SECTION 2: STUDY SKILLS (45 minutes)
Directions: In this section, you wiIl read several passages. Each passage is followed by several questions based on its content. You are to choose ONE best answer, (A), (B), (C) or (D), to each question. Answer all the questions following each passage on the basis of what is stated or implied in that passage and write the letter of the answer you have chosen in the corresponding space in your ANSWER BOOKLET.
Questions 1--5
I came across an old country guide the other day.It listed all the tradesmen in each village in my part of the country,and it was impressive to see the great variety of services which were available on one's own doorstep in the late Victorian countryside.
Nowadays a superficial traveler in rural Eng1and might conclude that the only village tradesmen still flourishing were either selling frozen food to the inhabitants or selling antiques to visitors. Nevertheless, this would really be a false impression. Admittedly there has been a contraction of village commerce, bul its vigor is still remarkable.
Our local grocer's shop, for example, is actually expanding in spite of the competition from supermarkets in the nearest town. Women sensibly prefer to go there and exchange the local news whi1e doing their shopping, instead of queueing up anonymously at a supermarket. And the proprietor knows well that persona1 service has a substantial cash value.
His Prices may be a bit higher than those in the town, bu he will deliver anything at any time. His assistants think nothing of bicycling down the village street in their lunch hour to take a piece of cheese to an old age pensioner who sent her order by word of mouth with a friend who happened to be passing. The more affluent customers telephone their shopping lists and the goods are on their doorsteps within an hour.They have only to hint at a fancy for some commodity outside the usual stock and the grocer a red-faced figure, instantly obtains it for them..
The village gains from this sort of enterprise, of course. But I also find it satisfactory because a village shop offers one of the few ways in which a modest individualist can still get along in the world without attaching himself to the big battalions of industry or commerce.
Most of the village shopkeepers I know, at any rate, are decidedly individualist in their ways. For example, our shoemaker is a formidable figure: a thick-set, irritable man whom children treat with marked respect, knowing that an ill-judged word can provoke an angry eruption at any time. He stares with contempt at the pairs of cheap, mass-produced shoes taken to him for repair: has it come to this, he seems to be saying, that he, a craftsman, should have to waste his skills upon such trash? But we all know he will in fact do excellent work upon them.And he makes beautiful shoes for those who can afford such luxury.
1.The services available in villages nowadays are normally_________.
(A) fewer but still very active
(B) less successful than earlier but managing to survive
(C) active in providing food for the village and tourists
(D) surprisingly energetic considering the little demand for them
2.The local grocer’s shop is expanding even though________.
(A) town shops are more attractive
(B) town shops are larger and less well-known
(C) people like to shop where they are less well-known
(D) people get extra service in townshops
3.How do the village grocer’s assistants feel about delivering goods?
(A) They tend to forget it. (B) They will not consider it.
(C) They take it for granted. (D) It does not seem worth their while
4.Another aspect of personal service available in the village shop is that_________.
(A) there is a wide range of goos available
(B) goods not in stock can be obtained whenever they are needed
(C) special attention is given to the needs of wealthier customers
(D) goods are always restocked before they run out
5.In what way is the village shoemaker a “formidable figure”?
(A) He seems to pay little attention to public opinion.
(B) He refuses to mend cheap,mass-produced shoes.
(C) He has a very rough temper.
(D) He has very high standards of workmanship.
Questions 6--10
Drivers on the Basingstoke by-pass used to have their attention diverted by a sign that read—A MOMENT'S INATTENTION CAUSES ACCIDENTS. This self-defeating warning has now been removed, but its message is still very much to the point.
Almost anyting can cause an accident. Apart from momentary inattention, it might be a minor miscalculation, a sudden fit of coughing, a bop on the head with a teddy-bear from a child in the back seat, an argument with the wife, fog, falling asleep at the wheel, bad eyesight, a glaring sun, ice, rain, wind, or snow—a1l these can make the difference between a tragic hit and a lucky miss.
Although human error plays its part, it is by no means the only cause of accidends. There must be some cause other than simple human error. Road construction plays its part: researchers have found that it is not at the obvious danger spot—sharp corners, cross-roads, narrow lanes—that accidents happen. It is on those roads where there are subtle visual traps, unexpected changes in the shape or surface of the .road, or even insufficient or badly-placed signs. Wherever there is a 'black spot', it means that something is seriously wrong with the road. Why else did the careless driving of so many come out at that particular spot?
What the law requires when you have an accident
There are, firstly the legal formalities of exchanging names and addresses with others involved in an accident and, in certain cases, informing the police.However, you are required by law to stop after an accident only if:
l Somebody other than yourself in or outside your car has been injured.
