Reading passage 1

A. SCURRYING around the corridors of the business school at the National University of Singapore (NUS) in his white lab coat last year, Michael Zyphur must have made an incongruous sight. Visitors to management schools usually expect the staff to sport suits and ties. Dr Zyphurs garb was, however, no provocative fashion statement. It is de rigueur for anyone dealing with biological samples, and he routinely collects such samples as part of his research on, of all things, organisational hierarchies. He uses them to look for biological markers, in the form of hormones that might either cause or reflect patterns of behaviour that are relevant to business. B. Since its inception in the early 20th century, management science has been dominated by what Leda Cosmides and John Tooby, two evolutionary psychologists, refer to disparagingly as the standard social science model (SSSM). This assumes that most behavioural differences between individuals are explicable by culture and socialisation, with biology playing at best the softest of second fiddles. Dr Zyphur is part of an insurgency against this idea. What Dr Cosmides and Dr Tooby have done to psychology and sociology, and others have done to economics, he wants to do to management. Consultants often talk of the idea of scientific management. He, and others like him, want to make that term meaningful, by applying the rigour of biology. C. To do so, they will need to weave together several disparate strands of the subjectgenetics, endocrinology, molecular biology and even psychology. If that works, the resulting mixture may provide a new set of tools for the hard-pressed business manager. D. Say biology and behaviour in the same sentence, and most minds think of genetics and the vexed question of nature and nurture. In a business context such questions of heredity and environment are the realm of Scott Shane, a professor of management at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio. In a recent book, Dr Shane proffers a review of the field. Many of his data come from studies of twinsa traditional tool of human geneticists, who are denied the possibility of experimental breeding enjoyed by their confrres who study other species, such as flies and mice. E. Identical twins share all of their DNA. Non-identical twins share only half (like all other siblings). Despite a murky past involving the probable fabrication of data by one of the fields pioneers, Sir Cyril Burt, the science of comparing identical with non-identical twins is still seen as a good way of distinguishing the effects of genes from those of upbringing. F. The consensus from twin studies is that genes really do account for a substantial proportion of the differences between individualsand that applies to business as much as it does to the rest of life. Dr Shane

observes genetic influence over which jobs people choose (see chart), how satisfied they are with those jobs, how frequently they change jobs, how important work is to them and how well they perform (or strictly speaking, how poorly: genes account for over a third of variation between individuals in censured job performance, a measure that incorporates reprimands, probation and performance-related firings). Salary also depends on DNA. Around 40% of the variation between peoples incomes is attributable to genetics. Genes do not, however, operate in isolation. Environment is important, too. Part of the mistake made by supporters of the SSSM was to treat the two as independent variables when, in reality, they interact in subtle ways. G. Richard Arvey, the head of the NUS business schools department of management and organisation, has been looking into precisely how genes interact with different types of environment to create such things as entrepreneurial zeal and the ability to lead others. Previous research had shown that people exhibiting personality traits like sensation-seeking are more likely to become entrepreneurs than their less outgoing and more level-headed peers. Dr Arvey and his colleagues found the same effect for extroversion (of which sensation-seeking is but one facet). There was, however, an interesting twist. Their studyof 1,285 pairs of identical twins and 849 pairs of same-sex fraternal onessuggests that genes help explain extroversion only in women. In men, this trait is instilled environmentally. Businesswomen, it seems, are born. But businessmen are made. Source: The Economist Questions You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1 to 14 which are based on Reading Passage 1 Questions 1 to 7 Reading Passage 1 has seven paragraphs A G. From the list of headings below, choose the most suitable heading for each paragraph. i. Biology and behaviour. Write the appropriate numbers I ix in boxes 1 7 on your answer sheet. ii. Studies of twins. iii. iv. v. vi. vii. viii. ix. The inception of management science. The science and art behind. Dr Zyphurs garb. A unique weaving. Gene functions in personal and professional life. Businesswomen vs. businessmen. Genes interaction with different types of environment.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Paragraph Paragraph Paragraph Paragraph Paragraph Paragraph Paragraph

A B C D E F G

Questions 8 10 Choose the correct letters, A, B, C or D Write your answers in boxes 8 10 on your answer sheet. 8 Dr Zyphurs dress was very A. B. C. D. 9 A. B. C. D. 10 A. B. C. D. Fashionable. Out of fashion Simple. Carried no fashion statement. Non-identical twins share Their entire DNA No DNA. Half of their DNA. Their RNA Management science has been dominated by Standard social science mode. Management science mode only. Political science. Biology and behaviour.

