PART ONE: LISTENING COMPREHENSION

I. You will hear a conversation between a girl, Jill, and a boy, Guss, about an adventure park
they have both visited.
For questions 1 to 5, listen and choose the correct answer A, B, C, or D. (5 pts)
1. What is Guss’s uncle uninterested in?
A. the park B. saving money C. going on rides D. Thunder Mountain
2. How many times has Jill gone on the Thunder Mountain?
A. one B. two C. three D. four
3. Jill might visit the park again on a rainy day because _____.
A. she loves getting wet B. Guss might go riding with her
C. fewer people will wait in line for the ride D. she will have a school
break soon
4. Which part of the park may Guss visit on his next trip?
A. Future World B. the Jungle Walk
C. the Sea Life Theatre D. the new food court
5. Certain areas of the park _____.
A. are under construction B. have been closed down
C. are not on the map D. don’t impress the public
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

II. You will hear a man called Markus Fischer talking about mooncake, a traditional Asian
bakery product.
For questions 6-15, complete the sentences with ONE WORD OR A NUMBER for
each blank. (10 pts)
MOONCAKE
6. Markus was staying in ………………. when he first tried mooncake.
7. Markus’s favourite kind of mooncake has a filling made of ………………. .
8. Markus says that he likes to have ………………. with mooncake.
9. Mooncake is popular during the Moon Festival, which last year was held in
………………. .
10. The mooncake Marcus was given during the festival had the shape of a ………………. on
the top.
11. Markus was surprised to learn that mooncake is rarely made at ………………. in China.
12. The people Markus was staying with received mooncake from their ………………. .
13. His host family gave Markus a mooncake that had a slightly ………………. flavour.
14. Markus was told that, many years ago, people used to send secret messages written on the
top of ………………. mooncakes.
15. After people had read what was written on the mooncake, they ………………. it
Your answers:
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
PART TWO. GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY (2.5 POINTS)
I. Circle the letter A, B, C or D to complete each of the following sentences. (0.5p)
1. I took the ___ to congratulate him on his promotion.
A. opportunity B. chance C. occasion D. circumstance
2. You'd rather speak to him yourself, ___?
A. hadn't you B. didn't you C. wouldn't you D. won't you
3. During the demonstration the police arrested twenty people, four of ___ were charged with
obstruction.
A. who B. them C. which D. whom
4. ___ classical dance for six years, Jane finally felt ready to perform in public.
A. Having studied B. Studying C. To study D. Being studied
5. The use of computers aids in teaching, ___ the role of teachers is still very important.
A. although B. yet C. so that D. because
6. Do you really expect him ___ treated in this way?
A. to not object to be B. not to object to being
C. not to object to be D. not object to being
7. The baby can't even sit up yet, ___ stand and walk!
A. but for B. let alone C. all but D. rather than
8. Mike painted his bedroom black. It looks dark and dreary. He ___ a different colour.
A. must have chosen B. had to choose
C. should have chosen D. could have been choosing
9. Hoa is visiting her home town this afternoon.
Mark: “Don’t fail to send your family my regards.” - Hoa: “___.”
A. It’s my pleasure B. You’re welcome C. Good idea, thanks D. Thanks, I will
10. A small ___ of this medicine should be enough to lessen the pain.
A. part B. size C. dose D. ration
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

II. Give the correct form of the capital words. Write your answers in the blanks. (0.5p)
HOW USEFUL IS SELF-STUDY?
"Self-study" is a blanket term which means different things to different people. It can be used to
mean "autodidactic", or refer to self-help material for those who, for (1. WHAT)
_______________ reason do not have access to a teacher. For students following a distance
learning course, such methods are worthwhile as they are designed for those who cannot attend
(2. RESIDENCE) _______________ courses, which are far more expensive.
There are many drawbacks to self-study for university students, however, as one studies in
isolation and cannot enjoy exactly the same lifestyle as the traditional type of (3. GRADUATE)
_______________, who is combining new social and academic experiences. Those who choose
to use self-study as a path into the realms of academia do so for very different reasons, which
depend on their financial background to a large extent. Today, no one frowns on this, seeing it as
a positive step towards (4. LIGHT) _______________. Self-help courses are also available for
those who recognize they have some kind of psychological problem but who cannot afford the
fees charged by psychoanalysts. Such courses need to be carefully selected, but they can be (5.
BENEFIT) _______________ to those who seek self-help.

Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Complete the following sentences with one preposition/particle for each blank. Write your
answers in the numbered boxes.
1. _______ my way to work yesterday I bumped into an old friend of mine, whom I hadn’t seen
since
graduating from college five years ago.
2. This quaint little village is quite literally _______ the middle of nowhere, so make sure you take
plenty of
supplies with you.
3. Many of my friends liked Joe’s stories although they knew that he made them _______.
4. If my sister hadn’t helped me _______ with a loan, I wouldn’t have bought that house.
5. I love visiting my grandmother living in a little cottage situated _______ the outskirts of town.
6. Just _______ the coast of the peninsula one could see the battered bow of what had once been a
majestic ship jutting out of the water.
7. It’s better for women to work _______ walking distance from their houses because they can
save a heap on daily transportation expenses.
8. Legend has it that he buried the treasure _______ the foot of a mountain under a crooked, olive
tree.
9. Make sure that you are _______ top form before going on a bicycle vacation that takes you off
the
beaten track.
10. It was such an embarrassing situation that she would never be able to live it _______.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

There are 10 mistakes in the following passage. PUT a tick (√) for the correct lines.
UNDERLINE the mistakes and write the corrections in the corresponding space provided
in the column on the right. (0) and (00) have been done as examples.
Facebook has become one of the most popular social websites in the world. 0. ………√………..
Facebook users spend an average of more than 15 hours a month in the social 00…...…on……..
networking site. While there are plenty who caution against such extensive use 1. …...……….…..
and there are a large amount of studies detailing the harm Facebook could 2. …...……….…..
 potentially cause. There are also lots of reports extolling the site's virtues. As the 3. …...……….…..
social media giant prepares for its upcoming initial public offering, here are some 4. …...……….…..
ways Facebook just might be good for you. 5. …...……….…..
Spending time on Facebook help people relax, slow down their heart rate 6. …...……….…..
and increase stress levels, according to researchers from the Massachusetts 7. …...……….…..
Institute of Technology and the University of Milan. In a study publishing earlier 8. …...……….…..
this year, researchers studied 30 students and found that a natural high was 9. …...……….…..
sparked when they were on the social websites that led to the relaxed heart rates 10. …...……….…
and lower levels of stress and tension. In the study, the students were monitoring 11. …...……….…
in three situations: looking at panorama landscapes, performing complicated 12. …...……….…
mathematical equations and using Facebook. Because the first situation was the 13. …...……….…
most relaxing to students and the math problems were the most stressful, the time 14. …...……….…
on Facebook covered high levels of attractiveness and arousal. The findings 15. …...……….…
support the researchers’ hypothesis that Facebook’s success, as well as those of 16. …...……….…
other social media networks, correlates to the specific positive mental and 17. …...……….…
physical state users experience. 18. …...……….…

PART THREE: READING

Choose the most suitable words to complete each blank. Write your answers in the given
box.
WHY PEOPLE LAUGH
Sunday May 4th will be World Laughter Day. Dr Madan Kataria, who introduced this annual
event, says we need more laughter in our lives to combat the global rise of stress and loneliness.
But surely that strange sound that we make periodically can’t be the (21) _____ to such
problems.
If an alien were to land on our planet and take a stroll among a crowd of earthlings, it would hear
a lot of ‘ha-ha’ noises. It might wonder what (22) _____ this strange habit served. If we ask
ourselves what (23) _____ a good laugh, the obvious answer is that it is a response to something
funny. But one scientist, Robert Provine, says humour has surprisingly (24) _____ to do with
that. (25) _____, it lies at the root of such issues as the perception of self and the evolution of
language and social behaviour.
Provine realised that you cannot capture (26) _____ laughter in the lab because as soon as you
place it under scrutiny, it vanishes. So, instead, he gathered data by (27) _____ with groups of
people, noting when they laughed.
He collected 1,200 laugh episodes - an episode being defined as the comment immediately
preceding the laughter and the laughter itself. His analysis of this data (28) _____ some
important facts about laughter. “It's a message we send to other people - it (29) _____ disappears
when we're by ourselves,” he says. “And it’s not a choice. Ask someone to laugh and they’ll (30)
_____ try to fake a laugh or say they can’t do it on demand.”
1. A. answer B. resolution C. introduction D. response
2. A. purpose B. reason C. idea D. meaning
3. A. prompts B. conceals C. inhibits D. concludes
4. A. much B. few C. little D. many
5. A. Instead B. In conclusion C. As a result D. Whereas
6. A. authentic B. complete C. contemporary D. current
7. A. showing up B. ending up C. coming around D. hanging around
8. A. declared B. investigated C. displayed D. revealed
9. A. undoubtedly B. constantly C. virtually D. absolutely
10. A. sooner B. either C. neither D. whether

Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only ONE word in
each gap. Write your answers in the numbered boxes.
In the technological age we now live in, you might find it quite surprising that ___1___ and
more people are deciding not to work to live. Instead, an increasing number of us are opting for a
simpler and cheaper way of living, and one ___2___ essentially makes them happier. Those who
have taken this step feel they are no longer spending increasing hours at jobs which may bring
them ___3___ or no satisfaction, but which they do in the ___4___ of being able to keep up with
spiralling living costs. By simplifying their lives and reducing their costs, these people find they
have a lot more time ___5___ to pursue their own interests, which is something that many people
now seem to have great difficulty in achieving. ___6___ surprisingly, a change in lifestyle and
attitude is a good idea when you work out how many sick days are taken each year by people
who become ill through overwork or through the ever-present stress they have to handle in their
jobs. You don’t have to be a genius to figure out that companies must waste a ___7___ deal of
money on sick-pay. We should also bear in mind that as life ___8___ increases, our working life
will also be extended. So, unless we gain some balance in our lives, we may ___9___ to ever
reach retirement. So, the next time you are working late or counting the number of hours you
have before you can go home, ___10___ not start thinking about how you could simplify your
life? Just imagine what you might do if you came home after work and still had hours left to do
things you really fancied doing!

Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Choose the correct answer for each question. Write your answer in the given box.
The spectacular aurora light displays that appear in Earth’s atmosphere around the north and
south magnetic poles were once mysterious phenomena. Now, scientists have data from
satellites and ground-based observations from which we know that the aurora brilliance is an
immense electrical discharge similar to that occurring in a neon sign.
 To understand the cause of auroras, first picture the Earth enclosed by its magnetosphere, a
huge region created by the Earth’s magnetic field. Outside the magnetosphere, blasting toward
the Earth is the solar wind, a swiftly moving plasma of ionized gases with its own magnetic field.
Charged particles in this solar wind speed earthward along the solar wind’s magnetic lines
of force with a spiralling motion. The Earth’s magnetosphere is a barrier to the solar wind, and
forces the charged particles of the solar wind to flow around the magnetosphere itself. But in the
polar regions, the magnetic lines of force of the Earth and of the solar wind bunch together. Here
many of the solar wind’s charged particles breakthrough the magnetosphere and enter Earth’s
magnetic field. They then spiral back and forth between the Earth’s magnetic poles very rapidly.
In the polar regions, electrons from the solar wind ionize and excite the atoms and molecules of
the upper atmosphere, causing them to emit aurora radiations of visible light.
The colors of an aurora depend on the atoms emitting them. The dominant greenish white
light comes from low energy excitation of oxygen atoms. During huge magnetic storms oxygen
atoms also undergo high energy excitation and emit crimson light. Excited nitrogen atoms
contribute bands of color varying from blue to violet. Viewed from outer space, auroras can be
seen as dimly glowing belts wrapped around each of the Earth’s magnetic poles. Each aurora
hangs like a curtain of light stretching over the polar regions and into the higher latitudes. When
the solar flares that result in magnetic storms and aurora activity are very intense, aurora displays
may extend as far as the southern regions of the United States.
Studies of auroras have given physicists new information about the behavior of plasmas,
which has helped to explain the nature of outer space and is being applied in attempts to harness
energy from the fusion of atoms.
1. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A. The methods used to observe auroras from outer space.
B. The formation and appearance of auroras around the Earth’s poles
C. The factors that cause the variety of colors in auroras.
D. The periodic variation in the display of auroras.
2. The word “phenomena” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to __________.
A. ideas B. stars C. events D.
colors
3. The word “picture” in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to __________.
А. frame B. imagine C. describe D. explain
4. The passage describes “the magnetosphere as a barrier” because __________.
A. its position makes it difficult to be observed from Earth
B. it prevents particles from the solar wind from easily entering Earth’s atmosphere
C. it increases the speed of particles from the solar wind
D. it is strongest in the polar regions
5. The word “them” in paragraph 3 refers to __________.
A. polar regions B. electrons C. atoms and molecules D.
aurora radiations
6. According to the passage, which color appears most frequently in an aurora display?
A. greenish-white B. crimson C. blue D. violet
7. The word “glowing” in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to __________.
A. shining B. moving C. charging D. hanging
8. Auroras may be seen in the southern regions of the United States when __________.
A. magnetic storms do not affect Earth B. solar flares are very intense
 C. the speed of the solar wind is reduced D. the excitation of atoms is low
9. The passage supports which of the following statement about scientists’ understanding of
auroras?
A. Before advances in technology, including satellites, scientists knew little about
auroras.
B. New knowledge about the fusions of atoms allowed scientists to learn more about
auroras.
C. Scientists cannot explain the cause of the different colors in auroras.
D. Until scientists learn more about plasma physics, little knowledge about auroras will
be available.
10. Which of the following terms is defined in the passage?
A. “magnetosphere” B. “electrons” C. “ionize” D. “fusion”
Read the texts A-E and answer the questions 1-15 by choosing the correct letter A-E . Write
your answer in the numbered boxes.
Who would recommend their diet to other people? 1