2 A vehicle not your own has been damaged.
3 Any horse, cow,donkey,sheep, or dog has been injured.
It has been said that if a driver continues unaware of causing injury he must be acquitted. But the courts are wary of that excuse. Furthermore, the driver himself must wait at the scene; it is not enough for him to leave his chauffeur or a friend to attend to the boring formalities while he goes off on more important business.
If you have been involved in an accident and have stopped, you must give your name, address, and registration number to anyone who has a good reason for requesting it; this means anyone affected by the accident. If these formalities are complied with it is not necessary to wait for the arrival of the police. It is, however, often wise to do so. The police are expert at drawing plans, taking measurements and photographs and gathering other evidence. In your absence the police could be given a biased story against you; and you yourself migh wam to point out certain features of the accident to the police.
6. A MOMENT'S INATTENTION CAUSES ACCIDENTS' (para. l) is a self defeating Warning because______.
(A) it will make a driver wait at the scene
(B) it will distract the driver's attention
(C) it is too difficult to understand
(D) it is too long to be read by drivers
7. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?
(A) After an accident you have to give your name to anyone who asks for it.
(B) Drivers on the Basingstoke by-pass used to ignore the sign.
(C) Road construction problems can be a major cause of accidents.
(D) A 'black spot' is a part of the road where there are no signs.
8. 'Subtle visual traps' (para.3) are ______.
(A) places where the police hide in order to trap motorists
(B) parts of the road which are deceptive to the driver's eye
(C) danger spots such as sharp corners and cross-roads
(D) places where there are man road-signs
9. As required by the law, you must stop after an accident, if ______.
(A) you have been injured by somebody.
(B) your car has been damaged.
(C) you have injured somebody else
(D) you have witnessed the accident
l 0. After an accident it is recommended that you wait for the police because _________.
(A) it is against the law to drive off
(B) they have to examine your licence and insurance certificate
(C) they have to noto the position of your car
(D) somebody may give them a false account of the accident
Questions 11--15
Just as word oil scarcity is already causing intemational conflicts, so will the scarcity of water reach a point where wars will break out. The statistics on water are already scary. Already well over l billion people suffer from water shortages and 30 countries get more than a third of their water from outside their borders—an obvious source of disputes and instability especially as the climate changes. The whole of the sub-Saharan Africa, most of South Asia and western South America are most at risk. The reason: the rapid melting of glaciers due to global warning.
At the meeting of the coalition of 27 Intemaional charities last month, Gareth Thomas, minister of Intenatonal Development of the British government, wrote to prime minister Gordon Brown demanding action to ensure fresh water to 1.1 billion people with poor supplies. "If we do not act now, the reality is that water supplies may become the subject of international conflict in the years ahead. We need to invest now to prevent us having to pay that price in the future", Thomas said. The department warned that two-thirds of theword's population will live in water-stressed countries by 2025.
The coalition of charities has appealed for a global effort to bring running water to the developing world and supply sanitation to a further 2.6 billion people. It said that international investment is needed now to prevent competition for water to destabilize communities and escalate into conflicts.
Tackling the water and sanitation crisis is essential if the Millennium Development Goal Call to Action is to be a success. Otherwise, progress on health, education, and environment sustainability will be undermined. Each year 443 million school days are lost globally to diarrhea and 1.8 million children die from these diseases. In fact, it is often not realized tha investing in sanitation and water brillgs the greatest public health gains, more than any other single development intervention and delivers enormous economic gains.Already, some Asian countries have put tackling these issues at the forefront of theirdevelopment efforts. The Millennium Development Goals aim to halve the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water by 20l5. To achieve that urgent action needs to be taken.
There is no doubt that climate change is potentially the most important factor affecting water shor tage. This, compounded with a growing and increasingly urbanized global population will put pressure on food and water.For a temperature rise of 2°C, which is likely to happen by 2050, there would be a catastrophic 2 to 3 billion people suffering from water stress.
11. What does the author think is primarily responsible for water shortages in the world ?
(A) Climate chance. (B) Border dispute.
(C) World competition. (D) Political instability
12. According to Gareth Thomas, _______ is the price we have to pay for water shortage if we do not take immediate action.
(A ) sanitation crisis (B) intemational conflict
(C) global warming (D) over-urbanization
13. What can the coalition of charities do to prevent competition for water ?
(A) Appealing for international investment.
(B) Bringing running water to the developing world.
(C) Supplying sanitation to billions of water-stressed people.
