0% found this document useful (0 votes)
52 views17 pages

Revision - Span 2. St.

1. The document provides a reading passage and questions about winter sports and activities. It discusses how winter sports have become more accessible and affordable in recent years due to cheaper equipment that can be rented, more affordable accommodations like hostels, and improved transportation. 2. It then provides another reading passage about changes in carbon dioxide levels over time and the effects on global warming. The passage is followed by multiple choice questions about both readings. 3. The document appears to be educational materials for language learning, as it focuses on vocabulary and comprehension related to topics about winter activities, climate change, and invasive species. It provides exercises for students to practice their reading skills.

Uploaded by

hh8t6swxwx
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
52 views17 pages

Revision - Span 2. St.

1. The document provides a reading passage and questions about winter sports and activities. It discusses how winter sports have become more accessible and affordable in recent years due to cheaper equipment that can be rented, more affordable accommodations like hostels, and improved transportation. 2. It then provides another reading passage about changes in carbon dioxide levels over time and the effects on global warming. The passage is followed by multiple choice questions about both readings. 3. The document appears to be educational materials for language learning, as it focuses on vocabulary and comprehension related to topics about winter activities, climate change, and invasive species. It provides exercises for students to practice their reading skills.

Uploaded by

hh8t6swxwx
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 17

METU/SFL ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Fall 2022/23
DBE
PRE-INTERMEDIATE GROUP
REVISION - SPAN 2
LANGUAGE AND VOCABULARY
(Student’s Copy)

A. Read the following text and circle the best alternative for the
following questions.
It’s wintertime now and freezing cold outside. Although staying in your
warm bed with some books __(1)__ nice, these days it’s quite popular to
get out and enjoy the season. You can do winter sports, have a mountain
holiday, or just go out for a walk with your friends.
In the past, winter sports, such as skiing, snowboarding, or snow trekking
__(2)__ sports only for rich people because the equipment used in these
sports was really expensive. However, this understanding __(3)__ in the
past few years. Everyone __(4)__ a budget for a regular kind of sport can
do winter sports as well. The skiing equipment and clothes for cold
protection __(5)__ everywhere. Because there are more brands today than
in the past, this equipment and these clothes are now cheaper than ever
before. What’s more, you don’t have to buy these things; you __(6)__ rent
them small at the skiing centers. In the past, the hotels were
predominantly for the rich __(7)__ transportation and accommodation
costs were really high. Today, the transportation is easier, and recently
many more hotels for different budgets have been built. The __(8)__
expensive ones of all are the hostels for university students. Such places
cost only a few Euros a night, so they are cheap enough for young people.
The only things that are still expensive today are the plane or bus tickets
to these winter vacation spots. When it is high season, the prices go up, of
course, but you can always follow the sales promotions and book
beforehand. Even if you are not __(9)__ huge fan of sports, you can still
have a vacation just to enjoy the scenery and the fresh mountain air.

1. a) sounds
b) sounded
c) sounding
d) sound

2. a) considered
b) were considered
c) considering
d) have considered
3. a) changing
b) has changed
c) will change
d) is going to change ​
4. a) which has ​ ​ ​ ​5. a) have sold ​ ​ ​ ​6. a)
can
b) they have ​ ​ ​ ​ b) were selling ​ ​ ​
​ b) weren’t able to
c) who has ​ ​ ​ ​ c) were sold ​ ​ ​ ​ c)
have been able to
d) that have ​ ​ ​ ​ d) are sold ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
d) cannot

7. a) so ​ ​ ​ ​ ​8. a) little ​ ​ ​ ​ 9.
a) a ​
b) but ​ ​ ​ ​ b) least ​ ​ ​ ​ b)
an ​
c) however ​ ​ ​ ​ c) most ​ ​ ​ ​
c) the ​ ​
d) because ​ ​ ​ ​ d) more ​ ​ ​ ​
d) Ø​
B. Read the following text and circle the best alternative for the
following questions.

The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has greatly


changed in the past hundred years. Before the Industrial Revolution in
the late 18 century, carbon dioxide levels ___(1)____nearly unchanged
th

for thousands of years. However, since the time when human beings
began to use fossil-fuels, the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide
___(2)____dramatically. This increase means that less long wavelength
energy (like heat) from the earth can escape to space, and this
___(3)____ in the gradual warming of the earth. However, some
scientists believe that different factors counteract this warming effect.
For example, clouds reflect sunlight before it ever reaches the earth, and
thus reduce the amount of sunlight that reaches the earth's surface.
Studying these processes is difficult because they are complicated. One
method of doing this is studying the colour of the oceans. Scientists use
this method ___(4)____ the changes in the carbon levels and their
effects on us.


