PRACTICE TEST 7

PART I: LISTENING

Question 1: Complete the notes below by writing NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS in the spaces provided.

The Government plans to give (1)$ ........................... to assist the farmers. This money was to be spent on
improving Sydney’s (2)............................ but has now been re-allocated.

Australia has experienced its worst drought in over fifty years. Farmers say that the money will not help
them because it is (3)................................ .An aero plane which was carrying a group of (4)................................ was
forced to land just (5)........................ minutes after take-off. The passengers were rescued by boats and pleasure craft.
The operation was helped because of the good weather. The passengers thanked the (6)........................ for saving their
lives but unfortunately they lost their (7)................................ .

Question 2: Listen to the recording and complete the sentences with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR
A NUMBER for each answer.

Ceramics

1.Ceramics date back approximately ……………..

2. The first figurines were made in the area of……………….

3. The Chinese improved the quality of ceramics by mixing ……………… with the clay

4. Chinese porcelain was also called………………..

5. Bottger added quartx and………………….to clay to make porcelain.

Glass

6. Glass production is similar to clay ceramics apart from the rate of………………

7.The Roman introduced the use of glass to make……………….

Concrete

8.The ability to build large…………………. Contributed to the success of the Roman Empire.

Question 3: Indicate whether the following statements are true or false by writing T for true, F for false.

1. What surprised the researchers about the study was the positive impact its had on physics results for women.
2. Greg and Lisa think Miyake’s results could have been affected by the information the students were given.
3. Greg and Lisa decide that in their own project, the will compare the effects of two different oral tasks
4. The main finding of Smolinsky’s research was that class teamwork activities had no effect on the performance off
men or women
5. Lisa and Greg had intention of observing a science class next.

Question 4: Listen to the recording and circle the appropriate letter.

1. The speaker says students can visit her………………

A. every morning. B. some mornings. C. mornings only. D. Friday morning.

2. According to the speaker, a tutorial……………………

C. provides a chance to share views. D. provides an alternative to group work.

3. When writing essays, the speaker advises the students to………………………..

A. research their work well. B. name the books they have read.

C. share work with their friends. D. avoid using other writers’ ideas.

4. The speaker thinks that plagiarism is………………………………….

A. a common problem. B. an acceptable risk.

C. a minor concern. D. a serious offence.

5. The speaker’s aims are to………………………

A. introduce students to university expectations.

B. introduce students to the members of staff.

C. warn students about the difficulties of studying.

D. guide students round the university.

PART II: LEXICO-GRAMMAR

Question 1: Choose the most suitable word or phrase (A, B, C, or D) to fill in each blank

1. Turn off this machine, please. The harsh sound really ………….me crazy.

A. takes B. worries C. drives D. bothers

2. Grapes have seeds, but lemons and limes have ………….

A. cores B. nuts C. stones D. pips

3. I find trying to read ………….very annoying. I prefer dubbed films.

A. underlines B. subtitles C. understatements D. captions

4. Mrs. Chapman is always polite and considerate ………….her employees.

A. towards B. with C. for D. about

5. Motorist should ………….well in advance of changing lanes.

A. sign B. signal C. flare D. flicker

6. Ann’s encouraging words gave me ………….to undertake the demanding task once again.

A. a point B. an incentive C. a resolution D. a target

7. If it hadn’t been for the hint that the professor ………………., nobody would have found out the correct answer.

A. dropped B. cast C. threw D. flung

8. The ………….boards in the staircase would always wake us up whenever somebody climbed up at night
A. screeching B. cracking C. roaring D. creaking

