PRACTICE TEST 23

LISTENING (50 pts)

• to look at the questions
PART 1. Complete the form below (14pts)
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND OR A NUMBER for each answer
PACK HAM’S SHIPPING AGENCY – customer quotation form

Example
Kenya
Country of destination: ..........…..

Name: Jacob 1 …………

MKERE (Mkere)
Westall
Address to be collected from: 2 ………… College, Downlands Rd
Town: Bristol
Postcode: 3 BS8
……… 9PU

Size of container:

Length: 1.5m

Width: 4 …………
75cm wide 5.
Height: 5 …………0.5 m/metre(s)/meter(s) (high/deep) /
(a) half (a) metre/meter (high/deep) /
Contents: clothes / 50 cm(s) (high/deep)
books
(some) toys
6. …………
1,700
Total estimated value: 7 £…………
PART 2. You will hear a radio programme about the history of roller skating and complete the sentences.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND OR A NUMBER for each answer. (16pts)
The country where the first roller skates were probably made was Holland. In 1760, John Merlin went to a ball in
London playing a violin whilst on roller skates. Unfortunately, John Merlin injured himself when he broke a (1)
Winter Pleasures
__________
(large) mirrorat the ball. In Germany, roller skating was used in a ballet called (2) ________ . Plimpton's invention
helped roller skaters to control the (3) _______
Direction of their skates. The first team sport to be played on roller skates
(roller) hockey
was (4) __________ . In Detroit in 1937, the first (5) championships
________ in the sport took place. The use of plastics meant
that both the (6) ________
design performanceof roller skates improved. The musical Starlight Express was seen by as
and ________
many as (7)eight million/8.000,000
_______ in London. people
The speaker says that modern roller skates are now (8) ________ than ever
before. lighter/safer (in either order)
PART 3. You will hear an introduction to a radio phone-in programme about modern lifestyles. Listen and
indicate true (T) or false (F) statements. (10pts)
1. Ron is a record-breaking athlete. T
2. Ron thinks an accountant can lead a health and fulfilled life. F
3. “Total Living” is believed to be good for athletes. F
4. “Total Living” means that we should develop one aspect of our life to the full. F
5. According to Ron Clarke, some current health trends are harming us. T
 PART 4. Listen to the recording. (10pts)
You are going to hear two women talking about a holiday in France. Read the sentences, and choose the
best option: A, B, or C, to complete the statements about the recording.
1. Paula's friend says that
A. she has been ill B. Paula doesn't look very well C. she's pleased to see Paula
2. Before the trip, Paula
A. was enthusiastic about it B. wanted to go to the Lake District C. didn't tell anybody she was going.
3. Before Mark and Paula went to Paris,
A. Mark's boss didn't want him to go
B. Paula arranged for somebody to look after the hamster.
C. Paula's sister promised to look after the children.
4. The journey across the Channel
A. was very smooth B. was unpleasant for Paula C. lasted eight hours
5. The return trip from Paris was
A. disturbed by a flood B. an enjoyable experience C. earlier than planned
LEXICO – GRAMMAR (40 pts)
PART 1: Choose the best option to complete each of the following questions. (20 pts)
1. After several hours on the road they became ______ to the fact that they would never reach the hotel by
nightfall.
A. dejected B. resigned C. depressed D. disillusioned
2. One of the organization’s aims is to ______ information about the disease so that more people know
about its symptoms.