1. a) were staying
b) have stayed
c) were stayed
d) stayed

2. a) has increased
b) increased
c) is increasing
d) was increased

3. a) results
b) result
c) resulted
d) has resulted

4. a) by investigating
b) they investigate
c) to investigate
d) which investigate​
*****
If you want to see Komodo dragons, Komodo National Park in
Indonesia is the place where you should go. This remote region is the
only place in the world where Komodo dragons live, and ___(5)____ by
thousands of tourists every year. The dragons ___(6)____ be found all
over the park, from the pink sandy beaches to the hills and rocky
mountains. Male Komodo dragons usually weigh approximately 125
kilos. The largest male dragons are up to three metres long. Females are
usually a little over two metres long and they weigh ___(7)____ the
males; roughly 65 kilos. Baby dragons generally live in trees and feed
on birds’ eggs and insects. As they grow, they begin to eat birds and
rats. When they are about four or five years old and one meter long,
they cannot continue living in trees because they become too large to
climb them and so they start living on the hills within groups.


5. a) visits 6. a) must 7. a) as heavy as
b) are visited b) aren’t going to b) less than
c) visit c) can’t c) more than
d) is visited d) can d) heavier than



C . Write the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
1. If I __________ (be) rich, I __________ (travel) the world.

2. I might see Susan today. If I __________ (see) her, I __________ (tell) her that I’ve spoken to you.

3. A: Are you going out? I ______________ (come) with you if you _____________ (like).
B: Great. Let’s go, then.

4. I know it is difficult for you to understand our problems. If you ______________ (live) in my country,
you _____________ (understand) them.
5. What _________________(you/do) if you ______________(win) a lot of money?

6. Hurry up! If we ____________ (leave) on time, we _______________ (miss) the beginning of the film.
7. I ________________(buy) that bag if it _____________ (cost) less. It is $200!

8. A: I can’t seem to sleep well these days.


B: If you __________________ (have) difficulty in sleeping, stop drinking so much coffee then.

9. A: I’ve got to go now. I have a meeting early in the morning.

B: What a shame! If you _____________ (have to/get) up early in the morning, we ______________
(stay) out late.
A: I know! I hate getting up so early every day!

10. If she _____________ (be) available now, we ____________ (meet) up with her next week. Let’s call
and ask if she can make it. ​ ​
D. Read the short texts below, and mark the best choice.
Invasive species are plants and animals that arrive in an area where they
are not native, usually as a result of human activities. __(1)__, a species
of shellfish might attach itself to the outside of a ship that travels
between countries and enter a new environment in this way. Invasive
species are often able to grow __(2)__ other species in their new homes
because they have no natural enemies there. __(3)__, they may replace
or damage native plants and animals that live in the same environment.
One example is the case of gray and red squirrels in the UK.
1. a) For instance ​ 2. a) more quickly 3. a) Since ​
b) Moreover than ​ b) Thus
c) In other words b) the quickest of c) So as to
d) In contrast ​ c) the most quickly d) However
d) as quick as
Red squirrels __(4)___ a common sight in British forests and the
countryside: their population was as high as 3.5 million in the past.
Then, in the 1870s, the gray squirrel __(5)__ from North America
because rich people thought the squirrels looked fashionable in the
gardens of their large homes. Today, the number of red squirrels is very
low; only about 140,000 red squirrels remain, mostly in Scotland. By
contrast, gray squirrels are now extremely common and seen as a major
threat because of the damage __(6)__ cause to plants and houses. While
red squirrels are legally protected, gray squirrels can be legally trapped
and destroyed. If red squirrels __(7a)__ by law, they __(7b)__
completely extinct now.
4. a) would be ​ 5. a) has been brought
b) used to be b) used to be brought
c) have been c) was brought
d) could be d) had to be brought

6. a) who ​ 7. a) aren’t protected / will be ​


b) that b) weren’t protected / would be
c) X c) are protected / won’t be
d) they d) were protected / wouldn’t be

