PART 2: LEXICO-GRAMMAR (50 POINTS)

Section 1. Choose the word or phrase (A, B , C or D) which best completes each
sentence. (20 points)
1. As the President was absent, I was asked to ……. the meeting.
A. officiate B. govern C. chair D. regulate
2. The tracker stalked the tiger for days but the animal……………capture.
A. missed B. slipped C. jumped D. eluded
3. …………… for Tom’s opposition, we would have agreed to the contract.
A. Be it not B. Would it not have been
C. Should it not have been D. Had it not been
4. The news report………………………….the plight of the refugees.
A. headlined B. captioned C. highlighted D. pinpointed
5. The old house was unable to withstand the ……………of severe winter weather and
suffered considerable structural damage.
A. extremity B. onslaught C. outrage D. fury
6. Since the information was already in the public……………the newspaper felt free
to publish it.
A. area B. domain C. eye D. awareness
7. Closure of schools took place ……………falling numbers of pupils.
A. in the context of B. with regard to
C. with a concern for D. in consideration of
8. He works hard, but ……………of his health.
A. at the expense B. at the limit C. at a cost D. at a loss
9. Jobs are hard to ……………by these days.
A. get B. come C. go D. put
10. Doctors are often ……………to accidents in rural areas.
A. called up B. driven out C. called out D. rung up

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11.Get him to sign the contract before he has second……………….
A. plans B. thoughts C. intentions D. ideas
12.Tim was ……. on causing mischief and nothing was going to stop him.
A. intent B. determined C. fixed D. obsessed
13.He muttered something under his …………, but I didn’t catch what he said.
A. mouth B. breath C. voice D. chin
14. How exactly did you set ……… training the horses to work so well together?
A. up B. to C. about D. out
15.If you’re at a(n) …… end, you could help me in the garden.
A. open B. free C. loose D. empty
16.He agreed to accept the position………that he would be given a share of the
company’s profits.
A. in the agreement B. with the aim
C. with the purpose D. on the understanding
17.This calculator has a number of ………. in the way it can be used.
A. reservations B. constrictions
C. obstructions D. limitations
18.I could tell at a …………… that nothing had changed between Barbara and
Edward.
A. glimpse B. blink C. wink D. glance
19.The new road currently under …… will solve the traffic problems in the town.
A. design B. progress C. construction D. work
20.I must go to bed early tonight; I sat up till the …….. hours to finish that report.
A. early B. late C. deep D. last

Section 2. There are ten mistakes in the following passage, identify and correct them. (10
points)

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Since the world became industrial, the number of animal species that either have
become extinct or have near extinction has increased. Bengal tigers, for instance,
which once had roamed the jungles in their vast number, now number only about
2,300. By the year 2005, it is estimated that they would become extinct. What is
alarmed about the case of the Bengal tiger is that this extinction will have been
caused almost entirely by poachers, who according to some resources, are not
always interested in material gain but in impersonal gratification. This is an
example of the callousness that is contributed to the problem of extinction.
Animals, such as the Bengal tiger, as well as other dangerous species, are valuable
parts of the world’s ecosystem. International laws protecting these animals must be
acted to ensure their survival – and the survival of our planet.
PART III: READING (50 POINTS)
Section 1. Read the passage and choose the most suitable word to complete each
blank in the passage. (10 Points)

Most traditional human life in deserts is nomadic. It (1) ______ in hot deserts on
finding water, and on following infrequent rains to (2) ______ grazing for livestock. In
cold deserts, it depends on finding good hunting and fishing grounds, on sheltering
from blizzards and winter (3) ______, and on storing enough food for winter.
Permanent settlement in both kinds of deserts requires permanent water, food sources
and adequate shelter, or the technology and energy sources to (4) ______ it.
Many deserts are flat and featureless, lacking landmarks, or composed of repeating
landforms such as sand (5) ______ or the jumbled ice-fields of glaciers. Advanced
skills or devices are required to navigate through such landscapes and (6) _____
travelers may die when supplies run (7) ______ after becoming lost. In addition,
sandstorms or blizzards may cause disorientation in severely-reduced visibility.