A. disentangle B. deride C. dwindle D. disseminate
3. Dealing with ______ refusal from an employee is easier than dealing with false compliance.
A. an offset B. a remedial C. an agile D. an /ˌaʊtˈraɪt/directly
outright and plainly
4. Did you see Jonathan this morning? He looked like ______. It must have been quite a party last night.
unlikely successful bad mood that causes you to treat other people
A. a wet blanket B. a dead duck C. a death warmed up D. a bear with a sore head
badly and complain a lot
5. In the ______ of security, personnel must wear their identity badges at all time.
A. requirement B. demands C. assistance D. interests
6. I must ______ my Spanish before I go to Seville.
A. make up for B. break out of C. brush up on D. cut out for
7. She has scrawled
Illegible, untidy
me a note in her familiar ______ handwriting. very wet or liquid, often in a way that is unpleasant
shabby and untidy
A. scratchy
writing
B. scruffy C. rusty D. sloppy
or dirty
8. Education should be a universal right and not a ______
A. deliverance B. enlightenment C. privilege D. liberty
9. I know you're upset about breaking up with Tony but there are plenty more ______
A. horses in the stable B. cows in the field
- hit the roof/the ceiling
C. tigers in the zoo D. fish in the sea
- go off the deep end
10. On Sunday, Vivian studied for seven hours ______
- blow a gasket
A. on end B. at once C. in full D. at length - see red
11. Stephen really lost his ______ when his dental appointment was cancelled again. - fly off the handle
A. head B. voice C. calm D. rag - go bananas
12. We were working overtime to cope with a sudden ______ in demand. - go up the wall
A. boost B. impetus C. surge D. thrust - go bananas
13. It was decided that the astronomical
cost of the project would be ______ so it was abandoned.
A. repressive B. prohibitive C. restrictive D. exclusive
14. She was determined to become wealthy and to that ______ she started her own company.
A. view B. aim C. end D. object
15. He made a number of ______ remarks about my cooking, which upset us.
A. slashing B. stabbing C. chopping D. cutting
16. She is afraid she is rather ______ about the existence of the ghost.
A. skeptical B. partial C. adaptable D. incapable
17. I am sorry to have bothered you, I was under the ______ that you wanted me to call you.
 A. mistake B. miscalculation C. misconception D. misapprehension
18. Many children who get into trouble in their early teens go on to become ______ offenders.
A. persistent B. insistent C. inverted D. innate
19. ______, Americans eat a light breakfast. They usually don’t eat a lot of food in the morning.
A. By and large B. Fair and square C. Ins and outs D. Odds and ends
20. If that boy doesn’t stop stealing, he will ______ in jail.
A. end up B. bring about C. get round D. go by
21. Many people
/ænˈtɪp.ə.θi/
have written to the newspaper to show their ______________ of such behavior.
/əbˈhɒrəns/a feeling /ˌanɪˈmɒsɪti/strong hostility
A. antipathy B. abhorrence C. aversion D. animosity
dislike, opposition, or anger of hating something or someone
22. The regular appearance of sex and violence on television undoubtedly has a ___ influence on teenagers.
/pɚˈnɪʃ.əs/a very /ˌpɑːr.səˈmoʊ.ni.əs/
A.harmful
pernicious B. parsimonious C. precipitous
effect or influence unwilling to spend money or use resources
D. propitious
23. It is disquieting that there has been an increased ____________ of cancer near the nuclear power station.
causing worry or anxiety
A. occurrence B. accidence C. persistence D. incidence
24. “The Song of Ice and Fire” is the first volume of a series, which ___________ six books in all.
A. assembles B. totals C. compiles D. amasses
25. From this year on, under-fives will get travel ______, which certainly makes huge savings for family trips.
a thing that is granted,
A. consolations B. concessions C. contortions D. constrictions
especially in response to demands
26. Unfortunately, his report does not _______ with what we have learnt from other sources.
match or agree with
A. Ally B. Pally C. Tally D. Rally
27. Her __ display of tears at work did not impress her new boss, who felt she should try to control her emotions.
/ˈmɑːd.lɪn/feeling sad and sorry for yourself
A. maudlin B. meritorious C. precarious D. plausible
28. The authority is going to great lengths to ___________war on dangerous driving.
To attempt to eliminate, destroy, or overpower
A. Launch B. Battle
make people's ideas or feelings stronger
C. Stage D. Wagesomeone, something, or some group.
29. China fueled fears that its __________ economy is about to slow further after Beijing cut its main interest rate
by 0.25 percentage points. unwell or unsuccessful
A. diseased B. ailing C. sickening D. unwell
30. Robert is a well-behaved child, but his younger brother is a bit of a(n) ___________ difficult to deal with or control
A. Eyeful B. skinful C. armful D. handful
- skate over: avoid dealing
PART 2. PREPOSITIONS AND PHRASAL VERBS (10ms)
completely with something or
Choose the word which best completes each of the following sentences.