*****
According to scientists, in the last 100 years, global temperatures
__(8)__ by around 0.75 degrees Celsius. This may not sound like much,
but such a small increase is causing sea levels to rise and threatening the
habitats of many species. Scientists warn that if global temperatures
__(9a)__ to climb, this __(9b) __ in the extinction of 30% of the world’s
land species in the coming decades. Marine animals are even more
likely to suffer from habitat loss because, unlike land animals, which
can seek shelter in the shade of trees, animals that live in the sea
__(10)__ escape the heat. As a result of the changing climate,
ecosystems on both land and in water are changing faster than ever
before, and these changes destroy habitats.
An example of changing ecosystems is the Northwest Passage, a sea
route that runs along the northern coast of Canada between the Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans. In the past, it was often difficult __(11)__ this route
because the water was frozen; now, however, increasing temperatures
and the melting of glaciers have made it easier for ships to travel
through it. The trouble is __(12)__ the melting of the ice is leading to
loss of habitat for the polar bears and other species that live in this area.
Scientists hope __(13)__ right in their predictions of the effects of rising
global temperatures, but they say that our children might be the last
generation to see polar bears.
8. a) have risen ​ 9. a) continued / would result 10. a) aren’t able to ​
b) were risen b) continue / might result b) ought not to
c) have been risen c) would continue / resulted c) mustn’t
d) rose d) might continue / results d) needn’t
11. a) to use 12. a) which 13. a) not being
b) using b) when b) not to be
c) used c) who c) being
d) use d) that d) to be

*Taken from 2020/21 Fall Midterm II.

E. Read the text below, and choose the correct modals/modal-like


expressions to complete the sentences. Use each item ONLY ONCE.
There are more items than you need.
would can mustn’t didn’t have to
couldn’t could have to had to

Matthew Whitaker is a world-famous jazz pianist from New Jersey.


Whitaker doesn't just make music, he also plays with it by twisting
melodies, making up complex harmonies and improvising at lightning
speed. He is extremely talented, so he (1)______________ play any
piece of music on the piano after hearing it just one time —whether it's a
pop song by Beyoncé or an opus by Bach.

Whitaker makes it look easy at the piano, but in life, he has faced some
very difficult challenges. He was born three months early with severe
health problems. Doctors said that he had less than a 50% chance of
survival. Before he was two years old, he (2)______________ have 11
operations. Doctors finally saved his life thanks to these surgeries, but
they (3)______________ save his sight; Whitaker became blind.
His parents, Moses and May Whitaker, say Matthew had an ear for
music before he (4)______________ even talk. After getting a piano
keyboard as a present at the age of three, he learned how to play it all on
his own; he (5)______________ take any music lessons from private
tutors. As Whitaker grew, so did his talent. His blindness never got in
the way of his progress on the piano. When most of his friends were
playing on the playground, he (6)______________ spend almost all his
time practicing on his keyboard. At age 11, this piano genius was
playing on international stages.

can’t might shouldn’t doesn’t have to


must couldn’t are able to

Whitaker’s artistry soon caught the attention of Dr. Charles Limb, a


neurologist who is also a musician. Dr. Limb focuses his neurological
research on understanding how some individuals (7)______________
recognize and imitate musical notes on a musical instrument very
accurately. He was fascinated by Whitaker's talent and wanted to gain
insight into how his brain worked, so he reached out to the family.

With the permission of the musician and his parents, Dr. Limb scanned
Whitaker's brain with an MRI machine. Doctors (8)______________
use this machine as it is their only option to look inside the human body
painlessly in such complicated cases. It also enables scientists to
observe how various areas of the brain respond to different kinds of
stimuli. When a particular area of the brain is active, that part of the
image lights up.
So, what did the MRI scans reveal about this masterful musician's
brain? They revealed interesting facts. His brain has the ability to do
something astonishing that normal brains (9)______________ do. Dr.
Limb observed how Whitaker's brain responded to different kinds of
recorded sounds. When Whitaker was listening to a lecture, the area of
the brain known as the visual cortex showed no signs of activity. That
makes sense; as he is blind, his brain doesn't receive any visual stimuli.
However, when Whitaker listened to music, something unexpected
happened: his entire visual cortex lit up. This means that when Whitaker
is grooving along to a song, he's using a whole lot more of his brain
than the average person does. Some people have said perhaps he "sees"
the music as well as hears it. In other words, the visual part of his brain
(10)______________ be active, so his brain possibly “sees” music. His
biggest advice for those who admire him is that disabilities of any kind
(11)______________ stop people, especially teenagers, from doing
what they want.

