English
Class: Top 50
Lesson: Final Exam Preparation II
Teacher: Hayfa Hazel
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I. READING COMPREHENSION
The Text
(1) Smoking is the most important and preventable cause of morbidity and
premature mortality in the developed and developing world. The overall
smoking rate in the United States has slowly diminished over the past four
decades, transforming the habit from a cultural centerpiece to a target of social
exclusion. Several states have taken bold action to protect residents from the
well-known and extensively documented adverse effects of using tobacco
products. Since smoking regulations are a local affair, significant variability
exists from state to state, with smoking prevalence rates ranging from a high
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of nearly 30 percent in Kentucky and West Virginia to lows of below 13 per-
cent in California and 10 percent in Utah.
(2) However, despite extensive efforts to curb smoking in the United States
and parts of the European Union, the cigarette industry is still flourishing in
other regions of the globe. Worldwide, between 80,000 and 100,000 kids start
smoking every day. Approximately one quarter of children alive in the Asian
Pacific Region will die from smoking. These sobering numbers are not just
the problem of our international neighbors; rather, they directly impact the
U.S. health care system, given the rising numbers of immigrants entering the
United States each year.
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(3) Fifty percent of smokers die of a smoking-related disease, and their life
expectancy is reduced by as much as 15-20 years. Before the advent of wide-
spread tobacco use in World War II, lung cancer was rare. Now, it is estimated
that over 85 percent of all lung cancer is tobacco-related. While most people
recognize that smoking is highly destructive for their lungs, many have yet to
come to terms with how smoking affects the rest of the body. Damage to one’s
skin, mouth, hands, feet, respiratory system, heart, bones, and reproductive
system becomes readily evident in long-time smokers.
STATE OF THE ART AND SCIENCE
JAN 2011
Edward D. Gometz
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I - Reading Comprehension: (12 marks)
1- Tick (✔) the most appropriate option. (1 mark)
The text is mainly about:
a. The worldwide influence of smoking on illness and death rates.
b. Measures taken to decrease smoking in the United States.
c. The effects of smoking.
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2- For each statement below, pick out one detail from the text showing
that it is false. (3 marks)
- Smoking regulations are implemented uniformly across all states in the
United States (P1)
__________________________________________________________
- The cigarette industry continues to decline in other regions of the globe.
(P2)
__________________________________________________________
- The prevalence of lung cancer has always been significantly high. (P3)
__________________________________________________________
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3- Complete the following paragraph with three words from par. 3. One
word per blank (3 marks)
Smoking-related diseases cause significant ____________, with half of
smokers dying from related illnesses and reduced life ____________ by up to
15-20 years. Long-term smoking only increases the risk of ____________
cancer.
4- What do the underlined words in the text refer to? (2 marks)
- They (P2): ___________________
- Their (P3): ___________________
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5- Find words in the text having nearly the same meaning as: (2 marks)
- Harmful (P1): ______________
- Affect (P2): ______________
6- Give a personal and justified answer to the following question (1 mark)
Many smokers do not quit despite knowing what the effects are. If your friend or
family member were a smoker, would you advise them to quit? Why? Why not?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
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II - Language: (6 marks)
1- Fill in the blanks with six words from the box. There are two extra
words. (3 marks)
in/ flexibility/ innovative/for/ unprecedented/ remotely/ learning/ innovation
Online education, also known as distance ___________, has emerged as a
transformative force in modern education. This ____________ approach to
learning utilizes digital platforms and technology to deliver educational con-
tent ____________, breaking down traditional barriers of time and space.
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Through online education, students have the ____________ to access course-
work and engage ____________ learning activities from anywhere with an
internet connection, offering ____________ convenience and accessibility.
2- Put the words in brackets in the right form and/or tense. (3 marks)
Developed over several decades, the internet ________________ (evolve)
from a research project into a global network that has
____________________ (fundamental) changed the way people interact and
access information. Scientists and ________________ (research) have been
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working on the concept of a networked communication system since the
1960s. By the late 20th century, significant _________________ (advance)
had already been made, leading to the creation of the World Wide Web. Since
then, the internet _________________ (expand) and become an indispensa-
ble tool for communication. Today, the internet has already become an inte-
gral part of _______________ (day) life for billions of people worldwide.
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III - Writing: (12 marks)
1- Use the information in the table below to write a four-line biography
about Marie Curie.
Date of Birth: November 7, 1867
Country: Warsaw, Poland
Achievements: -First woman/professor/ University of Paris
-The first woman /win / Nobel Prize.
-Two Nobel Prizes in different scientific fields (Physics in 1903, and Chemistry
in 1911.)
Date of Death: July 4, 1934
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_____________________________________________________________
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_____________________________________________________________
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_____________________________________________________________
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2- An increasing number of talented young individuals opt to relocate abroad in
search of enhanced prospects, while others opt to pursue careers within their own
nations. Which of these choices do you favor?
Write a 12-line article expressing your opinion and supporting it with sound
arguments.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
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_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
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