9. We have to ………….the hard times hoping that things will change for the better in the future.

A. maintain B. endure C. persist D. outlive

10. Anything he does is in ………….with the law and that’s why I have suggested him for the post.

A. compliance B. obedience c. commitment D. responsibility

11. Beyond all ……………., it was Alice who gave away our secrets

A. fail B. conclusion C. dispute D. contradiction

12. The book says that the revolution was ………….off by the assassination of the state governor.

A. launched B. cropped C. triggered D. prompted.

13. The hijackers have demanded a …………….to be paid for releasing the civilian hostages from the plane

A. currency B. revenue C. deposit D. ransom

14. Just ………….these proofs for me as I’m in a hurry.

A. run into B. run off C. run over D. run out

15. She resigned …………. No one forced her to do so.

A. for her own sake B. of her own accord C. with a will D. on purpose

16. When all the facts …………., there was such a scandal that he was forced to resign.

A. came to light B. came in light

C. came under light D. came into light

17. In the event, we found your advice absolutely………….

A. unworthy B. valuable C. invaluable D. impecunious

18. I’m afraid I’m really ……………for time at the moment .

A. hurried B. short C. pulled D. pressed

19. I parked in a restricted area and the police ………….my car.

A. imprisoned B. impounded C. impaled D. interned

20. Richard Burton was noted for his clear ………….of words.

A. enunciation B. interpretation C. announcement D. accentuation

Question 2: Find 10 mistakes in the following passage and correct them (10 points)

The horse and carriage is a thing of the past, but love and marriage are still with us and still closely interrelating.
Most American marriages, particular first marriages uniting young people, are the result of mutual attraction and
affection rather than practical consideration.
 In the United States, parents do not arrange marriages for their children. Teenagers begin date in high school and
usually find mates through their own academic and social contacts. Though young people feel free to choose their
friends from different groups, almost choose a mate of similar background. This is due in part to parental guidance.
Parents can’t select spouses for their children, but they can usually influence choices by voicing disapproval for
someone they consider unsuitable.

However, marriages of members of different groups ( interclass, interfaith, and interracial marriages) are
increasing, probably because of the greater mobile of today’s youth and the fact that they are restricted by fewer
prejudices as their parents. Many young people leave their hometowns to attend college, serve in the armed forces, or
pursue a career in a bigger city. One away from home and family, they are more likely to date and marry outside their
own social group.

Your answer

MISTAKES CORRECTIONS MISTAKES CORRECTIONS

1. 6.

2. 7.

3. 8.

4. 9.

5. 10.

PART III: READING

Question 1: Choose the best word or phrase among A, B, C or D that best fits the blank space in the following
passage.

Interpreting the feelings of other people is not always easy, as we all know, and we (1) …………………… as
much on what they seem to be telling us, as on the actual words they say. Facial (2) …………… and tone of voice are
obvious ways of showing our (3)……………….to something, and it may well be that we unconsciously express views
that we are trying to hide. The art of being ( 4) ………………. lies in picking up these signals, realizing what the other
person is trying to say, and acting so that they are not embarrassed in any way. For example, we may understand that
they are in fact (5)……………………..to answer our question, and so we stop pressing them. Body movements in
general may also indicate feelings, and interviewers often pay particular attention to the way a candidate for a job
walks into the room and sits down. However it is not difficult to present the right kind of appearance, while what many
employers want to know relates to the candidate’s character traits, and (6) ………………. stability. This raises the
awkward question of whether job candidates should be asked to complete psychological tests, and the further problem
of whether such tests actually produce (7) ………………results. For many people, being asked to take part in such a
test would be an objectionable (8) …………… into their private lives. After all, a prospective employer would hardly
ask a candidate to run a hundred meters, or expect his or her family doctor to provide (9) ………….medical
information. Quite apart from this problem, can such tests predict whether a person is likely to be a (10)
…………………..employee or a values colleague?

Question 1: A. reckon B. rely C. trust D. estimate

Question 3: A. notion B. feeling C. view D. reaction

Question 4: A. successful B. humble C. good at D. tactful

Question 5: A. hesitant B. reluctant C. tending D. used

Question 6: A. psychological B. physical C. similar D. relevant

Question 7: A. reliable B. predictable C. faithful D. regular

Question 8: A. invasion B. infringement C. intrusion D. interference

Question 9: A. confidential B. secretive C. reticent D. classified

Question 10: A. laborious B. particular C. thorough D. conscientious

(From Mosaic Reading I by Brenda Wegmann and Miki Knezevic)