to fail to pay enough attention
1. Our teacher tends to…………….certain subjects which she finds difficult to talk about. to it
A. boil down B. string along C. skate over D. track down - boil down to: the main reason
2. I was so tired that I just………….in the armchair. for sth
A. flaked out B. broke up C. dropped out D. fell over - string along: deceive
3. He couldn’t have been very hungry. He just…………….at his food. someone for a long time about
A. worked B. nibbled C. got D. marked downwhat you are really intending
4. Simon hasn’t got a job, and isn’t trying to get one: he just………..his friends. to do
A. meddles with B. drags on C. sponges on D. tarts up - track down: find something
5. At first, the managing director insisted that he was right and everyone else was mistaken,
eat or drink something
but in the
or someone afterend was for it
looking
forced to………….. - flake out: go to bed and go to
To lessen slowly over time. very quickly or hastily. =wade through
A. ease off B. gulp down C. scrape through D. climb down sleep
6. I need twenty pounds to…………me………..until the end of the month. away or leave, - sponge on: To take advantage
go
investigate in an attempt be quiet of someone else's generosity,
A. turn in B. tide over C. dig into D. dry up
to uncover information charity, or hospitality in order
7. You must try not to…………your brother’s death.
continue to make progress think or talk about to obtain something
A. roll on B. make out C.something
dwell on to an excessiveD. degree
wipe out
- tart up: To dress someone up
8. The patient was very ill indeed. The doctors were working……….time.
or make something fancy in a
A. against B. with C. on D. for tawdry, garish way
9. The boxer lost the fight because he hit his opponent…………the belt.
To unfairly target one's weakness or
A. at B. by C. around D. below
vulnerability.
10. I felt pleased I no longer had the responsibility. It was a weight…………….my shoulders.
 no longer have to worry about something
A. on B. with C. off D. from
Part 3. COLLOCATIONS AND IDIOMS (10ms)
Choose the word which best completes each of the following sentences.
1. The last candidate for the managerial position
a person or ais a pretty
thing whoseunknown _____________.
abilities, powers, or effects are not yet known
A. Quality B. quantity C. quandary D. qualification
2. The couple tied the knot two months after they met – it was indubitably a _________ romance.
tình yêu sét đánh
A. typhoon B. hurricane C. whirlwind D. cyclone
what everyone is talking
3. The introduction of new immigration laws is the ___________ of the town these days. about
A. gossip B. story C. talk D. tale
4. Although initially regarded as a ___, Leicester City finished 2014-2015 Premier League being the
someone who is not expected t
champion.
o win a race or competition
A. rank interloper B. rank outsider C. rank newcomer D. rank foreigner
5. I don’t expect the entry test this year will be more demanding, but ___________, I don’t think it will be
a statement that is true for the same
simpler either.
reasons as a previous one
A. over and above B. on the side C. by the same token D. for good measure
6. I love hanging out with Mary – she is really a __________ of sunshine
a happy person who makes others feel happy, especially in a difficult situation.
A. beam B. ray C. glow D. light
= by means of
7. The teacher, by dint of draconian disciplinary measures, has ___________ terror among his students.
/drəˈkəʊnɪən/excessively harsh and severe
A. stimulated B. inspired C. engaged D. stirred
referring to the process of distinguishing oneself in a particular area
8. The new superconductors look set to ___ a useful niche for themselves in the world's electrical industries.
ready or about to do something
A. etch B. incise C. carve D. lacerate
9. Many people, for all the repeated warnings, remain __________ ignorant of the danger of using the
mobile phones at night.
in a way that is characterized by supreme happiness, peace, and contentment
A. blissfully B. delightedly C. jubilantly D. ecstatically
= any way you slice it: in whatever way the situation is
10. The authority should not have made those cutting comments, no matter how you _____ it.
injure the feelings of others considered
A. cut B. slice C. chop D. clip
Part 4. PREPOSITIONS AND PHRASAL VERBS (10ms)
Choose the word which best completes each of the following sentences.
1. Our teacher tends to…………….certain subjects which she finds difficult to talk about.
A. boil down B. string along C. skate over D. track down
2. I was so tired that I just………….in the armchair.
A. flaked out B. broke up C. dropped out D. fell over
3. He couldn’t have been very hungry. He just…………….at his food.
A. worked B. nibbled C. got D. marked down
4. Simon hasn’t got a job, and isn’t trying to get one: he just………..his friends.
B. meddles with B. drags on C. sponges on D. tarts up
5. At first, the managing director insisted that he was right and everyone else was mistaken, but in the end was
forced to…………..