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The (8) ______ represented by wild animals in deserts has featured in explorers'
accounts but does not cause higher (9) ______ of death than in other environments
such as rainforests or savanna woodland, and generally does not affect human
distribution. Defense against polar bears may be advisable in some areas of the Arctic.
Precautions against snakes and scorpions in choosing(10) ______ at which to camp in
some hot deserts should be taken.
1. A. locates B. selects C. follows D. depends
2. A. earn B. demand C. obtain D. require
3. A. extremes B. poles C. tops D. heights
4. A. grow B. supply C. comfort D. bring
5. A. dunes B. piles C. valleys D. stores
6. A. inconsistent B. incapable C. inexperienced D. independent
7. A. of B. out C. in D. over
8. A. danger B. dangerous C. endanger D. endangered
9. A. level B. rate C. scale D. standard
10.A. sight B. lies C. sites D. seats
Section 2. CLOZE TEST. Fill in each gap with ONE suitable word. (10 points)
Early photography

In the early days of photography, a stand or some other firm support for the
camera was essential. This was because photographic materials were so insensitive to
light that a typical exposure lasted several seconds. The camera (1) ___________ have
to be held still for this time in order to obtain a sharp picture. The subjects also had to
be still if their images (2) ___________ to register properly on the film. Some
early street scenes include blurred, transparent, ghostlike images of people (3)
___________ wandered past while the scene was in the process of (4) ___________
photographed.

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 Studio portraits from the late 1800s show people posed rigidly, often leaning
against furniture, (5)___________ helped them to remain motionless. As it was
important to keep the head still, a support was often provided (6) ___________ the
neck. Bright studio lights, sometimes produced by (7)___________fire to a strip of
magnesium or a small pile of magnesium powder, helped in reducing the required
exposure time. These burned with an intensely blue flame that gave the necessary
amount of light, although the smoke was unpleasant and (8)__________was also a risk
of fire.
The problems associated (9) ___________ long exposure were overcome by
the introduction of faster, more sensitive photographic plates, and later, roll films. The
development of smaller cameras led to photography becoming a popular hobby.
Nowadays, digital cameras have further revolutionised photography, enabling even the
(10) ___________inexperienced of photographers to produce professional looking
pictures.
Section 3. Read the following passage and choose the best answer (A, B, C, or D)
to each question. (10 points)
LIFE SUCCESS AND SATISFACTION
Life satisfaction, which can be defined as general happiness or well being, is
related to several demographic and personal qualities. The factor of age is important
because the elements that make up life satisfaction may differ from one age to the
next. Income is more likely to predict life satisfaction among middle-aged and older
adults than among young adults. Health is a more significant predictor of happiness
among older adults than among the young or the middle-aged. However, average
levels of life satisfaction do not change significantly with age. Generally speaking,
older adults are as satisfied with their lives as are younger or middle-aged adults.
There is no single element that guarantees high life satisfaction for everyone who
possesses it. Happiness seems to consist of many things that each person weighs

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differently, such as income, education, work, and relationship. However, certain
factors are reliable predictors of life satisfaction. One such predictor is health,
especially one’s perception of one’s own health rather than a doctor’s objective health
assessment. Another predictor of life satisfaction is a feeling of being in charge of
one’s own life and a sense of authority over one’s own decisions. Adults who feel that
they have some choices and options are generally happier than those who feel that
their lives are controlled by others or by fate or chance. For example, older adults who
experience financial strain feel less life satisfaction mainly because the problem
signals a loss of control over their lives.
The largest predictor of life satisfaction appears to be the adequacy of social
relationships, especially marriage and family relationships. The perceived quality
rather than the quantity of social interactions is most strongly related to happiness.
Satisfaction with one’s close personal relationships is more closely linked to overall
life satisfaction than either demographic factors or satisfaction with other key aspects
of adult life such as occupation. This is true even among highly educated men, who
typically have a very high commitment to their work. The quality of social support
available in one’s key relationships affects the ability to handle stress and life changes
as well as one’s ongoing level of life satisfaction.
Studies suggest that family background and early-adulthood resources are
predictors of psychological health or success at midlife. People who age well are those
who start out well. One study showed that the happiest and most successful middle-
aged adults and grown up in warm, supportive, intellectually stimulating families.
Well-adjusted or successful middle-aged adults began adulthood with more personal
resources, including better psychological and physical health at college age. They also
had been practical and well organized in college and had shown greater intellectual
competence.
However, no measure of early family environment or early-adult competence