Questions 11 14 Complete each of the following statements (questions 11 14) with the best endings A G from the box below Write the appropriate letters A G in boxes 11 14 on your answer sheet. 11 People exhibiting personality traits like sensation-seeking are 12 A persons genetic structure influences his 13 Biology and behaviour is often confused with 14 Identical twins share

A Choice of jobs. B More likely to become entrepreneurs. C Choosing a life partner. D More likely to become management gurus. E Genetics and nature-nurture. F Their entire DNA structure. Reading passage 2 A. AN ANNUAL conference that brings together leaders from the states on both sides of the United States-Mexico border took place last month, but not quite as planned. The meeting was supposed to be held in Arizona but governors on the Mexican side took umbrage at that states recent and controversial law that cracks down on illegal immigrants. So New Mexico hosted the event instead. B. The conference was watched closely in New Mexicos 2nd congressional district, which stretches from the suburbs of Albuquerque to the Mexican border. In Las Cruces, the 2nd districts biggest town, the press was still absorbing the details of the latest grisly murders in Jurez, just 45 miles away over the border. C. Although the drugs violence is virtually all on the Mexican side, border issues are a big concern for New Mexicos voters at the mid-terms. A poll in the Albuquerque Journal in September found strong opposition in the state to a law giving drivers licences to illegal immigrants. Nor is the worry limited to Anglos. Around half of New Mexicos population (and of the 2nd districts) is Hispanic; 67% of them object to the law (though they also object to Arizonas crackdown by 48%-39%). D. Steve Pearce is the Republican candidate in the 2nd. He recognises the emotional resonance of the border issue, though he stresses that job security is currently of far more importance to the electorate. Mr Pearce held the seat between 2002 and 2008 (he ran for senator that year, losing to Mark Udall). He would put more resources into securing the border, which he says affects all the districts communities, and opposes any sort of worker amnesty, though he does not support a policy of rounding up illegal immigrants, whom he thinks should be treated humanely. Harry Teague, who won the seat for the Democrats in 2008, backs the proposed DREAM bill in Congress that would allow illegal immigrants who come to America as youngsters and are of good moral character to become residents. E. Another issue in the district is energy and the stalled cap-and-trade bill, which Mr Teague supported but only after protections were added for small oil refineries. The oil and gas industry dominates the south-east corner of the district. The drive from Hobbs to Artesia passes along miles

of nodding pump-jacks; oil trucks clog the road, and the air is heavy with the industrial odour of the refineries. F. Mr Pearce is a target for green groups, who accuse him of favouring big oil. He has studied the arguments for alternative energy and thinks environmentalists are ignoring the pragmatic aspects of the policies they push for. He does foresee some role for wind and solar power; but voters will not stand for higher utility bills and uncertain supply. Mr Pearce is not too bothered by the attacks on him by greens, pointing out that if they were that effective he wouldnt have been elected to three terms previously. G. The race is tight. A recent poll for the Hill, a newspaper about Congress, put Mr Pearce at 46% and Mr Teague at 42%. As this is one of many contests where the Republican is ahead but polling under 50%, the paper wondered whether the electoral tsunami often mentioned as likely to sweep the Democrats from power in the House might turn out to be only a ripple. Source: The Economist Questions You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 15 27 which are based on Reading Passage 2 Questions 15 19 Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2? In boxes 15 -19 in your answer sheet write TRUE if the statement agrees with the information FALSE if the statement contradicts the information NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this 15. The conference was held in New Mexico. 16. Steve Pearce held the seat as a republican candidate for seven years. 17. The oil and gas industry dominates the south-east corner of the district. 18. New Mexicos 2nd congressional district stretches from the suburbs of Albuquerque to the Mexican border. 19. Mr Pearce is hopeful as he thinks his plans are pragmatic.

Question 20 23 Look at the following persons or places (questions 20 23) and the list of statements below. Match each person or place to the correct statement. Write the correct letter A G in boxes 1 4 on your answer sheet.

20. 21. 22. 23.

Albuquerque Journal Mark Udall Harry Teague Steve Pearce A Defeated Mr Pearce. B Made an exit poll on the issue. C Has visions beyond the generations. D Protested against Mr Pearce. E Backs the proposed DREAM bill in Congress.

F Was the conceiver of the border issue. Questions 24 27 Complete the following statements with the correct alternative from the box. Write the correct letter A F in boxes 24 27 on your answer sheet. 24. Border issues are a big concern for 25. The prohibitive costs of a manned Mars mission are mostly associated with 26. The Hill, a newspaper about Congress, 27. Another issue in the district is

A The Mexican people at large. B Put Mr Pearce at 46% and Mr Teague at 42%. C New Mexicos voters at the mid-terms. D Electric propulsion systems. E Energy and the stalled cap-and-trade bill.

