Find the sentence that is closest in meaning to the one given for each question. 1.Due to the fact that the demand for tea was very high in the 19th century, its price was astronomical. A) It was not until the 19th century that the demand for tea started to increase. B) The demand for tea was so high in the 19th century that its price was enormous. C) In the 19th century the price for tea didn't increase despite the demand. D) It was its astronomical price which decreased the demand for tea in the 19th century. E) In the 19th century, even though the demand for tea was enormous its price remained cheap. 2. French is the only language other than English spoken on five continents. A) French and English are the only languages that are spoken on five continents. B) Unlike French, English is spoken on five continents. C) French and English are spoken widely in official and commercial circles. D) Before English, French was the only language spoken on five continents. E) Worldwide, French is the most widely taught second language after English. 3. Adults laugh less than children, probably because they play less. A) unlike adults children laugh more while playing games. B) Since adults have less time playing games; they don't laugh as much as children C) No matter how much adults play, they can't laugh more than children. D) It seems that adults, who don't laugh much, didn't play much with other children when they were young. E) The reason why adults laugh less than children might be that they play less. 4. We must remember what happened in the past so that it will never happen again. A) If we could remember the past, it would not happen again. B) Since we all tend to forget what happened in the past we make the same mistakes again. C) We couldn't remember what happened in the past so we did it again. D) In order not to repeat the past, we should certainly not forget what happened then. E) Those who couldn't remember what happened in the past were more likely to repeat it. 5. After failing a doping test at the Seoul Olympics, Ben Johnson was stripped of his gold medal. A) At the Seoul Olympics Ben Johnson and many others were disqualified after failing a doping test. B) If Ben Johnson hadn't been tested positive for doping at the Seoul Olympics, he wouldn't have lost his gold medal. 1 P a g e
C) Since Ben Johnson confessed having used doping his gold medal was taken back. D) As Ben Johnson failed the doping test again at the Seoul Olympics, he was stripped of his gold medal. E) Although Ben Johnson failed the doping test he wasn't disqualified from the Seoul Olympics. READING PRACTICE Passage 1 - Opera Opera refers to a dramatic art form, originating in Europe, in which the emotional content is conveyed to the audience as much through music, both vocal and instrumental, as it is through the lyrics. By contrast, in musical theater an actor's dramatic performance is primary, and the music plays a lesser role. The drama in opera is presented using the primary elements of theater such as scenery, costumes, and acting. However, the words of the opera, or libretto, are sung rather than spoken. The singers are accompanied by a musical ensemble ranging from a small instrumental ensemble to a full symphonic orchestra. 1. It is pointed out in the reading that opera ----. A) has developed under the influence of musical theater B) is a drama sung with the accompaniment of an orchestra C) is not a high-budget production D) is often performed in Europe E) is the most complex of all the performing arts 2. We can understand from the reading that ----. A) people are captivated more by opera than musical theater B) drama in opera is more important than the music C) orchestras in operas can vary considerably in size D) musical theater relies above all on music E) there is argument over whether the music is important or the words in opera 3. It is stated in the reading that ----. A) acting and costumes are secondary to music in musical theater B) many people find musical theater more captivating than opera C) music in musical theater is not as important as it is in opera D) an opera requires a huge orchestra as well as a large choir E) opera doesn't have any properties in common with musical theater 2 P a g e
Passage 2 - Dolphins Dolphins are regarded as the friendliest creatures in the sea and stories of them helping drowning sailors have been common since Roman times. The more we learn about dolphins, the more we realize that their society is more complex than people previously imagined. They look after other dolphins when they are ill, care for pregnant mothers and protect the weakest in the community, as we do. Some scientists have suggested that dolphins have a language but it is much more probable that they communicate with each other without needing words. Could any of these mammals be more intelligent than man? Certainly the most common argument in favor of man's superiority over them that we can kill them more easily than they can kill us is the least satisfactory. On the contrary, the more we discover about these remarkable creatures, the less we appear superior when we destroy them. 4. It is clear from the passage that dolphins ----. A) don't want to be with us as much as we want to be with them B) are proven to be less intelligent than once thought C) have a reputation for being friendly to