C. ease off B. gulp down C. scrape through D. climb down
6. I need twenty pounds to…………me………..until the end of the month.
A. turn in B. tide over C. dig into D. dry up
7. You must try not to…………your brother’s death.
A. roll on B. make out C. dwell on D. wipe out
8. The patient was very ill indeed. The doctors were working……….time.
A. against B. with C. on D. for
9. The boxer lost the fight because he hit his opponent…………the belt.
A. at B. by C. around D. below
10. I felt pleased I no longer had the responsibility. It was a weight…………….my shoulders.
A. on B. with C. off D. from
Part 5. WORD FORM (10pts)
Complete the following passage with the correct forms of the bold words given in the bracket.
1. When we arrived at the hotel, we were amazed at the _____ hospitality of the staff. (COMPARE) incomparable
2. He is the bad manager in the factory and everyone is in attempt to _____ him. (FAME) defame damage the good
reputation offrom
3. The _____ of an epidemic will be unavoidable unless measures are taken to prevent the rural population
drinking the contaminated water. (BREAK) outbreak
4. Please keep the email short. _____ makes everyone’s lives easier. (BRIEF)Brevity requiring considerable time and
5. With the help of the computer, checking information has become less _____. (LABOR)effort laborious
6. You mustn’t leave your luggage ______ for even a moment on the train. (ATTEND) unattended
7. She looked in on the baby _____ to check that it was all right. (PERIOD) periodically
8. They were totally _____ by the girl’s disappearance. (MYSTERY) mystified = confused
9. The talks were totally ____. We didn’t reach agreement on anything at all. (PRODUCT) unproductive
10. The boy was very violent and his parents found him _____. (MANAGE) unmanageable
PART 6. ERROR CORRECTION (10pts)
There are 10 mistakes in the following passage. Write them down and give the correct answers in the space
provided. (10ps) phenomena alike
1 Of the many unexplained phenomenon which continue to puzzle scientists and laymen like, the
perfectly-formed
2 corn circles of Southern England remain one of the most mysterious. These perfect-formed circles,
are seen
3 which, when they see from the air appear to have been inscribed with an enormous carving tool,
has
4 seem to be a part of a significant message; so far, however, nobody managed to decipher it, and it is
5 doubtful if anyone will ever be able to. But the main question – how the circles came to be there –
Is
6 are just as far from being solved. Although several people have come forward claiming to have
themselves
7 made the circles ourselves, scientists declare
such
that it would be impossible for even a large group to
8 create shapes of such precision on so a large scale. These circles have become one of the strongest
9 arguments in support of the existing of intelligent extra-terrestrial life forms.
existence

Li mistakes Correction
ne
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
READING (60pts)
PART 1. Read the passage below and then choose the correct answer A, B, C or D. (10pts)
Until about 250 years ago, households did not take dirt as (1)______ as they do now - it was a fact of life,
and that was that. Cleaning often consisted of an annual (2)______called 'spring cleaning' when the furniture
was moved aside, and all the linen products in the house were cleaned. Carpets and rugs were taken outside,
hung on ropes and had the dust (3)______out of them - an exhausting and messy process. The industrial
revolution brought about a major change - as new products became available to make homes cleaner, a
corresponding interest in 'domestic hygiene' appeared in households. This in turn led to the (4)______of
further products, one of which was the vacuum cleaner. (5)______has it that when one of the first vacuum
cleaners was demonstrated, a kindly scientist took the proud inventor aside, and offered a bit of (6)______
that was to become (7)______to the future evolution of the product - 'make it suck, not blow'. The first
vacuum cleaners appeared in the 1860s in the United States. They were operated by hand pumps and were
almost as (8)______as spring cleaning. It was only when electric motors had become sufficiently advanced to
become portable that vacuum cleaners became common household items. Most of today's major (9)______-
including Electrolux and Hoover - were born in the 1920s. The household dirt that vacuum cleaners suck up is
 mostly dead skin cells - humans (10)______millions of cells every day. A much smaller proportion comes
from dust and soil carried into the house from outside.
