Reading passage 1 A.

There are now over 700 million motor vehicles in the world - and the number is rising by more than 40 million each year. The average distance driven by car users is growing too - from 8 km a day per person in Western Europe in 1965 to 25 km a day in 1995. This dependence on motor vehicles has given rise to major problems, including environmental pollution, depletion of oil resources, traffic congestion and safety. B. While emissions from new cars are far less harmful than they used to be, city streets and motorways are becoming more crowded than ever, often with older trucks, buses and taxis which emit excessive levels of smoke and fumes. This concentration of vehicles makes air quality in urban areas unpleasant and sometimes dangerous to breathe. Even Moscow has joined the list of capitals afflicted by congestion and traffic fumes. In Mexico City, vehicle pollution is a major health hazard. C. Until a hundred years ago, most journeys were in the 20 km range, the distance conveniently accessible by horse. Heavy freight could only be carried by water or rail. Invention of the motor vehicle brought personal mobility to the masses and made rapid freight delivery possible over a much wider area. In the United Kingdom, about 90 per cent of inland freight is carried by road. The world cannot revert to the horse-drawn wagon. Can it avoid being locked into congested and polluting ways of transporting people and goods? D. In Europe most cities are still designed for the old modes of transport. Adaptation to the motor car has involved adding ring roads, one-way systems and parking lots. In the United States, more land is assigned to car use than to housing. Urban sprawl means that life without a car is next to impossible. Mass use of motor vehicles has also killed or injured millions of people. Other social effects have been blamed on the car such as alienation and aggressive human behaviour. E. A 1993 study by the European Federation for Transport and Environment found that car transport is seven times as costly as rail travel in terms of the external social costs it entails congestion, accidents, pollution, loss of cropland and natural habitats, depletion of oil resources, and so on. Yet cars easily surpass trains or buses as a flexible and convenient mode of personal transport. It is unrealistic to expect people to give up private cars in favour of mass transit. F. Technical solutions can reduce the pollution problem and increase the fuel efficiency of engines. But fuel consumption and exhaust emissions depend on which cars are preferred by customers and how they are driven. Many people buy larger cars than they need for daily purposes or waste fuel by driving aggressively. Besides, global car use is increasing at a faster rate than the improvement in emissions and fuel efficiency which technology is now making possible. G. Some argue that the only long-term solution is to design cities and neighbourhoods so that car journeys are not necessary - all essential services being located within walking distance or easily accessible by public transport. Not only would this save energy and cut carbon dioxide emissions, it would also enhance the quality of community life, putting the emphasis on people instead of cars. Good local government is already bringing this about in some places. But few democratic communities are blessed with the vision and the capital to make such profound changes in modern lifestyles. A more likely scenario seems to be a combination of mass transit systems for travel into and around cities, with small low emission cars for urban use and larger

hybrid or lean burn cars for use elsewhere. Electronically tolled highways might be used to ensure that drivers pay charges geared to actual road use. Better integration of transport systems is also highly desirable - and made more feasible by modern computers. But these are solutions for countries which can afford them. In most developing countries, old cars and old technologies continue to predominate Academic Reading sample task Identifying information Source: Readers Digest Questions You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1 to 14 which are based on Reading Passage 1 Questions 1 to 7 Reading Passage 1 has seven paragraphs A G. From the list of headings below, choose the most suitable heading for each paragraph. Write the appropriate numbers I ix in boxes 1 7 on your answer sheet.

i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii. viii. ix.

Technical solutions. The motor vehicles in the world. Adaptation to the motor car. The long-term solution. Cost of car transport. The personal mobility. The freight. The concentration of vehicles. The pollution. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Paragraph A Paragraph B Paragraph C Paragraph D Paragraph E Paragraph F Paragraph G

Questions 8 10 Choose the correct letters, A, B, C or D Write your answers in boxes 8 10 on your answer sheet. 8 Fuel consumption and exhaust emissions depend on A. B. C. D. Which cars are preferred by customers. The maintenance of the cars. Number of passengers per car. Mode of transport.