Who has been on numerous diets in the past? 2

Who started their diet without planning to lose any weight? 3

Who feels let down by the effectiveness of their diet so far? 4

Who is no longer on a diet? 5

Who had medical advice to start dieting? 6

Who says their diet has attracted some negative publicity? 7

Who have failed to lose any weight? 8 9

Who mentions an advantage and a drawback of the diet they lofollow? 10

Who has started to take more exercise? 11

Who has a particular date by which to finish their diet? 12
Who have to calculate how much energy is in their food? 13 14
Who replaces some meals with liquids? 15

Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

A. Jane
I started my diet as a new year’s resolution. I know it’s a bit of a cliché, but I really did want to
turn over a new leaf and have a new lifestyle. This was my first diet, at least it is if you exclude a
crazy one based on eating pineapples which I tried in my early twenties. But when celebrities like
Rene Zellweger and Geri Halliwell swear by it, and every other magazine has an article on it, when
I realised it was time for a diet, I realised also it was time for an Atkins diet. The great thing about
Atkins is that everything you eat is what you want to eat, and therefore everything tastes good; the
downside is that most of their suggested menus are on the expensive side, since they include foods
like lobster. I’ve been on the diet for 3 months now, and I’ve lost 5 pounds, which is frankly
disappointing, but at least I’m still going.
B. Emily
I’m getting married next month, and so three months ago I decided I would try to look a bit sleeker
for my big day. In order to give me an extra bit of incentive, I ordered my wedding dress two sizes
too small, which left me with 8cm to lose around my waist. But I think the extra pressure will give
me a shove in the right direction, even if my doctor warned me that it might backfire. I chose to use
the Weightwatchers diet, which involves counting the number of points in different types of food,
where the points are linked to their calories. I’ve also managed to be more active – nothing
particularly demanding, but I’m walking instead of catching the bus for short distances, and this
way I’m able to increase my point allowance. It is a hassle, having to count the point value for
everything I eat, but perhaps this allows me to work out whether I really want to eat the particular
foodstuff, or whether I’m merely satisfying a sudden craving which will pass in a minute or two.
Anyway, whatever the reason, my waist is 2cm smaller than it was, which is better than nothing,
although I don’t think I’m going to hit my target.
C. Greg
I chose to become one of the three million vegetarians in Britain mostly because of health concerns
about eating meat, although I am also concerned about the moral issues. My diet includes only
cereal products, nuts, seeds, eggs, dairy products and fruit and vegetables. Avoiding some animal
products can be tricky, although not of course as difficult as for vegans. Rennet, for example,
which is extracted from the stomach lining of cows, is often used in cheese making. Although my
motivation was not to lose weight, over the 10 months after my conversion to vegetarianism I’ve
actually lost 7 or 8 pounds. Since I haven’t started taking any exercise, I guess it’s probably
because my fat intake has dropped, since the soya products which constitute the core of my diet
have much less than the beef, pork and lamb dishes I used to eat. On top of all this, I’m feeling
really good, and so I wholeheartedly urge other people to take the vegetarian plunge!
D. Rob
I’m a serial dieter. I’ve been overweight for years, and since I’ve now passed 50 and 18 stone, I’ve
become seriously worried about my future. I decided to start the Cambridge Diet, despite it being
so controversial, since I felt reassured that the modern version of the diet is not as risky as the