One of the main problems facing the environmental movements is that it may become a victim of its own
success. It is now generally accepted that issues such as global warning need to be (1) …………… with seriously, and
that the Scandinavian forests are being destroyed (2) ………………… to the effects of (3) ……………….rain. Views
(4) ……………….these have now become an accepted part of the political scene, and consumers are constantly
bombarded with green or (5) ………………..friendly products. However, this does not mean that environmental
groups can now afford to relax. On the (6) ………………….., the green movement must consider how the momentum
will (7) …………………sustained when the current enthusiasm has (8) ………………… The environment must not
be (9) ………………… to fade from people’s minds, because the progress of ecological collapse has already been
(10) …………………… in train, and so far very little has been done to reverse it.

Question 3: Read the following passage and choose one of four options A, B, C, or D to answer each question.

The Fukushima I nuclear accidents are a series of ongoing equipment failures and releases of radioactive
materials at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant, following the 9.0 magnitude Tohoku earthquake and tsunami on 11
March 2011. The plant comprises six separate boiling water reactors maintained by the Tokyo Electric Power
Company (TEPCO). This accident is the largest of the 2011 Japanese nuclear accidents arising from the Tohoku
earthquake and tsunami, and experts consider it to be the second largest nuclear accident after the Chernobyl disaster,
but more complex as all reactors are involved.

At the time of the quake, reactor 4 had been de-fueled while 5 and 6 were in cold shutdown for planned
maintenance. The remaining reactors shut down automatically after the earthquake, with emergency generators
starting up to run the control electronics and water pumps needed to cool reactors. The plant was protected by a
seawall designed to withstand a 5.7 metres (19 ft) tsunami but not the 14-metre (46 ft) maximum wave which arrived
41–60 minutes after the earthquake. The entire plant was flooded, including low-lying generators and electrical
switchgear in reactor basements and external pumps for supplying cooling seawater. The connection to the electrical
grid was broken. All power for cooling was lost and reactors started to overheat, due to natural decay of the fission
products created before shutdown. The flooding and earthquake damage hindered external assistance.

Evidence soon arose of partial core meltdown in reactors 1, 2, and 3; hydrogen explosions destroyed the upper
cladding of the buildings housing reactors 1, 3, and 4; an explosion damaged the containment inside reactor 2; multiple
fires broke out at reactor 4. Despite being initially shutdown, reactors 5 and 6 began to overheat. Fuel rods stored in
pools in each reactor building began to overheat as water levels in the pools dropped. Fears of radiation leaks led to a
20-kilometre (12 mi) radius evacuation around the plant while workers suffered radiation exposure and were
temporarily evacuated at various times. One generator at unit 6 was restarted on 17 March allowing some cooling at
units 5 and 6 which were least damaged. Grid power was restored to parts of the plant on 20 March, but machinery for
reactors 1 through 4, damaged by floods, fires and explosions, remained inoperable. Flooding with radioactive water
through the basements of units 1–4 continues to prevent access to carry out repairs.

Measurements taken by the Japanese science ministry and education ministry in areas of northern Japan 30–
50 km from the plant showed radioactive cesium levels high enough to cause concern. Food grown in the area was
banned from sale. It was suggested that worldwide measurements of iodine-131 and caesium-137 indicate that the
releases from Fukushima are of the same order of magnitude as the releases of those isotopes from the Chernobyl
disaster in 1986; Tokyo officials temporarily recommended that tap water should not be used to prepare food for
infants. Plutonium contamination has been detected in the soil at two sites in the plant. Two workers hospitalized as a
precaution on 25 March had been exposed to between 2000 and 6000 mSv of radiation at their ankles when standing in
water in unit 3.

Question 1. What is the main topic of the passage?

A. Japanese natural disaster – the nuclear power accident.

B. Fukushima I nuclear accident – the largest nuclear power of all time.

C. The nuclear power accident – Japanese catastrophe.

D. The Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant.

Question 2. It can be inferred from the passage that_____.