1. A. importantly B. crucially C. considerately D. seriously
2. A. ritual B. result C. resolution D. scrub
3. A. cleaned B. taken C. beaten D. sucked
4. A. fabrication B. appearing C. recreation D. development
5. A. Story B. Epic C. Legend D. Tale
6. A. advise B. advice C. courage D. encouragement
7. A. standard B. crucial C. regular D. esteemed
8. A. laborious B. hard C. nefarious D. straining
9. A. brands B. marks C. makes D. trademarks
10. A. lose B. outgrow C. omit D. shed
PART 2. Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only one word in each
space. (10pts)
Flamingos, those beautiful long-legged pink birds, rub the reddish pigments, released in oil from a gland
near their tail, into their feathers to bring (1) __________
out their vibrant colour. The result, according to
researchers studying the birds in Spain, (2) __________
is more
that the birds seem to become far (3) __________
while/when/as
likely to find themselves a mate. Scientists noticed that, (4)__________ they were arranging their feathers,
many flamingos scraped their cheeks across the gland before rubbing their face against their breast, back and
with
neck (5)__________ the aim of spreading the colour.
doing
In a journal article, the experts explained that (6) __________ so helped the birds appear extra attractive to
potential mates – not so (7) __________ because of their eye-catching colour, but because other flamingos
much
could tell they had made an effort with their appearance. One of the researchers says: “The rubbing is time-
consuming. And the more frequently the birds practice it, the pinker they become. “If the birds stop rubbing,
their colour fades in a few days because the pigments bleach quickly in the sunlight”
Rubbing the pigment into the feathers takes time and effort, and, as a results, colorful feathers are a sign to
the opposite sex that a flamingo is healthy and well-fed, because it can afford to spend time on (8)
__________
how it looks. “The behavior is more common in female flamingos than in males,” the researchers
said. They added that the brightest coloured birds also took the best breeding sites, (9)__________
which gives them
over
a reproductive advantage (10)__________ their paler rivals.
PART 3. Read the following passage and choose the best answer. (10pts)
Large animals that inhabit the desert have evolved a number of adaptations for reducing the effects of
extreme heat. One adaptation is to be light in color, and to reflect rather than absorb the Sun's rays. Desert
mammals also depart from the normal mammalian practice of maintaining a constant body temperature.
Instead of trying to keep down the body temperature deep inside the body, which would involve the
expenditure of water and energy, desert mammals allow their temperatures to rise to what would normally be
fever height, and temperatures as high as 46 degrees Celsius have been measured in Grant's gazelles. The
overheated body then cools down during the cold desert night, and indeed the temperature may fall unusually
low by dawn, as low as 34 degrees Celsius in the camel. This is an advantage since the heat of the first few
hours of daylight is absorbed in warming up the body, and an excessive buildup of heat does not begin until
well into the day.
Another strategy of large desert animals is to tolerate the loss of body water to a point that would be fatal for
non-adapted animals. The camel can lose up to 30 percent of its body weight as water without harm to itself,
whereas human beings die after losing only 12 to 13 percent of their body weight. An equally important
adaptation is the ability to replenish this water loss at one drink. Desert animals can drink prodigious volumes
in a short time, and camels have been known to imbibe over 100 liters in a few minutes. A very dehydrated
person, on the other hand, cannot drink enough water to rehydrate at one session, because the human stomach
is not sufficiently big and because a too rapid dilution of the body fluids causes death from water intoxication.
The tolerance of water loss is of obvious advantage in the desert, as animals do not have to remain near a
water hole but can obtain food from grazing sparse and far-flung pastures. Desert-adapted mammals have the
further ability to feed normally when extremely dehydrated, it is a common experience in people that appetite
is lost even under conditions of moderate thirst.
