexible design allows the whale’s ribcage to fold under pressure instead of breaking, and
for its lungs to collapse without rupturing capillaries. Also, during a dive, the whale’s heart slows to as low as
3 to 5 beats a minute. Arteries constrict, reducing blood flow to many of the whale’s less vital organs, thus
conserving oxygen and maintaining blood pressure in the brain and heart. Humans emerging too suddenly
from dives can suffer from “the bends,” when small bubbles of nitrogen gas form in body fluids and obstruct
blood flow, leading to death. Because whales collapse their lungs, air is pushed from the lungs into the
windpipe, which is lined with thick membranes, making it difficult for nitrogen bubbles to pass into the
bloodstream or other tissues. Together, these and other adaptations enable whales to dive to such depths.
71. What are “floating” ribs?
A. Ribs that are not attached to other ribs.
B. Ribs that are not attached to the breastbone.
C. Ribs that are made of cartilage.
D. Ribs that are not able to fold under pressure.
72. What is the main purpose of this passage?
A. to explain why whales can do something that humans cannot
B. to explain how humans and whales adapted
C. to explain what happens at great depths
D. to explain how the human respiratory system works
73. When a whale dives, what contributes to the conservation of oxygen?
A. Blood pressure increases.
B. Blood flow decreases.
C. The lungs collapse.
D. The ribcage folds.
74. Compared to whales, humans have .
A. weaker capillaries
B. thicker membranes in the windpipe
C. fewer floating ribs
D. slower heartbeats
75. How does the whale’s ribcage differ from that of a human?
A. The whale’s ribcage contains fewer vital organs.
B. The whale’s ribcage can bend without breaking.
C. Whales have fewer ribs than humans.
D. The whale’s ribs are not attached to the breastbone.
Passage D
Scientists have not been able to determine the exact age of the Earth directly from its rocks. Geologists have
yet to find any of Earth’s original rocks that have not been recycled and destroyed through the process of
plate tectonics. However, scientists have been able to determine the probable age of our solar system and
to calculate an age for the Earth by looking elsewhere - to outer space. In doing so, they had to assume
that the Earth and the rest of the solid bodies in our solar system formed at the same time and are the
same age.
Asteroids in outer space have not been subjected to the crushing forces of plate tectonics. Meteorites, which
are fragments of asteroids that fall to Earth, contain clues about planetary formation. Being primordial rocks
still in their original state, they can be dated fairly accurately by measuring the radioactive elements
remaining in them since the formation of the solar system. One group of scientists from Germany and
another from France analyzed meteorites and reached the same conclusion: The final phase of Earth’s
formation, the separation of its metallic core from its silicate-based mantle, occurred about 30 million years
earlier than previously thought.
The ages of more than seventy meteorites have been measured using radiometric dating techniques. The
results show that meteorites, and therefore presumably Earth, formed about 4.5 billion years ago. These
findings also push back the origin of Earth’s moon because most scientists believe that the Moon formed
from material ejected when a Mars-sized planet collided with Earth. The fact that these conclusions about
the age of the Earth were reached by two independent groups of scientists increases the weight of the
findings.
76. What strengthens the claim made in this passage about Earth’s age?
A. Earth and meteorites are the same age.
B. Two separate research studies had the same results.
C. Geologists have found Earth’s original rocks.
D. The moon is older than previously thought.
77. What conclusion did the French and German scientists reach?
A. Meteorites have radioactive elements.
B. Plate tectonics does not occur on asteroids.
C. The Earth is older than was believed in the past.
D. The Moon is older than the Earth.
78. According to the passage, what is involved in “radiometric dating techniques”?
A. using radioactivity to restore an object to its original state
B. measuring the radioactive elements in an object
C. calculating how many times Earth’s rocks were recycled
D. subjecting an object to crushing forces
79. How did scientists date the Earth?
A. directly, by analyzing plate tectonics
B. directly, by measuring Earth’s metallic core
C. indirectly, by dating the Earth’s Moon
D. indirectly, by dating meteorites
80. What indicated the last stage in the Earth’s formation?
A. a reduction in the crushing force of plate tectonics
B. the separation of Earth’s core from its mantle
C. a shower of seventy meteorites falling to Earth
D. the collision of a Mars-sized planet with Earth
B. WRITTEN TEST
I. CLOZE TEST (20 PTS): Read the texts below and complete each space with ONE
suitable word.
Passage A
Fallingwater is recognized as one of the most unique and innovative (1) of American architecture of
the 20th century. Designed in 1935 by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, this beautiful house in western
Pennsylvania is actually built over a waterfall. Wright placed the house above the waterfall by anchoring it to
the (2) next to the falls with concrete “trays,” (3) mimic the natural shape of rock ledges. As
a(n) (4) , the house appears to be suspended above the waterfall, which cascades underneath it.