(D) Enhancing world environment sustainability
13. The Millennium Development Goals aim to_______ in the near future.
(A) tackle the water and sanitation crisis
(B) yield economic gains as well as public health gains
(C) mak progress on health, education and environment sustainability
(D) provide more people with clean drinking water
15. According to the passage, what will add to water shortage ?
(A) Oil scarcity.
(B) A drop in temperature
(C) A growing population.
(D) Reduced food supply
Questions 16.-20
Parenting was never a piece of cake in any age, but probably the greatest source of headache for parents today in Japan is the ubiquitous cellphone. Today, 96 percent of senior high school students and 58 percent of junior high school students have cellphones. Even among primary school children, 3l percent have them.
By enabling youngsters to stay connected with their parents at all times, these gadgets help to keep children safe. For the kids, they are fun toys, too, that let them text to or chat with their pals whenever they wat, play Intemet games, and enjoy blogging for their own profile and diary purposes.
But terrible dangers lurk beneath all that fun and convenience.
Every year about l,000 children become involved in rape and other crimes through dating service sites. Violent and obscene images are only a couple of clicks away. On gakkoura saito, or so-called unofficial school websites where kids can post whatever they want, anyone can fall victim to brutal ''verbal mob lynching" by their peers.
Amid today's urgent need to address these problems, the government’s Meeting on Education Rebuilding has issued a report. In response to the Prime Minister's recent comments---“I carmot think of one good reason for (letting youngsters) have a cellphone" and "I would like everyone to discuss whether cellphones are really necessary:" ----the report recommended that "parents, guardians, schools and all parties concerned should cooperate among themselves, so that elementary school pupils and junior high school students do not have a cellphone unless there is a compelling reason for them to do so."
But since many parents believe in the necessity of cellphones as a safety tool, it is unrealistic to expect everyone to do away with them. Rather, it would make more sense for guardians, schools and cellphone companies to consider, from their respective standpoints,how cellphones should be used by children.
We suggest that parents sit down with their offspring and talk about their “houserules”for cellphone use. For instance, sct the hours allowed, so the kids won't be texting to their friends late into the night, remind them never to give away personal information online, and so on..
But there are limits to what individual families can do, and this is where we also suggest that schools should educate their pupils on the dangers of cellphone use. One way to go about this, for instance, may be for each class to set its own rules on sending e-mail messages.
16. The word "ubiquitous" (para. l) is closest in meaning to ________.
(A) updated (B) sophisticated
(C) prevalent (D) obsolete
17. Many parents let their kids have cellphones because they ________.
(A) want their kids to keep up with the IT World
(B) can't think of anything better for their kids to have fun
(C) don't want their kids to miss 'what other kids have
(D) believe cellphones endble them to stay connected
18. Which of the following is NOT the potential risk kids may face when using cellphones?
(A) Involvement in rape-related crime
(B) Exposure to violent and obscene images
(C) Falling victim to brutal curses.
(D) Being tracked down by unofficial school websites.
19. The report issued by the government’s Meeting on Education Rebuilding______.
(A) recommended minimizing the use of cellphones among kids
(B) suggested setting “house rules” for cellphone use
(C) urged parents to remind their children about ce1lphone use
(D) pressed schools to educate their pupils on the dangers of cellphone use
20. What is the main idea of the passage?
(A) Parents neglect to protect their kids from cellphones.
(B) Parenting with cellphones is a source of headache.
(C) Cellphones should be banned from campus.
(D) Kids need lessons on the uses of cellphones
Question 21--25
Extract I
A stylish dining room with cream walls and curtains and black carpet as perfect foil to an eclectic array of furniture. Many of the pieces are classics of their particular era, and demonstrate how old and new designs can be happily mixed together Thc prototype chair in the foreground has yet to prove its staying power and was thought up by the flat's occupant. He is pictured in his living room which has the same decorative theme and is linked to the dining room by a high Medieval-styled archway where was once a redundant and uninspiring fireplace.
Extract 2
Old bathrooms often contain a great deal of ugly pipework in need of disguising. This can either be done by boxing in the exposed pipes, or by fitting wood paneling over them.
As wood paneling can be secured over almost anyting---including oid ceramic tiles and chipped walls--- is an effective way of disguising pipework as well as being an attractive form of decoration. The paneling can be vertical, horizontal or diagonal.
An alternative way to approach the problem of exposed pipes is to actually make them a feature of the room by picking the pipework out in bright strong colours.