A. The Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant is the world’s largest nuclear accident

B. The accident happened in the early part of the year 2011

C. Chernobyl is the world’s largest and most complex nuclear accident

D. Reactor doesn’t involve in the accident

Question 3. The word “ongoing” in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to _____.

A. old-fashioned B. onslaught C. continuous D. disastrous

Question 4. The word “withstand” in the second paragraph is could be best replaced by_____.

A. stand B. stand together C. wrestle D. strike

Question 5. All of the following are mentioned in the passage EXCEPT_____.

A. The cause of the accident is the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami

B. The earthquake causes a great damage to Japan and the neighboring country

C. The tsunami struck the country after the earthquake had occurred approximately an hour

D. The reactor was barred from external assistance because of the flooding and earthquake damage
Question 6. According to the passage, which of the followings is NOT true?

A. The plant suffered a 14-metre seawall

B. The highest wave was 46 ft in height

C. The reactor 5 and 6 started overheating though they were in cold shutdown for maintenance

D. The flood with water containing radioactivity made it impossible for the machinery to be repaired

Question 7. According to the passage, which of the following can be inferred?

A. The Chernobyl disaster happened in the late 19th century

B. Food was banned from sale for fear that the country would run out of food

C. The people in Tokyo were advised not to use tap water to cook for children

D. Two workers were sent to hospital as they were exposed to radiation when standing in water in unit 3

Question 8. The word “inoperable” in the third paragraph could be best replaced by_____.

A. incompatible B. impracticable C. irrepressible D. mysterious

Question 9. When the earthquake occurred, how many plants were inactive?

A. 3 B. 4, 5, 6 C. 5, 6 D. 5

Question 10. Why does the author mention “plutonium contamination” in the last paragraph?

A. to show that the Japanese discovered plutonium mine after the nuclear accident

B. to show that plutonium was contaminated after the nuclear accident

C. to show that the soil was polluted by plutonium

D. to give an example of soil containing natural resource

Question 4:

1. Reading the passage, there are nine paragraphs (A-I). Choose the most suitable heading for the
paragraphs (from A to F) from the list of headings below. Write the appropriate numbers (i-vi) in boxes 1 – 5 on
your answer sheet. Paragraph A has been done for you as an example. (10 points)

List of Headings

i Some buildings do not require natural light

ii A designer describes his houses

iii Homes sold before completion

iv Developing underground services around the world

v An underground home is discovered

vi Demands on space and energy are reduced

Moles happy as homes go underground

Paragraph A v

The first anybody knew about Dutchman Frank Siegmund and his family was when workmen tramping through a field
found a narrow steel chimney protruding through the grass. Closer inspection revealed a chink of sky-light window
among the thistles, and when amazed investigators moved down the side of the hill they came across a pine door
complete with leaded diamond glass and a brass knocker set into an underground building. The Siegmunds had
managed to live undetected for six years outside the border town of Breda, in Holland. They are the latest in a clutch
of individualistic homemakers who have burrowed underground in search of tranquillity.

Most, falling foul of strict building regulations, have been forced to dismantle their individualistic homes and return to
more conventional lifestyles. But subterranean suburbia, Dutch-style, is about to become respectable and chic. Seven
luxury homes cosseted away inside a high earth-covered noise embankment next to the main Tilburg city road recently
went on the market for $296,500 each. The foundations had yet to be dug, but customers queued up to buy the
unusual part-submerged houses, whose back wall consists of a grassy mound and whose front is a long glass gallery.

The Dutch are not the only would-be moles. Growing numbers of Europeans are burrowing below ground to create
houses, offices, discos and shopping malls. It is already proving a way of life in extreme climates; in winter months in
Montreal, Canada, for instance, citizens can escape the cold in an underground complex complete with shops and even
health clinics. In Tokyo builders are planning a massive underground city to be begun in the next decade, and
underground shopping malls are already common in Japan, where 90 percent of the population is squeezed into 20
percent of the landspace.

Building big commercial buildings underground can be a way to avoid disfiguring or threatening a beautiful or
environmentally sensitive” landscape. Indeed many of the buildings which consume most land -such as cinemas,
supermarkets, theatres, warehouses or libraries -have no need to be on the surface since they do not need windows.