1. What is the main topic of the passage?
 A. Weather variations in the desert. B. Adaptations of desert animals.
C. Diseased of desert animals. D. Human use of desert animals.
2. According to the passage, why is light coloring an advantage to large desert animals?
A. It helps them hide from predators B. It does not absorb sunlight as much as dark colors.
C. It helps them see their young at night D. It keeps them cool at night.
3. The word "maintaining" is closest in meaning to _________.
A. measuring B. inheriting C. preserving D. delaying
4. The author uses of Grant's gazelle as an example of
A. an animal with a low average temperature
B. an animal that is not as well adapted as the camel
C. a desert animal that can withstand high body temperatures
D. a desert animal with a constant body temperature
5. When is the internal temperature of a large desert mammal lower?
A. Just before sunrise B. In the middle of the day C. Just after sunset D. Just after drinking
6. The word "tolerate" is closest in meaning to _________.
A. endure B. replace C. compensate D. reduce
7. What causes water intoxication?
A. Drinking too much water very quickly. B. Drinking polluted water.
C. Bacteria in water. D. Lack of water.
8. Why does the author mention humans in the second paragraph?
A. To show how they use camels B. To contrast them to desert mammals.
C. To give instructions about desert survival D. To show how they have adapted to desert life.
9. The word "obtain" is closest in meaning to _________.
A. digest B. carry C. save D. get
10. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as an adaptation of large desert animals?
A. Variation in body temperatures. B. Eating while dehydrated.
C. Drinking water quickly. D. Being active at night.
PART 4. (20pts)
Part V. Read the following passage. Choose the correct heading for paragraphs A-G from the list of headings
below. Write the correct number, i- ix, in blanks.

List of headings
i. The reaction of the Inuit community to climate change
ii. Understanding of climate change remains limited
iii. Alternative sources of essential supplies
iv. Respect for Inuit opinion grows
v. A healthier choice of food
vi. A difficult landscape
vii. Negative effects on well-being
viii. Alarm caused by unprecedented events in the Arctic
ix. The benefits of an easier existence
Paragraph A: viii
1. Paragraph B i 2. Paragraph C vi 3. Paragraph D iii
4. Paragraph E vii 5. Paragraph F iv
Climate Change and the Inuit
A. Unusual incidents are being reported across the Arctic. Inuit families going off on snowmobiles to prepare
their summer hunting camps have found themselves cut off from home by a sea of mud, following early
thaws. There are reports of igloos losing their insulating properties as the snow drips and refreezes, of
lakes draining into the sea as permafrost melts, and sea ice breaking up earlier than usual, carrying seals
beyond the reach of hunters. Climate change may still be, a rather abstract idea to most of us, but in the
Arctic it is already having dramatic effects – if summertime ice continues to shrink at its present rate, the
Arctic Ocean could soon become virtually ice-free in summer. The knock-on effects are likely to include
more warning, cloudier skies, increased precipitation and higher sea levels. Scientists are increasingly
 keen to find out what’s going on because they consider the Artic the ‘canary in the mine’ for global
warming – a warning of what’s in store for the rest of the world.
B. For the Inuit the problem is urgent. They live in precarious balance with one of the toughest environments
on earth. Climate change, whatever its causes, is a direct threat to their way of life. Nobody knows the
Artic as well as the locals, which is why they are not content simply to stand back and let outside experts
tell them what’s happening. In Canada, where the Inuit people are jealously guarding their hand-won
autonomy in the country’s newest territory, Nunavut, they believe their best hope of survival in this
changing environment lies in combining their ancestral knowledge with the best of modern science. This
is a challenge in itself.
C. The Canadian Arctic is a vast, treeless polar desert that’s covered with snow for most of the year. Venture
into this terrain and you get some idea of the hardships facing anyone who calls this home. Farming is out
of the question and nature offers meager pickings. Humans first settled in the Arctic a mere 4,500 years
ago, surviving by exploiting sea mammals and fish. The environment tested them to the limits: sometimes
the colonists were successful, sometimes they failed and vanished. But around a thousand years ago, one
group emerged that was uniquely well adapted to cope with the Arctic environment. These Thule people
moved in from Alaska, bringing kayaks, sleds, dogs, pottery and iron tools. They are the ancestors of
today’s Inuit people.
D. Life for the descendants of the Thule people is still harsh. Nunavut is 1.9 million square kilometers of rock
and ice, and a handful of islands around the North Pole. It’s currently home to 2,500 people, all but a
handful of them indigenous Inuit. Over the past 40 years, most have abandoned their nomadic ways and
settled in the territory’s 28 isolated communities, but they still rely on nature to provide food and clothing.
Provisions available in local shops have to be flown into Nunavut on one of the most costly air networks
in the world, or brought by supply ship during the few ice-free weeks of summer. It would cost a family
around £ 7,000 a year to replace meat they obtained themselves through hunting with imported meat.