humans D) are the most powerful creatures that live in the oceans E) are capable of learning a language and communicating with humans 5. The fact that the writer of the passage thinks that we can kill dolphins more easily than they can kill us ----. A) means that they are better adapted to their environment than we are B) shows that dolphins have a very sophisticated form of communication C) proves that dolphins are not the most intelligent species at sea D) does not mean that we are superior to them E) proves that Dolphins have linguistic skills far beyond what we previously thought 6. One can infer from the reading that ----. A) dolphins are quite abundant in some areas of the world B) communication is the most fascinating aspect of the dolphins C) dolphins have skills that no other living creatures have such as the ability to think D) it is not usual for dolphins to communicate with each other E) dolphins have some social traits that are similar to those of humans 3 P a g e
Passage 3 - Unsinkable Ship Naval architects never claim that a ship is unsinkable, but the sinking of the passenger-and-car ferry Estonia in the Baltic surely should never have happened. It was well designed and carefully maintained. It carried the proper number of lifeboats. It had been thoroughly inspected the day of its fatal voyage. Yet hours later, the Estonia rolled over and sank in a cold, stormy night. It went down so quickly that most of those on board, caught in their dark, flooding cabins, had no chance to save themselves: Of those who managed to scramble overboard, only 139 survived. The rest died of hypothermia before the rescuers could pluck them from the cold sea. The final death toll amounted to 912 souls. However, there were an unpleasant number of questions about why the Estonia sank and why so many survivors were men in the prime of life, while most of the dead were women, children and the elderly. 7. One can understand from the reading that ----. A) the lifesaving equipment did not work well and lifeboats could not be lowered B) design faults and incompetent crew contributed to the sinking of the Estonia ferry C) 139 people managed to leave the vessel but died in freezing water D) naval architects claimed that the Estonia was unsinkable E) most victims were trapped inside the boat as they were in their cabins 8. It is clear from the passage that the survivors of the accident ----. A) helped one another to overcome the tragedy that had affected them all B) were mostly young men but women, children and the elderly stood little chance C) helped save hundreds of lives D) are still suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder E) told the investigators nothing about the accident 9. According to the passage, when the Estonia sank, ----. A) there were only 139 passengers on board B) few of the passengers were asleep C) there were enough lifeboats for the number of people on board D) faster reaction by the crew could have increased the Estonia's chances of survival E) all the passengers had already moved out into the open decks 4 P a g e
Passage 4 - Erosion in America Erosion of America's farmland by wind and water has been a problem since settlers first put the prairies and grasslands under the plow in the nineteenth century. By the 1930s, more than 282 million acres of farmland were damaged by erosion. After 40 years of conservation efforts, soil erosion has accelerated due to new demands placed on the land by heavy crop production. In the years ahead, soil erosion and the pollution problems it causes are likely to replace petroleum scarcity as the nation's most critical natural resource problem. 10. As we understand from the reading, today, soil erosion in America ----. A) causes humans to place new demands on the land B) is worse than it was in the nineteenth century C) happens so slowly that it is hardly noticed D) is the most critical problem that the nation faces E) is worse in areas which have a lot of petroleum production 11. The author points out in the passage that erosion in America ----. A) has damaged 282 million acres ever since settlers first put the prairies and grasslands under the plow B) has been so severe that it has forced people to abandon their settlements C) occurs only in areas with no vegetation D) could become a more serious problem in the future E) was on the decline before 1930s 12. It is pointed out in the reading that in America ----. A) petroleum is causing heavy soil erosion and pollution problems B) heavy crop production is necessary to meet the demands and to prevent a disaster C) soil erosion has been hastened due to the overuse of farming lands D) water is undoubtedly the largest cause of erosion E) there are many ways to reduce erosion 5 P a g e