Wright took much care in (5) Fallingwater as harmonious with nature as possible by linking the
house to its natural surroundings. He placed large windows on opposite sides of the main rooms so that the
breeze and (6) of the water could flow through the house (7) hindrance. Wright also
proposed covering the building in gold leaf in (8) to imitate the color of dying plants, and thereby
connect the house to the (9) of seasons and the passage of time. Furthermore, he added a
(10) of outdoor terraces where people could enjoy the cool air of the wooded valley.
Today, Fallingwater is open to the public with its original setting, furnishings, and artwork intact.
Passage B
Global warming may be threatening one of the world’s most important crops: rice. Increased nighttime
temperatures are associated with significant declines in crop (11) , according to a study conducted
by researchers at the International Rice Institute. The researchers analyzed twelve years of rice production
along with twenty-five years of temperature data. This study, a direct measurement of yields produced
under normal field conditions, using (12) that good farmers normally employ, has confirmed
previous simulations and suggests that (13) increases due to global warming will make it
increasingly difficult to feed the Earth’s growing population. Average (14) temperatures, which
increased 0.35 degrees Celsius over the (15) of the study, have little effect on rice production.
However, a strong correlation exists between warmer nighttime temperatures, which have risen an average
of 1.1 degrees, (16) decreasing rice yields. Although the underlying (17) of this relationship
is unknown, researchers speculate that plants work harder to maintain themselves in (18) to the
warmer nights and consequently divert energy from growth. Thus, an average (19) of just one
degree Celsius can (20) in a ten percent reduction in yields. Similar findings have been reported for
corn and soybean yields in the United States.
PART 2: Complete the passage with the appropriate forms from the words given in the box.
COMPLICATE STAND DINE WELCOME DEPEND
OCCUR DEFEND TERROR DELICATE EXPOSE
POISONOUS SEALIFE
One of the most lethal poisons on Earth, ten thousand times more deadly than cyanide, is tetrodotoxin,
more concisely known as TTX. Its potency is well known in East Asia, where it regularly kills (11)
who have braved the capricious (12) known as puffer fish. This toxin has a (13) method of
operation: twenty-five minutes after (14) , it begins to paralyse its victims, leaving the victim fully
aware of what is happening. Death usually results, within hours, from suffocation or heart failure. There is
no known antidote. If lucky patients can (15) the symptoms for twenty-four hours, they usually
recover without further (16) . It is no ordinary poison. What is strange about its (17) is that it
is found in such a wide range of creatures, from algae to angelfish spanning entire kingdoms of life. It is
rather unlikely that such an unusual toxin evolved (18) in so many unrelated animals. Marine
biologists have discovered that the poison is produced by bacteria living in the gut of its host. The best
explanation is that a symbiotic relationship exists between host and the not (19) guest, where
microbes exchange poison for nutrients, providing a valuable (20) weapon for its host.
III. ERROR CORRECTION: (10PTS) The following passage contains 10 errors. Identify and
correct them.
BEWARE OF VITAMINS!
1 Vitamins are good for our health, aren't they? Perhaps not. New research suggests that rather
than ward off disease, high doses of certain vitamins may make more harm than good and
could even put you in an early grave. Some recent studies suggest that far from improving
health, these vitamins, when taken at very high doses, may actually increase the risks of
5 cancer and a range of debilitating diseases, a discovery that has sent the medicinal world into
a spin. Scientists are unsure as to when vitamins, so essential to health, can be toxic in high
doses. The most likely explanation is that the body is only equipped to deal with the levels
found naturally in the environment. If the intake is too far for the normal range, then the
body's internal chemistry must be shunted out of alignment. What this means is that the
10 commercially sold vitamins and those provided by nature is not always compatible. The
commercial forms may interfere with the body's internal chemistry by “crowding out” the
most natural and beneficial forms of the nutrients. The vitamins obtained in food are also
allied with a host of other substances which may moderate or augment its activity in the
body. The latest advice is to eat a balance diet to ensure you get all the nutrients you need,
15 and if you must take supplements make sure you take the lowest recommended dose and
follow the instructions on the bottle.
IV. SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION: (20 PTS) Rewrite the following sentences using the words
given.
1. People know more about my novels than the plays I write. (BETTER)
I'm .
2. The staff hated his new policies intensely and so went on strike. (HATRED)
So intense .
3. Your attitude to life would be greatly improved by regular exercise. (WONDERS)
Regular exercise would .
4. There is someone in the office twenty-four hours a day. (STAFFED)
The office .
5. Do you think her grandmother was offended by what I said? (EXCEPTION)
Do you think ?
6. His behavior at the conference gave him the bad reputation he now has. (CONDUCTED)
The way .
7. Unless we can obtain more information, we can't process your claim. (FORTHCOMING)
Unless further .
8. Our teacher thinks it would be better to get on as quickly as possible. (MUCH)
Our teacher would prefer us .
9. I had to wait for the manager for almost an hour before he would see me. (BEST)
The manager kept .
10. They remain close friends despite having had many arguments. (FALL)
Frequently as .
THE END