9 A. B. C. D. 10 A. B. C. D.

Mass use of motor vehicles has also Made people lazy. Destroyed forests. Killed a lot of live stock. Killed or injured millions of people. Better integration of transport systems is Highly undesirable. Highly desirable. Banned. Never tried.

Questions 11 14 Complete each of the following statements (questions 11 14) with the best endings A G from the box below Write the appropriate letters A G in boxes 11 14 on your answer sheet. 11 Many people buy larger cars than 12 Moscow has joined the list of capitals afflicted 13 The world cannot revert to 14 Cars easily surpass trains or buses as

A B C D E F G

A flexible and convenient mode of personal transport. The trams. They need for daily purposes. By congestion and traffic fumes. They come cheaper. By fumes and smoke. The horse-drawn wagon.

Reading passage 2 A. Tropical Storm Alberto was the first tropical storm of the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season. Forming on June 10 in the north western Caribbean Sea, the storm moved generally to the north, reaching a maximum intensity of 70 mph (110 km/h) before weakening and moving ashore in the Big Bend area of Florida on June 13. Alberto then moved through eastern Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia as a tropical depression before becoming extra tropical on June 14.

B. Across the western Caribbean, the storm produced heavy rainfall, causing some minor damage. In Florida, a moderate storm tide caused coastal damage and flooding, while Alberto's outer rain bands produced several tornadoes. The storm was indirectly responsible for two drownings off the coast of Tampa Bay. In North Carolina, heavy rainfall caused locally severe flooding, and one person drowned after running into a flooded storm drain near Raleigh. The remnants of Alberto produced strong winds and left four people missing in Atlantic Canada. Overall, damage was minor along Alberto's path. C. In early June 2006, an area of convection persisted across Central America and the western Caribbean Sea, in association with a broad, nearly stationary trough of low pressure. Thunderstorms increased and became more concentrated on June 8 after a tropical wave moved into the western Caribbean, and an upper-level low to its west increased outflow over the system. The disturbance moved slowly north-north-westward, and development was initially inhibited by marginally favourable upper-level winds and land interaction. The system gradually organized, and by June 10 a circulation formed with sufficiently organized convection for the National Hurricane Centre to classify it Tropical Depression One. At this point the storm was located about 140 miles (225 km) south of the western tip of Cuba. D. The depression tracked to the northwest through the Yucatn Channel into an area of increased wind shear, which left the centre exposed and elongated. Despite its poor structure, the system maintained strong winds in its eastern semicircle. The depression intensified into Tropical Storm Alberto early on June 11 about 260 miles (420 km) southwest of the Dry Tortugas, based on Hurricane Hunters' reports of flight level winds of 50 mph (80 km/h) in a few convective bands. Upon becoming a tropical storm, the low-level circulation had become better defined, though forecasts predicted the wind shear would increase, preventing significant strengthening of the storm. One forecaster at the National Hurricane Centre remarked the system resembled a subtropical cyclone. However, deep convection developed and built westward against the wind shear as the overall organization improved. At the same time Alberto turned north-eastward under the influence of an approaching trough. On June 12, the circulation abruptly reformed under the area of deepest convection, which coincided with the storm's passage over the loop current; consequentially, Alberto quickly strengthened to reach peak winds of 70 mph (115 km/h) about 220 miles (350 km) west-northwest of Tampa, Florida. E. Though it was projected to track over cooler waters and stay in an area of increased shear, forecasters at the National Hurricane Centre predicted Alberto to attain hurricane status and make landfall at that intensity. The storm maintained peak intensity for about 18 hours, and while accelerating north-eastward, Alberto's convection diminished as the cloud pattern became elongated. On June 13, dry air became entrained in the circulation, leaving the centre exposed from the convection and the wind field greatly broadened. A partial eye wall developed in the western semicircle of the centre; however, winds were well below hurricane force. Alberto continued to weaken, and made landfall at about 1630 UTC on June 13 with 45 mph (75 km/h) winds in Taylor County, Florida, about 50 miles (80 km) southeast of Tallahassee. F. The storm maintained a well-organized structure and banding features over land, and Alberto continued to produce winds of tropical storm force as it moved into Georgia. Early on June 14, the storm weakened to tropical depression status while located near the city of Millen, Georgia.