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remained a significant predictor of psychological well being at the end of middle age.
One study of men revealed that at the age of 65, there were no childhood or early-
adulthood characteristics that distinguished between men who had turned out well and
those who had not. However, what did predict success and well being at age 65 was
the men’s health and adjustment at midlife. These results suggest that a successful
adult life is not something preordained from childhood or early adulthood but rather
something created out of the opportunities available over the course of one’s life. Late-
life success is related more directly to midlife qualities or experiences. People who
start out with certain advantages have a greater chance of experiencing further
advantages; however, it is what one does with the experiences – both positive and
negative – that determines long-term life satisfaction. The choices that people make in
early adulthood help shape who they are at midlife, and those midlife qualities in turn
influence who they become later in life.
1. What point does the author make about the relationship of age to life satisfaction?
A. Age is the primary factor in determining life satisfaction.
B. The factors that determine life satisfaction are the same at every age.
C. Average levels of life satisfaction are similar for every age group.
D. Young adults are more satisfied with their lives than older adults are.
2. According to the passage, all of the following are predictors of life satisfaction
EXCEPT
A. health B. age
C. control of own life D. family relationships
3. The phrase “in charge of” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to
A. worried about B. responsible for
C. lucky in D. controlled by
4. The word “problem” in paragraph 2 refers to
A. authority B. fate or chance

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 C. financial strain D. less life satisfaction
5. The word “adequacy” in paragraph 3 is closet in meaning to
A. knowledge B. appearance
C. memory D. quality
6. What can be inferred from paragraph 3 about social relationships?
A. Close social relationships are likely to influence long-term health and
happiness.
B. People with good family relationships also have good social relationships at
work.
C. Highly educated people usually have many different kinds of social
relationships.
D. The number of social relationships is more important than the type of
relationship.
7. What does the author say about people who are well adjusted and successful at
midlife?
A. They are more satisfied with their lives than young adults are.
B. They perceive themselves as successful even when it is not true.
C. They are generally better adjusted than their parents were.
D. They probably had positive personal qualities as young adults.
8. Why does the author discuss a study of men in paragraph 5?
A. To illustrate a point about satisfaction late in life
B. To explain differences among men of different ages
C. To emphasize the importance of family relationships
D. To argue for more psychological studies about men
9. The word “preordained” in paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to
A. appreciated B. forgotten
C. determined D. organized

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10. It can be inferred from paragraph 5 that the author most likely believes which of
the following about long-term life satisfaction?
A. It is affected by the decisions made throughout adulthood.
B. It is measured differently for men and for women.
C. It is directly related to having advantages during childhood.
D. It is purely the result of chance and cannot be predicted.
Section 4. Read the passage and do the following tasks. (10 points)
Where have all our birds gone?
People have been listening to skylarks singing in Britain for 10,000 years. But now
they, and many other much-loved species, are vanishing fast. David Adam finds out
why.
A family of Starlings has chosen a post box for the third year running in an Essex
seaside town to raise their young brood.

A. The B1042 that winds from the Bedfordshire town of Sandy towards the village of
Potton is a difficult road to cross. Fast and twisty, there are several blind bends where
pedestrians must take their lives into their hands. That is trickier than it sounds, for
most pedestrians who cross the B1042 already have a pair of binoculars in their hands.
The road separates the grand headquarters of the RSPB, home to hundreds of
birdwatchers, from some unkempt fields, home to hundreds of watchable birds - hence
the regular skips across the tarmac.
The skips, though, are now less regular for many RSPB staff, for the star attraction of
the neighboring fields has flown. Until a year ago, a clutch of woodlark nested there,
one of Britain's rarest birds with just 1,000 or so thought to remain. Then their home
was ploughed up and replaced with a giant field of swaying hemp plants. The wood-
lark have not been seen since.