original version of the 1970s and 80s. My diet substitutes shakes in place of breakfast and lunch,
and thereby aims to keep the calories under a short rein. My target is 1,000 calories a day, which
given my weight undoubtedly constitutes a crash diet. I take supplements of minerals, vitamins and
fatty acids to reduce the loss of nutrients due to the severe calorie restriction, but these hardly fill
me up. I’ve been on the diet for just a month now, and it has taken me a while to get used to it, and
I know I haven’t always kept within my calorie count. That’s why I wasn’t too surprised when I
discovered at my last weighing that my weight was exactly the same as when I started. But I know
by now that these things take time, and I’ll keep going. I feel I have to.
E. Lily
I’ve never really thought much about my food, and have always had a penchant for junk food and
chocolate. Over the years the pounds have slowly accumulated, but things came to a head only
recently, after I moved from a flat to a house, and discovered I was getting short of breath
whenever I climbed the stairs. I thought there might be something wrong with me medically, but
my doctor told me it was straightforward obesity. Thus I started my diet on doctor’s orders. I
started reading up on healthy eating, and realised my normal diet was too high in fats and sugars,
and so resolved to change it. But this I found was harder than I thought it would be, and for several
weeks I really tried hard but found that I was actually getting very stressed and putting on more
weight. I didn’t want to concede defeat, but my doctor and friends said they thought I should take
time off it for a while to relax and recharge my batteries, and maybe have another go in the future.
Your answers:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

PART FOUR: WRITING

REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES WITHOUT CHANGING THE MEANING
OF THE ORIGINAL SENTENCE. YOU HAVE TO USE BETWEEN 3 AND 8 WORDS
INCLUDING THE EXACT WORD GIVEN IN BRACKETS FOR EACH SENTENCE.

1. What surprises me is that they are not worried about pollution in our city. [seem]
→ Surprising___________________________________________________worries about
pollution in our city.
2. What Anna hates most is posing for photographs. [than]
→ There’s _____________________________________________________a pose for
photographs.
3. We suspected the weather would get cold so we took warm clothes. [anticipation]
→ We took warm clothes _________________________________________cold.
4. Whenever I listen to that piece of music, I remember my schooldays. [back]
→ That piece of music____________________________________________to my schooldays.
5. To maintain good industrial relations, we must do all we can to avoid confrontation with
management. [costs]
→ Confrontation with management _________________________________to maintain good
industrial relations.
6. Having little financial support, the student lived very cheaply. [shoestring]
→ The student __________________________________________________little financial
support.
7. You have no hope of succeeding if you are so careless with your work. [bound]
→ You _______________________________________________________careful with your
work.
8. Anna had to endure a long and difficult interview before she got the job. [subjected]
→ Anna was only _______________________________________________a long and difficult
interview.
9. In case of emergency, Peter is someone you can always rely on. [down]
→ Peter will____________________________________________________an emergency.
10. George suggested a list of guests should be written. [drawn]
→ “Why not____________________________________________________?” said George.
ESSAY
New technologies have changed the way humans make friends. Do advantages of this
outweigh disadvantages?
In about 250 words, write an essay to express your opinion on the issue. Use reasons and
examples to support your composition.

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