Passage 1: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to choose the word or phrase that best fits each of the numbered blanks from 1 to 5.
Left-handers are the odd ones out. Sure, lefties (1) ______up about 10 percent of the population - but, frankly, it seems like society has forgotten about them. Just consider all of the right-handed gadgets, awkwardly designed desks, and cooking tools that fit comfortably only in your right hand. What (2) ______someone to become a lefthand? Scientists aren’t exactly sure, but research points to a complex (3) ______between genes and environment While no exact set of “leftie genes” have been discovered, people who dominantly use their left hands do have more left-handed family members. And researchers have found different brain wirings in righties vs. lefties. But no matter (4) ______it is that drives someone to use their antipodal paw, science has also uncovered a particular set of personality traits that left-handed people tend to have. So for all of you lefties, leftie-loving righties, and ambidextrous folks out there - it’s time to brush up on your left-handed knowledge and help (5) ______an end to leftie discrimination once and for all.
1: A. consist B. account C. hold D. make
2: A. causes B. makes C. gets D. does
3: A. collaborate B. collaboration C. collaborating D. collaborated
4: A. which B. who C. what D. that
5: A. put B. bring C. make D. take
Passage 2: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 6 to 12.
Successful students often do the followings while studying. First, they have an overview before reading. Next, they look for important information and pay greater attention to it (which often needs jumping forward or backwards to process information). They also relate important points to one another. Also, they activate and use their prior knowledge. When they realize that their understanding is not good, they do not wait to change strategies. Last, they can monitor understanding and take action to correct or “fix up” mistakes incomprehension.
Conversely, students with low academic achievement often demonstrate ineffective study skills. They tend to assume a passive role, in learning and rely on others (e.g., teachers, parents) to monitor their studying, for example, low-achieving students often do not monitor their understanding of content; they may not be aware of the purpose of studying, and they show little evidence of looking back or employing “fix-up” strategies to fix understanding problems. Students who struggle with learning new information seem to be unaware that they must extent effort beyond simply reading the content to understand and remember it. Children with learning disabilities do not plan and judge the quality of their studying. Their studying may be disorganized. Students with learning problems face challenges with the personal organization as well. They often have difficulty keeping track of materials and assignments, following directions, and completing work on time. Unlike good studiers who employ a variety of study skills in a flexible yet purposeful manner, low-achieving students use a restricted range of study skills. They cannot explain why good study strategies are important for learning, and they tend to use the same, often ineffective study approach for all learning tasks, ignoring task content, structure or difficulty.
(Source: Adapted from Study Skills: Managing Your Learning — NUI Galway)
6: What is the topic of the passage?
A. Successful and low-academic achieving students
B. Successful learners and their learning strategies
C. Study skills for high school students
D. Effective and ineffective ways of learning
7: The word “prior” in the first paragraph is the closest meaning to ______?
A. important B. earlier C. forward D. good
8: According to the passage, what can be learnt about passive students?
A. They depend on other people to organize their learning
B. They are slow in their studying
C. They monitor their understanding
D. They know the purpose of studying
9: Which of the followings is NOT evidence of monitoring studying?
A. Being aware of the purpose of studying
B. Monitoring their understanding of content
C. Fixing up mistakes in understanding
D. Looking at their backs
10:According to the passage, to learn new information, low-achieving students do NOT______.
A. just understand it B. relate it to what they have known
C. simply remember it D. read it
11: In compared with low-achieving students, successful students use______.
A. aimless study techniques B. various study skills
C. restricted strategies D. inflexible study ways
12: The underlined pronoun “They” in the last sentence refers to______.
A. study strategies B. study skills
C. low-achieving students D. good studiers
Passage 3: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions from 13 to 20
Pollution emitted in industrial areas represents a threat to human health and the surrounding natural resources. We have a tendency to believe that the production processes are the only source of environmental damage, and often forget about the possible long-term effects of harmful production practices. We may think that the closure of these huge industrial areas would improve the quality of the environment. Unfortunately, this ignores the threat of the remaining waste, which is abandoned and poorly stored. It represents an even bigger danger because it stands neglected as it degrades and leaks into the earth without any control at all.
Changes in the water chemistry due to surface water contamination can affect all levels of an ecosystem. It can affect the health of lower food chain organisms and, consequently, the availability of food up through the food chain. It can damage the health of wetlands and damage their ability to support healthy ecosystems, control flooding, and filter pollutants from stormwater runoff. The health of animals and humans are affected when they drink or bathe in contaminated water. In addition, water-based organisms, like fish and shellfish, can pile up and concentrate contaminants in their bodies. When other animals or humans eat these organisms, they receive a much higher dose of contaminant than they would have if they had been directly exposed to the original contamination.
Contaminated groundwater can badly affect animals, plants and humans if it is removed from the ground by manmade or natural processes. Depending on the study of rocks of the area, groundwater may rise to the surface through springs or seeps, flow sideways into nearby rivers, streams, or ponds, or sink deeper into the earth. In many parts of the world, groundwater is pumped out of the ground to be used for drinking, bathing, other household uses, agriculture, and industry.
Contaminants in the soil can harm plants when they take up the contamination through their roots. Eating, breathing in, or touching contaminated soil, as well as eating plants or animals that have piled up soil contaminants can badly affect the health of humans and animals.
Air pollution can cause breathing-related problems and other bad health effects as contaminants are absorbed from the lungs into other parts of the body. Certain air contaminants can also harm animals and humans when they contact the skin. Plants rely on breathing for their growth and can also be affected by exposure to contaminants moved in the air.
13: What is the topic of the passage?
A. Sources of environmental damage B. The pollution from the city
C. Bad effects of industrial waste D. The quality of the environment
14: According to the passage, the industry is likely to be thought as ______.
A. a danger to the environment B. the only source of pollution
C. the utmost harmful activity D. a threat to human health
15: The word “it” in the first paragraph refers to______.
A. the remaining waste B. a danger
C. the environment D. the threat of the remaining waste
16: Which of the followings affect an ecosystem as the whole?
A. Surface water contamination B. Soil contamination
C. Groundwater contamination D. Air contamination
17: According to the passage, which of the followings supports healthy ecosystems?
A. Lower food chain organisms B. Animals
C. Water-based organisms D. Wetlands
18: Which of the followings is NOT badly affected by contaminated groundwater?
A. Human B. Plants C. Rocks D. Animals
19: Which of the followings is the flow of water from the ground to the surface?
A. Streams B. Ponds C. Rivers D. Springs
20: Which of the followings has the closest meaning to the word “absorbed” in the last paragraph?
A. Consumed B. Taken in C. Swallowed D. Piled up