VOCABULARY
A. Read the text below, and mark the best choice for each blank.
When Hawaii is mentioned, most people picture one of the top vacation
spots in the world. They think of popular resorts, beautiful beaches, and
maybe a Hula show. The chain of islands that is known as Hawaii is
(1)_______________ in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and it has a
rich and diverse history. Actually, the Hawaiian Islands had a well-
established culture and long history of governing itself until the
European (2)_______________ of the islands took place in 1778. This
was when Captain James Cook first set foot on Hawaii. The influence of
European and American settlers quickly began to (3)_______________
traditional ways of life. The system of holding land changed, and the
inhabitants were (4)_______________from performing many aspects of
their traditional culture, including teaching the Hawaiian language and
doing the native Hula dance. These cultural aspects disappeared
(5)_______________ as fewer and fewer Hawaiians that knew them
were left over the years, and older generations couldn’t pass them onto
new generations. Today, Hawaii is most known as a tourist magnet, with
nearly 10 million visitors annually. Most visit the islands of Maui and
Oahu, but Kauai and the Big Island also welcome millions of people
each year.
1. a) attached ​ 2. a) exploration 3. a) enable ​
b) located b) investigation b) encounter
c) surrounded c) implication c) approve
d) constructed d) detection d) alter

4. a) rescued 5. a) gradually
b) separated b) supposedly
c) prohibited c) simultaneously
d) threatened d) unexpectedly

There is an island among the Hawaiian Islands that doesn't see these
crowds. It's called Molokai. While half of Hawaii's annual visitors enjoy
the sun on Oahu, less than one percent of tourists visit Molokai. Why
do so few people go there? It has white, sandy beaches, forests,
waterfalls, and beautiful sea cliffs—all of the geographical
(6)_______________ that a tourist might expect from a tropical
vacation are there. However, there are no large resorts, surf schools, or
fancy restaurants. Instead, Molokai has a long, complicated, and
sometimes unhappy history. This history has (7)_______________ to its
isolation.
One reason why few people live on the island is that its natural
resources are limited. Its dry climate, strong winds, and rough seas
mean that only a small portion of the land is available for farmers to
(8)_______________. That is to say, most of the land is not fertile, so
farming or producing crops is difficult and there is not enough food to
support a big population. Another cause of Molokai’s isolation is its role
as a place of quarantine for patients with Hansen's Disease. This highly
infectious disease, which is also known as leprosy, causes painful, rough
areas on the skin and was long thought to be untreatable. In other words,
people thought that there was no (9)_______________ for this
infectious medical condition. Those who had the disease were removed
from their families and often never seen again. The leper colony, as it
was called, was made up of mostly native Hawaiians. It existed on
Molokai from the mid-1800s until the quarantine was ended in 1969,
almost 20 years after a treatment was developed. However, its bad
reputation as a place of quarantine still prevents tourists from seeing this
place as a vacation destination.
While it has its problems, including high rates of unemployment and
poverty, Molokai maintains a native Hawaiian way of life, and for the
people who call Molokai home—currently around 7,000 of them—the
island has a (10)_______________ history. Hawaiians on Molokai
continue to practice many of the old traditions that are deeply rooted in
native Hawaiian culture. Visitors to the island get a chance to see a more
authentic slice of Hawaii.
6. a) intentions ​ 7. a) contributed 8. a) develop ​
b) features b) depended b) cultivate
c) imitations c) ensured c) perceive
d) means d) remained d) transplant

9. a) advance 10. a) conscious


b) cure b) primitive
c) discovery c) remarkable
d) evidence d) pressing

****

****

B. Read the short texts below, and fill each gap with a suitable item
from the box. You can use each item only ONCE. There are more
items than you need.

mysterious import committed initially shortage inherited


gradually export determined dependence phenomenon supplied

Although Italians remain the biggest eaters of pasta worldwide,


consuming approximately 23 kg per person annually, the country’s
pasta-makers (1)__________________ 60% of their production, mostly
to other European countries and America.
***
In this episode of Crime Lab, the crime-scene investigation team needs to
solve serial murders. They believe that the crimes were
(2)__________________ by a serial killer who was a police officer once.
Crime-scene analysts have a hard time trying to find evidence at the
crime scenes as the killer is quite experienced this time. Does the
(3)__________________ disappearance of one of their colleagues have
anything to do with this serial killer? Do not miss the new episode of
Crime Lab tonight if you want to find out!
***