Stonehenge Monument Stonehenge is an ancient monument situated about ten miles north of Salisbury in England. It was built about 4500 years ago, but by whom and for what purpose remains a mystery. The builders must have known of geometry. They may have been influenced by the Mycenaeans, whose architecture was similar. Some of the stones must have been brought from West Wales, over 135 miles away. These stones weigh more than fifty tons. They may have been brought on rafts and rollers. Experts say that it must have taken 1500 men more than five years to transport them. Stonehenge was probably built in three stages. First, settlers from continental Europe built a temple for sun worship. Later the "Beaker" people added the stone circles. Finally, people of the Wesse Culture transformed Stonehenge into an observatory. They could calculate the exact time of Midsummer and Midwinter and of equinoxes. 1. We understand from the passage that the construction of the Stonehenge ----. A) began 135 miles away from Salisbury B) is thought to have taken place in more than one stage C) was first documented by the Mycenaeans D) is not a mystery that needs to be solved E) was completed in less than five years 2. It is pointed out in the reading that the Stonehenge ----. A) was built by the Mycenaeans, who were very advanced in geometry B) probably has religious origins, possibly for worship of the sun C) had no astrological purposes D) was erected thousands of years ago in West Wales E) is still used to calculate the changes of the seasons 3. According to the passage, there is no certainty about ----. A) where the Stonehenge was built B) what kind of stones were used in the construction of the Stonehenge C) how to calculate the exact time of Midsummer and Midwinter and of equinoxes D) how the stones used in the construction of the Stonehenge were transported E) whether some of the stones are in position to reflect the movements of the sun and the moon 6 P a g e
READING PRACTICE Human Developing When early humans hunted and gathered food, they were not in control of their environment. They could only interact with their surroundings as lower organisms did. When humans learned to make fire, however, they became capable of altering their environment. To provide themselves with fuel they stripped bark from trees, causing the trees to die. Clearings were burned in forests to increase the growth of grass and to provide a greater grazing area for the wild animals that humans fed upon. This development led to farming and the domestication of animals. Fire also provided the means for cooking plants which had previously been inedible. Only when the process of meeting the basic need for food reached a certain level of sophistication was it possible for humans to follow other pursuits such as the founding of cities. 1. This passage is mainly concerned with ----. A) the evolution of farming techniques B) the role of hunting as a source of food C) how the discovery of fire changed the development of mankind D) basic food-gathering techniques of early humans E) how people supplied themselves with food prior to the discovery of how to make fire 2. One can infer from the passage that the discovery of how to make fire ----. A) improved the hunting skills of early humans B) caused early humans to interact with their surroundings as lower organisms did C) taught early humans how to live with lower organisms D) increased nutrition options for early humans E) made easier for early humans to gather food 3. As we understand from the passage, early humans ----. A) didn't eat plants before they learned how to control fire B) used fire as a tool to alter their surroundings C) gained better control of their environment when they learned to live with lower organisms D) started to maintain their food supply by hunting and gathering food when they started cooking with fire E) were the prey of many predators 7 P a g e
Complete the paragraphs with the most appropriate sentences so that the paragraph flow is not broken. 1. I was only 4 years old when my dad was working with elephants, lions and tigers. ----. When I was 14, I was already taking care of and raising baboons and lion cubs, leopard cats and other animals. At 17, I began working professionally with elephants. I did that for about 8 years and then gave it up. I have been working in the construction business since then. A) Elephants and many other animals are just like people B) Therefore, I always had animals around me C) You have to love them unconditionally D) But nothing would happen to elephants E) They are the type of animal that demands food all the time 2. You need a total of about 60 minutes of physical activity a day. Here is the good news. ----. Five or ten minute sessions of physical activities throughout the day are just as good for you. These may include walking, jogging, running, and riding a bike. A) It will give you lots of ideas for staying fit and healthy B) He regularly takes physical education classes at school C) You should turn off that television and get moving instead D) A program called "The Fitness Fighters" was started E) This does not have to be done all at one time 3. ----. And they are certainly right. Sunscreen protects your skin from ultraviolet light rays. Too much ultraviolet is bad for your skin. If you spend a long time outside without any sunscreen on, you might get a sunburn because of the ultraviolet rays. A) Ultraviolet light can get rid of bacteria in eggs and apple and make them safer to eat B) Your parents tell you to wear sunscreen when you're outside in the summer C) When we are outdoors, we are exposed to pollens and dust, and other irritants D) However, they can also trigger asthma attacks, which are more serious E) It seems to be the safest way to make food safer before we buy it 8 P a g e
ANSWERS P1-1B 2A 3E 4D 5B P2-1B 2C 3C P3-4C 5D 6E P4-7E 8B 9C P5-10B 11D 12C P6-1B 2B 3D P7-1C 2D 3B P8-1B 2E 3B 9 P a g e