Extract 3
Cooking takes second place in this charming room which, with its deep armchairs, is more of a sitting room than a kitohen, and th6 ntw RaybUm stove as a good choice, as it blends in well with the old brick and beamed fireplace. There are no fitted units or built-in appliances, so all food preparation is done at the big farmbouse table in the foreground; and the china, pots and pans have been deliberately left on show to make an attractive display. What about the kitchen sink? It's hidden away behind an archway which leads into a small scullery. Here there's a second cooker and--- in the best farmhouse tradition--- a huge walk-in larder for all food storage.
2l. Why is the colour of the carpet described in Extract l a particular advantage?
(A) It livens up the colour in an otherwise dull room.
(B) It provides a contrast to the furniture.
(C) It blends in with the tones of the furniture.
(D) It gives the room a classical style.
22. What is the purpose of the archway described in Extract 1 ?
(A) To hide an unattractive fireplace.
(B) To give the room an exotic eastem style.
(C) To join the dining room with the sitting room
(D) To make room for the unusual seating arrangements.
23. Extract 2 is probably taken from ________.
(A) an architect's blueprint
(B) a plumber’s manual
(C) a home renovation magazine
(D) an advertisement for new bathrooms
24. Extracts 2 and 3 deal with _________.
(A) old and classic furniture
(B) attractive colour schemes
(C) cheap improvement schemes
(D) home decoration
25. Compared with Extract l the room described in Extract 3 appears to _______.
(A) be more comfortable
(B) be more colourful
(C) contain more furniture
(D) posspss a greater variety of style
Questions26--30,.
Large parts of the world have not enjoyed the remarkale global progress in health conditions that have taken place over the past century. Indeed, millions of deaths in impoverished nations are avoidable with prevention and treatment options that the rich world already uses. This year, l0 million children will die in low-and middle-income countries. If child death rates were the same as those in developed countries this figuer would be lower than 1 million. Conversely, if child death rates were those of rich countries just 100 years ago, the figure would be 30 million. Today's tools for improving health are so powerful and inexpensive that health conditions could be reasonably good even in poor countries if policy makers spent even relatively little in the right places.
Recent research for the Copeghagen Consensus idenifies several highly cost-effective options that would tackle some of the planet's most urgent health problems. The most promising investment is in tuberculosis treatment. Some 90 percent of the l.6 million tuberculosis deaths in 2003 occurred in low-and middle-income countries. Because tuberculosis affects working-age people, it can be a trigger of household poverty .The comerstone of control is prompt treatment using first-line drugs, which doesn't require a sophisticated health system. Spending $l billion on tuberculosis treatment in a year would save l million lives. Because good health accompanies higher levels of national economic welfare in the long run, the economic benefits are worth $30 billion.
The second most cost-effective investment is tackling hewt disease. Heart disease migh not seem like a pressing issue for poor nations, but it represents more than a quarter of their death toll. Measures to reduce risk factors other than smoking--high intake or saturated animal fat, obesity, binge drinking of alcohol, physical inactivity , and low fruit and vegetable consumption-- have had little success. Treating acute heart attacks with inexpensive drugs is, however, cost-effective. Spending $200 million could avert several hundred thousand deaths, yielding benefits that are 25 times higher than costs.
The third option is prevention and treatment of malaria. A billion dollars would expand the provision of insecticide-treated bed-nets and facilitate provision of highly effective treatment. This would save more than a million child deaths and produce economic benefits worth $20 billion.
The fourth altermative for policymakers is to focus on child health initiatives. The best measures are familiar ones expanding immunization coverage, promoting breasfeeding, increasing the use of simple and cheap treatments for diarrhea and childhood pneumonia, and so on.
Even if the costs of all these initiatives were two or three times higher than we estimate, these efforts would still provide amazing opportunities to reduce health inequality and do good in the world.
26. Over the past century, the child death rates hatve _________.
(A ) climbed steadily in impoverished countries
(B) dropped remarkably in developed countries
(C) fluctuated wildly in low-incoine countries
(D) remained stable in middle-income countries
27. The most effective investment is in the treatment for ________.
(A) tuberculosis
(B) heart disease
(C) malaria
(D) diarrhea
28.All of the following could be the contributing factors to heart disease EXCETP________.
(A) heavy smoking
(B) binge drinking
(C) saturated animal fat intake
(D) vegetable consumption
29.According to the author, if $ l billion were invested in the prevention and treatment of heart discase, whih of the following economic benefits would be produced?
(A) $20 billion.
(B) $25 billion.
(C) $30 billion.
(D) $35 billion.
30. What would be the best title for this passage ?
(A) Best Options for Tackling World’s Killer Diseases.
(B) Cost-effective Investment in Impoverished Nations.
(C) Health Inequality between Developed and Developing Countries.
(D) Earth’s Killer Diseases: Tuberculosis, HeartAttak and Malaria...