Dust storms usually occur when strong winds lift large amounts of sand
and dust from bare, dry soils into the atmosphere. They are a natural
(4)__________________, but can be influenced by human activities
and are now just as serious as traffic and industrial air pollution. The
number of dust storms has increased dramatically over the past 30
years, and this rise has been linked to changes in ocean temperature.
***

Scientists believe that the long-term effects of climate change will


include a decrease in sea ice, an increase in heat waves, and lower water
resources in semi-arid regions. These long-term effects will have more
serious consequences than they (5)__________________ predicted.
***

The price of a product is mostly (6)__________________ by the number of people who want to buy it. If
more people are willing to go out and get it, its price rises.
***

If we want to do something to save the environment, we need to reduce


our (7)__________________ on fossil fuels. The production and use of
fossil fuels—also known as "dirty fuels"—for electricity and
transportation are not only contributing to climate change, but they also
cause health problems, destroy habitats, and release toxins, such as
mercury and arsenic, into the soil. Furthermore, fossil fuels are not
unlimited. Global energy consumption is increasing, so we will face a/n
(8)__________________ of fossil fuels in the coming decades.
Consequently, all countries should start making use of alternative
sources of energy to generate electricity or to run our vehicles.​
READING

Text I. Read the text below and mark the best choice.
Jumping From the Edge of Space
1 On October 24, 2014, Google’s vice-president of knowledge, 57-year-old Alan Eustace, broke the world
record for high-altitude parachute jumping. The previous record was set by Felix Baumgartner in 2012. In
his jump, Mr. Eustace set several other skydiving records as well. He jumped from an altitude of more
than 40,000 meters above the Earth’s surface in a specially designed spacesuit. He hit a top speed of 1,323
kilometers per hour, which is faster than the speed of sound, during his jump. He spent 4½ minutes in
freefall before he opened his main parachute.

After nearly three years of planning, development and training, Mr. Eustace began his ascent from the
Earth to the stratosphere* with the help of a special helium-filled balloon, just as the sun was rising. He
was carried up in just his spacesuit, not inside a capsule like the one Mr. Baumgartner used in his 2012
2
jump. Mr. Eustace planned his jump with a small group of technologists who were experts in spacesuit
design, life-support systems, and parachute and balloon technology. Google wanted to pay for the project,
but Mr. Eustace didn’t want the media to publicize his jump. Thus, he didn’t accept the offer.
For a little over two hours, the balloon rose upwards from the Earth to an altitude of more than 40
kilometers. It reached speeds of up to 488 meters per minute during the climb. Mr. Eustace was dangling
under the balloon in a specially designed spacesuit with an extremely complex life-support system. “The
3 view was amazing,” he said. “It was beautiful. You could see the darkness of space, and you could see the
layers of atmosphere, which I had never seen before.”

After the balloon reached its top altitude of 41,419 meters, Mr. Eustace cut himself loose from the balloon
and plummeted toward the Earth. He returned to Earth just 15 minutes after starting his fall. During his
4 freefall, he set off a small sonic boom** that was heard by people on the ground. “It was a wild, wild
ride,” he said. “I held tightly on to the equipment module, folded my legs and tried to keep my position.”

Jim Hayhurst, from the United States Parachute Association, was the jump’s official observer. He is the
person who judged that Mr. Eustace set a new world record. He said that Eustace used a special kind of
parachute which gave him incredible stability (balance) and control even though he reached a massive
speed during his jump. Mr. Eustace did not feel it when he broke the sound barrier, but the ground crew
5 (the team that helped Mr. Eustace from the ground during his jump) certainly heard the resulting sonic
boom. Mark Kelly, a former astronaut who watched Mr. Eustace’s jump, said, “To break an aviation
record is incredibly significant. There is an incredible amount of risk. He did it safely thanks to the people
who were involved in the project.”

​ * stratosphere: the upper layer of Earth’s atmosphere


** sonic boom: a loud sound that is caused when an object goes faster
than the speed of sound

1. ​ aragraph 1 is mainly about ______.


P
​a) ​the fact that Eustace and Baumgartner fell faster than the speed of
sound
​b) ​Alan Eustace’s record-breaking high-altitude parachute jump
​c) ​Felix Baumgartner’s world record for high-altitude parachute
jumping

2. ​Mr. Eustace’s jump is different from Mr. Baumgartner’s jump mainly in


that Mr. Eustace ______.
​a) ​didn’t wear a spacesuit
​b) ​wasn’t carried up in a capsule
​c) ​jumped early in the morning

3. ​Mr. Eustace didn’t accept Google’s offer to pay for his jump because
______.
​a) ​he didn’t work with specialists
​b) ​he didn’t receive any training ​
​c) ​he didn’t want media attention

4. ​ he word “dangling” in para. 3 probably means ______.