Economic opportunities are scarce, and for many people state benefits are their only income.
E. While the Inuit may not actually starve if hunting and trapping are curtailed by climate change, there has
certainly been an impact on people’s health. Obesity, heart disease and diabetes are beginning to appear in
a people for whom these have never before been problems. There has been a crisis of identity as the
traditional skills of hunting, trapping and preparing skins have begun to disappear. In Nunavut‘s ‘igloo
and email’ society, where adults who were born in igloos have children who may never have been out on
the land, there‘s high incidence of depression.
F. With so much at stake, the Inuit are determined to play a key role in teasing out the mysteries of climate
change in the Arctic. Having survived there for centuries, they believe their wealth of traditional
knowledge is vital to the task. And Western scientists are starting to draw on this wisdom, increasingly
referred to as ‘Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit’, or IQ. ‘In the early days scientists ignored us when they came up
here to study anything. They just figured these people don’t know very much so we won’t ask them,’ says
John Amagoalik, an Inuit leader and politician. ‘ But in recent years IQ has had much more credibility and
weight.’ In fact it is now a requirement for anyone hoping to get permission to do research that they
consult the communities, who are helping to set the research agenda to reflect their most important
concerns. They can turn down applications from scientists they believe will work against their interests, or
research projects that will impinge too much on their daily lives and traditional activities.
G. Some scientists doubt the value of traditional knowledge because the occupation of the Arctic doesn’t go
back far enough. Others, however, point out that the first weather stations in the far north date back just 50
years. There are still huge gaps in our environmental knowledge, and despite the scientific onslaught,
many predictions are no more than best guesses. IQ could help to bridge the gap and resolve the
tremendous uncertainty about how much of what we’re seeing is natural capriciousness and how much is
the consequence of human activity.
Questions 6-10: Choose no more than two words from paragraphs C and D to complete their following
summary.
If you visit the Canadian Arctic, you immediately appreciate the problems faced by people for whom this
is home. It would clearly be impossible for the people to engage in farming as a means of supporting themselves.
For thousands of years they have had to rely on catching (6)…………………….and sea mammals fish as a means of
sustenance. The harsh surroundings saw many who tried to settle there pushed to their limits, although some were
successful. The Inuit people were an example of the latter and for them the environment did not prove
unmanageable. For the present inhabitants, life continues to be a struggle. The territory of Nunavut consists of
islands
little more than ice, rock and a few (7)………………….. .In recent years, many of them have been obliged to
nomadic
give up their (8)………………….lifestyle, but they continue to depend mainly on (9)…………………..
nature for their
food and clothes. (10)……………..produce is particularly expensive
imported
PART 5: You are going to read an article containing reviews of recently-published books. For questions 1-10,
choose from reviews (A-F). The reviews may be chosen more than once. (10pts)
BOOK CORNER
A round-up of the latest fiction and non-fiction from Beth Young
A. Reading a new novelist is a bit like asking a stranger out on a date. You never quite know if this is the
start of a beautiful relationship. You check the blurbs, the publicity photograph, and flick through the book to
look for the two essentials: entertainment and substance. Beginner’s Greek by James Collins is certainly big on
the latter, weighing in at 400-plus pages. And the quotes on the back cover have the effect of a bunch of friends
saying to you, ‘Go on, you’ll get on brilliantly’. Early indications are that this blind date could lead to a deeper
relationship. Beginner’s Greek is described by The New York Times as a “great big sunny lemon chiffon pie of a
novel” about romantic love amongst the American middle classes. It is indeed delicious.
B. In Manil Suri’s second outing The Age of Shiva we have a broad-sweeping, epic novel with an
unforgettable heroine so willful yet flawed that it calls to mind that other famous leading lady, Scarlett O’Hara in
Gone With the Wind. The story begins at a firework party in Delhi where Meera falls disastrously in love. We
follow her journey to Bombay, marriage and obsessive motherhood, with occasional flashbacks to a childhood
that was marred by political turmoil. Mathematics professor, Suri, captures the fluidity of the role of women with
a beautiful kind of precision.