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B. It is not just the professional birdwatchers of the RSPB who have seen their local
landscape transformed. Across Britain, and with little fanfare, the face of the
countryside has subtly changed in recent years. Farm fields that stood idle for years
under EU schemes to prevent overproduction, such as the one across the road from the
RSPB, have been conscripted back into active service. The uncultivated land,
previously a haven for wildlife, has been ploughed, and farmers have planted crops
such as wheat and barley, with occasional hemp for use in paper and textiles.

C. As a result, the amount of land available for birds such as the woodlark has halved
in the last two years. Without efforts to stem this loss of habitat, conservation experts
warn that the countryside of the future could look and sound very different. Starved of
insects in the spring and seeds through the winter, the metallic-sounding corn bunting
and plump grey partridge, formerly one of the most common birds on UK shores, are
on the brink. And the skylark, whose twittering has provided the soundtrack to
millions of countryside walks and inspired Percy Bysshe Shelley, in Ode to a Skylark,
to praise its "profuse strains of unpremeditated art", is struggling and could soon
vanish from many areas. Numbers fell 53% from 1970 to 2006. "This is not just about
birdwatchers. These birds are part of our common heritage," says Gareth Morgan,
head of agriculture policy at the RSPB.

D. Government figures show that populations of 19 bird species that rely on farmland
have halved since serious counting started in the 1970s - a decline conservationists
blame on intensive farming methods, with insecticide and herbicide sprayed on to
monoculture fields shorn of vibrant hedges. The unmistakable yellowhammer, which
likes to sing while perched as a dash of colour on hedges and bushes, has steadily
disappeared with the hedges and bushes. And a startling 80% drop across England in

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40 years has diluted the shifting Rorschach blots painted on the dusk sky by massed
flocks of starling - though urban changes are blamed for this too.

E. Farmland birds may sound a niche problem, and you may think that the rest of the
countryside is doing OK, but for most people, farmland is the British countryside.
About 75% of Britain is farmed, and about half of that is arable fields. Take a train
between two UK towns, particularly in eastern counties, and almost all of the
countryside you see is farmland.

F. As Simon Gillings of the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) puts it: "For most
people, farmland is the countryside and farmland birds are the birds they see." If birds
are struggling, then it is a fair bet that other wildlife is too. "Birds are indicative of
other things," Gillings says. "If birds are declining then what does that say about the
plants and insects they rely on? It's all linked together."

Question 1-5:
This reading has six paragraphs, A-F.
Choose the correct heading for paragraph B-F from the list of headings below.
Write the correct number i-xi in boxes 1-5 on your answer sheet.
List of Headings
i. Not only birds suffer
ii. Vanishing of habitats give rises to the drop in bird species
iii. Cultivating fame fields is profitable for farmers
iv. A niche and minor problem
v. Who should be blamed?
vi. Woodlark and other birds are on the brink
vii. Hedges and bushes are blamed for the reduction
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viii. The rapid disappearance of bird species in Britain
ix. The countryside is the farmland
x. A major change in local landscape – more land is cultivated
xi. Farmland is taking an insignificant share
Example Answer
Paragraph A viii

1. Paragraph B

2. Paragraph C

3. Paragraph D

4. Paragraph E

5. Paragraph F

Question 6-10:
Do the following statements agree with the information given in READING
PASSAGE?
write:
YES if the statement agrees with the information
NO if the statement contradicts with the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

6. The RSPB is a very famous international organization in birds conservation.

7. In EU countries farm fields are left uncultivated in order to increase their fertility.
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8. The loss of habitats means a more demanding survival for many bird species.
9. In the 1970s government only counted 19 bird species that depended on farmland.
10. More farm fields are cultivated than usually expected.
PART IV: WRITING (50 POINTS)

Writing a paragraph about the reasons why teenagers should not use cell-phones at school.
(about 200 words)

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