T
​a) ​hanging ​b) ​pushing ​c) ​attaching ​

5. ​ hat did Mr. Eustace think was amazing?


W
​a) ​The complex life-support system
​b) ​The layers of the atmosphere
​c) ​The specially-designed spacesuit

6. ​ he word “plummeted” in para. 4 probably means ______.


T
​a) ​rotated slowly ​b) ​rose quickly ​c) fell
quickly ​ ​ ​

7. ​It can be understood from the text that Mr. Eustace felt ______ during
his jump.
​a) ​surprised ​b) ​scared ​c) ​excited ​

8. ​Mr. Eustace’s parachute helped him to remain balanced and in control


despite ______.
​a) ​the sound barrier
​b) ​the high speed during his fall
​c) ​the resulting sonic boom

Text II. Read the text below, and answer the questions that follow.

So Much Dead Space: Creating Store Windows Alive with Promise


​I am a nerdy American researcher. Nobody has ever thought of me as
fashionable. What I do know about is shops and shopping. I've always been
good at watching people. Because I grew up with a terrible stutter and was
1

not comfortable talking, I learned to observe as a way of understanding social


rules. I've turned this coping mechanism into a profession. What I have done
for the past 25 years is research shopping behavior: I simply walk around
malls and shopping streets and figure out what motivates people to buy
things. What makes someone stop and look at a store window? What makes a
person go into a store? What makes somebody buy something?
​As I stroll around, I look closely at store windows since they are an
essential part of the shopping experience. In his book Made in America, Bill
Bryson writes about the history of stores and shopping in America. He
describes the big store windows that used to be an important feature of most
retail stores in the past century. When I look out my office window in New
York City, I see many of those windows. They remain the same today as they
were some 120 years ago. A century ago, people took the time to stop and
look into store windows. I imagine them walking along slowly, stopping at a
tall window, and peering through the glass to see the latest fashions and
newest products.
​Today, strolling, window-shopping pedestrians are an old-fashioned
concept. Most people look straight ahead and walk with a quick, determined
gait . Everyone seems to be in a hurry. They walk a lot faster now than they
2

did in the old days. Throughout modern times, the way pedestrians walk in
busy urban areas has depended on different factors. One of the most
significant of these is traffic lights. William H. Whyte, the American author
and urbanist, wrote about the pattern and movement of pedestrians on the
sidewalk. He observed that because traffic lights are timed for the speed of
cars, people pile up on street corners as they wait for the light to change.
When the light changes, that pile of people will cross and stay crowded
together as they continue down the street. Behind them, there will be a "gap"
of fewer people, but then another crowd will form when the traffic light
changes again. This creates a pattern of crowds and gaps on urban shopping
streets. Now, think about how individuals behave when walking in these
crowds of people. Some people will speed up to get out of the crowd, and
then the entire group will begin to walk more quickly. This behavior affects
how people view the store windows that they pass by. Even if you wanted to
slow down or stop to look in a window, you couldn't. You have to keep
walking quickly so that you won't be in the way of other people.
​That's why window displays need to instantly grab attention, but many
don't in spite of all the effort. Take the drugstores in my neighborhood, for
example. The windows are filled with boxes of bleach and detergent,
packages of razors and soap, and whatever else can be squeezed into the
space. With the window so packed, it is impossible to focus on any single
product. Often, it's difficult to even see clearly what is really being promoted!
Maybe in 1928, it was important for a store to advertise the large selection of
products offered. Maybe then, shoppers had the time to really take a look at a
window and examine the display. However, these days, retailers are lucky if
crowds of pedestrians just take a look at their store windows as they walk the
way they do today.
5 ​The way our eyes and brain handle information has become more
sophisticated. Thanks to television and computers, our ability to process
images is faster. We no longer read letter by letter but rather in groups of
words at a time. TV programs have evolved so that we see the stories of years
— or even lifetimes — in just a few hours. A billboard can tell a more
complicated joke today than it could 20 years ago. A 15-second commercial
can introduce a full story. Likewise, when it comes to window displays,
shoppers today can understand information more quickly.
​Store windows today must be quick reads. They must be simple enough
so that the products can be clearly identified, and they must be creative
enough to catch the busy pedestrian's eye. Just a quick look at a store window
should answer many questions for savvy shoppers: Who is the core market of
the store? Does the store fit their personal style or not? How long will a
typical trip into the store take? Especially since today's retail market is so
competitive, if done right, windows can function as an important brand-
identity tool. As retailers, you must know who your customers are, and you
must create windows that they will understand. For instance, Kiehl's, which
sells all-natural bath and body products, uses its windows as a place for
highlighting social issues, which fits with the priorities of its customers.
​My favorite windows are in France. Like many others, a man who runs
his family's boutique off the main square in Strasbourg takes enormous
pleasure in his windows. They tell jokes. Some are related to history.
Sometimes his windows make me chuckle. The clothes are part of a larger
story. His store always distinguishes itself from the other shops on the
crowded square because his windows always make an impression. As busy as
I might be as I walk down the street, his windows make me stop. Even more,
they almost always tempt me to come inside the shop and take a good look
around. The question is what stores can do with their "dead space." How can
windows come alive? To modern retailers, I propose the following: Let's
liberate our design teams. Stop filling windows with products. Tell a story.
Make us laugh. Make us think. Learn from advertisers like Calvin Klein or
Benetton who think outside the box with ads that catch our attention and
motivate a response. Windows can be like literature. It's OK if not everybody
understands the story you're telling. What is important is that the target
customer gets it and stops to look.
1
stutter: difficulty speaking because you cannot stop yourself from repeating the
first sound of some words
2
gait: a particular way of walking