C. Devotees of playwright David Mamet, whose screen work includes Wag The Dog and the award-
winning Glengarry Glen Ross may be less than enamoured of Ira Nadel’s new biography, David Mamet: A Life
in the Theatre. It may seem churlish to question the minutia of incidents that abound in this comprehensive tone,
but whilst Nadel is clearly striving for accuracy one feels there ought to have been more sifting, more mining for
the gold amongst the biographical trivia. In addition, Nadel’s tone is somewhat dry and academic and seems at
odds with the brilliance of David Mamet’s own writing. That said, the book offers a sound introduction to the life
and career of the man hailed as one of America’s most outstanding writers.
D. Can any Mother help me? is the true story of a desperately lonely mother who, in 1935, appealed to
other women through the letters page of a women’s magazine. Writing under a pseudonym, the woman known as
Ubique (meaning ‘everywhere’) little realised that she would be the trigger for the launch of a new and private
magazine that would last for the next fifty years. The Cooperative Correspondence Club was formed to offer
comfort and support to wives, often well-educated women, who craved stimulation beyond the drudgery of family
life. Jenna Bailey has done a superb job of organising and editing this compendium, adding her own insightful
commentary.
E. Subtitled, The Life and Times of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, Jessie Child’s debut historical
biography, Henry VIII's Last Victim, was the worthy winner of last year’s Elizabeth Longford Prize. Henry
Howard’s victim status is owing to the fact that he was the final person to be executed by King Henry VIII, a
mere nine days before the king himself expired. Although killed ostensibly for treason, the Earl of Surrey’s only
real crime it seems was leading an unsuccessful army campaign in France. Only 29, he was also a distinguished
poet with a fine literary voice, a persona which refutes his reputation as the spoilt son of the Duke of Norfolk.
F. This is the 25th outing for T. Keneally but he’s lost none of his writing powers. The Widow and Her
Hero take real life events during the Second World War as its inspiration and builds a tale of love and intrigue.
Grace looks back on her life to recall her courtship with the hero of the title, the handsome Captain Leo
Waterhouse. Leo is tragically killed whilst on a secret mission but it is many years before Grace discovers the
facts about his death. Keneally made fans galore when Schindler’s Ark was published and later made into the
award-winning Steven Spielberg film, Schindler’s List. The Widow and Her Hero will bring him even more fans.
In which section is the following mentioned?
D 1. A story in which someone is unaware of the impact of their action.
B 2. A description of the opening scene.
D 3. An author who exemplifies source material with their own analysis.
A 4. A humorous comparison with a real-life situation.
 F 5. A character who finds out the truth about a situation.
A 6. A hint that the author’s future writing career will be positive.
C 7. A book that would be appreciated by people without much previous knowledge of the subject.
E 8. A book which has already won critical acclaim.
C 9. A book which includes too much factual detail.
B 10. A mention of the profession of the author.
WRITING
PART 1. SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION
1. Finish each of the following sentences in such a way that it is as similar as possible in meaning to
the sentence printed before it. (10pts)
1. I won’t go all that way to visit him again on any account!
will I go all that way to visit him again!
On no account ___________________________________________________
2. I wasn’t surprised when they refused to pay me.
As I ___________________________________________________________
I (had) expected, they refused to pay me.
3. We have credited the money to your current account at this bank.
the money to the credit of your current account at this bank.
We have placed __________________________________________________
4. Your silly questions distracted me.
You drove ______________________________________________________
me to distraction with your silly questions.
5. Edward eventually organised himself and started work.
act together and started work
Edward eventually got his __________________________________________
2. Rewrite the sentences below using the words in brackets without changing their original form.
1. I don’t think this record will ever be popular. (CATCH)
I don’t think this record will ever catch on.
.............................................................................................
2. Mike is never reluctant to make tough decisions as a manager. (SHRINKS)
Mike never shrinks from making tough decisions as a manager.
............................................................................................
3. You can’t possibly expect me to have supper ready by eight o’clock. (QUESTION)
It is out of the question (for me) to have/ get supper ready by eight o’clock/ There is no question of supper being ready by eight o’clock.
.............................................................................................
4. It is my opinion that there is no advantage in further discussion. (SEE)
I do not/ cannot see any advantage/point/sense in further discussion/I (can) see no advantage/point/sense in further discussion.
.............................................................................................
5. Please excuse Jane’s poor typing: she’s only been learning for a month. (ALLOWANCES)
Please make allowances for Jane’s poor typing: she’s only been learning for a month.
.............................................................................................
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