Reading Passage 3 A. My lovely wife Cassandra made me strip naked as soon as I walked in the door upon returning from my last business trip, and it was not to have sex. It was to wash my clothes to rid them of any possible bedbugs. This, I thought, was proof that the bedbugs had won. And that I needed to start working out more. B. We were once a nation deathly afraid of statistically improbable but powerful things: witches, communism, Mexicans taking our jobs. Now we are freaked out about bedbugs, 4-mm-long insects that previous generations made up cute rhymes about. In August, 20% of Americans said they changed their plans to go to a public place for fear of bedbug infestations, even though only 9% knew someonethemselves included

who had been infested. And though there are no statistics on this yet, from what I gather on the Internet, it sure seems more Americans are having hotel sex standing up. C. Cassandra has no reason to think we are in danger of harbouring bedbugs. But in addition to the forced showers after traveling, she once made us switch hotel rooms after finding a mosquito bite on her leg one morning. We have little plastic plates of talcum powder under the feet of our bed, and we put every vaguely bug-shaped piece of lint we find into a plastic container that we will show to the first unlucky person we meet at a party who makes the mistake of telling us he's an entomologist. We've moved the bed away from the wall in a manner that makes reading significantly more dangerous than getting bitten by a bedbug. And Cassandra has been trying to find a way to trick my father and his wifewho are not only travelling from New York City, the international capital of bedbugs, but also staying at two hotels before visiting usinto being hosed down with boiling water before entering our home. When I got a disturbing rash recently, she said, "I hope to God you have shingles." D. The worst thing about bedbug hysteria is that it spreads as quickly as bedbugs themselves. The night after we switched hotel rooms, I barely slept, scratching phantom itches every few minutes. When Cassandra explained the seriousness of the bedbug problem to my mom, who does not worry about muchlike whether there is a three-hour time difference before she calls me at 6 a.m. on the West Coastthe conversation ended with my mother saying, "What is the government doing about this?" This column is taking me two times longer to write than usual because I cannot stop scratching. E. Bedbugs aren't harmful. Unlike mosquitoes, rodents and, as we've learned, 1-year-olds, they don't carry disease. When I mentioned this to Cassandra, she looked at me with what I imagine is the cold, hard stare of a bedbug about to reproduce through traumatic insemination. "They're like pure evil," she said. "They're impossible to kill. I used to worry, living in Southern California, that there would be a tarantula or a rattlesnake in our house. Now I'm like, big dealyou catch it and you throw it outside." I started to try to talk sense into her, but Cassandra said, "Speaking of bedbugs, maybe we should check the traps in the guest room." F. Bedbugs scare us so much because, unlike mosquitoes, chiggers, fleas, lice, ticksI'll stop nowthey hide in your house. And we believe our homes are fortresses, even though anyone who has ever patched their floors with 2-by-4s knows that the difference between inside and outside is largely semantic. Despite all our technology, we are still at the whim of nature. We still get bedbugs, only now we can tweet about them. G. It's a special weakness of our rich country to believe that we can barricade ourselves into safetythat if we just increase airport security, extremists can't attack us; that gated communities keep predators away from our

kids; that with constant vigilance, we can keep bedbugs out. When I was 9, I saw a segment of thats Incredible! About how mites live in our eyebrows and how hot showers only cause them to reproduce more. And while I've spent 30 years thinking about eyebrow mites whenever I turn up the heat in the shower, what I should really be upset about is that my parents let me watch crap like That's Incredible! But that episode did teach me that hyper vigilance is weakness. That the greatest control comes from deciding not to control. And that even Fran Tarkenton had really lame career options after retiring from professional sports. So we can live in fear of bedbugs and not travel, go to our friends' parties or have visitors stay over. All the things that Cassandra hates to do anyway. I think I may have married a genius. Source: The Washington Post Questions You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 28 40 which are based on Reading Passage 3. Questions 28 32 The passage has seven paragraphs labelled AG. Which paragraph contains the following information? Write the correct letter A-G in boxes 28-32 on your answer sheet. NB: You may use any letter more than once. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. Bedbug infestations are a serious problem in the US households now. Bedbugs are harmless as compared to other rodents. Bedbug hysteria is a very fast spreading disease. The narrators wife was really scared about bedbug infestations. People are scared about bedbugs because they are most often invisible.

Questions 33 36 Complete the sentences below with words taken from Reading Passage 3. Use NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 33-36 on your answer sheet.

33. 34. 35. 36.

Cassandra looked at her husband with cold, hard stare of a bedbug about to reproduce through . Bedbugs scare us so much because they hide . Cassandra once made themselves switch hotel rooms after finding a . The narrator learnt about hyper vigilance when he was .

Questions 37 40 Complete the summary of the paragraphs D F below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 37-40 on your answer sheet.

The worst thing about bedbug hysteria is that it spreads 37 bedbugs arent harmful. But Cassandra was very 38 The difference between inside and outside 39 . Despite all our technology, we are still at 40 .