Mark the best choice.

1. We can understand from para. 1 that the writer ________.


a) knows about shops and shopping behavior of people because of his/her life-
long interest in observing others and fashion
b) became a consumer researcher after s/he developed an interest in observing
people due to his/her speech problem
c) does research about malls, shopping streets, and consumer behavior by
reading extensively about reasons why people buy things

2. Which of the following best summarizes para. 2?


a) In the previous century, store windows were an important part of the
shopping experience as shoppers checked them out to see trends.
b) Big store windows haven't lost their appeal for shoppers over the past
century although the products on display have changed considerably.
c) Store windows would become necessary for a nice shopping experience if
people had the time to look at them as carefully as they did a century ago.

3. “these” in para. 3 refers to ________.


a) busy urban areas
b) pedestrians
c) different factors

4. The main reason why para. 3 describes urban pedestrians is to ________.


a) compare the speed of pedestrian traffic and car traffic
b) analyze their movement and walking patterns
c) criticize the modern way of walking patterns

5. Which of the following is FALSE according to para. 4?


a) It is impossible to understand what is advertised in some store windows
because of the crowds of people.
b) Many store windows fail to get shoppers’ attention despite trying hard
because of wrong strategies.
c) Unlike today, shoppers had the opportunity to examine and take advantage
of store windows in the past.

6. Today, shoppers can be informed more quickly through window displays


________.
a) because of the changes in the way their eyes and brain deal with information
b) although they are capable of processing images faster thanks to TV and
computers
c) since TV programs, billboards, and commercials have become more
complex

7. The writer thinks Kiehl’s window displays are successful because ________.
a) they are simple enough so that the customers know how long they will
spend in the store
b) they highlight the fact that the bath and body products that are sold are
completely natural
c) they are able to appeal to the target market by identifying who they are and
what they want

8. The writer enjoys looking at the store windows in France because of all the
reasons EXCEPT that ________.
a) they can impress the crowds by being different from others
b) they advertise products through a story that everyone can understand
c) they can make people laugh or remember something from history

Text III. Read the text below, and answer the questions that follow.
Fighting Fake News
​Thanks to the Internet, students across the United States can find news
and information with ease. A Google search while researching a paper or a
trending topic on Twitter will probably produce countless results. However,
some of the information is fake and it also spreads in the form of news. The
spread of fake news means that the articles that students discover on search
engines or social media feeds aren't always accurate. The issue has captured
the attention of state lawmakers. Alarmed by the amount of false or
misleading content online, some politicians are now suggesting that schools
put greater emphasis on teaching students how to tell fact from fiction.
Lawmakers in several states have supported new laws that require public
school systems to do more to teach media literacy skills including the ability
1

