Millions of people use contact lenses worldwide. They were made to replace glasses and are very useful because sometimes glasses are inconvenient. In sports, for instance, many athletes wear contact lenses instead of using obnoxious sports goggles because they are much safer. Contact lenses can also be used to correct some conditions that glasses are not capable of fixing. People also use them if they want to change the color of their eyes. One can wear contact lenses every day, or they can be used only once, for example, to have red eyes with a vampire costume.

The idea of wearing contact lenses for better vision was first thought of by Leonardo da Vinci in the 1500s. He made sketches but there is no evidence that his design was ever realized. Throughout the 1800s many scientists played with the idea of contact lenses but no one perfected the use of them. The first models were very uncomfortable so they could not be worn for long periods of time. They were not flexible and did not let oxygen get to the eyes so in some cases they caused more problems than they fixed. The earlier versions were also very fragile and expensive, which made them not usable for many people.

It wasn’t until the late 1900s that contact lenses started to be effective and affordable enough for everyone to use. They became more and more popular as people became aware that there was an alternative to wearing glasses. In recent years, people have been developing even more advanced contact lenses. Now they can not only fix poor vision, but can improve good vision. Although contact lenses have become extremely popular over the last few decades, laser technology now allows people to improve their eyesight through a relatively quick, inexpensive, and painless procedure. One day, this technology may phase out contact lenses.

77. The author’s main purpose is to

A. give a brief history of contact lenses

B. persuade readers of the convenience of contact lenses

C. explain how contact lenses improve people’s vision

D. prove the risk of wearing contact lenses for better looks

78. In line 16, the word alternative is closest in meaning to

A. option

B. upgrade

C. solution

D. purchase

79. In line 10, the word They refers to

A. the eyes

B. the scientists

C. the drawings

D. the first models

80. Why does the author mention athletes in the passage?

A. To explain that some sports do not allow glasses

B. To show that athletes are concerned for their health

C. To illustrate the development of today’s contact lenses

D. To give an example of the usefulness of contact lenses

Mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.

Contact lenses__________of acrylic are more transparent and less fragile than lenses made of glass.

A. Making

B. Made

C. Are made

D. Which made

Choose the best answer amongA, B, C, D to complete each sentence below:
Lenses,_________,are used to correct imperfections in eyesight.

A.  are the forms of glasses and contact lenses

B.  in the form of glasses and contact lenses

C.  glasses and contact lenses which form

D. glasses and contact lenses may be formed

Lenses,_________,are used to correct imperfections in eyesight

A. are the forms of glasses and contact lenses

B. in the form of glasses and contact lenses

C. glasses and contact lenses which form

D. glasses and contact lenses may be formed

1. I      be very fat in the past.

2. -  Did she      wear glasses?      - Yes, she      but now she wears contact lenses.

3. My wife       play chess with me in the evenings but now she doesn't have time anymore.

4. I didn't      have a dog! I      have a cat!

5.  They      go to the cinema every Sunday but now they watch films at home.

6. What     you       do at the weekends when you were young?

Mark the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to show the underlined part that needs correction.

I found my new contact lenses strangely at first, but I got used to them in the end

A. my new

B. strangely

C. got used

D. in the end