There are big advantages, too, when it comes to private homes. A development of 194 houses which would take up 14
hectares of land above ground would occupy 2.7 hectares below it, while the number of roads would be halved. Under
several metres of earth, noise is minimal and insulation is excellent. “We get 40 to 50 enquiries a week,” says Peter
Carpenter, secretary of the British Earth Sheltering Association, which builds similar homes in Britain. "People see
this as a way of building for the future." An underground dweller himself, Carpenter has never paid a heating bill,
thanks to solar panels and natural insulation.

In Europe the obstacle has been conservative local authorities and developers who prefer to ensure quick sales with
conventional mass produced housing. But the Dutch development was greeted with undisguised relief by South
Limburg planners because of Holland's chronic shortage of land. It was the Tilburg architect Jo Hurkmans who hit on
the idea of making use of noise embankments on main roads. His two-floored, four-bedroomed, two-bathroomed
detached homes are now taking shape. "They are not so much below the earth as in it," he says. "All the light will
come through the glass front, which runs from the second floor ceiling to the ground. Areas which do not need much
natural lighting are at the back. The living accommodation is to the front so nobody notices that the back is dark."

In the US, where energy-efficient homes became popular after the oil crisis of 1973, 10,000 underground houses have
been built. A terrace of five homes, Britain's first subterranean development, is under way in Nottinghamshire. Italy's
outstanding example of subterranean architecture is the Olivetti residential centre in Ivrea. Commissioned by Roberto
Olivetti in 1969, it comprises 82 one-bedroomed apartments and 12 maisonettes and forms a house/ hotel for Olivetti
employees. It is built into a hill and little can be seen from outside except a glass facade. Patnzia Vallecchi, a resident
since 1992, says it is little different from living in a conventional apartment.

Not everyone adapts so well, and in Japan scientists at the Shimizu Corporation have developed "space creation"
systems which mix light, sounds, breezes and scents to stimulate people who spend long periods below ground.
Underground offices in Japan are being equipped with "virtual" windows and mirrors, while underground departments
in the University of Minnesota have periscopes to reflect views and light.

But Frank Siegmund and his family love their hobbit lifestyle. Their home evolved when he dug a cool room for his
bakery business in a hill he had created. During a heatwave they took to sleeping there. "We felt at peace and so close
to nature," he says. "Gradually I began adding to the rooms. It sounds strange but we are so close to the earth we draw
strength from its vibrations. Our children love it; not every child can boast of being watched through their playroom
windows by rabbits.

Your answers:

Paragraph Answer

1. Paragraph B

2. Paragraph C

3. Paragraph D

4. Paragraph E

5. Paragraph F

2. Reading the above passage again. Complete the sentences below with words taken from the paragraphs
(from F to I). Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 6-10 on your
answer sheet.

6. The Dutch development was welcomed by ...........................

7. Hurkmans’ houses are built into ...............................

9. Japanese scientists are helping people .............................. underground life.

10. Frank Siegmund’s first underground room was used for ..............................

PART IV: WRITING

Question 1: Rewrite the following sentences beginning with the given word.

1. As far as I know, this has never happened before.

 To …………………………………………………………………………………..

2. He blamed his wife for their late arrival at the concert.

 He said that ………………………………………………………………………….

3. The employee insisted on being given a full bonus.

 Nothing but ……………………………………………………………………….

4. A huge investment has been put into the field of hydro-electricity.

 They..............................................................................................................................

5. The students’ riotous behaviour should have been severely punished.

 The students deserved………………………………….……………………………

Question 2: Rewrite the following sentences, using the word given in brackets. You must not alter the word in any
way.

1. She warned me not to get too angry about my in-law’s comments. ( against)
……………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. Celia had no other alternative but take a huge loan from the bank. ( only)
……………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. He didn’t mention our previous conversation at all. ( reference)

……………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. Williams tried to remain impartial in the quarrel between his two cousins. ( sides)

……………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. No such idea has ever occurred to me before ( crossed )
……………………………………………………………………………………………….