Directions: In this section, you wiIl read several passages. Each passage is followed by several questions based on its content. You are to choose ONE best answer, (A), (B), (C) or (D), to each question. Answer all the questions following each passage on the basis of what is stated or implied in that passage and write the letter of the answer you have chosen in the corresponding space in your ANSWER BOOKLET.
Questions 1--5
I came across an old country guide the other day.It listed all the tradesmen in each village in my part of the country,and it was impressive to see the great variety of services which were available on one's own doorstep in the late Victorian countryside.
Nowadays a superficial traveler in rural Eng1and might conclude that the only village tradesmen still flourishing were either selling frozen food to the inhabitants or selling antiques to visitors. Nevertheless, this would really be a false impression. Admittedly there has been a contraction of village commerce, bul its vigor is still remarkable.
Our local grocer's shop, for example, is actually expanding in spite of the competition from supermarkets in the nearest town. Women sensibly prefer to go there and exchange the local news whi1e doing their shopping, instead of queueing up anonymously at a supermarket. And the proprietor knows well that persona1 service has a substantial cash value.
His Prices may be a bit higher than those in the town, bu he will deliver anything at any time. His assistants think nothing of bicycling down the village street in their lunch hour to take a piece of cheese to an old age pensioner who sent her order by word of mouth with a friend who happened to be passing. The more affluent customers telephone their shopping lists and the goods are on their doorsteps within an hour.They have only to hint at a fancy for some commodity outside the usual stock and the grocer a red-faced figure, instantly obtains it for them..
The village gains from this sort of enterprise, of course. But I also find it satisfactory because a village shop offers one of the few ways in which a modest individualist can still get along in the world without attaching himself to the big battalions of industry or commerce.
Most of the village shopkeepers I know, at any rate, are decidedly individualist in their ways. For example, our shoemaker is a formidable figure: a thick-set, irritable man whom children treat with marked respect, knowing that an ill-judged word can provoke an angry eruption at any time. He stares with contempt at the pairs of cheap, mass-produced shoes taken to him for repair: has it come to this, he seems to be saying, that he, a craftsman, should have to waste his skills upon such trash? But we all know he will in fact do excellent work upon them.And he makes beautiful shoes for those who can afford such luxury.
1.The services available in villages nowadays are normally_________.
(A) fewer but still very active
(B) less successful than earlier but managing to survive
(C) active in providing food for the village and tourists
(D) surprisingly energetic considering the little demand for them
2.The local grocer’s shop is expanding even though________.
(A) town shops are more attractive
(B) town shops are larger and less well-known
(C) people like to shop where they are less well-known
(D) people get extra service in townshops
3.How do the village grocer’s assistants feel about delivering goods?
(A) They tend to forget it. (B) They will not consider it.
(C) They take it for granted. (D) It does not seem worth their while
4.Another aspect of personal service available in the village shop is that_________.
(A) there is a wide range of goos available
(B) goods not in stock can be obtained whenever they are needed
(C) special attention is given to the needs of wealthier customers
(D) goods are always restocked before they run out
5.In what way is the village shoemaker a “formidable figure”?
(A) He seems to pay little attention to public opinion.
(B) He refuses to mend cheap,mass-produced shoes.
(C) He has a very rough temper.
(D) He has very high standards of workmanship.
Questions 6--10
Drivers on the Basingstoke by-pass used to have their attention diverted by a sign that read—A MOMENT'S INATTENTION CAUSES ACCIDENTS. This self-defeating warning has now been removed, but its message is still very much to the point.
Almost anyting can cause an accident. Apart from momentary inattention, it might be a minor miscalculation, a sudden fit of coughing, a bop on the head with a teddy-bear from a child in the back seat, an argument with the wife, fog, falling asleep at the wheel, bad eyesight, a glaring sun, ice, rain, wind, or snow—a1l these can make the difference between a tragic hit and a lucky miss.
Although human error plays its part, it is by no means the only cause of accidends. There must be some cause other than simple human error. Road construction plays its part: researchers have found that it is not at the obvious danger spot—sharp corners, cross-roads, narrow lanes—that accidents happen. It is on those roads where there are subtle visual traps, unexpected changes in the shape or surface of the .road, or even insufficient or badly-placed signs. Wherever there is a 'black spot', it means that something is seriously wrong with the road. Why else did the careless driving of so many come out at that particular spot?
What the law requires when you have an accident
There are, firstly the legal formalities of exchanging names and addresses with others involved in an accident and, in certain cases, informing the police.However, you are required by law to stop after an accident only if:
l Somebody other than yourself in or outside your car has been injured.