Alberto began to lose tropical characteristics soon thereafter, and about six hours after weakening to a tropical depression it transitioned into an extra tropical cyclone. Late on June 14 it accelerated north-eastward to emerge into the Atlantic Ocean, and on June 15, it entered the area of responsibility of the Canadian Hurricane Centre. G. While over open waters, Alberto's remnants began to re-intensify; later that day, the extratropical remnant low attained winds of 65 mph (105 km/h) and a pressure of 969 mbar while a short distance south of Nova Scotia. At this time, the low presented a well-defined comma structure. After passing near Sable Island, the remnants of Alberto crossed the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland on June 16. The extra-tropical storm turned to the east-northeast and later to the east as it continued its rapid forward motion, and on June 19 the remnants of Alberto merged with an approaching cold front near the British Isles. Questions You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 15 27 which are based on Reading Passage 2 Questions 15 19 Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2? In boxes 15 -19 in your answer sheet write TRUE FALSE NOT GIVEN 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. if the statement agrees with the information if the statement contradicts the information if there is no information on this

All the tropical storms are very much disastrous. The storm had a speed of 240kmph. A moderate storm tide caused coastal damage and flooding. Tropical Storm Alberto was the first tropical storm of the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season. Thunderstorms increased and became more concentrated during the month of June.

Question 20 23 Look at the following topics (questions 20 23) and the list of statements below. Match each topic to the correct statement. Write the correct letter A G in boxes 1 4 on your answer sheet. 20. The Yucatn Channel 21. The Dry Tortugas 22. Nova Scotia 23. The National Hurricane Centre

A B C D E F G

Alberto to attain hurricane status. Early on June 11. Is situated south eastward. An area of increased wind shear. Made the storm fiercer. A pressure of 969 mbar. Predicted the arrival of the storm correctly.

Questions 24 27 Complete the following statements with the correct alternative from the box. Write the correct letter A F in boxes 24 27 on your answer sheet. 24. 25. 26. 27. The storm maintained a well-organized The depression intensified into Tropical Storm Alberto The storm produced heavy rainfall, causing some minor damage The storm maintained peak intensity

A For about 8 hours. B For about 18 hours. C Structure and banding features over land. D On June 11. E Across the western Caribbean. F Early on June 11.

Reading Passage 3 A. It's a timeworn tactic for politicians. When you fail at home, go abroad. Four days after the Democrats' defeat in the U.S. midterm elections, Barack Obama headed on his longest overseas journey as President: a 10-day tour of Asia, where his foreign fans far outstrip his domestic ones. B. The itinerary of America's self-proclaimed "first Pacific President" has taken him to India (the world's largest democracy) and Indonesia (the world's biggest Muslim-majority democracy) before he attends a pair of global summits in South Korea (a dictatorship turned democracy that was saved from communism by U.S. intervention) and in Japan (Asia's oldest democracy). Even though the vagaries of democratic politics had just dealt Obama what he called a "shellacking," the U.S. President has spent much of his tour highlighting the virtues of governance by the people. "Instead of being lured by the false notion that progress must come at the expense of freedom, you built the institutions upon which true democracy depends," Obama told the

C.

D.

E.

F.

G.