to analyze and evaluate sources of information. As of March 2018, new laws


had already been passed in Washington State, Connecticut, Rhode Island,
California and New Mexico, and several more states including Arizona, New
York, and Hawaii were considering such new laws to be discussed in their
congresses.
​ his is good news for media literacy advocates who have been pushing
T
for schools to include media literacy in lesson plans in civics, language arts,
science, and other subjects. Their efforts started gaining power after the 2016
presidential election. This moment in political history highlighted how many
people — adults and children — can be fooled by false or misleading
content. Some online publications have a political plan or simply post
sensational content to make money. In the months before the election, it was
possible for media literacy skills to help adults and young people recognize
bias or misinformation online, yet this didn’t happen. Michelle Ciulla Lipkin,
2

the executive director of the National Association for Media Literacy


Education, has noticed increased support for the work of media literacy
advocates. "Five years ago, it was difficult to get people to understand what
we were doing and what we wanted to see happen in education and the skills
students needed to learn," said Lipkin. "Now there is no question about the
importance of this in classrooms."
​Media literacy advocates like Lipkin believe that the K-12 curriculum
hasn't kept pace with rapid changes in technology. Although many children
spend hours every day online surfing the Internet for assignments or just for
fun, according to research, they struggle to figure out the digital content they
encounter, or come across. One study, published in 2018 by Stanford
University researchers, found that students from middle school to college
were "easily fooled" and ill-equipped (unprepared) to use their judgment with
online information. The researchers warned that "democracy is threatened by
the ease at which disinformation about public issues is allowed to spread and
grow."
​Politicians are paying attention to the issue. In June 2017, Connecticut
Governor Daniel Malloy signed a new law to establish an advisory council to
develop recommendations for instructing students on evaluating what they
see and read online. Jennifer Rocca, a high school librarian in Connecticut,
was among several supporters who advised lawmakers to pass that law. A
digital literacy course which was created by Rocca is now a required class for
freshmen at her school, and it challenges students to evaluate the reliability of
online sources in order to spot falsehoods and biased information. Rocca
requires students to mention their sources when conducting research, and to
explain why each source they mentioned is reliable. Previous to the
beginning of each term, Rocca wants the state of Connecticut to set standards
to develop media literacy in schools. She worries that without these
standards, some school districts will not do enough to develop such skills.
"You should be expected to navigate the Internet and evaluate the information
on its reliability no matter where you go to school," Rocca said.
​In other states, lawmakers are addressing the issue of fake news in a
variety of ways. In the summer of 2020, Rhode Island Governor Gina
Raimondo signed two bills that require state education officials to work with
3

media literacy organizations and consider integrating the subject into the
basic education program. Meanwhile, a new law in Washington requires the
state school director to create a website that promotes successful media
literacy practices. Supporters are helping lawmakers in several states prepare
similar laws to be introduced in the spring of 2022. "The combination of
social media and misinformation really captured people's awareness and
attention in the last year," said Erin McNeill, president of the nonprofit
organization Media Literacy Now. It took a long time to get media literacy
into the public consciousness. In the age of fake news, many say, the time for
media literacy has come.
1
media literacy: the ability to analyze the content that is created in various
media for accuracy
2
bias: an unfair personal opinion that influences someone’s judgment,
prejudice
3
bill: a draft of a proposed law that is presented to parliament for discussion

Mark the best choice.


1. The huge amount of fake news has caused state lawmakers ________.
a) to be alarmed by the speed of the misinformation that is spread on Google
and social media
b) to encourage schools to teach children how to distinguish between genuine
and fake online content
c) to require public schools to evaluate online content that students come
across as part of the new laws

2. 2016 was the year when ________.


a) online publications started to spread sensational news for political purposes
b) many people noticed how important media literacy skills were in
classrooms
c) people from different age groups were misled by false and biased
information

3. “kept pace with” in para. 3 probably means ________.


a) caught up with
b) looked up to
c) accompanied

4. The 2018 study mentioned in para. 3 showed that ________.


a) despite the time they spend online, students fail to understand digital
content they come across
b) students threaten democracy by allowing disinformation about social
matters to spread and grow
c) students from different age groups lack the capability to critically analyze
online information

5. According to para. 4, Jennifer Rocca ________.


a) claims that students will be able to surf the Internet and evaluate online
information thanks to the requirements of media literacy courses
b) is concerned that some schools in Connecticut are going to fall behind in
developing students’ media literacy skills in spite of pre-set standards
c) helped other schools start a digital literacy course that requires students to
mention what sources they use along with their methods for determining fake
ones

6. According to para. 5, what does the writer want to happen?


a) For lawmakers to find new ways to deal with the issue of fake news.
b) For social media companies to stop spreading false information.
c) For people to become more knowledgeable about media literacy.
10

You might also like