Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word whose underlined part differs from the other three in pronunciation in each of the following questions.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word that differs from the other three in the position of primary stress in each of the following questions.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the underlined part that needs correction in the each of following questions.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the most suitable response to complete each of the following exchanges.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that is closest in meaning to each of the following questions.
Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that best combines each pair of sentences in the following questions.
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 31 to 35.
The universal symbol of the Internet era communications, the @ sign used in e-mail addresses to signify the word 'at', is actually a 500-year-old invention of Italian merchants, a Rome academic has revealed. Giorgio Stabile, a science professor at La Sapienza University, ______(31) to have stumbled on the earliest known example of the symbol's use, as a(n) ______(32) of a measure of weight or volume. He says the sign represents an amphora, a measure of capacity based on the terracotta jars used to transport grain and liquid in the ancient Mediterranean world.
The professor unearthed the ancient symbol in the course of research for a visual history of the 20th century, to be published by the Treccani Encyclopedia. The first ______(33) instance of its use, he says, occurred in a letter written by a Florentine merchant on May 4, 1536. He says the sign made its way along trade routes to northern Europe, where it came to represent "at the price of" - its contemporary accountancy ______(34).
Professor Stabile believes that Italian banks may possess even earlier documents ______(35) the symbol lying forgotten in their archives. The oldest example could be of great value. It could be used for publicity purposes and to enhance the prestige of the institution that owned it, he says. The race is on between the mercantile world and the banking world to see who has the oldest documentation of @.
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 36 to 42.
The Six-o'clock-In-The-Evening-Enthusiastic-Determined-And-Well-Intentioned-Studier-Until- Midnight is a person with whom you are probably already familiar. At 6 o'clock, he approaches his desk, and carefully organizes everything in preparation for the study period to follow. Having everything in place he next carefully adjusts each item again, giving himself time to complete the first excuse: he recalls that in the morning he did not have quite enough time to read all items of interest in the newspaper. He also realizes that if he is going to study it is best to have such small items completely out of the way before settling down to the task at hand.
He therefore leaves his desk, browses through the newspaper and notices as he browses that there are more articles of interest than he had originally thought. He also notices, as he leafs through the pages, the entertainment section. At this point it will seem like a good idea to plan for the evening's first break - perhaps an interesting half-hour programme between 8 and 8.30 p.m. He finds the programme and it inevitably starts at about 7.00 p.m. At this point, he thinks, "Well, I've had a difficult day and it's not too long before the programme starts, and I need a rest anyway and the relaxation will really help me to get down to studying...". He returns to his desk at 7:45, because the beginning of the next programme was also a bit more interesting than he thought it would be.
At this stage, he still hovers over his desk tapping his book reassuringly as he remembers that phone call to a friend which, like the articles of interest in the newspapers, is best cleared out of the way before the serious studying begins.
The phone call, of course, is much more interesting and longer than originally planned, but eventually the intrepid student finds himself back at his desk at about 8.30 p.m. At this point in the proceedings he actually sits down at the desk, opens the book with a display of physical determination and starts to read (usually page one) as he experiences the first pangs of hunger and thirst. This is disastrous because he realizes that the longer he waits to satisfy the pangs, the worse they will get, and the more interrupted his study concentration will be.
The obvious and only solution is a light snack. This, in its preparation, grows as more and more tasty items are piled onto the plate. The snack becomes a feast. Having removed this final obstacle the desk is returned to with the certain knowledge that this time there is nothing that could possibly interfere with the following period of study. The first couple of sentences on page one are looked at again... as the student realizes that his stomach is feeling decidedly heavy and a general drowsiness seems to have set in.
Far better at this juncture to watch that other interesting half-hour programme at 10 o'clock after which the digestion will be mostly completed and the rest will enable him to really get down to the task at hand.
At 12 o'clock we find him asleep in front of the TV. Even at this point, when he has been woken up by whoever comes into the room, he will think that things have not gone too badly, for after all he has had a good rest, a good meal, watched some interesting and relaxing programmes, fulfilled his social commitments to his friends, digested the day's information, and got everything completely out of the way so that tomorrow, at 6 o'clock...
Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 43 to 50.
A recent survey of crime statistics shows that we are all more likely to be burgled now than 20 years ago and the police advise everyone to take a few simple precautions to protect their homes.
The first fact is that burglars and other intruders prefer easy opportunities, like a house which is very obviously empty. This is much less of a challenge than an occupied house, and one which is well-protected. A burglar will wonder if it is worth the bother.
There are some general tips on how to avoid your home becoming another crime statistic. Avoid leaving signs that your house is empty. When you have to go out, leave at least one light on as well as a radio or television, and do not leave any curtains wide open. The sight of your latest music centre or computer is enough to tempt any burglar. Never leave a spare key in a convenient hiding place. The first place a burglar will look is under the doormat or in a flower pot and even somewhere more "imaginative" could soon be uncovered by the intruder. It is much safer to leave a key with a neighbour you can trust. But if your house is in a quiet, desolate area be aware that this will be a burglar's dream, so deter any potential criminal from approaching your house by fitting security lights to the outside of your house.
But what could happen if, in spite of the aforementioned precautions, a burglar or intruder has decided to target your home. Windows are usually the first point of entry for many intruders. Downstairs windows provide easy access while upstairs windows can be reached with a ladder or by climbing up the drainpipe. Before going to bed you should double-check that all windows and shutters are locked. No matter how small your windows may be, it is surprising what a narrow gap a determined burglar can manage to get through. For extra security, fit window locks to the inside of the window.
What about entry via doors? Your back door and patio doors, which are easily forced open, should have top quality security locks fitted. Even though this is expensive it will be money well spent. Install a burglar alarm if you can afford it as another line of defense against intruders. A sobering fact is that not all intruders have to break and enter into a property. Why go to the trouble of breaking in if you can just knock and be invited in? Be ware of bogus officials or workmen and, particularly if you are elderly, fit a chain and an eye hole so you can scrutinize callers at your leisure. When you do have callers never let anybody into your home unless you are absolutely sure they are genuine. Ask to see an identity card, for example.
If you are in the frightening position of waking in the middle of the night and think you can hear an intruder, then on no account should you approach the intruder. Far better to telephone the police and wait for help.