Indian Parliament on Nov. 8. "The lesson is clear: India has succeeded not in spite of democracy; India has succeeded because of democracy." While Obama's trip is a celebration of Asia's liberal bastions, it is the dragon in the room decidedly undemocratic China, a nation not even on the President's itinerary that is the underlying focus of his grand tour. In recent months, China's international image has morphed from global economic saviour into, frankly, a bit of a bully. Asian nations that once showed only gratitude for Chinese investment are now discovering that the cash often comes with the economic and even political imprint of state-owned Chinese companies. At the same time, China's increasingly aggressive territorial claims in surrounding seas have spooked countries that lie within its historic sphere of influence. From Japan to Vietnam, Asian nations have cozied up to the U.S. as a geopolitical counterweight to their giant neighbour. "Asia, which faces many uncertainties, including the rise of China, will need the firm diplomatic and economic engagement of the United States," said the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Japan's top financial daily, in an editorial. Just a year ago, as America was mired in recession, Obama visited China and spoke of "deep and even dramatic ties" with what is now the world's second largest economy. Yet through 2010, China's foreign policy has displayed little of the maturity expected of a rising power: Beijing has reacted with outsize indignation to perceived slights like Obama's meeting with the Dalai Lama or Tokyo's detention of a Chinese trawler that collided with a Japanese naval vessel in disputed waters. In the wake of the October awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to imprisoned writer Liu Xiaobo, Beijing unleashed a shrill fury that makes it nigh impossible to ignore the nation's tendency to silence anyone who contradicts the narrative of a stable, happy China. Since Liu's award was announced on Oct. 8, dozens of his fellow intellectuals have been placed under house arrest or barred from travelling overseas, while the Nobel laureate himself still languishes in jail. Beijing has also dismissed Washington's recent suggestion that it could dip a mediating hand in the contested waters of the East and South China Seas, even though such American involvement would be welcomed by many of China's neighbours. "The freedom of navigation which the U.S. claims to protect is actually the freedom of the U.S. military to threaten other countries," fulminated an editorial in the Global Times, a Chinese Communist Partyowned daily. "The U.S. cannot tolerate the reasonable growth of China's national strength and regional influence." Beijing, which has a historical distrust of any foreign interference, insists that it is pursuing a policy of "peaceful development." China's assertive stance against external challengers and internal critics, however, has triggered a rethink of the so-called Beijing Consensus, China's development model based upon authoritarian capitalism. Even a few months ago, the Beijing Consensus was being hawked across the developing world as the most stable and efficient way to build an economy. But as Obama tours democratic Asia, it is the alternative Mumbai Consensus that is serving as the philosophy du jour. A term popularized this summer by White House economic adviser Lawrence Summers, the Mumbai Consensus refers to an altogether messier but democratically rooted economic model in which private enterprise has a big role and in which, Summers said, "respect for individuals is the paramount value."

Source: Time Questions You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 28 40 which are based on Reading Passage 3. Questions 28 32 The passage has seven paragraphs labelled AG. Which paragraph contains the following information? Write the correct letter A-G in boxes 28-32 on your answer sheet. NB: You may use any letter more than once. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. Barack Obama headed on his longest overseas journey as President. India is the worlds largest democracy. Beijing has also dismissed Washington's recent suggestion. China's foreign policy has displayed little of the maturity expected of a rising power. Asian nations have cozied up to the U.S. as a geopolitical counterweight to their giant neighbour.

Questions 33 36 Complete the sentences below with words taken from Reading Passage 3. Use NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 33-36 on your answer sheet.

33. 34. 35. 36.

The freedom of navigation is actually the freedom of the U.S. military to . The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to imprisoned writer . China's development model is based upon . It is the alternative Mumbai Consensus that is serving as the .

Questions 37 40 Complete the summary of the paragraphs A C below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 37-40 on your answer sheet. Barack Obama headed on his longest 37 The U.S. President has spent much of his tour highlighting the virtues of 38 . India has succeeded not in spite of democracy; India has 39 Asian nations that once showed only gratitude for Chinese investment are now 40 .