2 A vehicle not your own has been damaged.
3 Any horse, cow,donkey,sheep, or dog has been injured.
It has been said that if a driver continues unaware of causing injury he must be acquitted. But the courts are wary of that excuse. Furthermore, the driver himself must wait at the scene; it is not enough for him to leave his chauffeur or a friend to attend to the boring formalities while he goes off on more important business.
If you have been involved in an accident and have stopped, you must give your name, address, and registration number to anyone who has a good reason for requesting it; this means anyone affected by the accident. If these formalities are complied with it is not necessary to wait for the arrival of the police. It is, however, often wise to do so. The police are expert at drawing plans, taking measurements and photographs and gathering other evidence. In your absence the police could be given a biased story against you; and you yourself migh wam to point out certain features of the accident to the police.
6. A MOMENT'S INATTENTION CAUSES ACCIDENTS' (para. l) is a self defeating Warning because______.
(A) it will make a driver wait at the scene
(B) it will distract the driver's attention
(C) it is too difficult to understand
(D) it is too long to be read by drivers
7. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?
(A) After an accident you have to give your name to anyone who asks for it.
(B) Drivers on the Basingstoke by-pass used to ignore the sign.
(C) Road construction problems can be a major cause of accidents.
(D) A 'black spot' is a part of the road where there are no signs.
8. 'Subtle visual traps' (para.3) are ______.
(A) places where the police hide in order to trap motorists
(B) parts of the road which are deceptive to the driver's eye
(C) danger spots such as sharp corners and cross-roads
(D) places where there are man road-signs
9. As required by the law, you must stop after an accident, if ______.
(A) you have been injured by somebody.
(B) your car has been damaged.
(C) you have injured somebody else
(D) you have witnessed the accident
l 0. After an accident it is recommended that you wait for the police because _________.
(A) it is against the law to drive off
(B) they have to examine your licence and insurance certificate
(C) they have to noto the position of your car
(D) somebody may give them a false account of the accident
Questions 11--15
Just as word oil scarcity is already causing intemational conflicts, so will the scarcity of water reach a point where wars will break out. The statistics on water are already scary. Already well over l billion people suffer from water shortages and 30 countries get more than a third of their water from outside their borders—an obvious source of disputes and instability especially as the climate changes. The whole of the sub-Saharan Africa, most of South Asia and western South America are most at risk. The reason: the rapid melting of glaciers due to global warning.
At the meeting of the coalition of 27 Intemaional charities last month, Gareth Thomas, minister of Intenatonal Development of the British government, wrote to prime minister Gordon Brown demanding action to ensure fresh water to 1.1 billion people with poor supplies. "If we do not act now, the reality is that water supplies may become the subject of international conflict in the years ahead. We need to invest now to prevent us having to pay that price in the future", Thomas said. The department warned that two-thirds of theword's population will live in water-stressed countries by 2025.
The coalition of charities has appealed for a global effort to bring running water to the developing world and supply sanitation to a further 2.6 billion people. It said that international investment is needed now to prevent competition for water to destabilize communities and escalate into conflicts.
Tackling the water and sanitation crisis is essential if the Millennium Development Goal Call to Action is to be a success. Otherwise, progress on health, education, and environment sustainability will be undermined. Each year 443 million school days are lost globally to diarrhea and 1.8 million children die from these diseases. In fact, it is often not realized tha investing in sanitation and water brillgs the greatest public health gains, more than any other single development intervention and delivers enormous economic gains.Already, some Asian countries have put tackling these issues at the forefront of theirdevelopment efforts. The Millennium Development Goals aim to halve the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water by 20l5. To achieve that urgent action needs to be taken.
There is no doubt that climate change is potentially the most important factor affecting water shor tage. This, compounded with a growing and increasingly urbanized global population will put pressure on food and water.For a temperature rise of 2°C, which is likely to happen by 2050, there would be a catastrophic 2 to 3 billion people suffering from water stress.
11. What does the author think is primarily responsible for water shortages in the world ?
(A) Climate chance. (B) Border dispute.
(C) World competition. (D) Political instability
12. According to Gareth Thomas, _______ is the price we have to pay for water shortage if we do not take immediate action.
(A ) sanitation crisis (B) intemational conflict
(C) global warming (D) over-urbanization
13. What can the coalition of charities do to prevent competition for water ?
(A) Appealing for international investment.
(B) Bringing running water to the developing world.
(C) Supplying sanitation to billions of water-stressed people.
