Part 1: Fill each of the following numbered blanks with ONE suitable word and write your answers

in the
corresponding boxes provided below the passage (10pts)
The experience of standing at a bus stop or on a railway station platform and feeling intimidated by a
group of noisy youths is not uncommon. A variety of expensive solutions to the problem have been
tried but now the idea of playing classical music is gradually becoming adopted (1) ……………… a
low-cost answer. All that’s needed is the required licence to play music and a few speakers – and the
problem seems to disappear.
One railway station had been experiencing problems with youths hanging around, (2) ………………
getting up to criminal activities, but engaging (3) ……………… anti-social behaviour, like using bad
language and annoying passengers. Passengers complained so the authorities responded (4)
……………… introducing classical music, a solution (5) ……………… completely eliminated the
problem. Music make (6) ……………… an important part of our identity. If we are forced to
listen to music that we don’t like, we will react and move (7) ……………… from it. Predictably,
the youngsters loathed the music and very quickly gave (8) ……………… and left.
Now the passengers not (9) ……………… say they don’t see youths hanging around, but they also no
longer feel uneasy when travelling. The trouble-makers may have disappeared, (10)……………… the
music continues by popular demand, because passengers say it brightens the time spent waiting for
trains. For the time being then, music seems to be the answer.
Part 2: Read the following passage and decide which answer best fits each gap. Write your answers in the
numbered boxes.(10pts)
It might after all be true that you are only as oldas you feel. A British clinic is carrying out new high-tech
tests to calculate the “real” biological age of patients (1) ______ on the rate of physical deterioration.
Information on every (2) ____ of a patient’s health, fitness, lifestyle and family medical history is
(3)______ into a computer to work out whether they are older or younger than their calendar age suggests.
The availability and increasing accuracy of the tests has (4) ______ one leading British gerontologist to
call for biological age to be used to determine when workers should retire. He (5) ______ that if an
employee’s biological or “real” age is shown, for example, to be 55 when he reaches his 65th birthday, he
should be (6) ______ to work for another decade. Apparently most employers only take into (7) ______ a
person’s calendar years, and the two may differ considerably.
Some of those prepared to pay a substantial sums of money for the examinations will be able to smugly
walk away with medical (8) ______ showing that they really are as young as they feel, giving them the
confidence to act and dress as if they were younger. Dr Lynette Yong, resident doctor at the clinic where the
tests are offered claims that the purpose of these tests will be to motivate people to (9) _______ their health.
The concept of “real” age is set to become big (10) ______ in the USA, with books and websites helping
people work out whether their body is older or younger than their years. Others firmly believe that looks will
always be the best indicator of age.
1. A. based B. decided C. arranged D. established
2. A. position B. prospect C. attitude D. aspect
3. A. supplied B. fed C. provided D. planned
4. A. projected B. prodded C. provoked D. prompted
5. A. debates B. argues C. discusses D. enquires
6. A. encouraged B. supported C. incited D. promoted
7. A. interest B. detail C. account D. importance
8. A. grounds B. signs C. demonstration D. evidence
9. A. progress B. improve C. gain D. increase
10. A. trade B. pursuit C. business D. concern
Part 3: Read the following passage and choose the best answer to each question. Write your answers in
the corresponding numbered boxes (10pts)
Though harvesting ice is not a new concept, recently it has been considered in a new way. Scientists have
been studying this idea of harvesting ice as a possible solution to the problem of the world’s dwindling fresh
water supply. Ninety percent of the Earth’s fresh water is in the icecap of Antarctica. If only 10 percent of that
ice could be towed to civilization, it could provide water for 500 million people. But the problem, of course, is
one of melting. How can a giant iceberg be towed across the sea without melting? The answer could lie in
enclosing the floating ice in a huge cylindrical container made of a high-strength synthetic fabric. If the iceberg
were nudged into the fabric, which is opened at both ends, then the ends could be sealed and the sea water
pumped out. After that it could be towed to civilization. The melting rate would be slowed down and the
synthetic cocoon would act as a holding tank for the water. Engineering this project, which might include a
container up to one kilometer in length and 100 meters in diameter, would be a feat, but engineers say it is
possible. After all, fishermen in North Australia sometimes use nets 8 kilometres long and 20 meters across.
1. What is the main subject of the passage?
A. The dwindling water supply on Earth. B. Fresh water in the Antarctica.
C. A solution to fresh water needs. D. The making of a synthetic cocoon.
2. The word “harvesting” most likely refers to which of the following?
A. cutting and gathering B. sorting and assembling
C. producing and selling D. accumulating and sorting
3. Of all the earth’s water, the icecaps of Antarctica contain _____.
A. 10 percent of the fresh water B. 10 percent of the salt water
C. 90 percent of the fresh water D. 90 percent of the salt water
4. The word “dwindling” could be replaced by which of the following?
A. developing B. insignificant C. inferior D. declining
5. How does the author propose to transport the ice?
A. by pulling it B. by chopping it C. by piping it D. by melting it
6. According to the passage, the purpose of the fabric container is to ____.
A. protect the ice B. diminishing the speed of melting
C. cause the ice to float D. pump out the sea water
7. The word “nudged” is closest in meaning to ___.
A. imagined B. glued C. melted D. pushed
8. The word “cocoon” refers to _____?
A. protection against insects B. a tank in the boat
C. a very large net D. a protective covering
9. The word “feat” is most similar in meaning to which of the following?
A. expensive undertaking B. difficult task
C. disagreeable D. critical step
10. The purpose of the last sentence is to _____.
A. reinforce the feasibility of the project B. compare fishermen to engineers
C. contrast iceberg containers and fishing netsD. define the size of the container
 KEYS
Part 1: Fill each of the following numbered blanks with ONE suitable word and write your answers in the
corresponding boxes provided below the passage (10pts)
1. as 2. not 3. in 4. by 5. which/ that
6. up 7. away 8. up/ in 9. only 10. however/ but
Part 2: Read the following passage and decide which answer best fits each gap. Write your answers in the
numbered boxes.(10pts)
1. A 2. D 3. B 4. D 5. B
6. A 7. C 8. D 9. B 10. C
Part 3: Read the following passage and choose the best answer to each question. Write your answers in
the corresponding numbered boxes (10pts)
1. C 2. A 3. C 4. D 5. A
6. B 7. D 8. D 9. B 10. A