(D) Enhancing world environment sustainability
13. The Millennium Development Goals aim to_______ in the near future.
(A) tackle the water and sanitation crisis
(B) yield economic gains as well as public health gains
(C) mak progress on health, education and environment sustainability
(D) provide more people with clean drinking water
15. According to the passage, what will add to water shortage ?
(A) Oil scarcity.
(B) A drop in temperature
(C) A growing population.
(D) Reduced food supply
Questions 16.-20
Parenting was never a piece of cake in any age, but probably the greatest source of headache for parents today in Japan is the ubiquitous cellphone. Today, 96 percent of senior high school students and 58 percent of junior high school students have cellphones. Even among primary school children, 3l percent have them.
By enabling youngsters to stay connected with their parents at all times, these gadgets help to keep children safe. For the kids, they are fun toys, too, that let them text to or chat with their pals whenever they wat, play Intemet games, and enjoy blogging for their own profile and diary purposes.
But terrible dangers lurk beneath all that fun and convenience.
Every year about l,000 children become involved in rape and other crimes through dating service sites. Violent and obscene images are only a couple of clicks away. On gakkoura saito, or so-called unofficial school websites where kids can post whatever they want, anyone can fall victim to brutal ''verbal mob lynching" by their peers.
Amid today's urgent need to address these problems, the government’s Meeting on Education Rebuilding has issued a report. In response to the Prime Minister's recent comments---“I carmot think of one good reason for (letting youngsters) have a cellphone" and "I would like everyone to discuss whether cellphones are really necessary:" ----the report recommended that "parents, guardians, schools and all parties concerned should cooperate among themselves, so that elementary school pupils and junior high school students do not have a cellphone unless there is a compelling reason for them to do so."
But since many parents believe in the necessity of cellphones as a safety tool, it is unrealistic to expect everyone to do away with them. Rather, it would make more sense for guardians, schools and cellphone companies to consider, from their respective standpoints,how cellphones should be used by children.
We suggest that parents sit down with their offspring and talk about their “houserules”for cellphone use. For instance, sct the hours allowed, so the kids won't be texting to their friends late into the night, remind them never to give away personal information online, and so on..
But there are limits to what individual families can do, and this is where we also suggest that schools should educate their pupils on the dangers of cellphone use. One way to go about this, for instance, may be for each class to set its own rules on sending e-mail messages.
16. The word "ubiquitous" (para. l) is closest in meaning to ________.
(A) updated (B) sophisticated
(C) prevalent (D) obsolete
17. Many parents let their kids have cellphones because they ________.
(A) want their kids to keep up with the IT World
(B) can't think of anything better for their kids to have fun
(C) don't want their kids to miss 'what other kids have
(D) believe cellphones endble them to stay connected
18. Which of the following is NOT the potential risk kids may face when using cellphones?
(A) Involvement in rape-related crime
(B) Exposure to violent and obscene images
(C) Falling victim to brutal curses.
(D) Being tracked down by unofficial school websites.
19. The report issued by the government’s Meeting on Education Rebuilding______.
(A) recommended minimizing the use of cellphones among kids
(B) suggested setting “house rules” for cellphone use
(C) urged parents to remind their children about ce1lphone use
(D) pressed schools to educate their pupils on the dangers of cellphone use
20. What is the main idea of the passage?
(A) Parents neglect to protect their kids from cellphones.
(B) Parenting with cellphones is a source of headache.
(C) Cellphones should be banned from campus.
(D) Kids need lessons on the uses of cellphones
Question 21--25
Extract I
A stylish dining room with cream walls and curtains and black carpet as perfect foil to an eclectic array of furniture. Many of the pieces are classics of their particular era, and demonstrate how old and new designs can be happily mixed together Thc prototype chair in the foreground has yet to prove its staying power and was thought up by the flat's occupant. He is pictured in his living room which has the same decorative theme and is linked to the dining room by a high Medieval-styled archway where was once a redundant and uninspiring fireplace.
Extract 2
Old bathrooms often contain a great deal of ugly pipework in need of disguising. This can either be done by boxing in the exposed pipes, or by fitting wood paneling over them.
As wood paneling can be secured over almost anyting---including oid ceramic tiles and chipped walls--- is an effective way of disguising pipework as well as being an attractive form of decoration. The paneling can be vertical, horizontal or diagonal.
An alternative way to approach the problem of exposed pipes is to actually make them a feature of the room by picking the pipework out in bright strong colours.
Extract 3
Cooking takes second place in this charming room which, with its deep armchairs, is more of a sitting room than a kitohen, and th6 ntw RaybUm stove as a good choice, as it blends in well with the old brick and beamed fireplace. There are no fitted units or built-in appliances, so all food preparation is done at the big farmbouse table in the foreground; and the china, pots and pans have been deliberately left on show to make an attractive display. What about the kitchen sink? It's hidden away behind an archway which leads into a small scullery. Here there's a second cooker and--- in the best farmhouse tradition--- a huge walk-in larder for all food storage.
2l. Why is the colour of the carpet described in Extract l a particular advantage?
(A) It livens up the colour in an otherwise dull room.
(B) It provides a contrast to the furniture.
(C) It blends in with the tones of the furniture.
(D) It gives the room a classical style.
22. What is the purpose of the archway described in Extract 1 ?
(A) To hide an unattractive fireplace.
(B) To give the room an exotic eastem style.
(C) To join the dining room with the sitting room
(D) To make room for the unusual seating arrangements.
23. Extract 2 is probably taken from ________.
(A) an architect's blueprint
(B) a plumber’s manual
(C) a home renovation magazine
(D) an advertisement for new bathrooms
24. Extracts 2 and 3 deal with _________.
(A) old and classic furniture
(B) attractive colour schemes
(C) cheap improvement schemes
(D) home decoration
25. Compared with Extract l the room described in Extract 3 appears to _______.
(A) be more comfortable
(B) be more colourful
(C) contain more furniture
(D) posspss a greater variety of style
Questions26--30,.
Large parts of the world have not enjoyed the remarkale global progress in health conditions that have taken place over the past century. Indeed, millions of deaths in impoverished nations are avoidable with prevention and treatment options that the rich world already uses. This year, l0 million children will die in low-and middle-income countries. If child death rates were the same as those in developed countries this figuer would be lower than 1 million. Conversely, if child death rates were those of rich countries just 100 years ago, the figure would be 30 million. Today's tools for improving health are so powerful and inexpensive that health conditions could be reasonably good even in poor countries if policy makers spent even relatively little in the right places.
Recent research for the Copeghagen Consensus idenifies several highly cost-effective options that would tackle some of the planet's most urgent health problems. The most promising investment is in tuberculosis treatment. Some 90 percent of the l.6 million tuberculosis deaths in 2003 occurred in low-and middle-income countries. Because tuberculosis affects working-age people, it can be a trigger of household poverty .The comerstone of control is prompt treatment using first-line drugs, which doesn't require a sophisticated health system. Spending $l billion on tuberculosis treatment in a year would save l million lives. Because good health accompanies higher levels of national economic welfare in the long run, the economic benefits are worth $30 billion.
The second most cost-effective investment is tackling hewt disease. Heart disease migh not seem like a pressing issue for poor nations, but it represents more than a quarter of their death toll. Measures to reduce risk factors other than smoking--high intake or saturated animal fat, obesity, binge drinking of alcohol, physical inactivity , and low fruit and vegetable consumption-- have had little success. Treating acute heart attacks with inexpensive drugs is, however, cost-effective. Spending $200 million could avert several hundred thousand deaths, yielding benefits that are 25 times higher than costs.
The third option is prevention and treatment of malaria. A billion dollars would expand the provision of insecticide-treated bed-nets and facilitate provision of highly effective treatment. This would save more than a million child deaths and produce economic benefits worth $20 billion.
The fourth altermative for policymakers is to focus on child health initiatives. The best measures are familiar ones expanding immunization coverage, promoting breasfeeding, increasing the use of simple and cheap treatments for diarrhea and childhood pneumonia, and so on.
Even if the costs of all these initiatives were two or three times higher than we estimate, these efforts would still provide amazing opportunities to reduce health inequality and do good in the world.
26. Over the past century, the child death rates hatve _________.
(A ) climbed steadily in impoverished countries
(B) dropped remarkably in developed countries
(C) fluctuated wildly in low-incoine countries
(D) remained stable in middle-income countries
27. The most effective investment is in the treatment for ________.
(A) tuberculosis
(B) heart disease
(C) malaria
(D) diarrhea
28.All of the following could be the contributing factors to heart disease EXCETP________.
(A) heavy smoking
(B) binge drinking
(C) saturated animal fat intake
(D) vegetable consumption
29.According to the author, if $ l billion were invested in the prevention and treatment of heart discase, whih of the following economic benefits would be produced?
(A) $20 billion.
(B) $25 billion.
(C) $30 billion.
(D) $35 billion.
30. What would be the best title for this passage ?
(A) Best Options for Tackling World’s Killer Diseases.
(B) Cost-effective Investment in Impoverished Nations.
(C) Health Inequality between Developed and Developing Countries.
(D) Earth’s Killer Diseases: Tuberculosis, HeartAttak and Malaria...
